2 Chronicles 11:13-17: Politics and the people of God
Like many pastors, I wear numerous hats in my community. As a leader in my neighborhood, I was compelled over the last few months to wade into the realm of politics, but I was never comfortable doing so. Further, I was never so relieved as when the local elections were finished earlier this week. As I opened my Bible today to 2 Chronicles 9-12 and stumbled across 11:13-17, I think I finally figured out why.
In 2 Chronicles 11:13-17, the kingdom of Israel has just split. War was narrowly averted when God warned Rehoboam that the split was from him, but as both sides rushed to fortify the border, people were compelled to choose their side. This included the priests and Levites. Although the tribe of Levi was originally assigned cities and villages scattered throughout the nation, the new king of the northern kingdom “refused to let them serve as priests of Yahweh” and instead “appointed his own priests for the high places, the goat-demons, and the golden calves he had made” (vss 14-15). In short, as the northern kingdom endeavored to distinguish itself from the south, it instantly became hostile toward those who worked in the temple of the real God.
In response, the priests and Levites living in the northern territories left their homes and stuff and “took their stand with Rehoboam.” These religious leaders hitched their carts to Rehoboam’s horse because the northern kingdom would not allow them to sacrifice to Yahweh, but the words of verse 17 are haunting:
So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam son of Solomon for three years, because they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.
As I read these words, I am struck by several things. The first is that this statement follows in a long line of subtle statements going back at least to Joshua 15:63. In the verses prior to that statement, the 85-year-old Caleb son of Jephunnah conquered the giant warriors of the territory surrounding Hebron with the help of God, but in verse 63, all the descendants of Judah, the second largest tribe of Israel, could not defeat the city of Jerusalem even though it had no secure water supply. Now, instead of calling for the reunification and rebuilding the kingdom of God, the priests “strengthened the kingdom of Judah.” Put another way, they allowed their earthly patriotism to supersede their faith.
Please do not misunderstand me. Patriotism is not a bad thing. Indeed, we should all take pride in our nation. However, when our commitment to the earthly nation outshines our commitment to the kingdom of God, we are bound for failure in both arenas. Philippians 3:20 declares, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” That is, our primary allegiance must be to the kingdom of God and his Savior, Jesus Christ. Thus, if the nation passes laws that violate God’s precepts and principles, we yield to God, and if our nation is moving away from the Lord, we call it back rather than go with it.
The second thing that strikes me is that the priests and Levites “supported Rehoboam son of Solomon.” This is interesting because Rehoboam was not exactly a great king. In the previous chapter, it was his foolish decision to listen to his young friends that caused the kingdom to divide. Worse, while Rehoboam initially concerned himself with the ways of the Lord, once he consolidated power and was established as king, 12:1 reveals Rehoboam “abandoned the law of the Lord” and led the people to do the same. While this may have begun as mere apathy, though, by the time hisreign ended in verse 14, Rehoboam’s legacy was secured: “Rehoboam did what was evil, because he did not determine in his heart to seek the Lord.” Why would those who made their living doing the work of the Lord throw their support behind him? The answer is a phrase we hear too often: the lesser of two evils. Certainly, Rehoboam was far from an ideal leader, but the priests and Levites followed him because Jeroboam was even worse.
When the people of God settle for the lesser of two evils, the inevitable result is a downward spiral into depravity and despair. When political parties have only to find someone who is not quite as bad as the other candidate, we all lose. The people of God must instead look for the candidate who is most godly, and yes, the difference is again subtle but significant. The godly candidate will have a list of character traits and accomplishments similar to that found in 1 Timothy 3. They will exhibit wisdom, courage, and humility. These things, however, are easily exaggerated. Therefore, the most significant thing may be whether or not the candidate lives by the principle of Romans 12:10: “Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.” Both parts of this verse are key because we have all met people who thoroughly bash others in the name of “love.” We must look for candidates who demonstrate genuine love by refusing to speak poorly of their opponents and resolving to listen and affirm the good ideas they may bring to the table. Could you imagine how much better our nation would be if people on both sides of the aisle resolved to listen to each other and do the best ideas, regardless of which party originated them?
Third, I am struck that this collaboration lasted only three years. In fact, the chronicler thought this tidbit so important he mentioned it twice in this one verse. Indeed, three years stands in stark contrast to the seventeen years Rehoboam reigned according to 12:13, and it raises a couple of very important questions. What happened to end their support? And what happened when they ended their support? Unfortunately, the hints we have in 11:17 suggest that the answer to both questions is not positive: “because they walked in the ways of David and Solomon for three years.” David, of course, was a man of faith, and Solomon was a man of wisdom. To say that the priests and Levites walked in their ways, then, was to say that they walked according to faith and wisdom. Perhaps, then, the priests’ and Levites’ support of Rehoboam eroded as they watched him veer from the way of faith and wisdom. Alternatively, it could also be to hint that the priests and Levites themselves grew apathetic and then apostate. Truthfully, I suspect it was a bit of both. Indeed, politicians often forget their allies once they have no further need for them, and the people of God splinter and crack when they neglect the rallying cry of God and his mission to guide them. By the end of three years, though, the relationship between the priests, Levites, and Rehoboam was broken.
This brings us to the key point. When the people of God are more dedicated to a political figure than their Savior, it will only end in disappointment. Why? Because political leaders are not the Savior. Politicians will not hesitate to throw believers and their causes under the bus when it is expedient to the politician’s interests, and if we are too busy following a political leader to keep in step with Jesus, our strength will inevitably falter and fail.
In 2 Chronicles 11:13-17, the priests and Levites took their stand with Rehoboam because he was the lesser of two evils. Granted, he allowed them to worship the Lord, but in the end, he was just as spiritually bankrupt as his northern counterpart. The alliance was doomed from the start, and any such alliance we forge today is doomed, too.