Daily Devotional for Friday, March 28

The Revolt Against Rehoboam

“And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day,” 2 Chronicles 10:19.

The twelves tribes of Israel had been unified for seventy-three years; thirty-three years under King David and forty years under his son, King Solomon. God appeared to Solomon twice promising to establish his kingdom forever if he would remain faithful to worship Him alone. Sadly, Solomon’s permissive attitude toward his wives’ idol worship turned his heart away from serving God. The consequences of Solomon’s sin and Rehoboam’s failure to heed the good counsel of his father’s advisors resulted in the dividing of the twelve tribes of Israel into two weaker nations.

            When the northern tribes realized that Solomon’s son intended to intensify their burdens, they rebelled against King Rehoboam. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, one of Solomon’s servants, had become an adversary, and Solomon had attempted to have him killed. But God had promised Jeroboam he would reign over the northern tribes of the divided kingdom (1 Kings 11:26-33). Rehoboam retained the tribes of the south, the city of Jerusalem, and some members of northern tribes living in the cities of Judah (1 Kings 12:17). Just as God had warned, the consequences of sin were devasting. 

            The results of personal sin affects others. The sins of fathers and mothers affect their children. The sins of a grandfather or grandmother affect their grandchildren. The sins of a teacher affect the students. The sins of a pastor affect his congregation. The sins of leaders affect nations. The ripple effects are endless. God had called Israel to be a holy nation, set apart to worship Jehovah alone. When idolatry is permitted, it begins to destroy like cancer. Today, we live in a nation that is far from God. Let us take personal responsibility to live holy, sanctified lives set apart from the sin that surrounds us and worship the one, true and living God and Him alone.

REFLECTION

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

Karen Meigs