The Levites’ Migration in Rehoboam’s Day (II Chronicles 11:13-16) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Push Factors
II. The Pull Factors
III. The Positive Example
Psalm singing: 42:1-5; 38:1-7; 84:7-12; 84:1-6
Scripture reading: II Chronicles 11

Belgic Confession 28: "Every One Is Bound to Join Himself to the True Church. We believe, since this holy congregation is an assembly of those who are saved, and that out of it there is no salvation, that no person of whatsoever state or condition he may be, ought to withdraw himself, to live in a separate state from it; but that all men are in duty bound to join and unite themselves with it; maintaining the unity of the church; submitting themselves to the doctrine and discipline thereof; bowing their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ; and as mutual members of the same body, serving to the edification of the brethren, according to the talents God has given them. And that this may be the more effectually observed, it is the duty of all believers, according to the Word of God, to separate themselves from all those who do not belong to the church, and to join themselves to this congregation, wheresoever God hath established it, even though the magistrates and edicts of princes were against it, yea, though they should suffer death or any other corporal punishment. Therefore all those who separate themselves from the same, or do not join themselves to it, act contrary to the ordinance of God."

Psalm 42:1-5
1 LIKE as the hart for water-brooks
in thirst doth pant and bray;
So pants my longing soul, 0 God,
that come to thee I may.
2 My soul for God, the living God,
doth thirst: when shall I near
Unto thy countenance approach,
and in God’s sight appear?
3 My tears have unto me been meat,
both in the night and day,
While unto me continually,
Where is thy God? they say.
4 My soul is poured out in me,
when this I think upon;
Because that with the multitude
I heretofore had gone ;
With them into God’s house I went
with voice of joy and praise;
Yea, with the multitude that kept
the solemn holy days.
5 O why art thou cast down, my soul ?
why in me so dismay’d ?
Trust God, for I shall praise him yet,
his count’nance is mine aid.

Psalm 38:1-7
1 IN thy great indignation,
O Lord, rebuke me not;
Nor on me lay thy chast’ning hand,
in thy displeasure hot.
2 For in me fast thine arrows stick,
thine hand doth press me sore:
3 And in my flesh there is no health,
nor soundness any more.
This grief I have, because thy wrath
is forth against me gone;
And in my bones there is no rest,
for sin that I have done.
4 Because gone up above mine head
my great transgressions be;
And, as a weighty burden, they
too heavy are for me.
5 My wounds do stink, and are corrupt;
my folly makes it so.
6 I troubled am, and much bow’d down;
all day I mourning go.
7 For a disease that loathsome is
so fills my loins with pain,
That in my weak and weary flesh
no soundness doth remain.

Psalm 84:7-12
7 So they from strength unwearied go
still forward unto strength,
Until in Zion they appear
before the Lord at length.
8 Lord God of hosts, my prayer hear;
O Jacob’s God, give ear.
9 See God our shield, look on the face
of thine anointed dear.
10 For in thy courts one day excels
a thousand ; rather in
My God’s house will I keep a door,
than dwell in tents of sin.
11 For God the Lord’s a sun and shield :
he’ll grace and glory give;
And will withhold no good from them
that uprightly do live.
12 0 thou that art the Lord of hosts,
that man is truly blest,
Who by assured confidence
on thee alone doth rest.

Psalm 84:1-6
1 HOW lovely is thy dwelling-place,
0 Lord of hosts, to me!
The tabernacles of thy grace
how pleasant, Lord, they be!
2 My thirsty soul longs veh’mently,
yea faints, thy courts to see:
My very heart and flesh cry out,
0 living God, for thee.
3 Behold, the sparrow findeth out
an house wherein to rest;
The swallow also for herself
hath purchased a nest;
Ev’n thine own altars, where she safe
her young ones forth may bring,
O thou almighty Lord of hosts,
who art my God and King.
4 Bless’d are they in thy house that dwell,
they ever give thee praise.
5 Bless’d is the man whose strength thou
in whose heart are thy ways: [art,
6 Who passing thorough Baca’s vale,
therein do dig up wells;
Also the rain that falleth down
the pools with water fills.