2 Chronicles 34 - Perseverance before disaster

Josiah, a good king of Judah, begins reforms in Jerusalem that include a fresh reading of the Law.  Realizing how Judah has disobeyed the commandments of the Lord, Josiah inquires as to what Judah's future might be.  The prophetess, Huldah, notes the impending destruction of Judah, but shows that there will be peace during Josiah's life because of his tender heart and humility towards the Lord.   In a world of turmoil, God still provides calmness.  Our duty is to God, not to establishing the type of world we want.  Josiah chose what was important - and that will not be taken from him. 

2 Chronicles 33 - Manasseh the humble?

Manasseh is an interesting guy. First, he is evil; he does more evil than the nations that the Lord drove out from Israel (2 Chrn 33:9). The chronicle of his deeds is a scary list (vv. 3-7b; 2 Kings 21:3-16), not to mention that because of his sins, Judah is deported to Babylon (2 Kings 24:3-4). But here there is mention of Manasseh knowing the Lord (2 Chrn 33:13b), destroying idols (v. 15), restoring Temple sacrifices (vv. 16-17), his prayer (vv. 18,19), and his humility (vv. 19,23). In spite of his wickedness and the innocent blood he shed, he could still know the Lord our God and repent. There is no person beyond the grasp of our Lord; His mercy can reach anyone!

2 Chronicles 32 - You don't mess around with the Lord

Now, therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand! - 2 Chrn 32:15

This passage is like watching a suspenseful movie: the bad guy always puts the good guy in a "death trap" that will slowly kill him by some unique means (like being lowered into a pit of piranhas). The good guy, of course, escapes and saves the day. But this is real life and we are not sure if Hezekiah's tale will end in movie-like fashion. We have actually seen this story before - it is quite similar to David and Goliath. Sennacherib (through his servants) makes the following 'battle' a spiritual one; it is your god against my god. But he has messed with the wrong god - this god is the Lord God, those other gods were not gods at all. We are often overwhelmed at the progress certain philosophies make into our lives. We see them as unstoppable forces that cannot be turned, but yet our God has the victory time and time again. We see systems that refuse to acknowledge the lordship of Jesus and we see them fall. This is a predictable pattern throughout history - if you fight God you will lose. I like the T-shirt that says on the front - "'God is dead.' - Nietzsche" but on the back it says, "'Nietzsche is dead.' - God."

2 Chronicles 31 – Leading by example

It is easy to say, "Give, give" and then see how people respond before you actually give. But Hezekiah gave out of his own possessions (2 Chrn 31:3-5) before he issued the command for other people. As one who admonishes people weekly, it is important that I be doing the very things I am asking other people to do. It only makes sense. While yes, the people should have been giving to the Temple, and yes, they should have been offering sacrifices regardless of what the king is doing, but the king should have been doing this as well. Hezekiah is not playing the "I'll do it if you go first" game; he is working through his own heart first and then 'inviting' (read: ordering, he is the king after all) others to join him.

2 Chronicles 30 – Holding off the party

Hezekiah, a righteous king of Judah, decides to hold off celebrating the Passover for a month since the priests were not consecrated for the task (2 Chrn 30:2-4). Could you imagine not have an Easter service because members of the music team were not spiritually prepared to participate in the service? Two things need to be noted. First, Jesus is the one who consecrates us so; he is our perfect high priest. His sacrifice is good for all time for us to be presented blamelessly before the Lord our God. Second, this shows us the level of concern we should have with holiness. Yes, Jesus justifies us, but the process of holiness in our lives (often called sanctification) is continually being worked out as we follow Christ. Like Jesus, we are to be holy (1 Peter 1:13-16), and this is a very important part of our lives – especially since we are now under the blood and justified. We are changed people!

2 Chronicles 26 – Pride of Uzziah

And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the LORD his God and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. But Azariah the priest went in after him, with eighty priests of the LORD who were men of valor, and they withstood King Uzziah and said to him, "It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honor from the LORD God." – 2 Chrn 26:15b-18

When we have a taste of success, we think we can do anything. Maybe that is why we see movie stars and athletes in real-life roles that seem unusual. Acknowledging our own boundaries and limits is very difficult. If we have success in one area, then why wouldn’t we have success in another? If I know a bunch about business, why wouldn’t I be able to meaningfully contribute to any other situation? If I am at the top of my game, I should be able to do whatever I want. I demand respect, an audience, the ability to do what others are doing, for me to make suggestions and they be kept, etc.

Pride.

2 Chronicles 24 – A mild case of forgetfulness

Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the LORD see and avenge!"  At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash. When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. – 2 Chrn 24:22-25 (ESV)

 

Oh Joash!  How far you have fallen!  This is a grim reminder for us to persevere or we too could forget about following the Lord and turn towards dastardly deeds.   This story is so sad – Jehoiada risked so much to save this boy and trained him up in the way of the Lord (2 Chrn 24:2).  Now his own son is killed by him.   The key for us is that God will avenge; the Lord will not let evil be unaccounted for.  We must realize that it is not our place to take revenge for the wrongs done to us.   But vengeance will come from the Lord, who loves justice and is powerful to save. 

2 Chronicles 22-23 – The company we keep

But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. – 2 Chrn 22:7 (ESV)

But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death. And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land. – 2 Chrn 22:11-12 (ESV)

Two kings, Ahaziah and Joash, are both affected by those around them. For Ahaziah, his downfall was his association with the house of Ahab (2 Chrn 22:7). But for Joash, his training came under the faithful guidance of Jehoiada the priest. There is even a follow up verse showing Jehoiada’s influence: 2 Chrn 24:2 (ESV) – Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. Who influences us? Who are we being mentored by? What we turn our ears toward may strengthen our faithfulness to the Lord or it may be our undoing.

2 Chronicles 19-20 – Turning the tables

And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say,

"Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever."

And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. – 2 Chrn 20:21-22 (ESV)

Jehoshaphat is faced with a large opposing army. He doesn’t make light of the force arrayed against him, but he does turn to the Lord. Then the Lord works while the people are praising Him (v 20:21-22). When they go to spy on the opposing force, they see only dead bodies, ready to loot. This is what God does; he turns the tables on our circumstances. The Lord works at this from both sides: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

2 Chronicles 17 - Doing some things right

Jehoshaphat is a king that gets some things right.  First, he takes care of some national security issues.  Secondly, he sends out teams of instructors to teach the Torah to people.  Third, the infrastructure is strong with tribute from other countries and supplies.  Yes, things are going well and God is blessing.  God is pleased with Jehoshaphat's devotion - not his skill as a military leader, an administrator, nor as a city planner.  That is what the Lord truly looks for - that we would give Him our devotion.

