"He Prepared Not His Heart" — 2 Chronicles 12:14–16

Neville Goddard taught that the Bible is not secular history, but a psychological drama unfolding within each individual. Every character, kingdom, and event represents states of consciousness, inner faculties, or processes of the imagination. When read symbolically, these verses from 2 Chronicles reveal much about inner conflict, spiritual neglect, and the continual shifting of awareness.

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2 Chronicles 12:14 (KJV)

"And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord."

Neville-Style Interpretation

The “evil” here isn’t moral wrongdoing, but a failure to align with divine imagination, which Neville calls the “I AM.” Rehoboam represents a state of consciousness that refuses to discipline the inner life. To “prepare the heart to seek the Lord” is to train the subconscious through inner attention—dwelling in the feeling of the wish fulfilled. When this inner work is neglected, the outer world becomes chaotic or stagnant.

Notably, the name Rehoboam (רְחַבְעָם – Rechav’am) means “he who enlarges the people” or “the people are enlarged.” Symbolically, this suggests a consciousness concerned with external expansion—numbers, influence, visibility—without establishing inward stability. When imagination is fixated on outer increase without inner preparation, the result is fragmentation.

This verse reveals a law of inner causation: neglect of the heart (imagination) leads to confusion or collapse in manifestation.

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2 Chronicles 12:15 (KJV)

"Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually."

Neville-Style Interpretation

“Books” and genealogies refer to inner records—the subconscious impressions formed by repeated thoughts and emotional reactions. The “prophets” and “seers” symbolise higher insight and imaginative foresight, the faculty that observes and remembers the movement of awareness.

The “wars” between Rehoboam and Jeroboam signify internal conflict. Jeroboam, whose name (יָרָבְעָם – Yarav’am) means “the people will contend” or “he who pleads the people’s cause,” represents a rebellious or divided state of mind—a consciousness caught in duality, resisting integration.

So we have:

• Rehoboam: A state seeking outer expansion but lacking inner grounding

• Jeroboam: A state representing inner rebellion and conflicted belief systems

The continual war between them is the battle of opposing assumptions—perhaps the old self-image resisting a new desire, or faith and doubt fighting for dominance. It mirrors the mental experience of trying to dwell in the wish fulfilled while being pulled back by appearances.

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2 Chronicles 12:16 (KJV)

"And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead."

Neville-Style Interpretation

“Sleeping with his fathers” signifies the end of a cycle—a state of consciousness has been exhausted and now passes into the background of the psyche. Being buried in the city of David, which symbolises the heart or centre of spiritual awareness, suggests that even failed or unstable states serve the higher purpose of spiritual evolution.

The rise of Abijah, Rehoboam’s son, points to the emergence of a new state. Each “son” in Scripture symbolises a successor consciousness—a new way of thinking and feeling made possible by the passing of the old. Whether Abijah leads to greater unity or continues the inner division depends on whether the individual awakens to the truth that imagination is God.

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Summary According to Neville Goddard’s Teaching

• Rehoboam (“he who enlarges the people”) symbolises a state preoccupied with outer gain but lacking inner preparation.

• Jeroboam (“the people will contend”) symbolises division, rebellion, and contradictory belief systems within consciousness.

• The wars between them represent the internal struggle between fear and faith, doubt and desire, old identity and the new assumption.

• The prophets and records represent the subconscious and its imprinting through imagination.

• The death of Rehoboam and the rise of Abijah reflect the ongoing inner transformation—each phase preparing for a fuller awareness of the divine self.