Gold for the heart - 2 Chronicles 8-11

2 Chronicles 8

1 And at the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the house of the LORD, and his own house, 2 and built the cities that Huram had restored to Solomon, and caused the children of Israel to dwell there. 3 And Solomon went to Hamath-zobah and prevailed against it. 4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities, which he built in Hamath. 5 Also he built upper Beth-horon, and lower Beth-horon, fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 6 And Baalath, and all the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his dominion. 7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, that were not of Israel, 8 but of their children, who were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel did not destroy, Solomon made them pay tribute until this day. 9 But Solomon did not make the children of Israel servants for his work; they were men of war, leaders of his captains, and captains of his chariots and horsemen. 10 These were the leaders of king Solomon’s officers, even 250, that ruled over the people.

This was a tax of all that were not Israelites.
Any person could become and Israelite by the way specified in the law.

The LORD is holy and requires holiness of His people

11 And Solomon brought the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David to the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife will not dwell in the house of David, king of Israel, because the places are holy where the ark of the LORD has come.

This wife of Solomon was a foreigner and an idolater.
Solomon separated her from God’s holy place.

12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, 13 a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year: in the feast of unleavened bread, the feast of weeks, and the feast of tabernacles.

God’s feasts were celebrations of God.
They also taught the people plan and God’s timetable for history.
God’s love was displayed in every sacrifice.

14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the gatekeepers also by their courses at every gate: for David, the man of God, had commanded this. 15 And they did not departed from the commandment of the king to the priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the treasures.

1Corinthians 14:33 God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared from the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected. 17 Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber, and to Eloth, at the seaside in the land of Edom. 18 And Huram sent to him by the hands of his servants ships, and servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took from there 17 tons of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

Ezekiel 40-46 describe a future temple of God at Jerusalem. Revelation 21 describes the eternal city of God.

2 Chronicles 9

God made Solomon great

1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to test Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that carried spices, gold in abundance, and precious stones: when she came to Solomon, she spoke with him of all that was in her heart. 2 Solomon answered her all her questions: nothing was hid from Solomon that he did not explain to her.

Sheba was the kingdom of the Sabeans, today Yemen.
Notice that the answers were not from Solomon but revealed to Solomon.

3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 4 the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the attendance of his ministers and their clothing, his cupbearers and their clothing, and the stairway by which he went up to the house of the LORD; she was breathless/no more spirit in her. 5 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom: 6 However I did not believe their words until I came, and my eyes had seen it: and behold, half of the greatness of your wisdom was not told me: you exceed the fame that I heard.

The Queen of Sheba was in awe of Solomon as we will be in awe of God.

Psalm 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

7 Happy are your men, and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom. 8 Blessed be the LORD your God, who delighted in you to set you on his throne, to be king for the LORD your God: because your God loved Israel, to establish them forever, therefore he made you king over them, to do judgment and justice.

Rulers rule in the place of God.
God will soon put Jesus Christ on that throne.

Psalm 2:6 Yet have I set my king on my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten You. 8 Ask of me, and I will give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

Exodus 15:18 The LORD will reign forever and ever.

9 And she gave the king 9,000 pounds of gold, a great abundance of spices, and precious stones: neither were there any spices like the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon. 10 Also the servants of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, who brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. 11 And the king made from the algum trees terraces for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s palace, and harps and psalteries for singers: none like it had been seen before in the land of Judah. 12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatever she asked, beside what she had brought to the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants. 13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was 25 tons of gold; 14 Beside what traders and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon. 15 And king Solomon made 200 large shields of beaten gold: 15 pounds of beaten gold went to one shield. 16 And he made 300 smaller shields of beaten gold: 7 1/2 pounds of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.

All this greatness came to Solomon because of God’s promise to him;
1Kings 3:11 And God said to him, Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself; neither have you asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked the life of your enemies; but have asked for yourself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to your words: behold, I have given you a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like you before you, neither after you will any arise like you. 13 And I have also given you that which you have not asked, both riches, and honor: so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days.

17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with pure gold. 18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold, which were fastened to the throne, and armrests on each side of the seat, and two lions standing by the armrests; 19 twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps. There was none like it made in any kingdom.

The eternal throne of God is greater than this throne. God’s glory is greater.

Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, appearing like a sapphire stone: and on throne was the likeness of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins upward, and from the appearance of his loins downward, I saw the appearance of fire, and it had brightness around it. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain was the appearance of the brightness around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

20 All the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and all the utensils of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was not of any value in the days of Solomon. 21 For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: once every three years the ships of Tarshish came bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. 22 And king Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom. 23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom that God had put in his heart. 24 Every man brought his gift, articles of silver and articles of gold, clothing, harness, spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.

Earth’s kings will do this same thing when Jesus rules. They will come to the Lord of glory as He rules the earth. They will bring lavish gifts. They will honor His greatness and commune with Him of all that is in their hearts.
Psalm 138:4 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth.

25 Solomon had 4,000 stalls for horses and chariots, and 12,000 horsemen; whom he stationed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem. 26 He reigned over all the kings from the river (Euphrates) to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

Solomon ruled over all these other kings and nations.

27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycamore trees that are in the low plains in abundance. 28 And they brought to Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all lands. 29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat? 30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel forty years. 31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 10

1 Rehoboam went to Shechem because all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. 2 And it happened, when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who was in Egypt where he had fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard it, that Jeroboam returned from Egypt. 3 They sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam saying, 4 Your father made our yoke grievous: lighten the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we will serve you.