2 Chronicles 16 – The mistrust of Asa

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars. 2 Chrn 16:9 (ESV)

For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. – Romans 14:23b (ESV)

Ramah, a city within Judah and just north of Jerusalem, is being fortified by king Baasha of Israel. Asa, being very concerned, calls on a northern nation, Syria, to invade Israel so they will quit fortifying Ramah. Israel responds by shifting their efforts in the south and moving their materials and men to the north. Sounds like a good plan right? Wrong. By His former actions (chs 14-15), God has shown Asa that He will defend His nation and His name if Asa would merely trust Him. The tragic proclamation by Hanani the seer (2 Chrn 16:9) angers Asa and he lives the rest of his life in bitterness. Our hearts are to be the Lord’s. Even in actions that may not seem sinful, we know when we are not trusting in the Lord. Paul even shows how this principle applies to our eating habits (Rom 14)! While we need to be slow to condemn others in more grey areas, we also need to be careful of approving methods for ourselves just because someone else can do it. Calling for help is not in and of itself a bad thing, but here was an opportunity for Asa to trust the Lord and he did not do it.


Note the location of:

• Ramah, the site of the Israeli fortification
• Jerusalem, the Judean capital
• Bethel, the worship center for the southern golden calf idol
  

2 Chronicles 14-15 – The courage of Asa

Asa is a good king that has a series of courageous deeds.  First, he goes against an army of one million Ethiopians and succeeds (2 Chrn 14:9-15).   Secondly, he has the courage to remove the idols in the land of Judah (2 Chrn 15:1-15).  Idols were not just a religious preference, but their worship was a way of life.   It would be akin to Asa taking all of our TV sets or credit cards.  Finally, Asa confronts his own mother about her idols (2 Chrn 15:16).   She is dethroned as Queen Mother and her items were burned.  We need to grow in our courage, like king Asa.  We see the Lord work in our lives, but then we become fearful.   Asa (at least in chs 14 & 15) shows a progressive courage that leads him to be able to do the right thing, even if it involved his own mother. 

2 Chronicles 13 – An opportunity to return

Behold, God is with us at our head, and his priests with their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your fathers, for you cannot succeed. – 2 Chrn 13:12 (ESV)

The kingdom has been split by a greedy king Rehoboam. Even though Rehoboam was in the wrong, the new Israelite king, Jeroboam, sets up an abomination – two golden calves for the people of Israel to worship. Now Rehoboam’s son, Abijah (means my father is the Lord), tries to compel Jeroboam to come back to the kingdom. Abijah ultimately conquered Jeroboam, but the problem of separation remained. Bethel is conquered (the city of the southern idol) but yet there is no mention of a real movement back the Judah. This is the same sad story people today face – God has come and provided a way out of rebellion, but they still continue to rebel. Our hearts need to be sensitive to returning to Him. God often conquers an area in our lives by providing a means of escape, but we still must choose to go to Him. 

2 Chronicles 7 – Goodness of God

As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." – 2 Chrn 7:1-3 (ESV)

So you are at a pivotal dedication and at the end, fire falls from heaven and the glory of the Lord fills the place. What would your response be? Worship – sure, praise – of course, but what would you actually say? Great is the Lord! Mighty are His deeds! I guess I am a bit surprised that the people responded with, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever." This phrase reminds us of Psalm 136 that repeats the refrain, "For his steadfast love endures forever." The response is often said after a great exploit of the Lord, a mighty show of His power. Many times we separate the Lord's power from His steadfast love. Here the nation and the psalmist make the correct connection between the Lord's involvement in the world and His steadfast love.

2 Chronicles 6 – Dwelling place of God

Solomon had no misconceived notions as to where the Lord was really going to live. Yes, he built a great temple and yes, it served as a focal point for the people of Israel, but God lives in heaven. The phrase, “hear in heaven,” tells of God’s wildness. Our Lord cannot be domesticated – He is unchained, unbounded, wild. Our God cannot be confined to a system that is corruptible by man. Even in our passage, we see that the people of Israel can be carried away to a foreign land because of their sin, and yet, God responds to their cries and to their repentance. Jesus is never too far away to hear nor is His arm too short to save.

2 Chronicles 2 – Being a blessing to others

Then Hiram the king of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, "Because the LORD loves his people, he has made you king over them." Hiram also said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, who has discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD and a royal palace for himself. – 2 Chrn 2:11-12 (ESV)

Many people go through their days just surviving, well, surviving and trying to satisfy their desires. If we want more money, it's so we can have better homes and cars. If we want to improve ourselves, it's so that we can superiority over other people we know. If we want to do good, it's so we can have recognition. I feel that we can miss out on an excellent reason for self-improvement – to serve others. Solomon had a 'self-improvement' opportunity with the Lord; the Lord blessed him with wisdom. This 'new and improved' Solomon was the result of the Lord's love for His people. The Lord wanted Solomon to use wisdom to govern the people because the Lord loved Israel. All of our gifts are from God; we should have the mind to serve others with them.

1 Chronicles 28 – Duping the Lord

"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it." - 1 Chrn 28:9-10

 

Have you ever been caught up in a bad situation but you genuinely were not seeking to do something wrong?   Maybe you see or hear something you shouldn't, but you remove yourself immediately.  Now, have you ever sought out a bad situation, but went to lengths to make it look like an 'accidental' occurrence?   The point is, whether on a big or small scale, God knows our hearts and intentions.  God not only sees everything, but He knows our thoughts and plans.   In short, God cannot be tricked.  We can fool other and we can even dupe ourselves, but the Lord knows what is really going on.   Make no mistake, following Christ means a moral conformity to His character; we call this growth sanctification.  While the Bible says "don't," it also says "do."   This short passage shows pragmatically all of the available options.  [1] You can decide to not follow the Lord.  God knows your true thoughts regardless what your actions say (v. 9), and if you choose to forsake Him, you will be forever cast off (v. 9).   [2] You can decide to follow the Lord.  This is what is best (at least from David's point of view) (v. 9), and he rewards those who earnestly seek Him (v. 9 and Heb 11:6).   Not only that, but He has a plan for you, that will require purpose and determination.  We can emphasize the "don't" at the price of the "do."   For Solomon there is something to aspire to, a task that is worthy of a life – to build the Lord a house (v. 10).  Our assigned tasks from God are worthy of our lives as well.   Therefore our encouragement is the same – be strong and do it!

1 Chronicles 26 - The family you always wanted

And Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth, for God blessed him. Also to his son Shemaiah were sons born who were rulers in their fathers' houses, for they were men of great ability. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose brothers were able men, Elihu and Semachiah. All these were of the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers, able men qualified for the service; sixty-two of Obed-edom. - 1 Chrn 26:4-8

 

Isn't this the family you always wanted:  eight children that follow in your respectable line of work and ton of grandchildren who are extremely able and eventually become leaders among their peers.  The problem is that often our children don't become the Olympic stars or state senators that we hoped they would.  Or worse, they scorn our line of work, vowing to never follow in our footsteps.  I do not want to detract from the blessing of children, but there is a deeper meaning here than trying to get your kids to be productive in society.  These men are not simply listed because they worked at a time when the king had enough sense to jot down who was doing what.  King David was seen as the 'ideal' king, the father of an unbroken line of kings.  The time is of critical importance in what God is doing in the world - to be named here is to be named in a time and place where God was working out salvation for the world.  But like Lord of the Rings, this line of kings fails, but God still provides a king from the line of David - Jesus.  And right now we don't have a kingdom like David did, with armies, gatekeepers, and tribes leaders, but there is still a need for "able men qualified for the service" of Christ.  The point is this:  what matters most is not a person's profession, but their commitment to the Lord.  Our prayers for others should not be consumed with material goals that we have for them (or, as we often think, that they should have for themselves), but for their spiritual vitality; that they would be counted as a blessing of God.  These men were used by God at an important time - isn't that what we should want for those we care about?

