2 CHRONICLES 12 - Shishak attacks Jerusalem 

NOTES BY VERSE

Note: each ** comment in this document is listed in numerical order according to the verse(s) from this chapter

** Shishak ruled over Egypt 945-924 BC and wanted to conquer all of Israel and Judah; Shishak was only able to conquer and control certain cities and trade routes in Judah, for God gave Shishak success in his attack because the Israelites turned from God

• After a poor start, Rehoboam acted wisely as king, strengthening his kingdom

• But with his defenses completed, the king and all Judah ‘abandoned the law of the Lord’

• In turn, God abandoned Judah and allowed Egypt (under Pharaoh Shishak) to invade

• The Egyptians stripped the temple of the treasures David and Solomon gathered, and Judah became a subject nation

• The lesson: God is faithful to those who remain faithful to Him  <R1795>

2 Chronicles 12:1-2,4 NIV

[1] 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. [2] Because they had been unfaithful to the Lord, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam. [4] he captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 12:9 NIV

[9] 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.

2 Chronicles 12:5 NIV

[5] Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, “This is what the Lord says, 'You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak.' ”

** God did not pour His full wrath on the Israelites because they eventually humbled themselves before Him; the Israelites still suffered consequences of servitude and lost His protective hand of blessing because God wanted them to understand the difference ‘between serving [God] and serving the kings of other lands.’

A fitting punishment arose to remind the Jews of their heritage in relationship to Egypt; this was the first military encounter with Egypt after the exodus hundreds of years before; a taste of being enslaved again when God had given liberation was bitter  <M130>

2 Chronicles 12:12 NIV

[12] Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the Lord's anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah.

2 Chronicles 12:7-8 NIV

[7] When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, this word of the Lord came to Shemaiah: “Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak. [8] They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands.”

2 Chronicles 12:15b NIV

[15] ... There was continual warfare between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.