Rejoicing In Heaven Part 3
God’s absolute rule and authority over all things.
God’s supremacy and meticulous control over all that occurs.
First, Solomon, king of Israel, had died. His son Rehoboam was about to be made king. Jeroboam, who had opposed Solomon and was driven into exile in Egypt, returned quickly and gathered the people behind him as a popular leader. He took the people and stood before Rehoboam and offered to serve him if he would lighten their load. “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you” (2 Chron. 10:4).
Rehoboam sought counsel from the old men. They counseled wisely, “If you will be good to this people and please them and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever” (2 Chron. 10:7).
But Rehoboam abandoned the counsel of the old men and sought counsel from “the young men who had grown up with him.” They gave foolish counsel: “Thus shall you speak to the people … ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions’ ” (2 Chron. 10:10–11).
Rehoboam embraced the foolish counsel of the young men. The result was the tragic split of Israel into two warring kingdoms—ten tribes in the north and two tribes in the south. Why did Rehoboam react in this sinful and foolish way? There are layers of answers. But the writer of 2 Chronicles tells us the ultimate answer:
Second, a few chapters later Ahab, king of the northern tribes of Israel, made an alliance with Jehoshaphat, the king of the southern tribes. They would go to war together against Syria. Before going they sought counsel from the prophets. Four hundred prophets counseled them to go up against Syria. God would give it into their hands, they said (2 Chron. 18:11).
But these prophets were deceived. The one true prophet, Micaiah, described to the kings what had happened. He gave a window into heaven. He explained that among the hosts gathered before God there was a “lying spirit” who volunteered to deceive the prophets. “I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets” (2 Chron. 18:21). So God says, “You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.” Then the true prophet Micaiah said to Ahab, “Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The LORD has declared disaster concerning you” (2 Chron. 18:22). Why did the prophets give false and destructive counsel to King Ahab? There are layers of answers. But the writer of 2 Chronicles gives the ultimate one:
Seven chapters later in 2 Chronicles, Amaziah, the king of Judah, became bigheaded by a recent victory over the nation of Edom. In his pride, he decided to press his authority on the northern kingdom ruled by Joash.
Joash resisted and pointed out Amaziah’s pride: “You say, ‘See, I have struck down Edom,’ and your heart has lifted you up in boastfulness.” Then he gave him wise counsel: “Stay at home. Why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?” (2 Chron. 25:19).
But Amaziah would not forsake his pride and aggression. p 24 Why? Again the answer has many layers. But the writer of 2 Chronicles gives us the ultimate answer: