How does 2 Chronicles 12:1 connect with Deuteronomy 28 on obedience? Setting the scene 2 Chronicles 12:1—“After Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he and all Israel with him forsook the law of the LORD.” Rehoboam’s kingdom is secure, the borders are quiet, the treasury is full—then the nation turns its back on God’s law. That one line sets the pattern for everything that follows in the chapter. The built-in blessing–curse framework Deuteronomy 28 lays out two paths: • Deuteronomy 28:1—“If you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God… all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you.” • Deuteronomy 28:15—“If you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God… all these curses will come upon you and overtake you.” In other words, obedience activates blessing; disobedience unleashes curse. The chapter then itemizes both lists in detail. Connecting the dots • Rehoboam “forsook the law of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:1) = Israel stepped onto the Deuteronomy 28:15 side of the covenant. • Immediately God “abandoned them to Shishak king of Egypt” (2 Chronicles 12:5–9), fulfilling curses such as: – “The LORD will bring a nation against you from far away” (Deuteronomy 28:49). – “They will take away your sons and daughters” (v. 41). – “A people whom you do not know shall eat the produce of your land” (v. 33). • When Rehoboam humbles himself (2 Chronicles 12:6–7), the worst is averted; God’s mercy tempers judgment, echoing Deuteronomy 30:1–3, which holds out restoration for repentance. What 2 Chronicles 12 teaches about Deuteronomy 28 obedience • The covenant terms were not abstract; they governed real history. • Material prosperity and national security rise or fall with faithfulness to God’s word (cf. Proverbs 14:34). • Disobedience is often subtle—Rehoboam’s slide began “after he had established his sovereignty,” when comfort replaced dependence (cf. Deuteronomy 8:10–14). • Divine discipline aims at repentance, not destruction (Hebrews 12:6–11). Practical takeaways today • Guard against spiritual drift in seasons of success. • Obedience invites God’s favor; compromise opens doors to loss. • National life is bound to moral life; righteousness exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34). • The same God who warns also restores when His people humble themselves (1 John 1:9). |
    |