695. 2CH 12:14. THE EVIL OF REHOBOAM’S CHARACTER

2Ch_12:14. The Evil of Rehoboam’s Character

"And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord."’972Ch_12:14.

Our text refers to king Rehoboam. On his accession to the throne, he gave evidence of a desire to walk in the steps of David and Solomon: chap. 2Ch_11:16, 2Ch_11:17. But after this, he forsook the law of the Lord; chap. 2Ch_12:1.

Our text accounts for his wickedness, by stating the main ingredients in his apostasy from God. "He did evil, because he prepared not his heart," &c.

Let us inquire,’97

What it is to seek the Lord. What preparation of heart is necessary;’97and, The evil of neglecting to do so.

I. What it is to seek the Lord.

1. It signifies to seek reconciliation with him.

Naturally men are not only morally distant, but opposed’97against God. Hence, they are described as rebels, enemies’97haters of God, &c. The carnal mind is enmity, &c. One corrupt element of dislike and opposition.

Now, to seek the Lord, is to cease opposition. To give up this strife. To sue for mercy. To yield to his love; and become one with him in Christ, our divine and appointed meeting-place, &c. It signifies,

2. To live in the habit of earnest prayer. The Lord says, "Seek ye my face," &c.

Hence, it thus is synonymous with waiting on the Lord, or inquiring cf God, &c. Hence, David said, "Early will I seek thee." We lead of a generation who seek the Lord. Hence, also the direction’97"Seek, and ye shall find." It is,

3. To seek to please and glorify God in all things.

Now, this is the great end of religion. To seek his pleasure and favor in all we do. "Whether we live," &c. "To labor, whether present or absent, to be accepted," &c. To glorify God in our bodies and souls. Enoch had this testimony before his translation, &c.

Now, we must first be reconciled,’97then live in habitual prayer’97and thus we shall be led to seek his glory in all things.

II. What preparation of heart is necessary in seeking the Lord?

Now, here we must guard against mistake. Not self-effected reformation. Not self-produced purification, &c.

We obtain these from God, in and by his grace. But, in seeking the Lord,

1. The heart must be fully concerned. All seeking will not do. Religion must begin with the heart. It is the renewal of the heart, &c. It is heart, not lip work. A broken and a contrite heart. When we seek him with the whole heart, we find him. Mere wishes, or feeble desires, or a regard to services, will not be sufficient.

2. The heart must be brought under discipline, or prepared,

(1.) By solemn consideration. The heart is naturally inconsiderate.

(2.) By self-humiliation. The heart is naturally proud and lifted up. It must be abased’97humbled in the dust, &c.

(3.) By self-renunciation. Heart trusts in itself, &c. Leans to itself, &c. This must be given up. Heart loathed, abhorred, &c.

(4.) By firm and decided resolution. There must be a crisis. A grand turning-point. "I will arise," &c., said the prodigal. And in respect of habitual prayer and devotedness to God’97there must be,

(5.) Repeated meditation and self-examination. So as to know ourselves, and to go to God with just views of our own state. Observe,

III. The evil of neglecting to prepare our hearts, &c.

1. Without this preparation we shall not find God.

There may be external reformation, or Christian profession’97but God will not be found. We may go to the means of grace, to the baptistry, to the table of the Lord’97but God will not be found.

2 Not finding God will be attended with the most serious results.

Observe the following,’97

(1.) We shall wander further from God. Every act is toward, or from him. The distance is lessening or widening every day.

(2.) Our moral condition will wax worse and worse. The mists of darkness will thicken over the understanding. Error will more firmly enslave the judgment’97the will become more obstinate in evil’97the passions more enlisted in the love and service of sin’97the conscience more defiled’97the whole man more devoted to evil; and thus more meet for destruction, &c.

(3.) Our ruin will be inevitable. On the grounds of God’s holiness. On the ground of his unchangeableness. On the ground of his truth and divine glory. We must seek him, or die! Call on him, or perish!

Application

1. To those who have sought and found the Lord.

What a source of joy and thankfulness. You can say, In the day of my misery and ruin I called, and he heard me, &c.

2. To those whose hearts are not prepared. You ask, and have not. You seek, and find not. You wait, and step not into the pool, &c. Then learn from past failures; and make it heartwork, &c. "Strive to enter in," &c.

3. To those who have never sought the Lord, &c.

Can you do without him? He is your life, &c., now. But what will you do in the day of sickness, and death, and judgment? &c.

Autor: JABEZ BURNS