21/11/2019 - FROM GOLD TO COPPER

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So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also carried away the gold shields which Solomon had made.  2 Chronicles 12:9

Israel began to understand God’s goodness, when David was made to be king, and in his days he was never humiliated.  There was prosperity and freedom for the people from the Lord to those that obeyed and honored Him. Ascending to the throne after his father’s death, Solomon sought the Almighty and received wisdom and much more from Him. However, with the passing of time, he became irresponsible and displeased God.

For several years, kings and queens from distant nations would go to Solomon, to learn from his wisdom.  However, he strayed from the path and married daughters of gentile rulers and others that fell in his path.  At the end of his life, he had 700 wives and 300 concubines.  Divine warnings were to him nothing but empty threats.  Nevertheless, influenced by so many women, he began to worship and serve their gods.  How sad!

In the days of Solomon, God had warned him concerning the division of the blessed and united kingdom he had inherited from his father, leaving him the smallest part. Rehoboam, his son, did likewise and in no time, feeling strong in power, he drifted away from the Lord.  Then Shishak came against Judah and took the treasures of the temple and his house with him, and even took the shield of gold that had been made by Solomon. There was so much prosperity!  Even the weapons were made of gold!

Rehoboam’s vanity made him go from gold to copper, because his wealth had been taken away.  This way, in place of the shields of gold, he had others made of copper and gave them to the captains that guarded the gates of his house.  Seeing his bad decision to disobey God, he began to attend and worship at the House of the Lord; however, pride and vanity continued in his heart.  When the king entered into it, the guards would take the shields and later store them away again. 

The humiliation of Rehoboam and his people made the Lord divert His wrath from Judah (2 Chronicles 12:12).  We must do the same these days.  This way the wrath of God for our iniquities will also be removed from us.  In those days, they had no idea of the value of a true and sincere repentance, but today we know that if we do in fact repent and truly confess our sins, the Almighty will listen to us and forgive us.  There is no communion without forgiveness. 

The Word says: There were good things in Judah. We are the salt of the earth that can prevent the destruction of humanity by divine justice but if we lose the power to salt and become worthy of being cast out and trampled by men (Matthew 5:13), those that are lost will be condemned.  Although we are evil, God sees the desire for change in our heart.  Talk to Him about desiring this transformation and He will listen!

It is good to examine how we have lived. The apostle Paul said: For in Him (God)we live and move and have our being(Acts 17:28a). Our actions good or bad are performed in the Lord.  Certainly without genuine conversion we will soon see how much it hurts to sin. No deception but only sincerity!

In Christ, with Love,

R. R. Soares