God had promised Jeroboam that he would give him ten of the twelve tribes of Israel to rule because of Solomon’s idolatry.
God had warned Israel in 1 Samuel 8, when they demanded a king like other nations instead of having the Lord as their king, that earthly kings would have heavy yokes.
God’s yoke is light.

1Kings 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, You take ten pieces: for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rip the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to you:

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

5 And he said to them, Return to me after three days. So the people departed. 6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before his father Solomon while he still lived saying, How do you counsel me to answer this people? 7 And they spoke to him saying, If you are kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be your servants forever. 8 But he forsook the counsel that the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men that were raised with him, that stood before him. 9 And he said to them, What advice do you give that we may return answer to this people who have spoken to me saying, Ease the yoke that your father put on us? 10 And the young men that were brought up with him spoke to him saying, Answer the people that spoke to you saying, Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us; say this to them, My little finger will be thicker than my father’s loins. 11 My father put a heavy yoke on you, I will add to your yoke: my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions. 12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king directed saying, Return to me on the third day. 13 And the king answered them roughly; king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, 14 and answered them according to the advice 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.

God’s discipline is for our good.

Hebrews 12:5 My son, do not despise the discipline of the Lord, or faint when you are rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and scourges every son whom he receives. 7 If you endure discipline, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh that corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they truly for a few days disciplined us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

God caused the king not to listen that He might perform His word

15 So the king did not listen to the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word which he spoke by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

Solomon sowed idolatry into the nation.
Much loss of peace and blessing was the result.
God warned what would happen. Then He made provision.
At this time God was bringing it to pass.

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked: for whatever a man sows, that is what he will reap.

16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: now David, see to your own house. So all Israel went to their tents. 17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

It was not because of Solomon or Rehoboam that God left Rehoboam as ruler in Jerusalem but because of David’s devotion to God.

1Kings 15:4 Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem.

18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and the children of Israel stoned him with stones, so that he died. But king Rehoboam hurried to get up into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem. 19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David to this day.

This was the split of the nation Israel into the Northern kingdom and the Southern kingdom.
The Northern kingdom was at times called Ephraim and at other times called Samaria.
The Southern kingdom was also called Judah.

1Samuel 2:25 If one man sins against another, the judge will judge him: but if a man sins against the LORD, who will entreat for him?

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus...

2 Chronicles 11

1 Now when Rehoboam came to Jerusalem he gathered from the house of Judah and Benjamin 180,000 chosen men that were warriors to fight against Israel to bring the kingdom back to Rehoboam.

In 2 Chronicles 10 Rehoboam had refused to lighten the heavy load placed on them by Solomon.
So the people then rejected his leadership and went to their homes.
Rehoboam sent the tax-collector to collect the taxes and the people stoned him.
Rehoboam was with the tax collector.
He fled back to Jerusalem in his chariot (2 Chronicles 10).

God stopped the war

2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God saying, 3 Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin saying, 4 The LORD says this, You are not to go up or fight against your brothers: every man return to his house: for this thing is done by 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 defense in Judah.

God split the nation.
Rehoboam’s kingdom was safe because God had promised to leave a light in Jerusalem.

1Kings 15:4 Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem…

6 He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7 Beth-zur, Shoco, Adullam, 8 Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9 Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10 Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11 He fortified the strong holds, put captains in them, stores of food, and of oil and wine. 12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and strengthened them greatly, having Judah and Benjamin on his side. 13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel stationed themselves with him out of all their districts. 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 to the LORD: 15 And he ordained himself priests for the high places, for the devils, and for the calves that he had made.

Jeroboam kicked the Levites and priests out of office so they moved to Judah to stand with Rehoboam.
If Jeroboam had served the Lord, God would have blessed him and his descendants.
He acted out of fear and force rather than faith in God’s word to him.
‘For the devils.’ Evil spirits are behind all idolatry, leading people from God into false systems that lead them to eternal death.

1Kings 11:37 And I will take you, and you will reign according to all that your soul desires,and will be king over Israel. 38 And it will be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with you, and build you a sure dynasty, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.”

God wants man to seek Him

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 to the LORD God of their fathers.

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things in it, since he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, since he gives to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And has made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being.

17 For three years they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam, the son of Solomon strong: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. 18 And Rehoboam took Mahalath, the daughter of Jerimot, the son of David as his wife, and Abihail, the daughter of Eliab, the son of Jesse; 19 Who bore him these children: Jeush, Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, Shelomith. 21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took 18 wives, and 60 concubines; and begat 28 sons, and 60 daughters.)

In Deuteronomy 17 when God gave the nations of Israel instructions about choosing a king, he forbid many wives.

Deuteronomy 17:17he is not to multiply wives to himself, so that his heart turn not away: neither is he to greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

22 And Rehoboam made Abijah, the son of Maachah, the chief as ruler among his brothers: for he intended to make him king. 23 And he acted wisely, and distributed all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin to every fortified city: and he gave them food in abundance. And he desired many wives.

Happiness does not come from having many women.

Psalm 16:11You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

SUMMARY: 2 Chronicles 8-11

The LORD is holy and requires and provides holiness for His people in Jesus
He made Solomon great
He caused Rehoboam not to listen to perform His word
He stopped the war
He wants man to seek Him