Category: “Listening to God” Devotional

Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=2Chronicles+014

 

2 Chronicles Chapter 14 (ESV)

1 Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David. And Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land had rest for ten years. 2 And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3 He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim 4 and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment. 5 He also took out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him. 6 He built fortified cities in Judah, for the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the Lord gave him peace. 7 And he said to Judah, “Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God. We have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.” So they built and prospered.

 

REFLECTION:

1. In Asa’s days the land had rest because he “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” This sentence is often repeated in the Chronicles – obeying God will lead to reconciliation with God and peace with others. It was God’s promise over the ages that when the kings obey God, their land will have rest. Meditate on this quietly. You don’t need to exhaust all your energy to strive for peace while all you need is to fully obey God. We may not be able to reconcile with our enemies by obeying God but we will definitely reconcile with God and enjoy the perfect peace in God’s kingdom in the future.
2. Peaceful days is the opportunity to prepare for facing the next challenge. Prosperity not only allows us to rest but also be prepared for danger in times of peace. Asa believed that the peaceful period was a good opportunity for building up defence as it would be too late when attack was near. Unless we are always prepared, we will face much difficulties when we withstand spiritual attacks at any time. When we feel that we cannot resist temptation, we should think of how to face it calmly. Before the test comes, we need to build up the defence system. Reflect whether you are in a smooth-going period. How will you prepare yourself for the challenges to come?

 

PRAYER:

Ask God to help you to be alert and diligent so that you can prepare for future challenges in smooth-going times. Ask God to give you obedience to reconcile with God and with others not to please people but to please God.

 

HYMN:

“Prince of Peace” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc0DKzPdv44

 

Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=2Chronicles+013

 

2 Chronicles Chapter 13 (ESV)

 

3 Abijah went out to battle, having an army of valiant men of war, 400,000 chosen men. And Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with 800,000 chosen mighty warriors. 4 Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! …

 

10 But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. We have priests ministering to the Lord who are sons of Aaron, and Levites for their service. 11 They offer to the Lord every morning and every evening burnt offerings and incense of sweet spices, set out the showbread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand that its lamps may burn every evening. For we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but you have forsaken him. 12 Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed.”

13 Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come upon them from behind. Thus his troops were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. 14 And when Judah looked, behold, the battle was in front of and behind them. And they cried to the Lord, and the priests blew the trumpets. 15 Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

 

REFLECTION:

The military power of Judah was weak and could not compete with Israel. However, Judah had victory because it relied on God. In the history of Judah there were numerous kings who faithfully put their hope in God but there were none in Israel; they all followed the example of Jeroboam in worshipping idols or serving Baal. As a result, God punished Israel much earlier than punishing Judah. There were some good kings in Judah who implemented benevolent rule during their reign. After the reign of a king who worshipped idols, he was always succeeded by a god-fearing king who brought spiritual revival. Furthermore, the period of reign of kings who worshipped idols was usually much shorter than the good kings. Therefore, the genuine faith of Judah to God was stronger and deeper rooted than Israel resulting in God’s care and protection. Reflect if the spiritual element was the deciding factor of victory in the struggle between Judah and Israel. What is the revelation to you?

 

PRAYER:

Give thanks to God for He always cares and protects you. Pray for God’s help in the struggles you are facing. No matter if the struggles are external or internal, ask God to help you rely on His strength to win but not rely on anything else.

 

HYMN:

“God Will Make a Way” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsMAXhc0QTs

 

Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=2Chronicles+012

 

2 Chronicles Chapter 12 (ESV)

 

1 When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him. 2 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem …

 

5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and to the princes of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’” 6 Then the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is righteous.” 7 When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “They have humbled themselves. I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak….

 

14 And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.

15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the chronicles of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer? There were continual wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. 16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David, and Abijah his son reigned in his place.

 

REFLECTION:

1. The “Israel” mentioned in this passage refers to Judah. In the first three years of Rehoboam’s rule, he still obeyed God and hence brought prosperity to Judah. Unfortunately, when his rule was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and God allow the Egyptians to conquer them. Christians could face difficulties but may fall easily during comfortable times. We seek God in difficult times but we are proud of ourselves in comfortable times. When life is smooth, we should be careful to keep our faith. When the leaders of Israel humbled themselves, repented their sins, and acknowledged God’s punishment was righteous, God lessened the punishment for them. It is never too late to repent. God will have mercy even if you repent after receiving His punishment. Reflect whether you are struggling because you have sins not confessed. If only you could confess your sins in humility, the door of God’s mercy will be opened for you!
2. Rehoboam’s life was tragic for “he did not set his heart to seek the Lord” and this became the final judgment for him. When people ignore God’s will, they will fall into the dangerous and sad situation similar to Rehoboam. God requires us to be faithful and unwavering to Him. We should fully trust God in our life or else we will easily fall into Satan’s trap and separate from God. Reflect what will be God’s remark for you when you finished your life on earth.

