2Ch 10:5 | KingComments | STEP | Here a new section begins. Of the kings of Judah who now come to our attention, it is mentioned of eight kings that they do what is good in the sight of the LORD. The other kings fail. That failure is painted, despite the difference with both books of the Kings, where the emphasis is on responsibility and therefore on failure. The emphasis in the books of the Chronicles is not on that, but on the grace of God. From the reign of King Rehoboam, 2 Chronicles becomes a book about a period of almost four hundred years (from 930-538/536 BC) showing a history of failure and grace. The emphasis is on the restoration that follows, in God’s grace, time and again on failure. God does not prevent failure, but provides restoration. We see this for example with Peter, who fails, but for whom the Lord has prayed ( ). The first and second book of the Kings mainly describe the history of the ten tribes with a single reference to the two tribes. In the second book of the Chronicles it is mainly about the two tribes with a single reference to the ten tribes. The emphasis here is on the two tribes because in Judah is Jerusalem and in Jerusalem stands the temple and in Jerusalem sits a prince from David’s house on the throne. There is God with His heart. There is not one king in the ten tribes who does what is good in the eyes of the LORD. There everything is failing with perhaps a small exception with Jehu, who at least started well. 2 Chronicles will turn out to be a book of revivals. So we notice that Rehoboam is humiliating himself ( ). Yet he is not a type of the Lord Jesus, although he is a son of David, for he also does what is evil in the eyes of the LORD ( ). The Lord Jesus never had to humble Himself. He can say: “I am gentle and humble in heart” ( ). Humiliation always comes after sin, personal and communal. Humbleness is a present mind and does not suppose sin. The LORD has given authority to the king that rules over His people, He entrusted that authority to him. All kings exercise the power of David. The only question is how they do it. They are nothing but servants of God. In David and Solomon we have, besides references to the kingdom of peace, also references to the present time. We too have to do with the kingdom of God. Of that kingdom the Lord Jesus is the Commander, the King, and the believers are the subjects. That kingdom is not a public kingdom, but a kingdom in secret. Anyone who confesses Christ as Lord is a subject in that kingdom. Wherever the authority of Christ as Lord is established and confessed, God’s kingdom becomes visible. We can think especially of the lives and families of the believers. That authority is not always direct authority, but it is also indirect, for example by parents ( ). The kingdom of God is an important topic for the early church, as we see in the book of Acts. After the Lord Jesus went to heaven, He entrusted the government in His kingdom – hidden from the eyes of the world – to the responsibility of His subjects. The question then is how someone behaves in God’s kingdom, when the Lord of that kingdom is absent, in heaven. We see this in the parable of the good and the evil slave ( ). When the Lord comes to demand accountability for the policies pursued by His slaves, it becomes clear that there are faithful and faithless subjects (slaves). For those who have a position of authority in that kingdom, it is so, that he who is first a good slave, becomes an evil slave. Rehoboam – he reigns from 931-913 BC – goes to Shechem ( ). Shechem is located in the area of the ten tribes, about sixty kilometers north of Jerusalem, the city of God’s choice. Rehoboam’s choice of Shechem seems to be a concession to the dissatisfied northern tribes to appease them. The people came to Shechem to make him king there. By coming to them he gives the impression that he chooses for them. In so doing, however, he gives the people a wrong impression and thereby leads them away from the city where God dwells. He says as it were what Jeroboam will do later, that the city of God is too far away. Jeroboam, the Ephraimite, is the natural leader of the people. He fled to Egypt for fear of Solomon ( ), and hears there of the change of throne, and returns to Israel ( ). He does not come only on his own initiative. The people themselves want him as leader. Therefore they let him call ( ). Together with the whole of Israel, Jeroboam goes to Rehoboam with a request. Their request is that the heavy yoke imposed on them by Solomon should be lightened. This request that he and all Israel make, they never dared express during the reign of Solomon. That didn’t arise in their minds either. They certainly had to give to and do a lot for Solomon, but under his reign they also experienced great prosperity, wealth and peace. Solomon’s reign has been a blessing for the people. That has changed when Solomon deviated from the LORD. Then it was no longer a privilege to help maintain the prosperity of their king. What was a privilege became a yoke. The heavy yoke they are talking about now consists of great efforts and large sums of money that the people must provide to maintain all the glory of Solomon. Asking to lighten their burdens is a program item in a political campaign that always is welcomed by the supporters. Jeroboam makes clever use of the knowledge that the people are not satisfied with the high tax burden. Rehoboam hears the request and asks for three days of reflection ( ). In so doing, he shows that, for him, this request is only part of a political joust. He is also only interested in making the greatest possible profit from this case himself.

