Historical Books 2 Chronicles

The Fulfillment of Prophecy in Jeroboam

Discover Jesus as: Royal Throne 2 Chronicles 9-10 Read on Bible Gateway (HCSB)

Day 306 of 730
Downloads

Lesson

Watch on YouTube

Audio Only

Teaching Notes

INTRO

Second Chronicles can feel as though we’re reading the same book over and over. I encourage you to stay with it and allow God to teach us something new out of the repetition. Second Chronicles is a continuation of 1 Chronicles and has moved to the theme for the book as Royal Throne (2 Chronicles 7:18). What was promised to David was walked out by his son, Solomon. In 2 Chronicles 9, the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon (vv. 1-12); Solomon built a shipping fleet (vv. 10-11, 21); and Solomon gained wealth and reputation (vv. 13-28). However, in verses 30 and 31, Solomon died, and Rehoboam succeeded him as king (v. 31). Regardless of what happened through the kings of Israel, the Royal Throne continued. The Royal Throne of Judah (south) had passed from David to Solomon to Rehoboam. At this point, the kings of Israel (north) were not yet in the picture.

TEACHING

2 Chronicles 10:1-7: Solomon’s son Rehoboam was made the king at Shechem (Genesis 12:6-7; 35:4; Joshua 24). Jeroboam had fled from Solomon because of a prophetic word (1 Kings 11:26-40), but he felt released to return after Solomon’s death (v. 2). Rehoboam summoned Jeroboam and all Israel to Shechem (v. 3). Jeroboam spoke for the northern tribes and told Rehoboam that if he lightened the heavy yoke King Solomon had placed on them, they would accept Rehoboam as their king (v. 4). That heavy yoke included required labor and high taxes.1This was an opportunity for reconciliation. Rehoboam told them to come back in three days for his answer (v. 5). Rehoboam consulted the elders – advisors who had served Solomon –for their advice (vv. 6-7). Seeking counsel was a good thing to do. Other kings who sought counsel: David (1 Chronicles 13:1–9), Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:21), and Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30:2; 32:3).

2 Chronicles 10:8-15: But Rehoboam chose not to listen to their counsel to be kind to the northern tribes, and instead turned to the young men who had grown up with him, probably those about the age of 40 who served as his “yes men”2(vv. 8-9). These young, inexperienced men told Rehoboam to increase the burden of the northern tribes, punishing them with a heavier burden and the threat of barbed whips (vv. 10-11). Nelson’s Commentary describes Rehoboam’s whip as a scourge that had bits of metal inserted into the leather strands that would rip flesh away from the body of the one being beaten, causing severe pain.3In three days, when the people of Israel returned, Rehoboam told them his decision (vv. 12-14). Verse 15 explains Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam because the prophetic word said all that Rehoboam had decided had been spoken before (v. 15). The prophecy said God would take ten tribes away from Solomon’s son and give those to Jeroboam to rule as king (1 Kings 11:28-38). MacArthur states, “God sovereignly used the foolishness of Rehoboam to fulfill Ahijah’s prophecy.”4Judah was humbled by losing ten of the tribes to the new nation of Israel, but God promised their humiliation would not last forever (1 Kings 11:39).

2 Chronicles 10:16-19: The people of Israel (the ten tribes) realized from Rehoboam’s response that they had no inheritance from David and they would have to go their own way (vv. 16-17). Remember when we talked about everyone singing in one voice? In a short time, that unity was destroyed and the kingdom became divided. Rehoboam tried to follow through with his threat against the people of Israel and sent Hadoram, the man who oversaw the forced labor, to the north. When the people of Israel stoned Hadoram to death, Rehoboam fled and returned safely to Jerusalem (v. 18). The people of Israel remained in rebellion against Rehoboam and Judah (v. 19). Rehoboam had the opportunity to keep the unity in the kingdom, but he allowed greed and pride to influence his actions.

Martin Selman describes what this division looked like:

  1. Rehoboam was so focused on the people within Judah that he allowed the majority of the tribes, “all Israel,” to leave the kingdom (v. 16c).
  2. The phrase “the Israelites” was used to refer to all the people of Judah and Israel, which kept an over-arching unity of the people (v. 17).

The division into two nations referred to the people of Israel versus the house of David (vv. 16, 19).

