2 Chronicles 31:1-21 - Do Good and Seek God Wholeheartedly

2 Chronicles 31:1-21

The Reforms of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:4)

1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke the sacred pillars in pieces, cut down the wooden images, and threw down the high places and the altars—from all Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh—until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned to their own cities, every man to his possession.

2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites according to their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to serve, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD. 3 The king also appointed a portion of his possessions for the burnt offerings: for the morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths and the New Moons and the set feasts, as it is written in the Law of the LORD.

4 Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute support for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.

5 As soon as the commandment was circulated, the children of Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of grain and wine, oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. 6 And the children of Israel and Judah, who dwelt in the cities of Judah, brought the tithe of oxen and sheep; also the tithe of holy things which were consecrated to the LORD their God they laid in heaps.

7 In the third month they began laying them in heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. 8 And when Hezekiah and the leaders came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel. 9 Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10 And Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him and said, “Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the LORD has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance.”

11 Now Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them. 12 Then they faithfully brought in the offerings, the tithes, and the dedicated things; Cononiah the Levite had charge of them, and Shimei his brother was the next. 13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the commandment of Hezekiah the king and Azariah the ruler of the house of God. 14 Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the freewill offerings to God, to distribute the offerings of the LORD and the most holy things. 15 And under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah, his faithful assistants in the cities of the priests, to distribute allotments to their brethren by divisions, to the great as well as the small.

16 Besides those males from three years old and up who were written in the genealogy, they distributed to everyone who entered the house of the LORD his daily portion for the work of his service, by his division, 17 and to the priests who were written in the genealogy according to their father’s house, and to the Levites from twenty years old and up according to their work, by their divisions, 18 and to all who were written in the genealogy—their little ones and their wives, their sons and daughters, the whole company of them—for in their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.

19 Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the common-lands of their cities, in every single city, there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to all the males among the priests and to all who were listed by genealogies among the Levites.

20 Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and true before the LORD his God. 21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered.

Hezekiah was a wise and godly king who led by example, doing what was good in the sight of God according to His word and serving with all his heart and might as he ran after knowing and pleasing the LORD above every other pursuit.  His reforms for the nation under God rid the land of offensive idols and reformed the kingdom to point once again back to true worship and service that aligned with the commandments, precepts, and examples of God’s word given to guide life into spiritual prosperity and protection from their enemies.  The people then began to support the priests who served in the house of the LORD with tithes and offerings, and they blessed His servants in overwhelming abundance once their hearts were aimed at hitting the mark of seeking the glory and honor of their God again.  In their faithfulness they sanctified themselves in holiness.  This should be our ongoing example to faithfully serve as we sanctify ourselves by aiming to be holy as our Lord is holy (1 Peter 1:15) in living to please God as we follow the scriptures to demonstrate our love for Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls (Mark 12:30) in our service of sacrificial (Romans 12:1) worship.  True prosperity is in the heart and soul, therefore, as we do what is good and right and true according to God as spelled out in His word, and not compromise Him as we seek His face (Psalm 27:8, 105:4) with every bit of heart and mind and strength we have.  This is our example to imitate of God-pleasing worship, to do good and seek the Lord wholeheartedly in spirit and in truth.  We cannot afford to play with eternal rewards (1 Corinthians 3:12-13, 14-15) by allowing the world’s idols to distract and derail us as we read in the scriptures how Israel and Judah did.  

2 Chronicles 30:1-27 - Consecrated to Keep the Passover

2 Chronicles 30:1-27

Hezekiah Keeps the Passover

1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel. 2 For the king and his leaders and all the assembly in Jerusalem had agreed to keep the Passover in the second month. 3 For they could not keep it at the regular time, because a sufficient number of priests had not consecrated themselves, nor had the people gathered together at Jerusalem. 4 And the matter pleased the king and all the assembly. 5 So they resolved to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem, since they had not done it for a long time in the prescribed manner.

6 Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king: “Children of Israel, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. 7 And do not be like your fathers and your brethren, who trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to desolation, as you see. 8 Now do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD; and enter His sanctuary, which He has sanctified forever, and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of His wrath may turn away from you. 9 For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.”

10 So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun; but they laughed at them and mocked them. 11 Nevertheless some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 12 Also the hand of God was on Judah to give them singleness of heart to obey the command of the king and the leaders, at the word of the LORD.

13 Now many people, a very great assembly, gathered at Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 14 They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away all the incense altars and cast them into the Brook Kidron. 15 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought the burnt offerings to the house of the LORD. 16 They stood in their place according to their custom, according to the Law of Moses the man of God; the priests sprinkled the blood received from the hand of the Levites. 17 For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had charge of the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to the LORD. 18 For a multitude of the people, many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone 19 who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.” 20 And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people.

21 So the children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing to the LORD, accompanied by loud instruments. 22 And Hezekiah gave encouragement to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the LORD; and they ate throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.

23 Then the whole assembly agreed to keep the feast another seven days, and they kept it another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep, and the leaders gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep; and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. 25 The whole assembly of Judah rejoiced, also the priests and Levites, all the assembly that came from Israel, the sojourners who came from the land of Israel, and those who dwelt in Judah. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel, there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests, the Levites, arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; and their prayer came up to His holy dwelling place, to heaven.

Hezekiah restored worship to both Judah and Israel by first consecrating the priests in holiness and then restoring sacrificial worship in the house of God.  This is a foreshadowing of our own consecration in Christ our Passover (Exodus 12:13, 14, John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7, ) to be made holy in His righteousness as priests to our God (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6, 5:10) that we may worship in the beauty of holiness in His house which we are.  We are then to keep ourselves holy as the priests of old before our lives as living sacrifice are acceptable (Romans 12:1, 2, 1 Peter 2:5) to worship fully before Him in His house.  After Hezekiah had the priests consecrated, they shared in the Passover meal together as the disciples would later in the upper room before Christ the Lamb of God was taken to be sacrificed for we who have His blood applied to the doorposts (Exodus 12:23, Ezekiel 45:19, 1 Peter 1:18-19) of our lives that He may pass over judgment on us (Romans 3:24-25) for our sins in the day of judgment that is fast approaching as the people of God in Hezekiah’s day looked forward to year by year in temporary reconciliation with the LORD.   The priests sanctified those not prepared then to partake of the Passover meal much like our great High Priest, Jesus Christ, does for us now.  We are sanctified by Him in His righteousness (Romans 3:25, 26, 1 Corinthians 1:30, Philippians 3:9) because we are in Him by faith in this grace in which we stand, forgiven and reconciled (Romans 5:10) that we may eat of Him (John 6:53, Matthew 26:26) in celebrating the Lord’s Supper, in Him who is our Passover Lamb by whose sacrifice of His own lifeblood applied to our souls saves us from the destroyer in eternity and purifies us to stand before Him.  As we reflect on the fact that we also have been Consecrated to Keep the Passover in Christ by the lifeblood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and keeps us from destruction, may this realization that we have been consecrated by our Great High Passover Priest cause us to continually offer praise to God (Hebrews 13:15) that our prayers may be likewise heard in His holy dwelling place in heaven!

2 Chronicles 29:20-36 - Reformation to Restoration of Worship

2 Chronicles 29:20-36

Hezekiah Restores Temple Worship

20 Then King Hezekiah rose early, gathered the rulers of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. 21 And they brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he commanded the priests, the sons of Aaron, to offer them on the altar of the LORD. 22 So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood and sprinkled it on the altar. Likewise they killed the rams and sprinkled the blood on the altar. They also killed the lambs and sprinkled the blood on the altar. 23 Then they brought out the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands on them. 24 And the priests killed them; and they presented their blood on the altar as a sin offering to make an atonement for all Israel, for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering be made for all Israel.

25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, of Gad the king’s seer, and of Nathan the prophet; for thus was the commandment of the LORD by His prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded them to offer the burnt offering on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD also began, with the trumpets and with the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 And when they had finished offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed and worshiped. 30 Moreover King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, “Now that you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD, come near, and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the LORD.” So the assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings, and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings. 32 And the number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD. 33 The consecrated things were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. 34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them until the work was ended and until the other priests had sanctified themselves, for the Levites were more diligent in sanctifying themselves than the priests. 35 Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering.

So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order. 36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced that God had prepared the people, since the events took place so suddenly.

