2 Chronicles 7 & 12

When Solomon had finished the temple When Solomon had finished the temple of the LORD and the royal palace, and of the LORD and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the had in mind to do in the temple of the LORD and in his own palace, the LORD LORD and in his own palace, the LORD appeared to him at night and said: "I appeared to him at night and said: "I have heard your prayer and have have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrificesfor sacrifices - 2 Chronicles 7:11-12- 2 Chronicles 7:11-12

Random Truth:Random Truth: If we build it, he will If we build it, he will comecome??

""WhenWhen I shut up the heavens so that I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if among my people, if my peoplemy people, , who are called by who are called by my namemy name, will , will humble themselves and pray and humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land - vs. 13-14will heal their land - vs. 13-14

PeoplePeople: H: Humbleumble, Pray, S, Pray, Seekeek, Turn, Turn

GodGod: H: Hearear, F, Forgiveorgive, Heal, Heal

After Rehoboam's position as king After Rehoboam's position as king was established and he had become was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the LORD. abandoned the law of the LORD. Because they had been unfaithful to Because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt the LORD, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year attacked Jerusalem in the fifth year of King Rehoboam…of King Rehoboam…

With twelve hundred chariots and With twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand horsemen and the sixty thousand horsemen and the innumerable troops of Libyans, innumerable troops of Libyans, Sukkites and Cushites that came with Sukkites and Cushites that came with him from Egypt, he captured the him from Egypt, he captured the fortified cities of Judah and came as fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem... far as Jerusalem...

Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the leaders of Rehoboam and to the leaders of Judah who had assembled in Judah who had assembled in Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he Jerusalem for fear of Shishak, and he said to them, "This is what the LORD said to them, "This is what the LORD says, 'You have abandoned me; says, 'You have abandoned me; therefore, I now abandon you to therefore, I now abandon you to Shishak'"- 2 Chronicles 12:1-5Shishak'"- 2 Chronicles 12:1-5

Choosing to walk away from God Choosing to walk away from God meant choosing to leave the meant choosing to leave the uumbrellambrella of his protection of his protection

The leaders of Israel and the king The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, humbled themselves and said, "The "The LORD is just." LORD is just." When the LORD saw When the LORD saw that they that they humbled themselveshumbled themselves, , this word of the LORD came to this word of the LORD came to Shemaiah: "Since they have humbled Shemaiah: "Since they have humbled themselves, I will not destroy them themselves, I will not destroy them but will soon give them deliverance. but will soon give them deliverance. My wrath will not be poured out on My wrath will not be poured out on Jerusalem through Shishak…Jerusalem through Shishak…

They will, however, become subject They will, however, become subject to him, so that they may learn the to him, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands” – 2 serving the kings of other lands” – 2 Chronicles 12:6-8Chronicles 12:6-8

All people serve. The only question All people serve. The only question is, “ wis, “ whoho or w or whathat will they serve?” will they serve?”