‏ 2 Chronicles 10:5

Introduction

Here a new section begins. Of the kings of Judah who now come to our attention, it is mentioned of eight kings that they do what is good in the sight of the LORD. The other kings fail. That failure is painted, despite the difference with both books of the Kings, where the emphasis is on responsibility and therefore on failure. The emphasis in the books of the Chronicles is not on that, but on the grace of God.

From the reign of King Rehoboam, 2 Chronicles becomes a book about a period of almost four hundred years (from 930-538/536 BC) showing a history of failure and grace. The emphasis is on the restoration that follows, in God’s grace, time and again on failure. God does not prevent failure, but provides restoration. We see this for example with Peter, who fails, but for whom the Lord has prayed (Lk 22:32).

The first and second book of the Kings mainly describe the history of the ten tribes with a single reference to the two tribes. In the second book of the Chronicles it is mainly about the two tribes with a single reference to the ten tribes. The emphasis here is on the two tribes because in Judah is Jerusalem and in Jerusalem stands the temple and in Jerusalem sits a prince from David’s house on the throne. There is God with His heart.

There is not one king in the ten tribes who does what is good in the eyes of the LORD. There everything is failing with perhaps a small exception with Jehu, who at least started well. 2 Chronicles will turn out to be a book of revivals. So we notice that Rehoboam is humiliating himself (2Chr 12:6 ; 12). Yet he is not a type of the Lord Jesus, although he is a son of David, for he also does what is evil in the eyes of the LORD (2Chr 12:14).

The Lord Jesus never had to humble Himself. He can say: “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Mt 11:29). Humiliation always comes after sin, personal and communal. Humbleness is a present mind and does not suppose sin.

The LORD has given authority to the king that rules over His people, He entrusted that authority to him. All kings exercise the power of David. The only question is how they do it. They are nothing but servants of God. In David and Solomon we have, besides references to the kingdom of peace, also references to the present time. We too have to do with the kingdom of God. Of that kingdom the Lord Jesus is the Commander, the King, and the believers are the subjects.

That kingdom is not a public kingdom, but a kingdom in secret. Anyone who confesses Christ as Lord is a subject in that kingdom. Wherever the authority of Christ as Lord is established and confessed, God’s kingdom becomes visible. We can think especially of the lives and families of the believers. That authority is not always direct authority, but it is also indirect, for example by parents (Eph 6:1). The kingdom of God is an important topic for the early church, as we see in the book of Acts.

After the Lord Jesus went to heaven, He entrusted the government in His kingdom – hidden from the eyes of the world – to the responsibility of His subjects. The question then is how someone behaves in God’s kingdom, when the Lord of that kingdom is absent, in heaven.

We see this in the parable of the good and the evil slave (Mt 24:45-51). When the Lord comes to demand accountability for the policies pursued by His slaves, it becomes clear that there are faithful and faithless subjects (slaves). For those who have a position of authority in that kingdom, it is so, that he who is first a good slave, becomes an evil slave.

Israel’s Request for Burden Relief

Rehoboam – he reigns from 931-913 BC – goes to Shechem (2Chr 10:1). Shechem is located in the area of the ten tribes, about sixty kilometers north of Jerusalem, the city of God’s choice. Rehoboam’s choice of Shechem seems to be a concession to the dissatisfied northern tribes to appease them. The people came to Shechem to make him king there. By coming to them he gives the impression that he chooses for them. In so doing, however, he gives the people a wrong impression and thereby leads them away from the city where God dwells. He says as it were what Jeroboam will do later, that the city of God is too far away.

Jeroboam, the Ephraimite, is the natural leader of the people. He fled to Egypt for fear of Solomon (1Kgs 11:26-40), and hears there of the change of throne, and returns to Israel (2Chr 10:2). He does not come only on his own initiative. The people themselves want him as leader. Therefore they let him call (2Chr 10:3). Together with the whole of Israel, Jeroboam goes to Rehoboam with a request. Their request is that the heavy yoke imposed on them by Solomon should be lightened.

This request that he and all Israel make, they never dared express during the reign of Solomon. That didn’t arise in their minds either. They certainly had to give to and do a lot for Solomon, but under his reign they also experienced great prosperity, wealth and peace. Solomon’s reign has been a blessing for the people.

That has changed when Solomon deviated from the LORD. Then it was no longer a privilege to help maintain the prosperity of their king. What was a privilege became a yoke. The heavy yoke they are talking about now consists of great efforts and large sums of money that the people must provide to maintain all the glory of Solomon. Asking to lighten their burdens is a program item in a political campaign that always is welcomed by the supporters. Jeroboam makes clever use of the knowledge that the people are not satisfied with the high tax burden.

Rehoboam hears the request and asks for three days of reflection (2Chr 10:5). In so doing, he shows that, for him, this request is only part of a political joust. He is also only interested in making the greatest possible profit from this case himself.