King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Friday, June 24, 2022
Chapters: II CHRONICLES 10-12
Study: Freewill to Choose God’s Will
Hello My Friend,
I apologize for being a day late with this. I am sure that you are hearing the same conversations everywhere you go as the Supreme Court overturned Roe Vs Wade. I too had to sit in a classroom with all these people talking about how their rights are violated because they cannot have an abortion if someone raped them. One person even went as far as to say that there are way too many people having kid after kid, living off welfare because of this. Beside the fact that these people having the babies are doing so of their own freewill, I wanted to say, “You fools, that is not what this I all about, and if you were more responsible, then you wouldn’t need an abortion.” Then I read this comment, “It’s back to the states now. I often wonder why people aren’t angry at God when he preforms abortions?”
I swear, people are so clueless. The medical world actually calls miscarriages forced abortions now, and I will never accept that terminology. God, is God, and He decides what He will do with each life He creates. And I am not going on a rampage about abortions as both sides of the fence are going a little extreme right now. All this is a reminder that, [Proverbs 21:2-3 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. 3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.]
There was also one comment that I heard, “To them it is a sin to have an abortion.” And this is why so many people reject God, they do not want to be held responsible for their actions. I do not care if you believe in God or not, there are some things that are just plain right and wrong, and there will be consequences for their actions, period. God, is extremely merciful and if they only knew the God that I know, then they would see that while God does not condone sin, He will forgive all who come to Him with sincere repentance. Again, there are always consequences to sin, even forgiven sin as God does tire of having to constantly hear the confessions of those who really have no desire to live by His Word. As we return to the reading of 2 Chronicles, it also gives the account of the revolt of Israel when Rehoboam took the wrong advice.
[2 Chronicles 10:2-8 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt, whither he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spake to Rehoboam, saying, 4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee. 5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And the people departed. 6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people? 7 And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. 8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood before him.]
[and took counsel with the young men] If these men were anything like the majority of young men that we have among us today, I can see how things escalated so quickly. Keep in mind, that regardless of what decision Rehoboam did make, this was from God, He wanted to separate Israel from the tribe of Judah.
[2 Chronicles 10:13-16 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 And answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. 15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. 16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents.]
[What portion have we in David?] I can feel this happening in my own country, the world forsaking the president and some fool, even more dangerous leading them. Right now, the only people flipping the bill for this recesson is the hard working people living paycheck to paycheck. You wait until they start taking all the free stuff away from these able bodied sluggards. They are going to be doing the same thing as these fools did. Well, Rehoboam, did try to stop it though, but again, this was from God, and you cannot stop His will.
[2 Chronicles 11:1-5,11-12 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in Judah. 11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.]
[return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me.] God knew the hearts of these ten tribes that He separated from Judah and Benjamin. Now, I will tell you this, Judah and Benjamin had there fair share or sins to deal with as they too would turn their backs on God, but at least, they were repentant. God, actually keeps us living among those in the world, but separated to be the light that shines Jesus in that dark world, [John 17:14-17 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.]
[And he fortified the strong holds,] While Judah was busy building up a great defense system, Israel was busy setting up their golden calves and false religion. There were a few that would not bow down to the idols that Jeroboam made, they moved over to what would be known as the southern kingdom.
[2 Chronicles 11:13-17 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD: 15 And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers. 17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.]
[and came to Judah and Jerusalem:] The priests who worshiped God were actually forced out, that news sent people who refused to worship these idols over to the southern side as well. There is one good thing about false religion, it will draw true believers to the truth about God. When we find Christ, we should not want to be in the world, let alone do the things they do, [1 Corinthians 6:9-12 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.]
Yes, we have the freewill to choose, but that does not mean that we are to do what our freewill desires as it is often the lusts of the flesh that choose that will for us. Rehoboam, had the same problem as his father, and honestly, David had as well, he loved women and could not be satisfied with just one. Just like his father, he did well in the first three years of his reign, stayed true to God, and for that reason the nation was strong. However, he too turned his heart from God and took the rest of the people down with him.
[2 Chronicles 12:1-2,5-7 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him. 2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the LORD, 5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak. 6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The LORD is righteous. 7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.]
[and had strengthened himself,] Now, we have to be careful with that strength that we get through Christ. We must realize that Christ is our strength, the one who makes us who we are, and keeps us from sin, and without Him we will lose that strength. Knowing Christ as our Saviour is a tremendous blessing, beside the fact that we will live eternally with Him, we also are taken care of while we here as long as we are faithful and repentant, [Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.]
[but I will grant them some deliverance;] The world is oblivious to the fact that God sends judgment Himself to nations that transgress against Him. He may forgive the sin, but that does not mean that there will be no suffering as a reminder to why we do not go against Him under any circumstances. And let me tell you, judgment always begins at the house of God, He founded this nation just as He did Israel, and He will judge His people first for turning their backs on Him. We who are faithful unfortunately have to feel the affects of this, but we can still rejoice knowing that we did everything we could to stand firm in our faith, [1 Peter 4:14-17 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?]
You see, the most amazing thing about God is that He is very long suffering toward His people. If we mess up, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins when we sincerely confess them. And this is exactly what Rehoboam and the rest of the people did when Shemaiah told them why they were being attacked.
[2 Chronicles 12:9,11-14 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber. 12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah things went well. 13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned: for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess. 14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.]
[because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.] He died an early death because he just could not keep his heart on God. Do you see why our freedom comes when we are in God’s will and not our own? I keeps us humble and reminds us that we belong to Jesus and what He did for us, [Romans 6:18-23 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Thank you for your mercy and grace to save a sinner like me. I never fit in with the world, and I sure do not now since I come to know You as my Saviour. I know the world will never accept me, and I am good with that. Lord, You are my strength, and as long as I stick close to You, I know you can escape all the evils. Lead me and guide me, keep me humble, fill me with Your love, mercy, and grace, and help me withstand the temptations of the world by boldly proclaiming my faith, and standing firm upon it. If I do fall, pick me up quickly and lead me in the way of Your understanding and not my own. I love You, Lord and ask these things in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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