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2 Chronicles 33-36
Removal
and Restoration
Psalm 65:1-5 Dwelling With God
1.“Praise waits for you, God, in Zion. To you shall vows be performed.2.You who hear prayer, to you all men will come.3.Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.4.Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple (NIV).5.By awesome deeds of righteousness, you answer us, God of our salvation. You who are the hope of all the ends of the earth, of those who are far away on the sea...Observations
65:1.David plans to fulfill his vow to praise God for His work on his behalf in answering prayer, rescuing from and covering over sin so people can enjoy the benefits of His presence at the temple.
65:4. God desires all people (v 2,5) to experience His blessing, not just Israel. He chose the Levites for their loyalty to Him, giving special access in the temple; He chose the nation of Israel to be able to come into His presence. Those who call to Him, and have their sins covered are also invited to experience His delights.
All the verb forms in this verse are imperfect meaning an ongoing, usually future action. Most translations are inconsistent, reflecting biases unwarranted or prohibited by the Hebrew text. “Approach/bring near” is incorrectly translated by many as “cause to approach”. Piel Imperfect (intentional/intensive; future or ongoing action) not Hithpael Perfect (causative; complete action).
65:5.
God makes possible the means of intimacy for all, in accordance with the initial promises to Abe in Genesis 12:3 “all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Application
Don't be satisfied to have your sins covered; strive to experience the blessings of daily dwelling in God's blessings.
Prayer
God who is praised in Zion and all over the world, thanks for covering my sins; may I live so that You can display Your awesome deeds in my life, so my days can be filled with Your praise. Amen.
Proverbs 17:4-7 Lies and True Glory
4.“An evildoer heeds wicked lips. A liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.5.Whoever mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He who is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.6.Children's children are the crown of old men; the glory/honor/pride of children are their parents.7.Arrogant speech isn't fitting for a fool, much less do lying lips fit a prince.Observation
17:4-7.A number of Proverbs deal with our speech. The godly listen to and speak truth; the ungodly listen to and speak lies. Words guide our behavior to good or bad destinations.
Application
Developing discernment of lies and an appreciation for truth in one's offspring is a challenging but rewarding task of parenting.
Prayer
Father of Light, help me speak and pass on truth. Amen.
2 Chronicles 33-36 Removal and Restoration
These chapters chronicle the last days of the nation, their deportation to Babylon, and their return, as God promised. Manasseh is an evil king who repents and finishes well, foreshadowing Judah's trip to Babylon. God would rather have His people's loyal obedience than the finest temple on earth.
2 Chronicles 33 King Goes from Bad to Good
1.Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem.2.He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.3.for he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of the sky, and served them4.He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, "My name shall be in Jerusalem forever."5.He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh.6.He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; and he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and practiced witchcraft, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards: he worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke him to anger.7.He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in the house of God, of which God 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, will I put my name forever8.neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses.9.Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel did.10.Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed.11.Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.12.When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.13.he prayed to him; and he was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.14.Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David...and raised it up to a very great height: and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.15.He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.16.He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered there on sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.17.Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God.18.Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the prophets who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel.19.His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: behold, they are written in the history of Hozai20.So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his place.21.Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem.22.He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them.23.He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more.24.His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house25.But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.Observation
33:1-25.Manesseh was born after Hezekiah recovered from his illness. These weren't the best times for Hezekiah, and perhaps Manesseh's education was left in the hands of those who didn't share Hezekiah's zeal for obeying God. Coming to the throne at the age of twelve, the lessons of the captivity of Israel, and Judah's own history must not have been part of his curriculum. Manesseh was attracted to the sensual pagan worship, and went after it wholeheartedly. God sent him warnings, but he hadn't learned to listen to God. Nor had the people. God actually laments that His people don't obey (33:8) a clear indication, for the spiritually dense, that obeying the law was not only possible, but a prerequisite to blessing.