1 Chronicles 24-25 – Sign up to be in the choir

If you wondered about the importance of being involved in leading people into worship, read 1 Chrn 23-26. While the list of names is tough to read, there are several things that communicate the importance of these worship positions. First is the length. The Bible tends to be brief so when we see a lot of text, that is a clue that this event, story, message, etc. is significant. Secondly, this is one of the last acts that King David did (1 Chrn 23:1). David could not build the temple, but he could get the materials and the people all lined up. This task David took seriously. And we should too.

1 Chronicles 23 – Personal effect

The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very many. - 1 Chrn 23:17

Do we look at our own performance and get discouraged? Even if certain things are out of our control, do we feel the pressure that we didn’t add up? How about in evangelism – we share and share but see little fruit. In a time when legacy is so important, one of the sons of Moses, Eliezer, has only one son. But the next line, ‘but the sons of Rehabiah were very many,’ does not seem necessary, since Gershom has only one son listed as well. The point is that God is in charge of His legacy; He is responsible for His people. Yes, we are to share our faith and yes, we are to be active in pursuing those who don’t know Jesus, but the response is up to God. Just as the people of the OT weren’t to use other methods in securing their lineage (ex: having a child through another woman), we aren’t to use methods that manipulate or coerce people into a ‘profession of faith.’ The Lord is in control of His heritage; He will see that people get saved. Our job is to be faithful proclaimers of the Good News.

1 Chronicles 22 – Preparing for another

David was not allowed to build the temple; that honor went to his son, Solomon. But David did do all he could to help Solomon for this great project. This is how many of our lives operate as well: there is a bunch of work done by a person who does not get to experience the result. People do not grow like corn, that is, in somewhat stable predicable patterns. Your years of involvement as a friend, parent, or relative, could very well be the all-but-completed foundation that someone else gets to build upon. However, God knows our hearts and He sees our work. Therefore, we can be glad – the timing is up to the Lord. Our job is to be faithful in the work He has set before us.

Note: I was away from the computer for a while so the previous posts were backdated.

1 Chronicles 21 – Everyone is disgusted but us

David commands that a census be taken, but Joab pleads against this action. Joab complies with the request, but since he is so disgusted, he does not count the tribes of Benjamin or Levi (v. 6). What is going on here? David has asked for the number of able-bodied men in the nation. The issue is that David has had success without counting the number of troops that he actually has at his disposal. This action is seen as trusting in the strength of the people rather than the strength of God. Are we doing the same? Do we hope that slick marketing will fill the seats or that a sharp youth center will solve our children’s woes? Our hope must not be misplaced as David’s was.

1 Chronicles 19-20 – Rabbah: the story swallowed by a bigger story

Here is the account of Rabbah, the city that Joab besieged in David’s absence. This was the year of David’s affair with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11-12); note that the accounts are nearly identical (compare 1 Chrn 20:1-3 with 2 Sam 12:26-31 and 2 Sam 10 with 1 Chrn 19). What is missing in 1 Chrn is the story of Bathsheba. Or is it? The Chronicler adds the comment, “But David remained in Jerusalem (v. 20:1).” A moment of indiscretion can haunt our legacy, even an abbreviated one.  

1 Chronicles 18 – The Lord gave victory

And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went (vv. 6, 13 - ESV) is the theme of this chapter. David conducted successful military campaigns and forged strategic alliances, but he also honored the Lord in his campaigns. This was done was by not hording horses (v. 4), dedicating plunder and tribute to the Lord (vv. 7-8, 10-11), and by having a rule that was characterized by justice and equity (v. 14). This is the Lord’s victory: not only that the land is conquered but that the heart of the king is conquered as well. The Lord is still pursuing victory in the hearts of people, whether they are rulers or subjects. We participate in God’s victory when Jesus has conquered us. It is a strange picture, I admit, but David’s obedience to the Lord and the Lord using him to subdue the surrounding nations are juxtaposed within this passage. The question to us is how do we want to meet the Lord of Hosts: as His obedient servant or standing on the opposite side of the battlefield?

1 Chronicles 17 – Who is like you, O LORD?

There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? – 1 Chronicles 17:20-21 (ESV)

 

Whether it is the issue of the ark being separated from the tabernacle or his own desire for God's glory, David wants to build the Lord a house.   The Lord, though, responds to this in several ways.  First, David's son will build the house, not David.  Secondly, God will build David a house, that is, a kingdom ruled by his offspring.  Here we see the character of God.   God does not need our efforts; He is fully capable of taking care of Himself.  However, God does use us and wants to establish His greatness through us.  

 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. – 1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV)

1 Chronicles 16 – It’s just the same old Psalm

In 1 Chrn 16, David appoints Asaph and his crew to sing a song of thanks for the ark of God being brought to Jerusalem.  While this does present an interesting worship scenario (with the ark being in Jerusalem while the Tabernacle set up in Nob, ref. 1 Sam 21), the song of thanks is a grouping of several Psalms.   The order is as follows:  1 Chrn. 16:8-22 = Psalm 105:1-15; 1 Chrn. 16:23-33 = Psalm 96; and 1 Chrn. 16:34-36 = Psalm 106:1, 47-48.   All of these Psalms come from Book Four of the Psalms, a small book that only has 17 Psalms.   What is intriguing about Book Four is that the Psalms prominently feature Moses, they exclaim the praise of Yahweh, and they tend to emphasize the reign of Yahweh.  These features are especially true in the compilation that David has instructed the song leaders to sing.   Ps. 105 is a history of the exile out of Egypt, Ps. 96 (v. 10) exclaims the reign of the Lord, and Ps. 106 is a praise to the Lord for this deliverance and rule (and note, this is the final Psalm of the book).

 

So what is being sung?  First, the song in 1 Chrn. 16 praises the Lord for bringing them out of Egypt.  Second, the song declares that the Lord is king.  Finally, the song announces praises for the Lord – for His deliverance and for His rule.   This is our song!!  Christ has delivered us from sin and death and now He is our King.  This should result in our praise and thanks to Him!   David's song of thanks is our song of thanks, because God has completed what He was doing through the lives of Moses and David in Christ.  David and Moses merely pointed to God's saving and ruling acts in Christ Jesus.   Sing 1 Chrn 16 boldly – for this is in our hymn book as well.

