2 Chronicles 12:1

2 Chronicles 12:1 says, And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom, and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.  After Rehoboam was established as king, he forsook the law of God, and all Israel did so as well.  Though the kingdom was divided, I believe all of Israel, and not just Judah, the part Rehoboam ruled over, rejected God's law.  Ruling from Jerusalem with the temple there as well, Rehoboam should have followed God's law, but he didn't.  We may live in what is called a Christian nation and have a church on every corner, but that doesn't mean that we are going to obey God.  Verse two adds, And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had transgressed against the Lord,  In the fifth year of Rehoboam's reign, Shishak the king of Egypt came up against him.  God had removed His protective hand from them and the time of peace was over.  If we as Christians turn away from doing God's will, our time of spiritual peace will be over, though we will still be a part of God's kingdom.  Verse three continues, With twelve hundred chariots, and threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians.  Shishak came with twelve hundred chariots, sixty thousand horsemen, and a force that was too large to number.  As we draw ever closer to the return of Christ, which we do every day no matter how long it may be before He returns, the forces of Satan are going to attack us even more.  We cannot afford to be divided as Christians.  Verse four states, And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came to Jerusalem.  Rehoboam had set up fenced cities for defense, but they did him no good.  We should not rely things of this world to keep us safe as followers of Christ but must rely on God alone.  Verse five adds, Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Ye have forsaken me, and therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.  Shemiah the prophet came to Rehoboam with a message from God, and it wasn't good news.  He said since Rehoboam had forsaken God, God had removed His protection from him and Judah and left them in the hand of Shishak.  We as individual Christians and as a Christian nation need to pray that we don't get so far away from God that He removes His protective hand from us.  Verse six continues, Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, The Lord is righteous.  The princes of Israel and Rehoboam humbled themselves before God.  If we have strayed away from God, we need to humble ourselves and return to Him.  Verse seven says, And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.  God sent another message by Shemiah.  Since the people of Judah had humbled themselves before God, He was going to keep Shishak from destroying them.  If we are in danger of spiritual defeat today, we need to humble ourselves before God and ask for His forgiveness if we have allowed sin back into our life.  Verse eight adds, Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.  Though they weren't going to be destroyed, they were going to be under Shishak's rule.  Their disobedience was going to cost them, and our disobedience to God as Christians will always bring consequences.