Steve Webb 0:00 The place you want to be is in harmony with Him. Steve Webb 0:04 It's the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I'm Euro je Godcaster Steve Webb, it's history Tuesday. and our reading today is Second Chronicles 11 through 15. The website is Lifespringmedia.com. and I'll have contact information at the end of the show. Happy Independence Day if you're in the US, and happy day if you're not before we read, let's pray. Our gracious heavenly Father, how we thank you for this very special day and we pray God that you would bless our time of reading, touch our hearts, Lord, touch our minds teach us we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. All right, are you ready? Let's begin. Steve Webb 0:48 Second Chronicles chapter 11. When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mustered Judah and Benjamin, the 180,000, able young men to go to war against Israel and to regain the kingdom for Rehoboam. But this word of the Lord came to CheMin the man of God, say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, King of Judah, and to all Israel and Judah and Benjamin, this is what the Lord says, Do not go up to fight against your fellow Israelites go home every one of you for this as my doing. So they obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from marching against Jeroboam. Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem and built up towns for defense in Judah, Bethlehem, Edom, to koa Beth zur SoCo, a Dahlem GAF, Maria Ziff at Areum, Lake Hische, a Zika, Zora, a Jalon, and Hebron. These were fortified cities in Judah and Benjamin, he strengthened their defenses and put commanders in them with supplies of food, olive oil and wine. He put shields and spears in all the cities and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. The priests and Levites from all their districts throughout Israel sided with him. The Levites even abandoned their pasture lands and property and came to Judah and Jerusalem because Jeroboam and his sons had rejected them as priests of the Lord when he appointed his own priests for the high places, and for the goat and calf idols he had made those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord the God of Israel, follow the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam, son of Solomon three years following the ways of David and Solomon during this time Rehoboam married may laugh who was the daughter of David's son Jeremiah and of Abba Hale, the daughter of Jessie son Eliab. She bore him sons GS Shem Araya and ze him then he married may occur daughter of Absalon who bore him of aija at high Zaza and shalom with Rehoboam loved may occur daughter of Absalom more than any of his other wives and concubines. In all he had 18 wives and 60 concubines 28 sons and 60 daughters. Rehoboam appointed a byjus son of Mecca as crown prince among his brothers in order to make him king. He acted wisely dispersing some of his sons throughout the districts of Judah and Benjamin into all the fortified cities. He gave them abundant provisions and took many wives for them. Steve Webb 3:26 Second Chronicles chapter 12. But as soon as Rehoboam had secured his royal power, he along with all Israel abandoned the Lord's instruction. Egypt's King Shai Shaq attack Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because Israel had been unfaithful to the Lord, accompanying Shai shack from Egypt were 1200, chariots, 60,000 horses, and countless Libyan suck ICT and Kushite warriors. He captured the fortified cities of Judah and came towards Jerusalem. Then the Prophet Shemaiah went to Rehoboam and the leaders of Judah who had gathered to Jerusalem because of shy shack and told them, This is what the Lord says, Since you have abandoned me. Now I am abandoning you to shy shacks power, then the leaders of Israel and the king submitted, the Lord is right. They said, When the Lord saw that they had submitted the Lord's word came to Shemaiah. Since they have submitted I won't destroy them. I will deliver them in a little while, and I won't use shy shack to pour out my anger against Jerusalem. Nevertheless, they will be subject to him so that they learned the difference between serving me and serving other nations. Egypt's King Shake Shack attacked Jerusalem and seized the treasures of the Lord's temple and the royal palace. He took everything even the gold shields Solomon had made. King Rehoboam replaced them with bronze shields and assign them to the officers of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king entered the Lord's temple, the guard guards would carry the shields and then return them to the guard room. When Rehoboam submitted, the Lord was no longer angry with him and total destruction was avoided. There were after all, some good things still in Judah. So King Rehoboam was securely established in Jerusalem. Rehoboam was 41 years old when he became king, and he ruled 17 years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put his name. His mother's name was named from Amman. But Rehoboam did what was evil because he didn't set his heart on seeking the Lord the deeds of Rehoboam from beginning to end, aren't they written in the records of the Prophet Shemaiah and the seer Iddo, including the genealogical records, there was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Rehoboam lay down with his ancestors and was buried in David's City. His son Elijah succeeded him as king. Steve Webb 5:56 Second Chronicles chapter 13. Elijah became king over Judah in the 18th year of King Jeroboam. He ruled for three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Mikayla, she was Urals daughter from Libya. When war broke out between a budget and Jeroboam, a by Jo went to fight with an army of 400,000 Select troops against Jeroboam, select forces numbering 800,000, who were arrayed in battle formation, by just stood on the heights of mountains EMRAM in airframes, Highlands and said, Listen to me, Jeroboam at all Israel. Surely you know that the Lord Israel's God made an unbreakable covenant with David and his