1 Chronicles 9:1 – With the end in mind

So all Israel was recorded in genealogies, and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their breach of faith. – 1 Chrn 9:1 (ESV)

 

The books of 1 & 2 Chronicles know that the kingdom of Israel and Judah will end.  This is important to note – the author (or at least the final reviewer) can more accurately weigh the relative merits of each regime.   Obviously, this is done with the Spirit's guidance, but the Spirit's insights are not different from what we would expect from what is revealed to us elsewhere in the Bible.   If a king conducts great building projects, expands the borders, averts disaster from rival nations, has a long reign, and leads his people to victory in battle, but he does not obey and worship the Lord God, his rule is detestable in the eyes of God.

1 Chronicles 8 - Genealogy of Saul

The genealogy of 1 Chronicles takes us to the line of Saul.  Here we see that he has a large family and that his clan produces mighty warriors (1 Chrn 8:40).  But being many or being mighty is not what is important to God.  Saul, the seemingly ideal king (non-partisan tribe, very tall, small central government, time of crisis, military success, able to unite the tribes, etc.), turns away from God and Saul's kingly line ends with him.  The 'ideal' situation is not always the situation that God is going to use.  We need to respond to the things we know about God and not presume how He will accomplish His work.  This family, that has an entire chapter devoted to it, is not the line of the great kings of Judah; it is not the line of Christ.  

1 Chronicles 1 & 2 - More than a name

1 Chronicles starts out with a long genealogy. This genealogy is tough to follow; names that jump around and people I don't know. The list is mostly names, but sometimes there are comments. For example:

Stories we already know:
Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death. - 1 Chrn 2:3b (ESV)

The son of Carmi: Achan, the troubler of Israel, who broke faith in the matter of the devoted thing - 1 Chrn 2:7 (ESV)

Stories where we don't have much information:
And Segub fathered Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. But Geshur and Aram took from them Havvoth-jair, Kenath, and its villages, sixty towns. All these were descendants of Machir, the father of Gilead. After the death of Hezron, Caleb went in to Ephrathah, the wife of Hezron his father, and she bore him Ashhur, the father of Tekoa. - 1 Chrn 2:22-24 (ESV)

The question is - would you want an annotation next to your name? While many of us may think 'yes', I may be a bit more hesitant. Most of the notes in the genealogy are reminders of foul deeds or circumstances that are far from normal. So what would be important in a genealogy if it isn't individual notoriety? Being in the right one. How can we change our ancestry? Through Christ, we are Abraham's children; through Christ, we are grafted into this tree; through Christ, we are born again; through Christ, we are in the right genealogy. Jesus makes the genealogy ours, even if our mitochondrial DNA says otherwise.

2 Kings 25 - Are we to hope?

Judah has been leveled; the temple has been sacked; the people have been exiled.  It would seem like the dream is over.  Yet the story goes on in fairly predictable fashion:  Zedekiah is killed fleeing from the siege, a governor is placed over the area, he (Gedaliah the governor) is killed but the assassins flee to Egypt, and the rest of the people were afraid of the repercussions so they fled as well.  The situation seems utterly hopeless.  However the book of 2 Kings ends with the king of Babylon releasing the king of Judah, Jehoiachin (2 Kings 24:12), to a form of house arrest.  Jehoiachin even eats with the king of Babylon.  It seems that while story in the book of Kings is done, the King of kings is not finished with His story.

2 Kings 24 - Babylon has come

There is a superpower on the scene - Babylon. Having conquered the key Assyrian city of Nineveh seven years earlier (~612 BC), Babylon exerts its influence over the small nation of Judah. Why did this happen? Was it because of the economic and political policies of the time? Was Judah simply located in an unfortunate geographical position? No - Judah had turned away from God and the sins of Manasseh had to be accounted for. The Lord's mercy is not for the 'nation,' but for the people of that nation. Judah has had a string of evil kings and the Lord will not tolerate anymore internal persecution to His people. A painful solution? Yes. But the Lord is still in control and, as we will see, He will bring Babylon to their knees before Him.

A chart of Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns against Judah

2 Kings 23 - The golden calf

Jeroboam son of Nebat (Jeroboam I), created to altars at the northern and southern boundaries of his kingdom - two golden calves (1 Kings 12:25-33). The people of Israel were to worship these calves instead of going to Jerusalem to worship, thereby preserving the Israelite kingdom. These altars have been referred to as the sin of Jeroboam throughout the books of 1st and 2nd Kings. This was Israel's original and great apostasy. Josiah, upon reading the Book of the Covenant (Book of the Law), tore down this laundry list of idols and altars within Judah, but then destroys the golden calf in Bethel (the one in the south). To really follow the Lord, lots of changes have to be made. A life that is lived apart from God usually involves a considerable amount of cleaning. Praise God for His Spirit who prompts and guides us in all righteousness.

This is a silver calf idol found in Ashkelon. The calf was probably a local Canaanite idol that Jeroboam used, tying it to the idol that the Israelites made after leaving Egypt (with a positive reflection of that whole incident of course).

2 Kings 22 – A sudden discovery

When Hilkiah discovers the Book of the Law in the Temple, he has Shaphan read it before King Josiah. Josiah is heart-struck: he tears his clothes because he realizes that his fathers have not obeyed the words in this book. The Bible confronts its readers by what it says about what the Lord wants. We are then given a choice: to be obedient or to not. Often we send the information to a remote part of our memory because the issue being addressed has been a long-standing problem in our life. But what is more important, to avoid dealing with a painful persistent problem or to deal with the Lord our God. Josiah was cut to the core, realizing that they have angered the Lord. He realized the need for repentance and God responds graciously to Josiah’s actions and faith.

2 Kings 21 - Starting down the slippery slope

And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, "In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever. And I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander anymore out of the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the Law that my servant Moses commanded them." But they did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel. - 2 Kings 21:7-9 (ESV)

The Asherah and other gods are being worshiped in the very place that God put His name. Manassah has spurned the glory of the Lord and has replaced it with wooden statues, mediums, and fortune-telling. I want to shake Manassah and ask him what in the world he is doing, but I realize that I too exchange the glory of God for lesser things. When I covet or lust or get unrighteously angry, I defy the character of God and replace something glorious with something shameful and despicable.

2 Kings 20 - Legacy schmegacy

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the LORD: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. And some of your own sons, who shall be born to you, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, "The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good." For he thought, "Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?" - 2 Kings 20:16-19 (ESV)

 

Oh Hezekiah!  Don't you care about the future?  Selfishness rears its head in many ways, but this is particularly sad.  What about his kids and their kids?  Doesn't he realize the trauma Babylon will inflict on Judah?  What about the temple?  More importantly - what about God?  Ezekiel 10 describes the glory of God leaving the temple in those days - the horror of horrors.  Our goal in life is not to avoid problems, but to glorify God.  

