After Rehoboam had given away to the king of Egypt the golden shields his father had made, he appointed a special guard to look after the brass ones he had made in their place. Sometimes we see those who once walked faithfully give up the truth of God, through worldliness or carelessness, and then display great energy in the gospel. We rejoice indeed at their energy, as we do at the careful guard Rehoboam placed over his brass shields, but how much better to hold the whole truth of God, and seek grace to walk in it. We cannot afford to give up any part of it without serious loss.
We now come to the end of the life of king Rehoboam with its solemn lessons. Although he was king in Jeruselem, God’s center, what sad departure from the Lord there was in his life. We have also noticed previously that he was told not to make war with Jeroboam and the ten tribes, yet we read, “there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.” We cannot walk peacefully in our path if we do not walk in obedience — God will not allow it. “If a man’s ways please the Lord, He maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:77When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. (Proverbs 16:7). It is a vain wish to have the peace of God in our hearts and lives, apart from practical godliness in our walk. We cannot bring this about by our own efforts. We who are saved have peace with God through the finished work of Christ on Calvary, but the peace of God is only enjoyed as we walk in obedience.
Rehoboam’s son Abijam followed his father on the throne in Jerusalem, but he only reigned three years. His heart was not perfect before the Lord, for he walked in the evil ways of Rehoboam his father. He too came under the government of God, for the conflict between the ten tribes and the two continued all through his reign.
After him God in His faithfulness raised up Asa who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He took away the sodomites out of the land and removed all the idols his father had made. He even removed his mother from being queen because she made an idol in a grove. Faithfulness of this kind is rare indeed, but it shows how obedience to God comes before all other considerations, even family ties. Yet in spite of all this, and the fact that he brought the treasures his father had dedicated into the house of the Lord, he did not remove the high places. Little do we realize how carelessness on our part may effect others, perhaps for generations to come. Solomon, though a godly king in many ways, especially at the beginning of his reign, worshiped the Lord in high places, and now this thing is still a snare to his great grandson many years later. A man lends the weight of his godliness and position to all that he does, and the failure of some man of God will often be copied more than he is likely to realize, even after his faith has been forgotten. Let us all take heed to our ways, “for none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.” Romans 14:77For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. (Romans 14:7).
After this Baasha the king of Israel came up against Judah and built mighty fortifications at Ramah, intending to cut off Asa from others. Poor Asa had apparently become careless as to the treasures he at first valued so highly, and which he had given to the Lord, for he now thought more of his own interests than of honoring Him. He did not turn to the Lord in his difficulty, but made his own plans.
ML 04/22/1956