Hezekiah’s reforms led him to restore singular and true worship to Judah in the repaired house of God.  He stopped the idolatry and cleaned out the remnants of all idol statues and practices, focusing the devotion of individual and collective worship on the LORD alone as the first moral commandment (Exodus 20:3-5) clearly defined and was applied once again.  Sacrifices were restarted and holy service to God alone that excluded wooden and stone statues was restored.  Psalms were sung and instruments played as king David had done to please God’s heart once more.  Then the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded until the sacrificial offering was completed and everyone bowed to worship God alone in humility and willingly faithful obedience.  Everything was done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40) as we now do in a spiritual sense within the body of Christ which is the house of God (1 Peter 2:4-5) foreshadowed in the first physical temple in days of old here.   May we determine to constantly consecrate our hearts and minds to our Lord with willing service (Romans 12:1-2) as our hearts and souls are changed to be like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18) in holiness and willing obedience.  May we realize that continuing reformation of doctrine and practice aligned with scripture is required if we are to keep restored worship in spirit and in truth at hand as Hezekiah had done for our example (Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11) to learn what to avoid and what to imitate.  May we therefore be continually reflecting on God’s word to keep in step with His Spirit to offer unadulterated worship in this house of God as bricks of holiness in its walls with psalm, hymns, and spiritual (Psalm 100:1-2, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16) songs honoring our Lord and allowing no other religious statues or other distracting idols of practices or errant beliefs to corrupt us.  Amen. 

2 Chronicles 29:1-19 - Cleaning up the House of God

2 Chronicles 29:1-19

Hezekiah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 18:1–3)

1 Hezekiah became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.

Hezekiah Cleanses the Temple

3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. 4 Then he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them in the East Square, 5 and said to them: “Hear me, Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry out the rubbish from the holy place. 6 For our fathers have trespassed and done evil in the eyes of the LORD our God; they have forsaken Him, have turned their faces away from the dwelling place of the LORD, and turned their backs on Him. 7 They have also shut up the doors of the vestibule, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense or offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. 8 Therefore the wrath of the LORD fell upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has given them up to trouble, to desolation, and to jeering, as you see with your eyes. 9 For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.

10 “Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and that you should minister to Him and burn incense.”

12 Then these Levites arose: Mahath the son of Amasai and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi and Azariah the son of Jehallelel; of the Gershonites, Joah the son of Zimmah and Eden the son of Joah; 13 of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeiel; of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; 14 of the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15 And they gathered their brethren, sanctified themselves, and went according to the commandment of the king, at the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. 16 Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the LORD to the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took it out and carried it to the Brook Kidron.

17 Now they began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD. So they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished.

18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt offerings with all its articles, and the table of the showbread with all its articles. 19 Moreover all the articles which King Ahaz in his reign had cast aside in his transgression we have prepared and sanctified; and there they are, before the altar of the LORD.”

Hezekiah was the son of Ahaz the unfaithful, yet chose not to follow in his spiritual footsteps; he was a godly king who did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, taking the example of his ancestral king David who was a man after God’s own heart.  He reopened and repaired the house of God which his father had looted and desecrated.  He had the priests and Levites consecrated them before clearing out the rubbish all over in that holy place and reminded them how the people under his father and rulers before him had sinned against the LORD in all their evil doings of idolatry and accompanying immortality in performing pagan practices throughout the land and even there in God’s own house.  He recounted how the people had turned their backs on God and their faces away from meeting and worshipping Him there through offerings and sacrifices.  The lamps meant to guide and illuminate their lives and the temple had long been left extinguished and the result was defeat for the nation and the individual as they were turned over to the adversary (1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Timothy 1:20) in the world to bring them to repentance, to change their thinking and behavior back to following their LORD and Maker in lives of (Romans 12:1) worship.  The heart of Hezekiah, however, was moved by God to make a covenant promise of commitment to deflect His wrath (Romans 1:18, 2:5, Colossians 3:5-6) on their sin as we all face now under judgment apart from the sacrificial work of the righteous one, Jesus Christ the LORD of all, who likewise calls us to repentance and faith to worship Him in the beauty of holiness in these temples of our bodies.  We should be keeping these temples fit for worship (1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 17, 7:1) even more than the symbolic temple on earth that Hezekiah was so keen to restore and make clean to honor God.  May we sanctify these temples along with the Lord in our hearts (1 Peter 3:15) to honor God that others may hear and join us in following and worshiping our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, in His presence with lives of holy worship, honor, and praise.  May we learn from this account as our example to clean up the house of God, one at a time and together (Hebrews 10:24-25, Colossians 1:28-29), in this new covenant of the sacrificial lifeblood of God’s Son whom we worship. 

