CONSEQUENCES!

1 Kings 14:22-26

During Rehoboam’s reign, the people of Judah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, provoking his anger with their sin, for it was even worse than that of their ancestors.
For they also built for themselves pagan shrines and set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every green tree.
There were even male and female shrine prostitutes throughout the land. The people imitated the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.
In the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem.
He ransacked the treasuries of the Lord’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.

Listen, when you depart from the way of the Lord, do not expect the great things He has done through your lineage to continue.

Look at what is happening in the church, when the elders of faith do not set good examples, when many have turned mammon to their God and made themselves as God in the lives of others, what do we expect from the generation of those that follow them.

May the Lord continue to strengthen and empower those who have been faithful. Amen.

Solomon as was recorded made strange women his wives, though they were of royal blood but not of God's children but of the nation of which the Lord told them not to marry from.

Listen again, if they could turn his heart from the Lord how much easier that the heart of his children would be turned away from the Lord.

1 Kings 14:21
Meanwhile, Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the lord had chosen from among all the tribes of Israel as the place to honor his name. Rehoboam’s mother was Naamah, an Ammonite woman.

We then see the consequences of these evils.

All the glory that Solomon created from the gold palace, building and even that of the temple were all taken away.

A splendour that kings and queens from other nations came to admire was taken away just like that!

1 Kings 14:25-28
In the fifth year of King Rehoboam’s reign, King Shishak of Egypt came up and attacked Jerusalem.
He ransacked the treasuries of the lord’s Temple and the royal palace; he stole everything, including all the gold shields Solomon had made.
King Rehoboam later replaced them with bronze shields as substitutes, and he entrusted them to the care of the commanders of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace.
Whenever the king went to the Temple of the Lord, the guards would also take the shields and then return them to the guardroom.

Rehoboam had to replace them with bronze!

Proverbs 14:34
Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

May we never lose our glory because of sin and wrong decisions.

In the old testament it was more about material wealth, in the new testament after Christ had been revealed, it was something much more.

What are you chasing after, what are you leading your children to chase after, what are you leading your congregation, members, mentees to chase after?

Are we teaching them to walk in the way of the Lord?

Remember how Christ describes it:

Matthew 6:33
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

All the other things are good, career, money, skill, impact, status etc. However, the kingdom of God must be settled with us first. Character must be developed.

We should not have consequences of evil and wrong decisions but Rewards for good work done.

Matthew 25:21
“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

We will have a good testimony.

Glory to God forevermore.

PRAYER
Loving Father may I have a good report from You concerning all things. Help me to walk in Your wisdom and grace that I will NEVER fail, fall or falter but I will win, pleasing You in all things. Glory to Your name Lord forevermore.

He calls us blessed.

Love
@the watcher