As is inevitable, when people don't listen and learn at the low volume, God turns up the volume. This time he gives Manesseh a vacation in the dungeons of Babylon. When things got really really painful, Manesseh “gets it,” repents, and get's restored to Jerusalem. Amazing grace.
A new and improved Manesseh comes back and tries to undo all the damage he caused by his bad leadership. Unfortunately, the people still worshiped in the high places, which was disobedience, regardless of the fact that they only called upon God. Wise and acceptable worship must be given only to God (right objective) and given according to revealed truth (right means). Anything less is not pleasing to God. We have the same problem in our day. Unbiblical leadership is happy if people are “worshiping,” regardless of whether or not it is done in truth. God's not happy with it, nor with ungodly leadership.
God gave Manesseh a 55 year reign. His son Amon reigned two years before God allowed the people to kill him for his proud sin. Apparently Manesseh wasn't the proverbial parent (didn't follow the parenting principles of Proverbs).
Application
Every step taken in the wrong direction is one that needs to be retraced to get back on to the path of blessing, but we can never make up for the time and opportunities lost while sinning.
Prayer
God, please keep clearly in my mind the folly of not following You, or trying to follow You my way, rather than Your way. Thanks. Amen.
2 Chronicles 34 Finding and Following the Law
1.Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.2.He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left.3.For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images.4.They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence; and the incense altars that were on high7..throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem.8.Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house.. repair the house of Yahweh his God12.The men did the work faithfully: and their overseers were..14.When they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Yahweh given by Moses.16.shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying, "All that was committed to your servants, they are doing.17.they have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen."18.Hilkiah the priest has delivered to me a book." Shaphan read therein before the king.19.When the king had heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes.21."Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found; for great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book."22.So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess...23.She said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me,24.Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.25.Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore is my wrath poured out on this place, and it shall not be quenched.26.But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus you shall tell him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: "As touching the words which you have heard,27.because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God, when you heard his words against this place, and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you," says Yahweh.28."Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring on this place, and on its inhabitants."’" They brought back word to the king.29.Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem.30.The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Yahweh.31.The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh, and to keep his commandments, and his testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book32.He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers. 33 Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all who were found in Israel to serve, even to serve Yahweh their God. All his days they didn’t depart from following Yahweh, the God of their fathers.Observation
34:1-33.Young king Josiah, was better trained/educated than Amon, and did what was right in the sight of God. At the age of 16 he started seeking God, and at the age of 20 started purging the land of the idols of his father. It took six years. Then he started rebuilding the temple (a reversal of the pattern of Hezekiah, probably because the temple was functional when he took over).
In repairing the temple, the book of the law was found. He started his reforms without even having a copy of the law! When he read it, he feared God, seeing the judgments God had promised for ignoring His law. Sending to inquire of God, Huldah, reiterates that God's judgments are coming, but Josiah won't see them because his heart was tender toward God, and trembled at His word.
Isaiah 66:2 " But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.
Because Josiah really believed the word of God, he wants to spare his people from the impending judgments. He read them the law, and makes a covenant with them to do what God revealed He wanted His people to do.
Application
Keep a tender heart, and tremble at God's word if you want to avoid tragedy.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thanks that You are so gracious to those who humbly fear You. May I do so all my days. Amen.