2 Chronicles 28:16-27 - Unfaithful Ahaz

2 Chronicles 28:16-27

Assyria Refuses to Help Judah (2 Kings 16:7–9)

16 At the same time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come, attacked Judah, and carried away captives. 18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Sochoh with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they dwelt there. 19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD. 20 Also Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, and did not assist him. 21 For Ahaz took part of the treasures from the house of the LORD, from the house of the king, and from the leaders, and he gave it to the king of Assyria; but he did not help him.

Apostasy and Death of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:12–20)

22 Now in the time of his distress King Ahaz became increasingly unfaithful to the LORD. This is that King Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him, saying, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 24 So Ahaz gathered the articles of the house of God, cut in pieces the articles of the house of God, shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and made for himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 And in every single city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his fathers.

26 Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 27 So Ahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. Then Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

Here Ahaz looked outside of God’s help when the Edomites and Philistines separately attacked and raided Judah.  He tried to get help from the Assyrians with treasures from the house of God but was refused any help.  The LORD had kept the help from coming because Ahaz had been continually unfaithful to God and even encouraged the moral decline of the people.  He slipped further and further into unfaithfulness to the LORD and into the idolatry of the ungodly societies surrounding them.  Unfaithfulness and rejection of God replaced devotion and obedience in holiness to the LORD and provoked the just wrath of the Divine.  When he died, he was not buried with honors due to these actions of a corrupt and corrupting heart.  The people of Judah had not learned that bad company corrupts good habits as we read in 1 Corinthians 15:33-34; like yeast that invades and takes over dough until it is puffed up (1 Corinthians 5:6, 8), so evil associations result in puffing up the soul with pride and sin that takes our eyes off of devotedly following Him in God-pleasing holiness.  May we learn from this example not to imitate unfaithful Ahaz, but the examples (1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1, Philippians 3:17, 4:9) of those who followed hard after God who have come before us as good examples.  May our names be remembered as faithful. 

2 Chronicles 28:1-15 - Overcome Evil by Doing Good

2 Chronicles 28:1-15

Ahaz Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 16:1–4)

1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done. 2 For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made molded images for the Baals. 3 He burned incense in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

Syria and Israel Defeat Judah (2 Kings 16:5, 6; Isaiah 7:1)

5 Therefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria. They defeated him, and carried away a great multitude of them as captives, and brought them to Damascus. Then he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with a great slaughter. 6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all valiant men, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, Azrikam the officer over the house, and Elkanah who was second to the king. 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand women, sons, and daughters; and they also took away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

Israel Returns the Captives

9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; and he went out before the army that came to Samaria, and said to them: “Look, because the LORD God of your fathers was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand; but you have killed them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. 10 And now you propose to force the children of Judah and Jerusalem to be your male and female slaves; but are you not also guilty before the LORD your God? 11 Now hear me, therefore, and return the captives, whom you have taken captive from your brethren, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.”

12 Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came from the war, 13 and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives here, for we already have offended the LORD. You intend to add to our sins and to our guilt; for our guilt is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the leaders and all the assembly. 15 Then the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.

After good king Jotham of Judah died, his son Ahaz assumed the throne but not the good heart of his father.  Ahaz did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done.  He instead repeated the same mistake of many kings of Israel before him, bowing to the idols and abominable practices of the land instead of to the LORD God of his people.  He worshipped false gods everywhere and practiced human sacrifices of children to appease nonexistent gods of carved stone and wood by the imagination of mankind who rejected their Creator King.  Because he led the people so far astray, further than they had already gone in their corruption even under the good king Jotham, the LORD handed them into captivity to Syria and Israel to the north, which is a reminder to us that if you lead yourself into captivity to sin (Revelation 13:10), you will be away led captive to bring about either repentance or destruction, hopefully to the destruction of the flesh (1 Corinthians 5:5) to deliver the soul.  When in captivity to Israel, these children of Judah were being slaughtered with “rage that reaches up to heaven” and that caused God to speak through the prophet Obed to their sin.  He proposed they follow God’s word to instead use them as forced labor instead since they were also fellow chosen people of the LORD and the Israelites were now found just as guilty in the sight of God for their atrocities and face the fierce wrath of God for their own actions.  We are all also under the wrath of God (John 3:36, Ephesians 2:3) until set free in Christ (Romans 6:23, 1 Thessalonians 1:10) by the same word of the gospel’s promise as in the days of old before the purchase of our redemption came to us on earth in God’s Son.  The sins of Israel against their brethren of Judah reached to the heavens for accountability as do ours when we mistreat and condemn our own people in the Lord.  We do well to feed and clothe our enemies (Luke 6:27, Romans 12:20) instead as these did with their captives.  We overcome evil (Romans 12:21, 1 Peter 3:9) by doing good.