2 Kings 18 – Making it personal

Several years after Shalmaneser captured Israel, Sennacherib, his successor, invades Judah. Sennacherib captures Lachish (in Judah), a siege that is well documented by the Assyrians (see pictures below). With all their power and might, the Assyrians feel so confident in their victory over Judah that the Assyrian representative, Rebshakeh, declares (in Jerusalem no less!) that the Lord cannot save Judah. This reminds me of when David accepted Goliath's challenge to fight and Goliath cursed David by his gods (1 Sam 17:43). Both Goliath and Rebshakeh made it personal between their army and the Lord. While, yes, we need to be ready to answer for our hope in Christ (1 Peter 3:15) and even defend the Lord with apologetics, but realize that our God will take care of His name. Our response should be loyalty and faithfulness to Him.

Siege of Lachish

The following pictures are reliefs found in Nineveh (the capital of Assyria) pertaining to Sennacherib's victory at the siege of Lachish.
This relief is depicting Assyrian archers assaulting the men on the walls.

These guys are launching stones using large slingshots.

The report of the battle being given to Sennacherib.

Lachish prisoners of war (Jews) - Note the difference in their clothes

Assyrians were infamous for their horrific treatment of those they conquered. While some were deported to foreign lands, others were tortured and executed in terrible fashion.

Here are the remains of the siege ramp built by the Assyrians to scale the fortified walls of Lachish. Note the person in the left-hand corner for scale.

2 Kings 17 – The new people don’t like the lions

So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. – 2 Kings 17:33 (ESV)

 

With the deportation of Israel, Assyria now plants other people in the cities of Samaria.   Since these new people did not fear the Lord, lions were sent to kill some of the people.  The Assyrian government tries to solve the problem by having a priest of the Lord go back so the people can learn about the 'law of the god of this land' (2 Kings 17:27).   As you might have guessed, the people quasi-feared the Lord but they still served their other gods.  Syncretism does not please God anymore than outright idol worship.   This is such a dangerous trap for us to fall into – we try to make God into something that occasionally challenges us, but by and large, we want Him merely to endorse what we are already doing and thinking.

 

2 Kings 17 – A sad day for Israel

Hoshea is captured by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, due to potential alliances with Egypt (an enemy of Assyria) and for a failure to provide the required tribute. This leads to Assyria capturing the capital city of Samaria and deporting the people to various regions in the Assyrian empire. Israel is no longer a nation and the narrator comments as to why this happened:

And they abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only. – 2 Kings 17:16-18 (ESV)

While there are dangers of correlating disaster and oppression with particular conduct (like hurricane Katrina, etc), the flip side of the coin is that God does act against sin and wickedness. These two golden calves have been a stumbling block for Israel since their inception as a nation distinct from Judah. This particular abomination, referred to as the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, has not been taken care of throughout Israel’s history. As God’s people, we cannot just go on doing what we want and worshiping the Lord in any manner that we see fit. This was demonstrated in the life of Ahaz (2 Kings 16) not to mention all the other kings who overstepped their authority. In our rebelliousness, we want to be king and domesticate God. God will not bow to our whims, our stubbornness, or our selfishness. He is the Lord Almighty.

2 Kings 16 – Upgrading the ol’ Temple

Ahaz, a very evil king of Judah (even sacrificing his own son – 16:3), sees an altar in Damascus that is very impressive to him. Immediately he sent orders to his priest, Uriah, for a copy this altar to be built in Jerusalem. This 'great altar' replaces the bronze altar for all the sweet aroma sacrifices made to the Lord. The bronze altar is moved from the entrance to the Temple on the west side to the north side of the Temple. The bronze altar is now to be used for 'special inquires' by Ahaz (read: divinations). If we are not following the Lord, we can be convinced to do some of the most outrageous things. As we read this story, we know that what Ahaz is doing is very wrong, yet he goes on and does it anyway. There are things that the Lord explicitly tells his people to do, and yet, some manage to worm their way around them and not think much about it. Recently there was a bishop of a particular branch of the Lutheran church who advocated the practices of polygamy and homosexuality "provided they promote the cause of the Gospel." Likewise, Ahaz probably thought that God would be impressed with this new altar and he maybe thought that God would give him special wisdom now that there was an altar dedicated for that very task. We need to be careful to know the Lord (Joshua 23:11) otherwise our worship will be idolatrous, because we are doing the very things that the Lord despises.

2 Kings 15 – Building a country but not a legacy

Jeroboam II and Uzziah had a great deal of land under their control. Not only were their reigns long, but they did several great projects and kept the land safe from invasions. For all that Jeroboam had done, he could not secure a kingdom for his son, Zechariah, who lasted only six months. The time after Jeroboam’s reign is characterized by revolt, assassinations, and oppression from foreign invaders. As for Uzziah, the object of note in his biography is that the Lord touched him so that he had leprosy. We see two ‘successful’ kings who are either quickly forgotten or infamously remembered. What will we be remembered for? Are the accolades of the day enough or do we want something more? We don’t want to build up our personal empires, but instead we should work towards things that matter more – objects of eternal consequence.

2 Kings 14 - Humiliation

There is an interesting episode in 2 Kings 14 - a good king of Judah, Amaziah, confronts an evil king of Israel, Jehoash (well they're all bad in Israel). Jehoash warns Amaziah that Judah shouldn't pick a fight with Israel because Judah would lose. Amaziah does not listen and gets badly defeated by Israel. Shouldn't the good defeat the evil? The Lord is interested in building His kingdom, not merely winning military victories. There are times that, yes, God does command the destruction of His enemies, but here it seems that Amaziah was trusting in his own ability as a military force (note the small victory over Edom) rather than listening to the voice of the Lord his God. A victory in one area does not mean that we can rush headlong into other areas that the Lord has not lead us to go in. Our duty is to be faithful to our Lord Jesus, not to be carried away by the emotion of a successful endeavor.

2 Kings 13 – Victory from nothing

What can the Lord not do?  Is there any circumstance outside of His control?   Is there any obstacle that is too insurmountable?  We see that when Jehoahaz was king, the Syrians reduced the Israelite army to nearly nothing.   However, when his son, Joash, reigned in Israel, he defeated the Syrians three times, taking back important cities that they had claimed.  The difference:  the Lord's arrow of victory (13:17) – The Lord was the one who was going to get the victory for Israel.  How often do we rely on our strength of arms or wilt because of our lack of strength?   Regardless of scarcity or plenty, we need our Lord. 

2 Kings 10 – Jehonadab: “Jehu’s friend” OR “One of the few people left alive in Israel”

The coming of Jehu to the throne means the death of many people:  Ahab's descendants, Ahab's followers in Jezreel, Ahab's follower's in Samaria, Ahaziah's relatives, and all the Baal prophets.  In the midst of the carnage, Jehu makes a friend, Jehonadab the son of Rechab, who helps Jehu identify any followers of the Lord in the service of Baal.   In Jeremiah 35, Jehonadab's descendants are known for their obedience to a set of rules that Jehonadab set up.  The Lord notes that while Jehonadab's descendants followed his rules even in spite of persecution, His people have disobeyed Him.   The point:  while it seems that Jehonadab is a worthy fellow, am I more committed to the teaching of a great person or to the Lord?   Even if some person says something great or says something memorable, how much more should I remember and obey what the Lord says! 

