2 CHRONICLES 17-20 - JEHOSHAPHAT

Heart Issues
What an awesome king! Its incredible to see him seek the Lord throughout his days. He starts off by taking the kingdom even further than his dad and removed the Asherah poles and the high places. Although his story ends with saying that his flaw was that he did no remove the high places. This must be another story of starting off strong but becoming relaxed later on and allowing the very thing you were so adamant against. He was so impressive when they were about to be attacked by the huge armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites. It says that he was alarmed so he sought the face of the Lord and issued a fast. I would have been alarmed and began to prepare my soldiers for war, I would like to have said that right away I would have sought the Lord but way too often I try to take control and begin to show God what I can do. I am inspired by Jehoshaphat by his humility before the Lord and knowing from where the blessings for his kingdom had come. One thing I really struggled with in these chapters is that a spirit in the Lord’s presence went forth to entice Ahab by putting a lying spirit in the mouths of the prophets. What does this mean and how can this be? Even in battle Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord and God spared him. Ahab on the other hand tried to sneak around as a nobody and got himself killed. Ahab was a good antitype to Jehoshaphat, he did not seek the Lord at all.

Notes
-Jehoshaphat showed great wisdom in knowing that the prophets were not speaking truth. He wanted to hear from a true prophet because he could sort through the lies.
-The book of the Law shows back up here and the peoples begin to fear the Lord yet again and the kingdom flourished.
-Micaiah is an awesome prophet who truly knew the Lord and could even see into heaven as the Lord was seated with his spirits. This could have been a vision but nonetheless it was pretty incredible.
-As Jehoshaphat appoints judges he lets them know that they are not just judging for him but for the Lord. He always held people to a higher standard and knew his role in serving the Lord not just setting himself up with power.

2 CHRONICLES 14-16 – ASA

Heart Issues
I really like how Asa dealt with the idols and Asherah poles, he destroyed them. He didn’t just say don’t worship them, he made it a non-option. He is an inspiration in his zeal for the Lord, but he ends up turning from the Lord. I pray that I may seek the Lord all the days of my life and be kept from any way that would defile the name of the Lord or my name for generations to come. I also love to see that God would speak to the king through prophets and I pray that God would continue to develop that gift in me to speak his words to the world. King Asa went as far to put to death those that did not follow the Lord, that is pretty hardcore and I am not sure how that reflects the Lord for that was not in His creating order to force people into loving and serving Him. I wonder if this was the beginning of the downfall of Asa or if the last story was the only way in which he fell. The questions I am dealing with now are: Do I trust God with the small things in the same way that I trust Him with the big deals in my life? Will I stay faithful no matter what and never turn my back on God? What will my name go down in the history books to mean?

Notes
-Asa began well. He did all that he was supposed to do initially and went further than his father did in seeking the Lord. He destroyed all of the rivaling gods and idols that the people worshipped.
-He knew that God was the deliverer and trusted him in battle against a vast army. V. 11 says do not let man prevail against you. I love that because Asa knew his identity as a follower and the people of God. He knew the promises of God and the glory of God, knowing that man did not stand a chance.
-In taking the plunder from a place there were always many gods in that town as well. They not only took the money and livestock, but they were tempted to begin to worship the gods of the Cushites. The prophet tells Asa of this and he again rids the people of the option of other gods.
-Sadly we remember Asa for his main failure at the end of his life although he trusted God throughout and made a profound impact on the people of Judah and their faith in God. Why is it sometimes easier to trust God with the big things but not be faithful in the small ones. He was using conventional wisdom here and not trusting in God to deliver.
-It ends with “even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord.” This strikes me big time because we all usually seek the Lord in our illness and times of pain. Pain is the one thing that rouses us to look for an answer. C.S. Lewis said that “pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

2 CHRONICLES 13 - ABIJAH

Heart Issues
Abijah made steps in the right direction, but he did not go all the way in turning the people back to the Lord. He displayed great faith though to go up against a vast army and trust that the Lord would win the battle. I am sure he looked back on history and saw that impossible situations for God’s people were not impossible with God’s presence. God is the winner of battles and the protector of His name. I want to trust Him for that in my life as well. No matter is too large or unconquerable for my God. He is huge and able to do all that I can ask or imagine. God is worthy of my praise. He is holy and turns against the unholy that defile His name. I am thankful to God for how he deals with sin and the false worship of lesser gods.

Notes
-It doesn’t tell us a whole lot about Abijah himself. Some things we know about reading the chapter before and the beginning of the chapter after are that he learned from his father’s last action of humbling himself and began to seek the Lord as well. He stayed faithful to God in some ways and led the people of Judah to win the battle against the less faithful Israel. However he did not cut down the Asherah poles, remove the high places, or smash the sacred stones. This was done later by Asa.
-He was a good king though and set his son up to be an even better king. Each generation can make the next even better.
-It’s awesome to see how even strategy and military might is nothing compared to the Lord’s presence. They had double the people and even a surprise ambush and the Lord routed the enemy. This was an illustration of the wrath of God coming against His people who did not follow Him.

2 CHRONICLES 10-12 REHOBOAM

Heart Issues
It is tempting very often to listen to the advice of the young, popular people in my life and hold their advice as new, fresh, and radical. I am easily influenced by this and I have the same heart as Rehoboam far too often in that I want to break from tradition. I want to do something new and for my name to be made great, God save me from my pride and selfish ambition. I want to want you and I desire to desire your glory more than my own. That is so hard as I am too easily consumed with my wants and desires. May I never become too strong in my own eyes that I turn away from you. I always want to seek you with my heart and allow you to make me more like you. Keep me from evil and lead me in your way. I long for humility, but so often that seems so far from my grasp. You turn people over to their greatest desire and allow them to passionate pursue other things. You allow this because of your love and because you deserve our genuine love and not our hypocrisy. Forgive me Lord when other things become my passion other than you. Help my name go down as one who followed you and did what was right in your eyes.