2 Chronicles 27:1-9 - Faithful Leader but Corrupt People

2 Chronicles 27:1-9

Jotham Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 15:32–38)

1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done (although he did not enter the temple of the LORD). But still the people acted corruptly.

3 He built the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel. 4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he built fortresses and towers. 5 He also fought with the king of the Ammonites and defeated them. And the people of Ammon gave him in that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. The people of Ammon paid this to him in the second and third years also. 6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.

7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, indeed they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. 8 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 9 So Jotham rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the City of David. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

Jotham reigned as a good king in Judah following his father Uzziah who started but did not end well because of his pride that led to his stopping to follow God in humility when he became strong.  Unfortunately, the people who were under his father inherited that corrupt king’s self-seeking and ended up remaining corrupt even when his son reigned in righteousness for sixteen years afterwards.  He was a faithful and godly leader of the people of the LORD, yet the example set by him did not sway the people from pursuing corrupt ways contrary to God’s word and will.  Jotham nonetheless did good, building cities and defending from the adversaries ate against the people of God.  He also became mighty like his father before him, but the difference was that he prepared his ways before the LORD; that is, he aligned his actions with scripture from a good and humble and loyal heart as his ancestor king David who was a man (Acts 13:22) after God’s own heart in faithful following to do his heavenly Father’s will.  We would do well to imitate this good example of willing and heartfelt obedience in setting our hearts to live according to the principles and intent of scripture given us as our guide to please our Lord.  This means also that we set the example as leaders or followers even if the people we live before as we face God remain corrupt by sin (Romans 8:20-21, 22) as all of creation has done since the Fall and continue until the day of final accountability in God’s righteous judgment.  We must remain faithful among the people even if others reject the good news of the Lord who has settled our accounts for eternity if we believe His atoning work and receive Him as the King of our hearts to lead us into righteousness to live before His face (Revelation 21:3, 22:4) forevermore.  We are called to follow anyway to set the example (1 Timothy 4:12) for those who hear and obey the gospel told and lived by us.  

2 Chronicles 26:1-23 - Prosperity Only in Seeking God

2 Chronicles 26:1-23

Uzziah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 14:21, 22; 15:1–3)

1 Now all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 2 He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.

3 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 4 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.

6 Now he went out and made war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath, the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod; and he built cities around Ashdod and among the Philistines. 7 God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal, and against the Meunites. 8 Also the Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah. His fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong.

9 And Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the corner buttress of the wall; then he fortified them. 10 Also he built towers in the desert. He dug many wells, for he had much livestock, both in the lowlands and in the plains; he also had farmers and vinedressers in the mountains and in Carmel, for he loved the soil.

11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men who went out to war by companies, according to the number on their roll as prepared by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains. 12 The total number of chief officers of the mighty men of valor was two thousand six hundred. 13 And under their authority was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. 14 Then Uzziah prepared for them, for the entire army, shields, spears, helmets, body armor, bows, and slings to cast stones. 15 And he made devices in Jerusalem, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and the corners, to shoot arrows and large stones. So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong.

The Penalty for Uzziah’s Pride (2 Kings 15:4–7)

16 But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD—valiant men. 18 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. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed! You shall have no honor from the LORD God.”

19 Then Uzziah became furious; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense. And while he was angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead, before the priests in the house of the LORD, beside the incense altar. 20 And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there, on his forehead, he was leprous; so they thrust him out of that place. Indeed he also hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him.

