I'm making my way through the first generation of leadership following the division between Israel and Judah. We took a closer look and Israel and Jeroboam in previous posts; and a cursory look at Rehoboam of Judah. But today we'll take a deeper dive into the reign of Rehoboam in II Chronicles 11-12.
...continue reading "II Chronicles 11-12: Rehoboam Continued"Category: Sin
I Kings 14: Jeroboam and Rehoboam
I'm reading through the early days of the divided kingdom, currently the events on the 10 northern tribes, lead by Jeroboam. Who was recently visited by a Man of God with a severe prophesy. Needless to say, he ignored it.
...continue reading "I Kings 14: Jeroboam and Rehoboam"I Kings 11
Solomon accomplished what he was assigned to do and then, seemingly, spent the rest of his life attending to himself. I don't get the feeling this is going to end well for him.
...continue reading "I Kings 11"I Kings: 8:12+ and II Chronicles 6 and 7:1-11 Temple Dedication
The Temple has been built and the Lord was faithful to fill it with His presence. Now Solomon dedicates and prays over this House of God. What a seismic moment in their history and ours. To speak into such a profound moment had to come from the Lord. No human, even the wisest one can do that without God's guidance.
Read moreI Kings 7 and II Chronicles 4
The Temple is built and Solomon has been (twice) reminded of the importance of his obedience. Now we learn about his palace and the furnishings in the Temple.
...continue reading "I Kings 7 and II Chronicles 4"I King 6 and II Chronicles 3
Solomon worked with Hiram for the final preparations for building the Temple. He also conscripted workers and levied taxes to pay for all of his building projects, creating the first cracks of resentment that will, ultimately, divide the nation.
...continue reading "I King 6 and II Chronicles 3"I Kings 3:1-15
So, verse 1 doesn't get us off to a good start. Solomon goes and gets a wife in Egypt and forms an alliance with them. Then he brought her back to Jerusalem. Meanwhile he was working on his own house and the Temple.
...continue reading "I Kings 3:1-15"I Chronicles 21 David’s Census
This is the same events from II Samuel 24. In this version, in the very first sentence of I Chronicles 21, It states that Satan moved David to take the census as an act against Israel. David wanted to know how many warriors he had; which was a direct affront to God, who had given David the victory- no matter what the tale of the tape had been in every battle. David had dropped his eyes from the God who had saved him countless times and was concentrating on the world.
...continue reading "I Chronicles 21 David’s Census"I Chronicles 10
So far, the author, Ezra, has given us the general genealogies from Adam to David to the exile. Then the narrow genealogies of 10 of the 12 tribes. Then a detailed genealogy of Saul.
Now we begin with the death of Saul leading to the anointing of David.
...continue reading "I Chronicles 10"I Samuel 13: 21-39
The topic of my previous post was the first half of the Amnon's rape of Tamar and Absalom's horrible initial response.
As we rejoin the story in verse 21, David is made aware of the whole situation. "And he was very angry."
For two years, Absalom was in a silent rage and did not speak to Amnon.
Then Absalom had a sheepshearing party and invited all the king's sons. Absalom tried to get King David to come, but David said no. So then Absalom asked if Amnon could come. David asked why (which is more than he asked about why Tamar should cook and feed Amnon), but it sounds like Absalom just kept urging and David said ok.
Why hadn't anyone done anything to Amnon prior to this? If David had heard about it and was angry, why is Amnon still alive and breathing? Ryrie has a note that Amnon was David's firstborn and was in line for the throne. This doesn't seem like an excuse for violating Mosaic law and violating one's daughter, but apparently David didn't see it that way.
So Absalom planned with his servants to get Amnon drunk and then slay him. And then they did. This caused all of the other sons of David to flee.
But when word got back to David it was wrong. He was told that all of David's sons were slain. So David and all of his servant tore their clothes in grief. But David's brother brought him the real update. The kings sons came home and everyone grieved.
Absalom fled and lived for three years in exile of the family.
Eventually. David's heart was comforted regrading Amnon and began to long to see his son, Absalom.
No mention of Tamar. I guess we have to assume she's still sitting in Absalom's house disgraced. And this action wasn't on her behalf, so it seems unlikely it was very much a comfort to her, seeing how Absalom framed it to her immediately following the rape.
I'm not much of a feminist, if anything I am, generally, in disagreement with what they stand for and believe. But this chapter is deeply unsatisfying and frustrating. Ultimately, I trust the Lord and His Word.