Rehoboam-Death and Life

By Mary Vee
I Kings 14, 15 and II Chronicles 12

From Abijah's Journal, New King of Judah

My father, Rehoboam, son of Solomon, grandson of King David reigned Judah for seventeen years. He assigned my living quarters in Jerusalem with him to give me the training necessary to reign in his place. Recently, my father died.

His passing troubled me, for although he prepared me to take over his throne, I still felt unprepared. In my heart, I knew what I had to do first. I wanted to reunite the kingdom as one Israel. I could only do this with God's help.

Jeroboam had reigned over Israel for eighteen years. He ripped the heart and soul of our people, pulling them away from worshipping God to praise evil false gods.

I rallied an army of four hundred thousand able fighting men to fight against Jeroboam. He drew up a battle line, commanding eight hundred thousand able troops. This did not frighten me. The Lord can win battles with only a few soldiers.

I brought my men to the top of Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim. We stood facing Jeroboam's army. His men needed another chance to leave their leader and join forces with throne God appointed for Israel. Jeroboam could join us as well, if he wanted.

I called out to Jeroboam's army with this message:

"Jeroboam and all Israel, listen to me! Don't you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt? Yet your leader, Jeroboam, son of Nebat, an official of Solomon, son of David, rebelled against his master.

"Some worthless scoundrels gathered around him and opposed Rehoboam, my father, son of Solomon, when he was young and indecisive and not strong enough to resist them. And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David's descendants.

"You are indeed a vast army and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods. But didn't you drive out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams may become a priest of what are not gods.

"As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. Every morning and evening they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord. They set out the bread on ceremonially clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. Men of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you will not succeed."

I gave them a few moments to consider my words. Stop by next time when I will have their decision to tell.

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1. What happened to Rehoboam, king of Judah?
2. Who is Abijah?
3. What did Abijah want to do first?
4. Why did Abijah take his army to the mountain?
5. What did Abijah want to tell Jeroboam's army?
6. What do you think the Jeroboam's soldiers will decide to do?

Rehoboam-There Was Some Good in Judah

By Mary Vee
I Kings 14, II Chronicles 11, 12

From Rehoboam's Journals

As king of Judah and Benjamin, I kept my promise to build up the defenses of the cities in my districts and put commanders in them with food, olive oil, and wine. I supplied the army in each city with shields, spears making each strong.

Next I married only women from the line of my grandfather, David. I married Mahalath, David's niece. She bore me three wonderful sons. Next I married Maacah, Uncle Absalom's daughter. She bore me four sons. In truth, I loved Maacah the most. In all I had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

I appointed Maacah's oldest son, Abijah as the chief prince. He would be next in line for the throne. I moved my sons to homes throughout the districts of Judah and Benhamin, supplying them with plenty of provisions. When they grew old enough, I gave them the wives I had selected.

Now, comes the time to confess my bad decisions. I didn't see a need to follow all of those commands the priests told us to do. Our cities had become strong. We didn't need all that religious stuff to protect us. We could take care of ourselves.

It pleased the people when I set up the same idols other countries had. What's the big deal about a few Asherah poles? We had men working in the shrines who's job was to please the people. Everyone seemed to have fun . . . and in truth, no one thought about God.

In my fifth year of reign, a messenger informed me Shishak, king of Egypt was on the move. He planned to attack Jerusalem with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, an innumerable amount of troops of Lybyans, Sukkites, and Cushites. He captured my fortified cities and drove on to attack Jerusalem.

Shemaiah, the prophet interrupted a meeting I had with the leaders of Judah. Before I gave him permission to speak he said, "This is what the Lord says, 'You have abandoned me. Therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.'"

We didn't need to hear more. All the leaders and I fell to the floor and humbled ourselves before the Lord and cried, "The Lord is just."

Shemaiah interrupted our cry and said, "The Lord has heard you and said, 'Since you have humbled yourselves, I will not destroy you but will soon give you deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. You will, however, become subject to him so that you may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands."

Shishak did indeed attack Jerusalem. He took our best gold armor, treasures from the temple and from the royal palace. Once he left, I made new shields from bronze and gave them to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. Where ever I went, the guards went with me carrying their shields.

Because the leaders and I humbled ourselves before the Lord, His anger turned away from us and Judah was spared from complete destruction. 

Indeed, I now see the benefit to worshipping God.

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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1.  What did Rehoboam do first to help the cities he ruled?
2.  What did Rehoboam do next to protect his kingly line?
3.  What did Rehoboam confess?
4.  What punishment did he receive?
5.  When the prophet told Rehoboam what was about to happen what did he and his leaders do?
6. Did it make a difference?
7. What did Rehoboam learn in the end?

Rehoboam-My Father's Enemy Has Returned

By Mary Vee
I kings 12, II Chronicles 10

From Jeroboam's Journal

A messenger pounded on my door and asked for permission to deliver a message right away. Living in Egypt where I escaped King Solomon, I rarely received messages. This news intrigued me. I allowed the messenger into my chamber.  "King Solomon has died. His son, Rehoboam has been crowned king."