21 King Uzziah was a leper until the day of his death. He dwelt in an isolated house, because he was a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD. Then Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote. 23 So Uzziah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings, for they said, “He is a leper.” Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Uzziah was the son of Amaziah whose boasting pride bested him in battle, and was succeeded to the throne as king after his father’s death by conspiracy for aligning with an idolatrous partner in battle.  Uzziah was told he would prosper as long as he sought the LORD, likely a reminder and warning of how his father’s death began but did not end well in this pursuit.  He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD as his father (2 Chronicles 25:2) had partly done.  He, however, sought God and listened to the words of God delivered through the prophet Zechariah.  This was seemingly doing good from a loyal heart completely His, unlike the divided loyalty of his father before him.  Uzziah grew in strength against his enemies and became famous for his advanced military equipment designed by skillful men under him.  God helped him tremendously until he fell into the trap of pride that overcame his father; in his prideful hubris he dared to burn incense in the temple that only the priests were allowed to do by the word of the LORD.  Such pride lifted his heart to only fall in destruction as a consequence.  He imagined himself strong in his own abilities instead of seeing ever he had and had done was in the power and enabling of God alone.  By dishonoring God through disobedience, he was dishonored in return.  This only angered him when he was told he was not allowed to do the work of the priests, and instantly leprosy broke out on his forehead to cool his wrath against God and His servants who exposed his sin and confronted him by expelling Uzziah from the house of the LORD.  He was cut off from his people and never recovered, dying as a leper to mark his pride and its consequences.  The good he did was recorded by Isaiah the prophet for us to read and consider what might have been if Uzziah had only humbled himself and followed God’s word and acknowledged His strength for victory and power in the battles.  This is a sobering reminder for us to humble ourselves (1 Peter 5:5, 6-7, James 4:10) in the sight of the Lord and be lifted for His glory in serving Him and not feeding our own haughtiness.  There is only true prosperity in seeking the Lord and honoring His glory by attributing all we do to Him and His enabling wisdom and strength.  Remember Uzziah! 

2 Chronicles 25:17-28 - Boasted and Bested?

2 Chronicles 25:17-28

Israel Defeats Judah (2 Kings 14:8–14)

17 Now Amaziah king of Judah asked advice and sent to Joash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.”

18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 19 Indeed you say that you have defeated the Edomites, and your heart is lifted up to boast. Stay at home now; why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall—you and Judah with you?”

20 But Amaziah would not heed, for it came from God, that He might give them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought the gods of Edom. 21 So Joash king of Israel went out; and he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 22 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. 23 Then Joash the king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Beth Shemesh; and he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits. 24 And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of God with Obed-Edom, the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

Death of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:17–20)

25 Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, from first to last, indeed are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel? 27 After the time that Amaziah turned away from following the LORD, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. 28 Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers in the City of Judah.

Amaziah king of Judah listened to the wrong advice, not from God’s word by messenger but by others who were not following the LORD.  He was badly advised to attack Israel contrary to the advice of the prophet (2 Chronicles 25:7-8) sent to hold him back from Jehu.  He boasted of his own strength and in his hubris was bested in battle.  Amaziah had bested the Edomites but his act of pride was pictured as a wild beast trampling down a lowly thistle but unable to stand against Israel.  God had determined the end of Judah in this battle so Amaziah refused to listen, pursued the idols of Edom for himself, and attacked anyway to meet the intended defeat for his idolatry and pride set against God and His word.  Judah was defeated, their army fled, and Jerusalem was sacked as four hundred cubits (202 yards) of the wall were broken down and all the temple treasures were taken to Samaria along with hostages as the king was left in defeat there.  Because Amaziah had turned away from following the LORD and allowed the defeat and destruction of Jerusalem and the house of God, a conspiracy was launched against him and killed the corrupt king when he attempted to get away to Lachish, yet they still honored his position as king and buried him properly.  In his turning away from God instead of from sin (repentance), Amaziah reaped the whirlwind of his sin’s consequences, just as we reap sin’s consequences (Romans 6:23) if we do not turn to the lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith to follow our King faithfully.  This is a lesson against the hubris of pride that ignores God’s warnings throughout His word to flee the wrath on sin (Luke 3:7, Colossians 3:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:10) to come in judgment like with Amaziah who refused His word as he boasted and was bested in battle for eternity as he followed his own path, just as people still do today instead of turning to follow the one leading to the cross to be crucified (Galatians 2:20) with the Lord in humility and worship of the only God through His Son Jesus Christ.  The warnings are written now for us all to not fight against the Lord or suffer the consequences of rejecting the gospel word (1 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) of grace and forgiveness to avoid the eternal outcome of death’s defeat (1 Corinthians 15:54, 55-56, 57) we all face if we refuse to turn away from sin to follow Him.  Are we boasting and bested for rejecting Him, or are we blessed with the eternal life in the gospel’s best of repentance and faith in hearing and following Christ?

