One of the things I’ve started to notice throughout this journey is how I feel connected to things in a different way. I’ve always been a big fan of Christmas songs (just ask my lovely bride). It’s one of my favorite times of the year. However, this year feels a little different. I feel a different type of connection to the music and the discussions than I have in years past. I mentioned this to one of my F3 brothers and he said this made perfect sense because the words have a different meaning now. That’s probably it, but I want to go deeper. I need to go deeper. The only problem is that nothing is coming to mind at the moment. One thing that I need to do better is to write down these thoughts as they hit me and then compile them into one of the reflections like this.
2 Chronicles 10: On to Solomon’s son Rehoboam and how he lost the kingdom. This is where it gets interesting because this is where the Chronicler decides to stop focusing on the northern kingdom. According to the CEB study bible notes, “the north still remains part of the nation of Israel, but its people can’t be fully restored until they again support the Davidic king and worship at the Jerusalem temple” (p. 681 OT). So the emphasis in this chapter is how the split started, which was with the people in the northern kingdom choosing to not follow Rehoboam.
2 Chronicles 11: This chapter focuses on Rehoboam’s reign as king of Judah. He ends up fortifying the cities to protect the people. He also ends up with 18 wives and 60 secondary wives. So much for the whole “marriage is between one man and one woman” argument. As I’ve noted earlier, there are many examples of men marrying multiple women. Why is this left out when people argue that the bible emphasizes that marriage is between one man and one woman? This is totally dependent on if I’m remembering this correctly. I know many people who say the bible argues that marriage is between a man and a woman, but the implication there is that it is still just one woman to one man.
2 Chronicles 12: This chapter continues to focus on Rehoboam’s reign. The first verse is really interesting: “But as soon as Rehoboam had secured his royal power, he, along with all Israel, abandoned the Lord’s instruction” (2 Chron. 12.1). Uh oh, beginning of the end. That’s a bummer.
Psalm 70: Another plea for help and protection, this time against those who wish to humiliate the writer.
Psalm 71: Another prayer for help. The writer reminds God that he has followed God since the beginning and this won’t change. So, he asks God to never leave and always be there to help in times of need.
Psalm 72: This is the last psalm of book 2 and a royal psalm, apparently written by Solomon (David’s son and successor). The psalm is a prayer to God in support of the new king. The psalter is asking God to grant the king the ability to be a good ruler.
It’s been a while since I ventured into that one woman-one man story, but the Diocese has done that. In fact, I believe one of the Fennimores was on the commission. Having lived in Wyoming, one learns that there have been a variety of practices in Mormonism. While most Mormons at this point follow the one woman-one many path, it apparently has been a journey.
Ian, the journey of faith is a journey of a lifetime. Even this fall, I have taught youth on nearly single scripture passages (though in context). A whole class for teenagers on a single verse. Think about that. We re-learn as we grow.
Thanks for being a tour guide!
Thanks Beth. And thanks for all of your help and support. It is very much appreciated.