2 Kings 9 – Friends of bad people

Friends, they are a great thing to have.  But if you are powerful and particularly evil, your friends may be unreliable at best and your servants may quickly turn on you.   The account of Jehu provides an interesting contrast to David.  With Jehu's victims, the trusted servants and friends of Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel all leave them.   David's servants were loyal and looked out for his well-being over their own.  It is interesting how quickly the tide turned in Jehu's favor – the men quickly anointed him as king, the riders did not warn the king of Jehu's approach, the eunuchs threw Jezebel out the window.   The Lord can cause even a well-established regime to crumble in seconds.  This should be a source of comfort; the Lord is the one who is really in control.

2 Kings 7 – What everyone sees and eats

Chapters 6 and 7 make an issue out of food.  In 6:23, the king of Israel gives a great feast to the captured Syrian army.  Now, with Samaria under the siege of the Syrian army, food has become so scarce that prices for nearly inedible items is outrageously expensive and some people have resorted to cannibalism and infanticide to meet their needs.  Elijah promises an incredible blessing of food, but says that a doubting captain will only see the food, not eat it (7:2).  The Lord had caused the Syrian army to flee in the night, leaving all of their food and supplies – there was no one to be seen (7:10).  The king of Israel thought it was a trap, but sent some people to see if what the lepers reported was true.   In the rush to bring back the food, the captain was trampled, but the prices for food were restored.   Here there is specific punishment for the one who doubted God.  While it may be difficult to see the end of difficult circumstances, if the Lord says that something will come to pass, it will come to pass.   He will provide, although we may not know how.  Our role is to trust Him with all humility and to act accordingly.  

 

2 Kings 6 – What everyone sees and takes

'See,' used seven times in 2 Kings 6, and 'take ' are key words for these passages.  It is interesting what people saw and took.   The son of the prophet saw where the borrowed axe head fell into the water, but Elisha was able to get the axe head out, so that the son of the prophet could take it.  In contrast, the king of Syria wanted to see and take Elisha since Elisha was giving prophetic announcements about the Syrian army's movement.   When the army surrounded Elisha's city, the young man was given the opportunity to see the angelic host protecting them.   The Syrian army was then blinded (unable to see), until they were surrounded by the Israelite army.  The king of Israel saw the enemy army, but wanted to kill those he had taken captive.  Only Elisha really saw everything that was going on, and only he understood what could and could not be taken.   More on 'seeing' tomorrow, but we will add to this 'eating.'

2 Kings 5 – The (same?) story continues

Naaman, the commander of the Syrian army (Syrians warred with Israel quite a bit), seeks help for his leprosy. Elisha, who proclaims the miracle, doesn’t even come out to see him. Naaman eventually concedes to Elisha’s simple request and is healed. Note the insight of the centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 – the centurion knows (since he too is a commander) that Jesus can merely ‘send out’ the miracle and it would be done. Was the centurion familiar with this encounter and did he then realize that someone greater than Elisha was in front of him?

2 Kings 4 – Sound familiar?

Note the progression: (1) Elisha provides for the poor widow (2) Elisha gives a word on behalf of the wealthy, but childless Shunammite woman – she has a ‘miracle’ son (3) Elisha (though several attempts failed) raises the Shuanmmite’s ‘miracle’ son (4) the stew incident (see post on 2 Kings 2) (5) Elisha multiplies bread before 100 men. Remembering that the ministry of Elijah is carried on through Elisha, there are two things to note. First is that much of what the Lord does through Elijah/Elisha is seen in other places in the Old Testament: Abraham, Moses, Joshua and even in the Book of Ruth. Secondly, we see that in the ministry of Jesus Christ, many of these same miracles and themes are in His ministry. Is it any wonder that the people thought Jesus might be Elijah come back (Luke 9: 19)?

2 Kings 3 – Rebelling Moabites

The Moabite king tried to rebel against Israel, but Jehoram, son of Ahab, gathered the king of Judah and the king of Edom to fight the Moabites.   Refreshed by a miracle, the coalition army destroyed the Moabites.  In an effort to get the Moabite god to respond to the threat, the king sacrifices his son as a burnt offering on the wall.   Because of his opposition to the Lord, the king lost his army, all the arable land, all the good trees, and now, by his own hand, his son.  To be in opposition to the Lord is not a good place to be.

2 Kings 2 – Interesting travels

Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. – 2 Kings 2:14 (ESV)

Elijah is about to be taken by the Lord: Elisha knows it, the prophet troop in Bethel knows it, and the prophet troop in Jericho knows it. Elijah goes from Gilgal, to Bethel, to Jericho, and finally crosses the parted Jordan. We must all wonder: is God leaving Israel? We wondered that in the last passage, but the Lord demonstrated His presence by burning up the groups of fifty.

Just as Israel entered the Promised Land by crossing a parted Jordan river (Joshua 3), now Elijah is leaving by the same way. Note the move from west to east; Abraham moved from east to west, Moses leads the people out of Egypt by going from west to east but Joshua took the people into Canaan from east to west. Moving from west to east is another sign that God could be leaving Israel. But Elisha takes up his predecessors mantle and returns, going east to west. He begins his ministry asking the dramatic question, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” The Jordan river parts, Jericho is cured of their nasty water (first use of water-softeners?), Bethel is rescued from their gang problem (probably a ruthless group of teenagers – Boaz, in Ruth 2, had someone this age who was in charge of all the harvesters), and, as we will see, the deadly stew is purified in Gilgal (2 Kings 4:38-41). The Lord has not left – even if it looks like He should. He still has people in this dark country.

2 Kings 1 – Has God left?

"Thus says the LORD, 'Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron--is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?--therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'" – 2 Kings 1:16 (ESV) [See also 2 Kings 1:3-4, & 6]

Has God left Israel? That is the question Elijah poses to Ahaziah when Ahaziah petitions Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron. When Ahaziah summons Elijah, God sends fire from heaven destroying two captains and their fifty man groups, demonstrating that, yes, He is still in Israel. The Lord shows that even in the most desperate times, He is there; He has not gone anywhere.

1 Thessalonians 5 – A helpful word should be well received

Do not despise prophesies – 1 Thessalonians 5:20 (ESV)

 

While I will not go into all of what prophecies are and are not, I will say that all prophesies are proclamations from the Lord.   Our response to these declarations should be acceptance (within bounds – read the following verse) rather than resentment.  As the Lord's people, we should be receive these pronouncements with proper humility and treat those who give such proclamations as messengers of God rather than people who simply annoy and anger us.   (Look below to the example of Ahab)

1 Kings 22 – A helpful word is not well received

Ahab gets 400 (non-YHWH) prophets to tell him that he should reclaim Ramoth-gilead from Syria, but Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the Lord.   Micaiah comes and tells Ahab that he will die if goes up against Syria.  Ahab punishes Micaiah and, in the ensuing battle, Ahab is killed by a stray arrow.   The dogs lick up his blood (1 Kings 21:20) just as Elijah had prophesied earlier.  A person who follows the Lord gives messages that are (1) usually quite beneficial for their audiences, but (2) usually not well received.   Micaiah is thrown in prison indefinitely for giving a message that would have saved Ahab's life.  We may suffer a similar fate as we proclaim the Word of the Lord.  