The call for the people of Israel to become a new nation was in complete opposition of the support the people of Israel had given to King David (v. 16).

“The addition of ‘each (of you)’ before ‘to your tents’ (v. 16) invites every individual in the north to separate from David’s dynasty.”5

In this, Rehoboam had lost his structure and his guidelines. He surrounded himself with bad company, and “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Rehoboam no longer listened for God’s guidance and instead trusted a group of young “fools” (Proverbs 13:20). Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

CLOSING

How do you know when the advice given to you is of God or not? Debbie McDaniel suggests “Five Ways to Recognize a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”:6

Watch Out(Matthew 7:15; 1 Corinthians 16:13): Be on guard for those around you.

Know the real, and you’ll know the fake too (Matthew 7:16; 1 Corinthians 4:5): You will know who is real and who is fake by their fruit.

Know God’s Word, and you’ll know when it’s being twisted and manipulated (Psalm 199:11; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15): If you don’t know what God’s Word says, it will be easy for someone to twist or manipulate it to say something God did not intend.

Trust the discernment and wisdom of God’s Spirit living through your life (Matthew 24:23–25; John 16:13): You can depend upon the Holy Spirit to help you discern what is of God and what is not.

Surround yourself with other believers you know and trust6 (Proverbs 11:14; 2 Peter 3:3): Make sure those you’re willing to listen to are people you trust to offer biblical guidance and speak into your life.

Bad company almost always corrupts good morals and good character. Rehoboam lost sight of process God established. Because he listened to a group of young guys who wanted to usurp power over the Israelites, the tribes were dispersed and unity was lost. We deal with this even today

  1. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2005), p. 411.

  2. MacArthur, p. 411.

  3. Earl Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, and H. Wayne House, eds. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999), p. 545.

  4. MacArthur, p. 411,

  5. Martin J. Selman, Tyndale Old Testament Commentary: 2 Chronicles (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994), p. 364.

  6. Debbie McDaniel, “Five Ways to Recognize a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”; available at https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/5-ways-to-recognize-a-wolf-in-sheep-s-clothing.html.

Questions

  1. In what ways do you find yourself like the Queen of Sheba when it comes to your faith? (2 Chronicles 9:5–6)
  2. What are some other similarities between King Solomon and King Jesus?
  3. The number 666 is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 9:13 as the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year. Where else is this number mentioned in the Bible, and do you think there is a correlation between the two verses? (Revelation 13:16-18)
  4. Second Chronicles 10:15 talks about a turn of events from God, which He spoke to Ahijah. What was this verse referring to? (1 Kings 11:9-13)
  5. What did the Holy Spirit highlight to you in 2 Chronicles 9—10 through the reading or the teaching?

Next: the Daily Word →

Daily Word

Laura Martin 2 Chronicles 10:13–14

“Then the king answered harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the elders’ advice and spoke to them according to the young men’s advice, saying, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.”

Rehoboam took over as king of Israel after Solomon’s forty-year reign. With a new king in place, the people requested the harsh service and heavy yoke be lightened. King Rehoboam took three days to seek counsel in making this decision. First he sought the advice of the elders who served his father. Then he consulted the younger men, his peers. In the end, he listened to the younger men and made a poor decision, which divided the nation of Israel in two.

When you have a decision to make, what do you do? Remember, slow down, take your time, and seek the Lord. He promises to be your helper as you delight in Him day and night. Oftentimes, the Lord will lead you to seek counsel. However, be careful who you turn to for counsel. Find someone with a pure heart who faithfully serves the Lord. Some people will offer you advice, but they may have selfish or prideful motives. Others may just go along with whatever you say, not really offering sound advice. Seek the Lord for discernment as you listen to counsel and make your decision. In all things, the Lord promises to work all things together for the good of those who trust Him. He hears you when you cry for help, and He will never leave you.

“Then the king answered harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the elders’ advice and spoke to them according to the young men’s advice, saying, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.”

—2 Chronicles 10:13–14

FURTHER SCRIPTURE

  • Psalm 1:1-2 — “How happy is the man who does not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path of sinners or join a group of mockers! Instead, his delight is in the Lord’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.”
  • Proverbs 11:14 — “Without guidance, people fall, but with many counselors there is deliverance.”
  • 1 John 4:1 — “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”