Better to Obey God than Serve a Foreign King - Bible Study

Below are my reflections as I studied 2 Chronicles Chapter 12.  I hope you will be blessed.

The theme in this chapter is repeated time and time again in human history.  And again and again God’s mercy shines through as repentance takes place.  It is amazing to me how often when we feel secure or have achieved all of our aspirations we stop obeying God.  We lose sight of him and allow our relationship to deteriorate.  We stop leaning on him as our source of life and fall into pride, self-reliance, and true deception.  King Rehoboam “had control of his kingdom, he and everyone in Judah stopped obeying the Lord (2 Chronicles 12:1).”  It’s funny how it says everyone in Judah.  People will follow there leaders.  Isn’t it ironic how we look at others to justify our falling away?  This is especially true of our leaders.  We say “he’s doing it so why not me.  After all he is the king and look at how safe the king has made us.  God must be ok with what he is doing.  So we will do it to.  After all we are safe now.  God is on our side.”  Then comes the deception, disillusionment, and ultimately sin brings forth death in some form.

King Rehoboam lost the splendor of his fortified cities and was forced to serve a foreign king (2 Chronicles 12:8).  But God was merciful because Rehoboam was truly repentive and Judah was not completely destroyed.   How we need to know it is better to serve God than a foreign king.  It is better to obey then to fall under the curse of disobedience.  I think about my own life and my current situations.  I know what scripture says on many issues.  However, I have often been self-indulgent and impatient; falling under the sin’s deception.  So now in some areas I have to reap what I have sown.  But God is merciful and has continuously showed his mercy to me.  It is an awful thing to serve a foreign king.  But God is in control and with a true heart of repentance, like King Rehoboam, we will not be destroyed.  We may have to lose our gold shields and only be left with our bronze ones but God is still protecting us (2 Chronicles 12:10).  Our bronze shields will serve as a reminder to not fall away again.

 “Lord I pray for your mercy as many of us have subjected ourselves to foreign rulers.  Rulers who are not loving and kind to us as you are.  We plead for your mercy and turn from our sin.  We ask you to transform us so we will have a heart to obey you at all times.  We ask your spirit to help us to never again fall into sin and disobedience whether in good times or bad.  Let our bronze shields remind us of the consequences of our falling away but also of your loving mercy to still be with us.  When we come to the other side let us be forever changed and committed to serving you.  In Jesus name Amen.”

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