Day 14 – Boundaries

2 Chronicles 12:1 Now it happened, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom and had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of JEHOVAH, and Israel along with him.

 2 It happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against JEHOVAH, 3 with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and people without number who came with him out of Egypt—the Lubim and the Sukkiim and the Ethiopians. 4 He took the fortified cities of Judah and came to Jerusalem.

 5 Then Shemaiah the prophet came to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah, who were gathered in Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, “Thus says JEHOVAH, ‘You have forsaken Me, and therefore I also have left you in the hand of Shishak.’”

 6 Then the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “JEHOVAH is righteous.”

 7 Now when JEHOVAH saw they humbled themselves, the word of JEHOVAH came to Shemaiah, saying, “They humbled themselves; therefore, I will not destroy them, but I will grant them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out in Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. 8 Nevertheless, they will be his servants, that they may distinguish My service from the service of the kingdoms of the nations.”

 9 Thus, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of JEHOVAH and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had made.

 10 Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard, who guarded the doorway of the king’s house.

 11 Whenever the king entered the house of JEHOVAH, the guard would go and bring them out; then they would take them back into the guardroom.

 12 When he humbled himself, the wrath of JEHOVAH turned from him, so as not to destroy him completely; and things also went well in Judah.

 13 Thus, Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Now Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which JEHOVAH had chosen out of the tribes of Israel, to put His name there. His mother’s name was Naamah, an Ammonitess. 14 He did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek JEHOVAH. 15 The acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies. There were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam throughout their days.

 16 Thus, Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. Then Abijah, his son reigned in his place.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Yeshuwa – Jesus

KURIOS – Supreme Authority

Theos – Supreme Divinity

Pater – Father

God’s character:

Forgiving

Merciful

Everyone tests their boundaries to see how far they can go before they get in trouble. Children learn whether their parents will follow through with the threatened punishment and quickly learn if the threats are real or only empty threats.

When JEHOVAH told David he would always have a son on the throne in Jerusalem, David humbled himself for the honor He bestowed on his lineage. When Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem, JEHOVAH renewed His promise to keep a son on the throne if His people obeyed Him. Rehoboam started out strong for three years, however, he turned away from JEHOVAH and JEHOVAH kept His promise to bring trouble against Judah with Shishak, king of Egypt. When Rehoboam heard what Shamaiah the prophet said from JEHOVAH, he humbled himself before JEHOVAH. JEHOVAH still brought trouble against Jerusalem, but not to the extent He would have had Rehoboam continued to disobey Him.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, you committed yourself to obey Him. When you disobey Him, He will chastise you to bring you back into fellowship with Him.

Hebrews 12:4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

 5 You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the KURIOS, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 for whom the KURIOS loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

 7 If you endure chastening, Theos deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

 8 However, if you are without chastening, of which everyone becomes partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Will we not readily be subjected to the Pater of spirits and live?

 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.

 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Rehoboam humbled himself along with everyone in Judah. When he did, JEHOVAH still punished him, but not to the extent He could have. When you humble yourself and submit to Yeshuwa, your chastisement won’t be as bad as it could have been. In this way you learn how much Yeshuwa loves you.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you for loving me so much that You set boundaries for me and chastise me when I test those boundaries. Let me see Your love in everything I do and praise You for loving me enough to chastise me when I disobey You and bring me back into a right relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 1 February 2025 by Valerie Routhieaux