Read 2 Chronicles 10 and 11 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions:
2 Chr 10:1-5 {s} Israel asked Rehoboam for a redress of their tax burden
2 Chr 10:6-11 {p} Rehoboam rejected the wise advice of the elders, and listened to his peers instead
2 Chr 10:12-16 {s} Rehoboam answered Israel harshly, and they rejected him as king over them
2 Chr 10:17-18a {s} When Rehoboam sent his tax collector, Israel stoned him with stones so that he died
2 Chr 10:18b {s} Therefore King Rehoboam mounted his chariot in haste to flee to Jerusalem
2 Chr 10:19-11:1 {p} Israel rebelled against Rehoboam/ he assembled 180,000 of Judah to restore Israel to his authority
2 Chr 11:2-4 {p} YHVH: “You shall not fight against your brethren, for this thing is from Me.”
2 Chr 11:5-12 {s} Rehoboam fortified strongholds in Judah and Benjamin/ they adhered to him
2 Chr 11:13-12:1 {p} Priests, Levities + children of Israel came to dwell in Judah/ Rehoboam’s family
The strong themes:
2 Chr 10:1-11 {s+p} Israel asked Rehoboam for redress, but he rejected wise advice for foolish advice
2 Chr 10:12-11:1 {sx3+p} Rehoboam answered harshly/ they rejected him + stoned his tax collector/he prepared for war
2 Chr 11:2-4 {p} YHVH: “You shall not fight against your brethren, for this thing is from Me.”
2 Chr 11:5-12:1 {s+p} Rehoboam fortified Judah/defection of Levites + people/ royal family/ he forsook the Lord
There is a chiastic structure in 2 Chr 11:
1a) 2 Chr 11:5-17; Rehoboam’s kingdom was strengthened, because he walked in his fathers’ ways;
1) 2 Chr 11:5-17a, Rehoboam fortified his kingdom + made himself strong 3 years;
1a) 2 Chr 11:5-12 {s} Rehoboam fortified strongholds in Judah + Benjamin/ they adhered to him;
1b) 2 Chr 11:13-14, Priests + Levites left Israel/ came to Judah, for Jeroboam had rejected them;
central axis) 2 Chr 11:15, He made his own priests for the high places + demons + calf idols which he had made;
2b) 2 Chr 11:16, After the Levites left, any from all the tribes who set their heart on the LORD, came to Jerusalem;
2a) 2 Chr 11:17a, Levites + Israelites strengthened the kingdom of Judah + made Rehoboam strong for 3 years;
2) 2 Chr 11:17b, Because they walked in the way of David + Solomon for 3 years;
1b) 2 Chr 11:18-21, Rehoboam took wives/ begot sons and daughters;
1c) 2 Chr 11:22, Rehoboam appointed Abijah leader among his brothers/ he intended to make him king;
central axis) 2 Chr 11:23a, He dealt wisely;
2c) 2 Chr 11:23b, Dispersed his sons to every fortified city in Judah + Benjamin/ gave them abundant provisions;
2b) 2 Chr 11:23, He also sought many wives for them;
2a) 2 Chr 12:1 {p} When Rehoboam’s kingdom was strong, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel;
1) 2 Chr 12:1a, When the kingdom of Rehoboam was established + he was strong;
2) 2 Chr 12:1b {p} He forsook the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him.
But what spoke to me today was this:
Israel asked Rehoboam to lighten their burdensome and heavy yoke. When Rehoboam did not answer positively, they said:
“What share have we in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to your tents, O Israel! Now see to your own house, O David!” 2 Chr 10:16
They proclaimed for themselves, that they had no inheritance in the son of Jesse. Who is the son of Jesse, but Yeshua? But when Yeshua came, He said:
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Mat 11:29-30
Our heavenly Father answered Israel in the affirmative, not in the negative as Rehoboam did. He did not abrogate His commandments, but through Messiah Yeshua, He made His yoke easy and light. When Israel sees that He has answered them positively, and made their yoke easy and light, they will serve Him. I think when we add the commandments of men to the written Torah, and watch others with a critical eye to comment on their shortcomings, instead of keeping our eyes focused on our own walk in humility (since there is room with even the most spiritually mature among us, to perfect their walk in obedience) we make the yoke of serving God in obedience to His commandments heavy and burdensome. We make it that way; God does not make it that way; for God does not want us to add to His commandments (Deu 4:2) and He does not watch us with a critical eye to accuse us with shortcomings, but with an encouraging eye to strengthen what is lame (Heb 12:12-13). It is human nature to reject a burdensome yoke. But because of Jesus, the Torah has been written on our hearts by the Spirit (Eze 36:27), and Spirit-led Torah obedience is easy and light, not a burden, so that Israel will serve Him.
For further reading:
Why was the division of the kingdom, a thing ordained by God?
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