descendants, that they would rule Israel forever. It was Jeroboam the bat son, the servant of Solomon, David's son, who rebelled against his master, when some useless, worthless people join his cause. They overpowered Rehoboam Solomon son, who was too young and timid to resist them. and now do you intend to challenge the Lord's royal rule entrusted to David's descendants, you may have a numerical advantage as well as the gold calves Jeroboam made for you as gods, but you've banished the Lord's priests, Aaron sons along with the Levites so that you could appoint your own priests as other countries do. Now, anyone who shows up with a young bull and seven rams can become a priest of these phony gods, but us, the Lord is our God, and we haven't abandoned him. Aaron's descendants serve as the Lord's priests assisted in the work by the Levites. every morning and every evening they offer entirely burned offerings and fragrant incense to the Lord and set out breads and stacks upon a clean table. At night, they light the lamps on the gold lampstand. Yes, while you are abandoning the Lord our God, we are doing what He requires. Listen, God is on our side at our head, along with his priests who are ready to sound the battle trumpets against you. So Israelites don't fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors for you won't succeed. Meanwhile, Jeroboam had sent troops around behind them for an ambush so that the main force was in front of Judah, while an ambush was behind. When Judah looked around and suddenly realized that they were surrounded, they cried out to the Lord while the priests sounded the trumpets and raised the battle cry. When they raised the battle cry, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before they buy in Judah. So the Israelites fled before Judah, and God gave Judah the victory by John and his people struck them severely. 500,000 Select warriors were killed. Israel was subdued on that occasion, and Judas succeeded because they relied on the Lord the God of their ancestors. baijal pursued Jeroboam and took these cities away from him Bethel Jeshua and de fron along with their villages. Jeroboam failed to regain power during the time of Abuja, the Lord finally struck him down and he died. Elijah, however, grew strong. He married 14 wives, he had 22 sons and 16 daughters, the rest of obliges deeds, what he did and what he said, are written in the account of the Prophet Iddo. Steve Webb 9:17 Second Chronicles chapter 14 When Obi Jia died, he was buried in the city of David, then his son ASA became the next king. There was peace in the land for 10 years. Asa did what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. He removed the foreign altars and the pagan shrines, he smashed the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord the God of their ancestors, and to obey His law and his commands. Asa also removed the pagan shrines as well as the incense altars from every one of Judas towns. So Oasis Kingdom enjoyed a period of peace during those peaceful years. He was able to build up the fortified towns throughout Judah. No one tried to make war against him at this time, for the Lord was giving him rest from his enemies. Asa told the people of Judah, let us build towns and fortify them with walls, towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we sought the Lord our God, and He has given us peace on every side. So they went ahead with these projects and brought them to completion. King ASA had an army of 300,000 warriors from the tribe of Judah, armed with large shields and spears. He also had an army of 280,000 warriors from the tribe of Benjamin, armed with small shields and bows. Both armies were composed of well trained fighting men. Once an Ethiopian named Zira attacked Judah with an army of a million men and 300 chariots. They advanced to the town of Maria So Asa deployed his armies for battle in the valley north of Maria. Then ASA cried out to the Lord his God, oh, Lord, no one but you can help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, oh Lord our God, for we trust in you alone. It is in your name that we have come against this vast horde. Oh, Lord, You are our God. Do not let mere men prevail against you. So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians in the presence of Asa in the army of Judah and the enemy fled. Asa and his army pursued them as far as Dirar and so many Ethiopians fell that they were unable to rally. They were destroyed by the Lord in His army in the army of Judah carried off a vast amount of plunder. While they were in de rar. They attacked all the towns in that area, and terror from the Lord came upon the people there. As a result, a vast amount of plunder was taken from these towns too. They also attacked the camps of herdsmen and captured many sheep, goats and camels before finally returning to Jerusalem. Steve Webb 11:55 Second Chronicles chapter 15. Then the Spirit of God came upon Azariah, son of Oded and he went out to meet King ASA as he was returning from the battle. Listen to me, Asa, he shouted, listen, all you people of Judah and Benjamin, the Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him. Whenever you seek Him, you will find him, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you. For a long time Israel was without the true God without a priest to teach them and without the law to instruct them. But whenever they were in trouble in turn to the Lord the God of Israel and sought him out, they found him. During those dark times, it was not safe to travel problems troubled the people of every land, nation fought against nation and city against city, for God was troubling them with every kind of problem. But as for you, be strong and courageous for your work will be rewarded. When ASA heard this message from Azariah, the prophet, he took courage and removed all the detestable idols from the land of Judah and Benjamin and in the towns he had captured in the hill country of Ephram, and he repaired the altar of the Lord which stood in front of the entry room of the Lord's temple. Then ASA