 

PRAYER:

Come before God in humility. Ask Him to enlighten you and help you examine yourself of unconfessed sins. If there is, remember that God’s kindness leads us to repentance (Rom. 2:4). We can leave sin behind and approach Him because He has already shown us His grace through Jesus Christ. Ask God to give you perseverance in faith so that you can give account to Him without fear when you finish your life on earth.

 

HYMN:

“Broken Vessels” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiyYoe678yI

 

Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=2Chronicles+011

 

2 Chronicles Chapter 11 (ESV)

 

1 When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, 180,000 chosen warriors, to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. 2 But the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah the man of God: 3 “Say to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, 4 ‘Thus says the Lord, You shall not go up or fight against your relatives. Return every man to his home, for this thing is from me.’” So they listened to the word of the Lord and returned and did not go against Jeroboam…

 

13 And the priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all places where they lived. 14 For the Levites left their common lands and their holdings and came to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons cast them out from serving as priests of the Lord, 15 and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made. 16 And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. 17 They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

 

REFLECTION:

1. People who worship power think that power can solve all problems but do not know that true power comes from sacrificial love. Rehoboam’s stupidity brought the division of the kingdom but he still wanted to unite the country by force. True unity does not come by force but from the willingness to obey. Reflect if there are conflicts in your church, workplace and family. If you are a person in power and you want to have unity among your congregation, employees, or children, do not force them to obey with power as Rehoboam did. Reflect how you could treat them with love in Christ to bring about unity.
2. After the division of the kingdom, Jeroboam, the new king of Israel, considered the priests and Levites to be a threat to the regime because they still maintained their loyalty to Jerusalem. Jeroboam appointed his own priests, forbade the Levites to serve and forced them to move to Judah. The pagan priests Jeroboam appointed encouraged the Israelites to worship idols. The new kingdom fell into a crisis of being forsaken by God because there was no spiritual leader. The priests and Levites who obeyed God and disobeyed Jeroboam kept the unity of Judah with their spiritual strength. Later on, most people in Israel followed the wicked arrangement by Jeroboam and compromised their faith for self-benefit. We must not follow their example in ignoring God’s command and seeking only worldly gain. Reflect that God is the only one we should follow. Is the path you are walking on deviating from His way?

 

PRAYER:

Pray for the conflicts around you and ask God for humility and obedience so that you can resolve the conflicts, following the example of Jesus’ sacrificial love and bringing about unity in Christ. Ask God to give you steadfast faith to follow Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life.

 

HYMN:
“He Will Carry You” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBCcBwnW1PU

Read chapter in full: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=ESV&search=2Chronicles+010

 

2 Chronicles Chapter 10 (ESV)

 

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 And they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam, 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” …

 

13 And the king answered them harshly; and forsaking the counsel of the old men, 14 King Rehoboam spoke to them according to the counsel of the young men, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.” 15 So the king did not listen to the people, for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the Lord might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16 And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Each of you to your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who lived in the cities of Judah. 18 Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labor, and the people of Israel stoned him to death with stones. And King Rehoboam quickly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. 19 So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

 

REFLECTION:

1. Listening to bad advice will lead to disaster. Rehoboam lost the opportunity to unite the kingdom because he abandoned the counsel of the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he was alive, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him. He had two mistakes in seeking for advice: 1. He did not seriously consider the advice from those who knew the situation better; 2. He did not ask God for wisdom to discern which advice is better. We tend to follow the suggestion from those who have similar background and age with us because they feel the same way as us. Reflect what criteria you used in deciding which advice from those around you to follow.
2. Rehoboam tried to rule the kingdom with an iron fist and almost lost everything he had. The kingdom was divided because his motive was out of greed and power. He did not have to further control his people because he was already the king. His demand was not based on spiritual discernment but rather selfishness. We can see people who want to gain everything will lose miserably and end up gaining nothing. Reflect if you have greed in your life and how you can learn from the lesson of Rehoboam to let go.

 

PRAYER: 

Come before God humbly and meditate on His unmeasurable wisdom and give Him your praises. Ask God to place wise and godly people in your life who will give your positive influence. Ask God to remove the greed in your heart, teach you to rely on Him and not to seek self-benefit.

 

HYMN:

“Change My Heart oh God” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwudqCO7mSQ