1 Kings 21 – Repentance for the sold-out

(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the people of Israel.) …"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house."  - 1 Kings 21:25-26, 29 (ESV)

 

Ahab was sold-out; not to God but to doing evil.  Even the most wicked, evil person is not beyond the Lord's grace and mercy.   God spared Ahab from his pronouncement because Ahab repented.  While Ahab's conduct is so reprehensible, the Lord's conduct is incredibly so merciful.  

1 Kings 20:34 – Looking out for your own

And Ben-hadad said to him, "The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." And Ahab said, "I will let you go on these terms." So he made a covenant with him and let him go. – 1 Kings 20:34 (ESV)

Since Ahab did not devote Ben-Hadad to destruction before the Lord, the Lord promised to end Ahab's reign. This message came by a cunning (if not somewhat masochistic) prophet, who turned the tables on Ahab by his very own words, much like Nathan did to King David (2 Samuel 12). Ahab's 'kindness' to Ben-Hadad was probably more politically or financially motivated, rather than a commitment to follow the Word of the Lord. We must guard against that which would turn us from following God – even partial disobedience can result in awful consequences. Ahab's deviation will cost him is very life (1 Kings 20:42).

1 Thessalonians 3:3 – Our destiny

that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. - 1 Thessalonians 3:3 (ESV)

 

What do you think your destiny is?  To find a husband or wife?  To graduate college and find a decent career?   To retire early?  Well maybe.  If you are believer in Jesus Christ, what is your destiny?   Heaven? – yes.  True life? – absolutely.  But many of us do not realize that we are destined for afflictions.   When persecution comes, or there is difficulty because you are following Jesus Christ, do not be surprised (1 Peter 4:12).  This is just part of the 'ordinary' Christian life.  

1 Kings 17 - A hero on the scene

Finally, after all these stories of bad kings, we have someone who is doing good in Israel - Elijah.  The miracles he does, prophecies he proclaims, and the judgments he pronounces all point to a much better hero - Jesus.  While yes, John the Baptist is the voice crying out in the wilderness and he does come in the spirit of Elijah, Jesus is the true fulfillment of the prophet.

Colossians 3 – Changing clothes

Put off (3:5-11) – these are qualities that bring about the wrath of God. 

Put on (3:12-17) – these are qualities that give evidence to our being God's chosen ones. 

 

I guess I get good at doing one or the other – 'Putting off' without 'putting on' leads to legalism; 'putting on' without 'putting off' leads to licentiousness or rebellion.   Both are essential.  We experience true growth by pruning and by having new shoots. 

1 Kings 16 – A new house; the same sad story

Conspiracy and answered prophecy fill this chapter.  The house of Jeroboam ends (1 Kings 14:14, 1 Kings 16:2-4)  with the death of Elah, son of Baasha, at the hands of his chariot commander, Zimri.  Zimri kills himself after seven days of being king when the commander of the Israelite army, Omri, lays siege to the city.   Upon his death, Omri's son, Ahab, succeeds him.  The evil the kings commit gets worse as the regimes change.  The Lord's Word is becoming true as Hiel of Bethel attempts to rebuild Jericho.  He looses his two sons:  the eldest at the building of the foundations and the youngest when the gates were set up (Joshua 6:26).   Evil builds upon evil; without the Lord's direction, people grow more evil and distant.

Colossians 1 – Our purpose, His power

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.   For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. – Colossians 1:28-29 (ESV)

 

You can get this same thought from Paul's prayer in vv. 9-14.  This is what Paul was about.   This was his purpose in life.  And God supplied him with power to do it.  May our purpose be the same as Paul's and may our power be from the Almighty!

1 Kings 14 – Failure of the new kings

Jeroboam has committed a great evil in setting up the two golden calves.  Now, in an effort to find out about his son, he learns that his line will end and Israel will be scattered beyond the Euphrates.  This info comes from the same prophet who, during Solomon's reign, told Jeroboam that he would be king (1 Kings 11:26-40).   Just because you start out well doesn't mean you'll have a strong finish. 

Phil 4:7, 9 – The peace of God of peace

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. … What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:7, 9 (ESV)

The peace of God governs our emotional anxieties and the God of peace is with us as we practice the Christian life. The Lord is in the business of restoration, and the place of emphasis is the human: our hearts, our minds, our wills. Too often we are surrounded by the violence of our own emotions and practices, but God is breaking through with His peace.

1 Kings 13 – The crazy old prophet

1 Kings 13 is a curious story about a man of God coming to denounce the altars that Jeroboam set up at the borders of Israel (1 Kings 12). After the oracle, the man of God is enticed by an old prophet to eat and drink in Israel, and thus violating the command given to the man of God. A lion kills the man of God; the old prophet collects his bones so they can be buried together. While there are hard parts to this story (like what is going on with that old prophet), the Lord’s message is clear: obey what I say. We can be used by God to proclaim His message vocally, or we can become an object lesson that shows that very same message. Lord help us choose the former.

1 Kings 12- The friends we grew up with

Ah yes, the silly things we did in high school.  The trouble we got into with our neighborhood friends when we were growing up.  Good counsel rarely comes from such sources - no matter when you ask them.  I'm not sure if it is a mob mentality, but all good decisions seem to vanish when this group gets together.  These are Rehoboam's advisors.  Solomon asked God for wisdom; Rehoboam asks his buddies who lived down the street.  We must be serious about the choices we make.  Where we get wisdom is critical to the outcome of our lives.

1 Kings 11 – The cycle continues

While there was hope that a king would keep Israel true to the Lord, this is not the case. Solomon, with all that he did for God, has turned to worship other gods by erecting altars and statues to them. The cycle that we saw in the book of Judges, evil – suffering – crying out to the Lord – rescue – peace – evil, is now repeating itself in the era of the kings. Solomon is doing ‘what is right in his own eyes’ by marrying great numbers of women, laving riches upon himself, and creating these idols. God raises up godly leadership from time to time during this era, but Israel is still spiraling away from the Lord. A king is not the answer to our problems; at most, this new solution will only cover our problems for a time. What we truly need in a Savior-king to rescue us.

1 Kings 9 – The Lord and His house

God will trash His house if Israel abandons Him. The real passion the Lord has is for the people not the Temple. The Lord loves His people; if the people turn away, why would God stay? Again, the real issue is about faithfulness to the Lord – not buildings as simply buildings. Yes, the things of life are important to the Lord, but only as a means, not as an end. There are things I have that are good, but God will rip them out to get my attention. Sadly, all that God tells Solomon come to pass. Oh that our hearts would be inclined to the Lord!