Notes
-The elders were wise and knew what was best. They had lived alongside Solomon the wisest of all men for many years, it was now wonder they gave the best advice. The young men were obviously thinking of pride and arrogance – wanting to make Rehoboam someone that the people feared.
-12:1 – When he became strong he abandoned the way of the Lord. That is the temptation in all of our lives.
-12:6 – The Lord is just. He is right in the way he judges them for they turned their back on the one who established them. God did still turn them over to do what they had already tried to do on their own – serve other gods.
-Evil is found in not seeking the Lord. Rehoboam did not follow in the way of David and therefore the promise that God had made could already be relinquished, but God still allows Abijah to be the next king.

2 CHRONICLES 6-9 - SOLOMON

Heart Issues
One thing I notice over and over again as Solomon prays is that he knows the promises of God and he petitions God to continue in those promises. I know that God is a responder to His own true and perfect promises, but many times I do not even know the promises for which to pray or even the promises that He has made. I do not view God as fire very often at all or I do not even begin to think of His glory. God promises here that He will hear our prayer, forgive our sin, and heal our land if we humble ourselves, pray, seek the Lord’s face, and turn from our wicked ways. God also promises that if we forsake Him, He will punish His people. God is not to be mocked. He is the true God and those that claim His name should reflect His glory to the world. Otherwise His name has been mocked and thrown around as nothing and has been seen as no God at all. The Queen of Sheba gives praise to God because of His servant Solomon and that is what I desire from my life. I want others to give praise to God on account of my reflection of Him, not because of how great I am. Solomon was a good king and 2 Chronicles only accounts for the good that he did and doesn’t tell of any of his shortcomings. Our image and reputation can be fully marred and destroyed by one sinful act that catches the attention of those around us. I want to watch my life and doctrine closely as I walk through this life and stay close to the Lord. God had truly blessed Solomon for His purposes of making His name great. God calls some to riches and others to serve Him without, all are not called to be Solomon’s, we couldn’t be. We like to identify with him, but not with Elijah or John the Baptist who were called to be in the wilderness, removed from society to proclaim the Lord and deliver His message.

Notes
-The passing on of one’s dream to his own son is just as inspiring, if not more, than completing it oneself.
-Solomon begins his prayer with exalting God and continues before petitioning him to continue to be with His people Israel. He petitions that God would hear His people and listen to their prayers, while forgiving their transgression.
-God knows men’s hearts and this causes men to fear Him and walk in the Lord’s ways. We know that our hearts are wicked and that we need forgiveness. The man who sees no need for forgiveness is truly in a difficult spot. He is fully depraved and has been given over to his sin. Solomon also understood the history of the Israelites and the likelihood that they may be put into captivity again if they turned away from God.
-The amount of Gold and silver is unreal in Solomon’s kingdom. 1 talent equals a little over 62 lbs. The amount of Gold each year brought in alone was at least 700 talents and each ounce was worth roughly $600 in today’s standards. That equals around 416,640,000 each year in just gold, not counting the rest. Wow!

2 CHRONICLES 3-5

Heart Issues
I am impressed to see how intricately designed the temple was and Solomon’s attitude toward the temple. He knew that it could not hold the holy and awesome God of Israel, but He wanted to honor God with the best he could. The temple is already being constructed in these chapters and it is amazing. I wish I could have seen it. It makes me question my pursuit of God sometimes as well. I can easily say, well I will never figure him out and just stop pursuing or I can continue to try my best and push forward into His presence with the best I have to offer. Solomon could have just put together something and said, “Well, it can’t contain Him anyway.” I love again to see their worship of the Lord as they carried the Ark to the temple. The end of chapter 5 shows the glory of the Lord filling the temple. Of course he could have filled the whole earth, but He limited Himself to a cloud to reveal Himself to the Israelites and His pleasure in His people. God is so amazing at His specific revelation to certain people, places, and times. I have always wondered why He doesn’t just come down and say, “Here I am!” I am grateful though that He is the silent pursuer and the satisfier of my longings.

Notes
-Its amazing to see what all goes into the temple.
-They handled the ark more carefully this time and had even longer poles to keep from touching the ark and being punished as was the earlier priest.
-5:13-14 seems to be a lot closer to today’s worship than the organ and piano

2 CHRONICLES 1-2

Heart Issues
Solomon here makes the wise choice and it makes me wonder what I would have asked for in that moment with God. Would I have asked for riches, power, fame, or wisdom to lead the people? The thing now is that I have seen it done once so I can follow suit. I would love to say that I would say “God, I want your name to be made great!” I don’t know what my heart’s desire would be in that moment. My desire that I want to be my desire is that God would be lifted up among the nations and given glory from more and more people each day. I know that given the same question though I would have focused on me because I am so focused on me all the time. I am challenged also by Solomon’s view of God today. He knows that there is no way that he can build a temple worthy of God because his view of God is true. I pray that my view of God is expanded and that I know Him better and love Him more as a result of my ACL surgery.

Notes
-Solomon takes over a nation at a very young age, yet the people revere him as king and he is lifted up by the king of Tyre.
-Solomon was promised more than anyone ever before or after. It makes you wonder how much he really had. I’m sure it was unreal to see his empire.
-As they approached the Ark of the Covenant again they did so with great reverence. 1,000 burnt offerings were offered, that is crazy. I wonder how long that took before they would enter.