Friday, February 16: 2Chronicles 12 Masking things.

Right out of the gate we learn of Rehoboam’s faithlessness. After Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD (1). And the Lord judged him, punishing him by the attack of Shishak, Pharaoh of Egypt. As part of God’s judgment Rehoboam became subject to Shishak who carried off all the gold finery from the temple and palace (see 2-8).

I understand that Rehoboam humbled himself before the Lord, so that was good. God’s judgment served its purpose of bringing Israel back to Himself.

There is a curious aspect of the account the got the wheels of my mind and heart turning. When Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem, he carried off the treasures of the temple of the LORD and the treasures of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields Solomon had made. So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned these to the commanders of the guard on duty at the entrance to the royal palace. Whenever the king went to the LORD’s temple, the guards went with him, bearing the shields, and afterward they returned them to the guardroom (9-11).

By making the bronze shields, Rehoboam is masking the pain and punishment of the Lord. He created the illusion that nothing happened, that all is well, that the treasuries of the Lord remain full.

I wonder if Rehoboam’s actions don’t reveal a human sinful trait.  We attempt to minimize God’s correction and we try to carry on as if all is okay when it is not.

In the church we can carry on rituals that originated with deep spiritual meaning but now ring hollow. And I can do that personally as well.

The God Father was an acclaimed movie in the 1970s (??). There is a famous scene where the young son, Don Corleone, is taking over the father’s business. Two events are happening simultaneously and the movie cuts back and forth between the two. Don’s son is being baptized in the church, all the family is gathered around where pledges of fidelity are made to the Lord and Don’s henchmen are murdering in cold blood all Don’s enemies.

The symbolism is penetrating…

Rehoboam kept the pomp and ceremony of faithfulness, but was he???

I can do that too. Do I? Do I keep the rituals without the spiritual significance embedded in them?

Do you? Think about it.

Lord, unmask my carnal-ness. Help me see myself for who I am so that I can truly repent and walk with You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.