Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2749
“And he did evil, because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” 2 Chronicles 12:14.
You have probably noticed that, as a general rule, the sacred historians, at the end of each king’s reign, sum up the character of the monarch and describe him as either doing evil in the sight of the Lord or doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord. They give a summary of his whole life in one or other of these sentences—and there will come a day when there will be a summary of your life, and mine—and when it is given, it will run on this wise, “He did evil in the sight of the Lord,” or else on this blessed fashion, “He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.” There is no other course beside these two! These characteristics comprehend all of us and the summary given in our case, as it was in the case of Rehoboam, will be given with great accuracy. It will be Infallible and it will be irreversible. This man Reho-boam was not half as bad as some other kings, still, the Inspired historian was compelled to say, “He did evil.” He was not such an obstinate and outrageous sinner as some were. He was not an Ahab. He was not even a Manasseh—he did not live as that king did in his evil time, yet, “he did evil.” That is the summary of his whole career.
There were some good points about him, as I shall try to show you presently. He sometimes did good, still, when it is all added up, this is the total of it, “he did evil.” And the reason why he did evil is given. One reason, I should think, was that he had a bad mother. Observe how it is written, just before the summary of his life, “His mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess”—one of Solomon’s numerous wives—one whom he favored most of all. But she was an idolatrous woman, “an Ammonitess.” And there is little wonder that when the father was no better than he should have been, and when the mother was exceedingly bad, the summary of the son’s life should be, “he did evil.”
This makes marriage a most important step, though it is often taken without a single serious thought. See how a woman’s life projects itself and either casts a ray of brightness over her children’s characters, or a cloud of shame over their entire being. What some of us owe to our mothers, we shall never be able to tell. If we had to write down the choicest mercies that God has bestowed upon us, we would have to first mention the mother who prayed for us and taught us to trust in Jesus, by the Holy Spirit’s blessing upon the sweet way in which she spoke to us about the Savior. But a mother, trained in the school of Satan, and who has become a mistress in the art of sin is a terrible source of evil to her children. May God have mercy upon any of you mothers who have sons growing up to follow the evil example which you are setting them! Mothers, by the love you bear your children—and there is no stronger love, I think, on earth—if you will not think of your own soul’s best interests, I do pray you, for your children’s sake, consider your ways and seek the Lord with the purpose in your heart that your children may, if possible, live in the Presence of God.
But the Scripture does not give this as the reason why Rehoboam did evil. It does not say that he did evil because he had a bad mother, nor because his father had not walked with God as he ought to have done. No, the reason was, “because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” The Hebrew proverb was, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” But the Lord said to His ancient people through the Prophet Ezekiel, “You shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel…”The soul that sins, it shall die.” God will judge each one according to his own deeds and if you should, unhappily, have been born of the most ungodly parents who ever lived, there is no reason why God’s Grace should not begin to work in your family with you. If all your training has been adverse to
godliness, the Sovereign Grace that takes one of a city, and two of a family and brings them to Zion, may select you as its objective. I know several Brothers and Sisters here who have each one said to me with great sorrow, “I am the only one out of my family, as far as I can judge, that knows the Lord. Looking back, I can trace no pedigree of saints. And looking around me, neither brother, nor sister, nor uncle, nor cousin seems to have any fear of God.”
Ah, my dear Friend! If you have been so distinguished by the Grace of God, you ought to love Him much and praise Him much! And as you will be sure to be watched and pecked at, like a speckled bird, mind how you live. May your light so shine before men that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in Heaven. No, though Rehoboam walks in an evil way, it is not set down to the examples of his father and mother, but it is written, “he did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord.” What does this expression mean? I am going to try to find out because I feel sure that the same reason is operating upon a good many other people. It does not say that Rehoboam did evil because he was of a vicious temperament, or because he had strong passions, or because he was a downright thoroughly bad fellow. No, he was not quite that, but he did evil because of something which he did not do—