2 Chronicles 25:1-16 - A Divided Devotion

2 Chronicles 25:1-16

Amaziah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 14:1–6)

1 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a loyal heart.

3 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established for him, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. 4 However he did not execute their children, but did as it is written in the Law in the Book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, “The fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall the children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall die for his own sin.”

The War Against Edom (2 Kings 14:7)

5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers’ houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield. 6 He also hired one hundred thousand mighty men of valor from Israel for one hundred talents of silver. 7 But a man of God came to him, saying, “O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—not with any of the children of Ephraim. 8 But if you go, be gone! Be strong in battle! Even so, God shall make you fall before the enemy; for God has power to help and to overthrow.”

9 Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “But what shall we do about the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?”

And the man of God answered, “The LORD is able to give you much more than this.” 10 So Amaziah discharged the troops that had come to him from Ephraim, to go back home. Therefore their anger was greatly aroused against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

11 Then Amaziah strengthened himself, and leading his people, he went to the Valley of Salt and killed ten thousand of the people of Seir. 12 Also the children of Judah took captive ten thousand alive, brought them to the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were dashed in pieces.

13 But as for the soldiers of the army which Amaziah had discharged, so that they would not go with him to battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth Horon, killed three thousand in them, and took much spoil.

14 Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 15 Therefore the anger of the LORD was aroused against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet who said to him, “Why have you sought the gods of the people, which could not rescue their own people from your hand?”

16 So it was, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Cease! Why should you be killed?”

Then the prophet ceased, and said, “I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not heeded my advice.”

This account of Amaziah starts by saying he did what God said was right, but he had divided devotion to the LORD in that he did right, but not from his heart.  This is the definition of religious devotion which is not devotion, but conformity to rules for various rational reasons instead of out of a heart (2 Chronicles 16:9) completely His.  He attempted to follow the Law of the LORD such as sparing the children of his father’s murderers as scripture (Deuteronomy 24:16) told him that the individuals responsible for the sin are to be held responsible and not their children.  But when he was going to war against Edom, he hired fighters from Israel to bolster his small army and was told by God not to take them because they were not with Him.  If he was to fight, then it had to be by relying on God to fight the battle (for the battle belongs to the LORD) and not in this way.  He would fail if he took those who with him who were not on the side of God.  He obeyed God and let them keep their mercenary wages and let them go after hearing that the LORD could give them much more in return for obedience.  The mercenaries were furious and raided cities of Judah in retaliation while Amaziah and Judah routed the Edomites by God’s hand.  Unfortunately, because he had been running on a divided devotion to God according to checking rule boxes and not from a heart of true devotion, Amaziah stole idols and began to worship them also.  He rejected God’s word delivered by a prophet and threatened to kill him if he continued to warn him!  The prophet wisely warned the king that his heart answered his end by rejecting the word of warning.  Such is the case with those who reject the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17) even now, even those who follow religious rules but their heart remains unchanged, outside of Christ and His saving grace.  This is the warning for religious rules keepers to heed the gospel and receive Jesus Christ through repentance (Mark 1:15, Acts 20:21, Romans 6:23) and faith in His work to save them and not vainly attempt to earn their place in heaven (Romans 3:27, 4:3-4, 5, 2 Timothy 1:9) by checking boxes to imagine they are then good enough to be called up yonder when the roll is called at the day of judgment.  Doing good works follows His work on the cross of His sacrifice that alone can save us (Acts 26:20) if we have received His Grace by faith alone and rest in Him and not our vain efforts anymore to earn God’s favor ourselves.  The battle for our souls and our place in eternity with Him belongs to the Lord alone as we sincerely come to Him in that faith with a devoted and undivided heart of trust and eternal reliance.  May we then do good as a result with a loyal heart that relies on His work and strength that is mighty alone to save, and not add requirements not prescribed by God as some would insist we must.