1 Kings 8 – The grand opening

The Temple has been dedicated and opened! While he did put lot of effort and money into this Temple, Solomon understands that this house will not hold God. For all the splendor of the Temple, it is merely a focal point to turn to the Lord. This Temple, for all its grandeur, is weak; but the Temple points to Christ (John 2:13-22). He is our access to God.

1 Kings 7 – A comparison of the projects

The Temple: 60 cubits by 20 cubits; total project time – 7 years.
Solomon’s house: House of the Forest, 100 cubits by 50 cubits; Hall of Pillars, 50 cubits by 30 cubits; plus other buildings including a similar residence for Pharaoh’s daughter; total project time - 13 years.

Because the description of Solomon’s house is sandwiched between two accounts of the construction and furnishing of the Temple, we cannot avoid the comparisons. Yes, his court functioned differently than the Temple did, and yes, there does seem to be a priority given to the Temple, but we must remember that the king is not to acquire much silver or gold (Deut. 17:17). In building a house greater than the Temple, Solomon seems to violate that charge. Such opulence in the royal court will be the catalyst that causes the kingdom to split.

1 Kings 6 – Important building materials

Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon, "Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel." – 1 Kings 6:11-13

While I am sure the quality of the Temple is important, there is a striking contrast between what God wants and what Solomon provides. Solomon provides an extravagant house with gold and cedar, statues and carvings, recessed frames and offsite stonework. However, the Lord wants people that walk in His ways. God will always choose obedience over cedar and gold.

1 Kings 3 – Asking for right things

Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people? – 1 Kings 3:9 (ESV)

What do we ask for from the Lord? How often do we ask that we would be responsible with people? This was Solomon’s prayer – that God would give him wisdom to lead Israel. Often prayers are shortsighted in their scope; they only address our needs of the now. We need the wisdom of God so that we too would be responsible, both in the now and over the long haul.

1 Kings 2 – Getting theirs

In the movies, we want the villains to “get what they deserve.” Whether it is a freak accident or by their own undoing, we hope that justice will be served. In 1 Kings 2, there is a reckoning for the evil that had been done during David’s reign. While some of the accounts are gruesome, others show considerable patience and mercy given what happened several chapters earlier. But we must remember that the Lord is our avenger; He is the one who rights the wrongs.

1 Kings 1 – Rocky beginnings

David was now very old and had a wife that merely attended him, much like a nurse would. His kingdom is crumbling and David is doing nothing. From a human standpoint, it can be hard to do the right thing. Sometimes it is very difficult to confront a situation and, as time passes, the situation becomes more and more difficult to address. Although prompted to do the right thing, David still avoids confrontation by installing Solomon without addressing Adonijah. It is hard to think of possible futures, but had David confronted and talked with his son, Adonijah might not have made any more claims to the throne (1 Kings 2:17) and thus would not have forfeited his life (1 Kings 2:25). Lack of boldness can be a moral failure; God expects us to fear Him, not people.

2 Samuel 24:14 – The great mercy of the Lord

Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man." - 2 Samuel 24:14 (ESV)

When faced with a difficult choice, David chose to fall in the hands of God for punishment, because God’s mercy is great. The Lord doesn’t have “ordinary mercy” but incredible mercy. That is what we need – great mercy. We don’t often think of ourselves needing great mercy for our sins. In context, David committed the sin of pride and self-reliance. Do I see pride and self-reliance as a horrible wickedness needing great mercy?

2 Samuel 23:3-4 – The blessing of the Lord

David says that when one rules justly over men, in the fear of God, there will be great blessing for the people. The kings after David were usually quite bad and Israel suffered greatly. Even so, how does this affect me now? We can experience this type of blessing from God when we let the peace of Christ rule our hearts (Col. 3:15). Christ is the ruler that David anticipated; He is the only one who can perfectly rule with justice and in the fear of God. My hope is not in a good leader, but in the Great King of all time.

2 Samuel 21 – Past blood, current recompense

And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they did all that the king commanded. And after that God responded to the plea for the land. – 2 Samuel 21:14 (ESV)

While this is a challenging passage regarding the punishment of the Lord and the sacrifice of Saul’s descendants, there are several things to note. (1) Rizpah (the mother of two of the executed men) waits by her sons’ bodies until the famine lifts. (2) David, moved by her compassion for the dead, reinterred the bones of Saul and Jonathan with the executed men, thus giving them all a proper burial. (3) God does lift the famine. While this seems particularly harsh, we must realize that Saul wanted to exterminate these people, violating a covenant established in Joshua 9. Verse 14 shows us the Lord’s grace to (a) the Gibeonites, since they have come under the shelter of His protection, then the Lord will be their avenger, and (b) to the people of Israel, since now this episode of injustice has come to a close.

2 Samuel 20 – Rivals hurt the cause

Joab, the down-downgraded commander (2 Sam 19:13), kills the new commander, Amasa, while the army is in pursuit of a new enemy, Sheba, son of Bichri. This compounds the other delays the army has trying to reach this rebel. First, Amasa was late in getting the army off, secondly, Joab has to convince the army to follow him, and finally, the soldiers are stopping to look at Amasa’s dead body on the road. Ultimately, the mission fails; Sheba has fled to a fortified city. Now the city must be put under siege, destroying the city and wasting valuable time and lives in the process. Our own pride and desire for power is costly to those around us. It is the Lord’s name and renown (Isaiah 26:8) we should be pursuing and not our own.

2 Samuel 19:41-43 – A growing rift

Relationships don’t usually crumble at the drop of a hat and hatred takes some time to brew. Here is another page in an ongoing saga that will lead to the creation of two separate nations between Israel and Judah. The issue this time: who gets to bring the king back to Jerusalem, Israel or Judah? The nation is tearing itself apart from the rebellion and this ‘discussion’ is not helping at all. Times of pressure often reveal unresolved issues that we may have. As God’s people, we must work hard at loving one another or factions will form and they will create divisions among us.

2 Samuel 18 – Joab’s treachery

Effectiveness is not always the same as faithfulness. The man who discovers Absalom realizes that Joab is disobeying David by having Absalom killed. Joab shows that he realizes it too when he tries to prevent Ahimaaz from delivering the news to David, probably remembering David’s retribution of the man who claimed to have killed King Saul. Ahimaaz has been very involved with this whole affair (ch 15 & ch 17) and may be giving a truthful answer to David about his ignorance of Absalom. Nonetheless, God had already given David’s men the victory, and so Absalom’s death was all the more bitter. Scheming and plotting are not the way of righteousness, and Joab will ultimately answer for this pattern of subversion in his life.

2 Samuel 17:23 – Death of Ahithophel

“When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.” – 2 Samuel 17:23 (ESV)

It is not enough to have intelligence and wisdom in a given situation, but there needs to be trust in the Lord. That means that God is in control, even if people do not listen your wise advice and suffer for it.

Introduction

This is a personal online journal of my various devotional thoughts from the M'Cheyne bible reading program, among other things. The purpose of this blog is to inspire fellow believers in their daily devotional readings and in journaling how the Lord of the universe is impacting their lives. Posts are on, but feel free to email me if you would like to interact more.