Godward Thoughts

The chronicler does not mention Solomon’s apostasy or God’s warning (1 Kings 11–13), but he does record Rehoboam’s folly. You would think younger men would recommend easier lives for the people, for youth is generally a carefree time. But the king’s friends did not have to bear any of the burdens, and their decision made them appear strong. They used the people to advance their authority instead of using their authority to help the people. (See Matthew 23:4; Galatians 6:2).

Some divisions are of God (2 Chronicles 11:4), even though they create problems and cause hurts. For one thing, divisions force people to make decisions, and the decisions they make reveal the kind of people they are. The priests and Levites left Israel and came to Judah because they wanted to serve in the true temple and be ruled by a king from David’s line.

Rehoboam refused to serve the Lord or the people, so he ended up serving Egypt. God wanted him to learn the difference between His easy yoke and the heavy yoke of sin (2 Chronicles 12:8 ; Deuteronomy 28:47–48). Some people must learn the hard way. Are you one of them?

No matter how strong you think you are, your strength becomes weakness if you forsake the Lord. Rehoboam relied on his fortified cities for protection, and the Egyptians took every one of them. His son Abijah would rely on the Lord and win a great victory (2 Chronicles 13:18). Where is your faith today?

Solomon’s treasures became Egypt’s spoils because the king turned away from God. The king and the elders humbled themselves before God, but they could not escape the consequences of their sin. God spared them from wrath, but He permitted them to suffer. Alexander Maclaren stated, “Every sin is a mistake, as well as a wrong; and the epitaph for the sinner is, ‘Thou fool!’”

When Moses and Aaron began their work in Egypt, their first problem was with Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1–9). Not only did Pharaoh refuse to let the people leave Egypt, but he made their work more difficult. That gave Moses a second problem—his own people, who blamed him for their plight (Exodus 5:20–21). He had a foretaste of the criticism and rebellion he would experience for the next forty years. Moses’ third problem was with the Lord Himself (Exodus 5:22–23)! God had promised success but Moses had failed. Even the Jews didn’t believe him!

But God gave Moses the assurance that He needed (Exodus 6:1–8) and told him to return to his job and stay with it. God doesn’t solve every problem immediately, nor does He follow your schedule. When you think you have failed, even when you have obeyed God’s will, ponder Isaiah 55:8–9 and Jeremiah 29:11.