2 Chronicles 11:1-12: a reflection

1When Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled the house of Judah and Benjamin, one hundred eighty thousand chosen men who were warriors, to fight against Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam. 2But the LORD’s word came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying, 3“Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 4‘The LORD says, “You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers! Every man return to his house; for this thing is of me.”’” So they listened to the LORD’s words, and returned from going against Jeroboam. 5Rehoboam lived in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah. 6He built Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, 7Beth Zur, Soco, Adullam, 8Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, 9Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, 10Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, which are fortified cities in Judah and in Benjamin. 11He fortified the strongholds and put captains in them with stores of food, oil and wine. 12He put shields and spears in every city, and made them exceedingly strong. Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.

After the kingdom splits, Rehoboam gathers a huge army to fight the northern tribes and force them back under his rule. He has the strength and, as he sees it, the right; the kingdom had been his. But God sends a word through the prophet: You shall not go up or fight against your brothers; return every man to his house, for this thing is from me. And, remarkably, they listen; they obey God's word and turn back, laying down the fight they were fully prepared to make.

Notice what Rehoboam and his army do: they submit to God's restraining word, even though they had the strength and the perceived right to fight. They had gathered a great army, ready to reclaim the kingdom by force; but God said, do not fight, for this is from me. And they obeyed, accepting that the situation, painful as it was, was from God's hand, and laying down the fight. They submitted to God's word to stand down, though they could have pressed on.

That submission to God's restraining word is worth learning. There are times when we have the strength and the seeming right to act, to fight for what we think is ours, to press our advantage; and yet God may call us to stand down, to accept a situation as from his hand rather than fighting it. It takes real submission to lay down a fight we could make and think we are entitled to make. When God's word restrains you, calling you to stand down rather than press your advantage or fight for what you think is yours, submit to it, as Rehoboam did, accepting that the situation may be from God's hand. Do not always press on simply because you have the strength and the perceived right; be willing, when God restrains you, to lay down the fight and accept his word, trusting that what he ordains, even a loss you did not want, is from him, and to be received rather than fought.

Lord, after the kingdom split, Rehoboam gathered a huge army to force the northern tribes back, having the strength and, as he saw it, the right; but you said through the prophet, do not fight your brothers, for this thing is from me, and they obeyed and turned back. Teach me that submission to your restraining word. There are times when I have the strength and the seeming right to act, to fight for what I think is mine, to press my advantage; and yet you may call me to stand down, to accept a situation as from your hand rather than fighting it. It takes real submission to lay down a fight I could make and think I am entitled to make. When your word restrains me, calling me to stand down rather than press my advantage or fight for what I think is mine, help me submit to it, as Rehoboam did, accepting that the situation may be from your hand. Keep me from always pressing on simply because I have the strength and the perceived right; make me willing, when you restrain me, to lay down the fight and accept your word, Lord, trusting that what you ordain, even a loss I did not want, is from you, and to be received rather than fought. Help me submit to your restraining word.