called together all the people of Judah and Benjamin along with the people of Ephram, Manasseh and Simeon, who had settled among them, for many from Israel had moved to Judah during aces reign when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. The people gathered at Jerusalem in late spring during the 15th year of ACEs rain. On that day, they sacrificed to the Lord 700 cattle and 7000 sheep and goats from the plunder they had taken in the battle. Then they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord the God of their ancestors with all their heart and soul. They agreed that anyone who refuse to seek the Lord the God of Israel would be put to death, whether young or old man or woman, they shouted out their oath of loyalty to the Lord with trumpets blaring and ram's horn sounding. All in Judah were happy about this covenant, for they had entered into it with all their heart. They earnestly sought after God and they found him and the Lord gave them rest from their enemies on every side. King ASA even deposed his grandmother may occur from her position as queen mother because she had made an obscene Asherah pole. He cut down her obscene pole broke it up and burned it in the Kidron Valley. Although the pagan shrines were not removed from Israel, as his heart remained completely faithful throughout his life, he brought into the temple of God, the silver and gold and the various items that he and his father had dedicated. So there was no more war until the 35th year of Asa's reign. Steve Webb 14:42 Well, let's talk for a second about Second Chronicles chapter 11. That King Rehoboam was kind of a mixed bag. There were times where he followed the Lord in times where he turned his back on God. and in chapter 11, verses 16 and 17. We read some very important words. Here they are Those from every tribe of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the Lord, the God of Israel, follow the Levites to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and supported Rehoboam, son of Solomon three years following the ways of David Solomon during this time. and then when we jump over to chapter 12, we find out that Rehoboam reigned for 17 years. But those three years we just talked about, were his best, because he and the people sought the Lord and follow the examples of David and Solomon. Beloved, when things are not going well, for us, it's a really good idea to take a spiritual inventory. How is our relationship with God? Are we seeking the Lord? Is there unconfessed sin in our life? Are we spending time with Him in prayer and in the word, of course, being right with God is no guarantee that life will be a bed of roses because we live in a fallen world. But sometimes our loving Heavenly Father uses difficulties and hardships to get our attention. If we're straying off of the path. Yes, we are secure in God's grace because of the shed blood of Christ. He paid the price for all of our sins if we'd been born again, I'm not saying that we're in danger of losing our salvation if we have a time of rebellion, but God loves us too much to not correct us if we need it. If you want to have God's blessing, the place you want to be is in harmony with Him, seeking to know him better each and every day. Well, what do you think? Do you have a comment or a question? Contact information will be at the end of the show today. and tomorrow is Psalms Wednesday, and we'll read chapters 117 and 118. and because of the July 4 holiday here in the US, there will be no essential segment. I know I can hear you now. But Steve Independence Day is today. Yes, that's true. But we have nearly 30 family members coming over today. and I know I'm not going to be able to get the essential segment put together for tomorrow's show with all those people here. But we will have praises and prayer requests. So if you have something to share with the Lifespring family, get it to me right away how to do that. It'll be at the end of today's show. Steve Webb 17:21 Travis Blevins came in with his monthly $20 donation. He's our associate producer today. Thank you, Travis. God bless you, Lily of the Valley sent in the 714 SATs. and she said God bless you, Lady Liana and all the Lifespring family and by sending in those 714 SATs I'm sure lily of the valley wanted to be added to the 714 Club roll at 714 club.org which I have already done. Thank you lily of the valley. Great to hear from you. and Sister Denise sent in a 5000 sat Loaves and Fishes boost on the numbers 25 through 28 immorality and the decline of a nation episode. and she said Thank you, Steven Leann. Well, you're welcome Sister Denise. Thank you. I appreciate the boostagram beloved value for value is really what helps to pay the bills. For more information on how you can partner with me. This is the place to go. Steve Webb 18:16 Lifespringmedia.com/support. Steve Webb 18:19 I will thank you and I believe that God'll bless you. Steve Webb 18:24 I would love to hear from you. If you have a comment, a question a prayer request or a praise report. Here's how to reach me to leave a voice message call the Lifespring family Hotline at plus 1951732 at 511. Or if you prefer to type that message out for prayer requests and praise reports. Here's where to go. and by the way, remember, tomorrow we'll share them on the show. So here's where to go prayer.lifespringmedia.com it you got to do it quick. Also for comments or questions go to comment.lifespringmedia.com. My email address is Steve at Lifespring media.com. Steve Webb 19:08 Jason Paschall did today's show art Thank you, Jason. and thanks to Sister Denise Michael Haner, Scott Snider, and sister Brittany and thanks to today's associate producer Travis Blevins and thanks to the SAT streamers and boosters love seeing those come into value for value. God bless you guys and gals. Thanks for spending part of your day with me. I appreciate it. I'll see you tomorrow and until then, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb by Lifespring media bringing the message of hope, love and good news since 2004 Transcribed by https://otter.ai