|
Biblereading: 2
Chronicles 11:13-23
13 And
the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel
resorted to him out of all their coasts. 14 For the
Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to
Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off
from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD: 15 And
he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils,
and for the calves which he had made. 16 And after
them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to
seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto
the LORD God of their fathers. 17 So they
strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of
Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the
way of David and Solomon. 18 And Rehoboam took him
Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son of David to wife, and
Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse; 19 Which
bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham. 20 And
after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which bare
him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith. 21 And
Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his
wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and
threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and
threescore daughters.) 22 And Rehoboam made Abijah
the son of Maachah the chief, to be ruler among his
brethren: for he thought to make him king. 23 And
he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout
all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city:
and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many
wives.
When the priests
and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites
followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of
Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to
Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God,
and be out of the temptation to worship the calves.
That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our
choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward
conveniences. Where God's faithful priests are, his faithful
people should be. And when it has been proved that we are willing
to renounce our worldly interests, so far as we are called to do
so for the sake of Christ and his gospel, we have good evidence
that we are truly his disciples.
It is the interest of a nation to protect religion and religious
people.
|
