2 Chronicles 12:1-4
Rehoboam abandoned the ways of the Lord after establishing his kingdom and reign. It's clear that Shishak's attack was the direct result of the unfaithfulness of Rehoboam. This king had succeeded the most wealthy, wise and respected king to have ever ruled; he squanded the respect, was disrespectful of wisdom and the wealth was carried off. None of his father's kingdom helped overcome his lack of leadership. The fortified cities he had created to protect Jerusalem were all taken by Shishak.
This report in Chronicles is different from the account in 1 Kings 14. The chronicler offers a few more details about Shishak's army; he doesn't speak in detail about Rehoboam's sins like Kings does; and he tells of Rehoboam humbling himself and God relenting from the judgment.
2 Chronicles 12:5-12
The leaders and the king acknowledged that God's judgment was right and they deserved this. They humbled themselves before the Lord. The Lord then relented, staying true to His promise to offer mercy after repentance (2 Chron 7:12-18). However, Rehoboam and the nation would suffer some consequences. They would be Shishak's servants. He came to Jerusalem and carried away the treasures of the temple and king's house. The great wealth was being carried off before their eyes. What a visual; as the nation parted from the Lord, so their wealth departed from them.
2 Chronicles 12:13-16
Rehoboam's reign was seventeen years of fear, war and judgment. The root of this sin was turning away from the law and the ways of the Lord. We could go further back and see that his mother was a Ammonitess; Solomon took foreign wives who brought their foreign gods into the land leading people astray. Rehoboam passes the reign and heritage to his son Abijah.
©2017 Doug Ford
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