WEBVTT - 2 Chronicles 11

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your

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<v Speaker 1>walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter eleven,

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<v Speaker 1>and we'll be reading from the New Living Translation. When

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<v Speaker 1>Reeboham arrived at Jerusalem, he mobilized the men of Judah

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<v Speaker 1>and Benjamin one hundred eighty thousand select troops to fight

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<v Speaker 1>against Israel and to restore the kingdom to himself. But

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord said to Shemaiah, the man of God, say

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<v Speaker 1>to Raeboam, son of Solomon, King of Judah, and all

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<v Speaker 1>the Israelites in Judah and Benjamin. This is what the

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<v Speaker 1>Lord says. Do not fight against your relatives. Go back home,

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<v Speaker 1>for what has happened is my doing. So they obeyed

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<v Speaker 1>the message of the Lord and did not fight against Jerobom.

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<v Speaker 1>Raaboam remained in Jerusalem and fortified various towns for the

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<v Speaker 1>defense of Judah. He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tacoa, beth Zur, Soco, Adulem, Gath, Marishah,

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<v Speaker 1>zith Adoram, lakish Azakah, Zora, Ajalon, and Hebron. These became

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<v Speaker 1>the fortified towns of Judah and Benjamin. Raaboam strengthened their

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<v Speaker 1>defenses and stationed commanders in them, and he stored supplies

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<v Speaker 1>of food, olive, oil, and wine. He also put shields

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<v Speaker 1>and spears in these towns as a further safety measure.

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<v Speaker 1>So only Judah and Benjamin remained under his control, but

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<v Speaker 1>all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes

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<v Speaker 1>of Israel sided with Reebom. The Levites even abandoned their

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<v Speaker 1>pastures and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem. Because

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<v Speaker 1>Jerobom and his sons would not allow them to serve

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord as priests. Jeobom appointed his own priests to

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<v Speaker 1>serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat

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<v Speaker 1>and calf idols he had made from all the tribes

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<v Speaker 1>of Israel. Those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where

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<v Speaker 1>they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of

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<v Speaker 1>their ancestors. This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for

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<v Speaker 1>three years they supported Raeboam, son of Solomon. For during

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<v Speaker 1>those years, they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David

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<v Speaker 1>and Solomon. Raeboam married his cousin Mahalath, the daughter of

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<v Speaker 1>David's son Jeremath, and of Abihail, the daughter of Eliab's

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<v Speaker 1>son of Jesse. Mahalath had three sons, Jayush, Shamaria, and Zahm.

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<v Speaker 1>Raabeam married another cousin, Maka, the granddaughter of Absalom. Mikaw

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<v Speaker 1>gave birth to Abaija, Atai, Ziza and Schelomyth. Reyaboam loved

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<v Speaker 1>Macaw more than any of his other wives and concubines.

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<v Speaker 1>In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and

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<v Speaker 1>they gave birth to twenty eight sons and sixty daughters.

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<v Speaker 1>Rayaboam appointed Makaw's son, Abaijah as leader among the princes,

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<v Speaker 1>making it clear that he would be the next king.

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<v Speaker 1>Raaboam also wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons and

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<v Speaker 1>stationed some of them in the fortified towns throughout the

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<v Speaker 1>land of Judah and Benjamin. He provided them with generous provisions,

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<v Speaker 1>and he found many wives for them. Let's pray, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your word, and we thank you

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<v Speaker 1>for the privilege of being able to look at it

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<v Speaker 1>together today. And Lord, as we look at this portion

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<v Speaker 1>of Scripture, we can see that in and among the

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<v Speaker 1>kingdoms of Israel and Judah, that there were people who

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<v Speaker 1>had hearts that were bent on worshiping idols, and there

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<v Speaker 1>were people who had hearts that were drawn to worship You.

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<v Speaker 1>And Lord, that illustrates the difficulty that we, as human

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<v Speaker 1>beings face on a daily basis. We're always wrestling with

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<v Speaker 1>false gods, We're always wrestling with inadequate objects of worship,

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<v Speaker 1>and we forget you far too quickly. But Lord, we

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<v Speaker 1>know that through faith in your son Jesus Christ, we've

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<v Speaker 1>been given the mind of Christ, and we've been given

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<v Speaker 1>the eyes of Christ and the heart of Christ, and

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<v Speaker 1>that our lives can be spent worshiping You, giving you

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<v Speaker 1>honor in every aspect of what we do. And so, Lord,

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<v Speaker 1>today's a new day, and we're grateful for it. We're

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<v Speaker 1>grateful for every opportunity that you give to us in

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<v Speaker 1>this world to live another day for your glory. And

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<v Speaker 1>we pray that every day you entrust to us would

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<v Speaker 1>be a day that we pour ourselves out in worship

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<v Speaker 1>toward You, that we would honor you in the things

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<v Speaker 1>that we dwell on in our minds, that our lips

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<v Speaker 1>would speak words that bring you honor and glory, and

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<v Speaker 1>that the actions that we take throughout the course of

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<v Speaker 1>the day would also honor your name. We're grateful, Lord that,

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<v Speaker 1>by your grace you empower us to actually do these things.

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<v Speaker 1>And so we commit this day to your care, and

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you for your presence with us in it.

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<v Speaker 1>We pray this all in Jesus' name. Amen.