"What interesting news. You may go." 

Once the messenger left, I called for my servants. "Pack everything, we will journey to Israel."

I couldn't wait to return. Perhaps Solomon's son will reason with my men and me. We settled into our new homes and requested to go before the newly crowned king, Rehoboam. He allowed us to bring our concerns to his throne, which seemed like a good sign.

My men and I stood before his throne and when given permission to speak, I said, "Your father put a heavy burden on us. The labor is more than we can endure. If you will but lighten the harsh labor and the heavy burden he placed on us, we will serve you."

King Rehoboam sat silent for a moment then said, "Go away for three days and then come back to me." This made sense. Although we'd hope for his compassion right away, we respected his choice to consider what he would do. So we left, as he asked.

We had a friend who worked in King's Rehoboam's house. He brought us news whenever he heard anything. King Rehoboam consulted the elders who served his father, Solomon. He asked for their advise regarding our situation.

They answered him, "If you will ease these people's burden as they have asked, they will always be your servants."

Apparently Rehoboam didn't like their advice. He called together a group of friends who grew up with him and served in his court. At their meeting he asked them for their advice regarding our situation.

They answered him, "Tell these people who have asked to have their burden eased, your father may have given them a heavy burden, but you will make it even heavier. My father beat you with whips to make you work, I will beat you with scorpions.

Three days later my men and I returned to Rehoboam's chambers for his answer. The king said he made his decision. He said, "My father beat you with whips to make you work, I will beat you with scorpions."

Imagine that. He didn't listen to us. We would have been willing to serve him, we only wanted to suffer less torment. I rallied the people and turned everyone against King Rehoboam, son of Solomon since he only wanted to be a cruel tyrant. Only Judah remained loyal to David's throne and his grandson, Rehoboam.

King Rehoboam sent out his captain in charge of forced labor. The people of Israel stoned him to death. When news of the rioting reached the palace, King Rehoboam climbed into his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem, which is in Judah. This was the only place he found safety.

The people of Israel gathered together and asked me, Jeroboam, son of Nebat, to be king. King of Israel. I accepted. Rehoboam remained king of Judah.

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photo courtesy of visualbibleslive.com

1. Why was Jeroboam in Egypt?
2. Why did he come back to Israel?
3. What did he ask King Rehoboam?
4. Who did Rehoboam first ask advice? 
5. Who did Rehoboam ask advice next?
6. What did Rehoboam decide to do?
7. What happened afterwards?

Solomon-The Death of the Wisest Man

By Mary Vee
I Kings 11 and II Chronicles 9

From Rehoboam's Journals

My father, king Solomon, has been called the wisest man who ever lived. He understood scientific and historical facts, could out-reason any philosopher from his day, and well, he knew more than I think he knew. Fortunately for us, he wrote many of his thoughts and kept them in the official library.

As a child, I wanted for nothing. We must have been the richest nation in all the world. Dignitaries from everywhere came to visit, leaving expensive gifts of gold, spices, and perfumes. My father did not keep this wealth to himself or our family, he shared it with the entire nation. The spender of our streets caused visitors to marvel.

When the Queen of Sheba arrived, I ran to the window and watched a long caravan, filled with gifts, stop at the palace. I had never seen such an important person. But then I didn't realize my own father, king Solomon, ranked even higher in the queen's mind. 

Tutors and wealth surrounded me. 

Father brought many wives and concubines to the palace. It became a small city by itself. He honored their wishes by raising statues to their idols. Services were held to worship each. I hardly knew which one to truly worship. I rarely spoke with my father, his duties kept him quite busy.

After forty years of service to the country, the mournful day came when wise king Solomon, my dad, breathed his last . . . and I was next in line to become king.

We cared for my father's body honoring him as a king should be with a grand ceremony. Many attended the funeral service, and the lamenting, oh, the sound that carried throughout the land. It was then that I felt the pressure of my new position. How could I ever match what my father did, or what his father did? The people loved them both.

The council felt the importance of crowning me king right away to keep the peace and provide leadership. 

As is customary for men who are to be crowned king in Israel, I traveled to Shechem to join all the Israelites who went ahead of me to the coronation. The prophets, dignitaries, and other official prepared for the ceremony. 

I looked in their eyes and saw sadness and concern. I felt the same way. How could I ever rule Israel. I didn't know what to do. My father had once prayed and sincerely worshiped the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but over the years spent so much time with his wives and their gods that I became confused who to worship. Who do I pray to? Who do I ask for help?

I, Rehoboam, son of Solomon, am king of Israel and am overwhelmed with my new job.

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photo courtesy of visualbiblealive.com

1. What had Solomon been called?
2.  Who is Rehoboam?
3. What was Rehoboam's childhood like?
4. What happened to Solomon?
5. Why was Rehoboam afraid?