2 Chronicles 35 Celebration and Calamity
1.Josiah kept a Passover to Yahweh in Jerusalem: and they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.2.He set the priests in their offices, and encouraged them to the service of the house of Yahweh.3.He said to the Levites who taught all Israel, who were holy to Yahweh, "Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built. There shall no more be a burden on your shoulders. Now serve Yahweh your God, and his people Israel.4.Prepare yourselves...according to the writing of David and Solomon.6.Kill the Passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare for your brothers, to do according to the word of Yahweh by Moses."7.Josiah gave to the children of the people, of the flock, lambs and young goats, all of them for the Passover offerings, to all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bulls: these were of the king’s substance.8.His princes gave for a freewill offering to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites...11.They killed the Passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received, and the Levites flayed them.13.They roasted the Passover with fire according to the ordinance:15.the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according to the commandment of David, .17.The children of Israel who were present kept the Passover at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days18.There was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet20.After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Neco king of Egypt went up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates: and Josiah went out against him.21.But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, "What have I to do with you, you king of Judah? I come not against you this day, but against the house with which I have war. God has commanded me to make haste. Beware that it is God who is with me, that he not destroy you."22.Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and didn’t listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.23.The archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his servants, "Take me away, because I am seriously wounded!" 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot, and put him in the second chariot that he had, and brought him to Jerusalem; and he died, and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.25.Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel: and behold, they are written in the lamentations.26.Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds, according to that which is written in the law of Yahweh,27.and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah.Observation
35:1-27.Josiah orders the Passover to be kept according to the book, and the commands of David and Solomon regarding the singers. A great time was had by all who obeyed.
About 13 years later, Pharaoh Neco of Egypt passes through Judah on his way to join Assyria to battle against Babylon at Carchemish. Josiah goes out to oppose him. Neco tells him that God has sent him, but Judah has nothing to fear. Unfortunately, Josiah doesn't demonstrate the same sensitivity to God's voice as he did to God's word, and doesn't listen. Understandably, it's difficult to see how God would use Egypt as His agent, but Josiah didn't inquire of the Lord and dependently seek His will. Ignoring the warning, he dies, and Judah laments the loss of one of her greatest kings.
Application
To ensure continued prosperity, we must daily seek God's will, and listen to what He wants to tell us.
Prayer
God, I want to know You and hear Your voice every day. Guide my steps, keeping me from folly, and lead me in the pleasant paths. Thanks. Amen.
2 Chronicles 36 Removal and Restoration
1.Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem.2.joahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.3.The king of Egypt deposed him at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.4.The king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Neco took Joahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.5.Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God6.against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.7.Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Yahweh to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon8.Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.9.Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh10.At the return of the year king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of Yahweh, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.11.Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem:12.and he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh his God; he didn’t humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of Yahweh.13.He also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart against turning to Yahweh, the God of Israel.14.Moreover all the chiefs of the priests, and the people, trespassed very greatly after all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of Yahweh which he had made holy in Jerusalem.15.yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:16.but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Yahweh arose against his people, until there was no remedy.17.therefore he brought on them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or gray-headed: he gave them all into his hand.18.All the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of Yahweh, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon.19.They burnt the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels of it.20.He carried those who had escaped from the sword away to Babylon; and they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia:21.to fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. As long as it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.22.Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,23."Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up.’"
Observation
36:1-23.Joahaz lasts three months as king, doing evil in God's sight, and is deposed and deported to Egypt by Necom on his way back from defeat at Carchemish, where Assyria got destroyed by Babylon.
Joahaz's brother, Jehoiakim, reigns 11 years, does evil, and gets deported by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.
Jehoiakim's son, Jehoiachin reigns in his place at the age of eighteen (according to 2Kg 24:8), and manages to do enough evil in God's sight in three months to get a free trip to Babylonian courtesy of Nebuchadnezzar, who puts Zedekiah on the throne.
Zedekiah, the last king, embodied all the evil traits of the bad kings, not just doing all that was evil in God's sight, but being proud, stubborn, and rebellious, and ignoring God's prophets who called him to repentance and blessings. But he chose independence and cursing. The city and nation are destroyed, and the survivors are taken to Babylon to serve their king, since they didn't want to serve Yahweh. The Chaldeans were the inhabitants of the land of Babylon. God allowed the magnificent temple to become a heap of ashes. Jeremiah predicted they would serve the king of Babylon for seventy years (Jer 25:1-12), to make sure the land got the rest God mandated for it.
Lev 26:15 if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant; 16 I also will do this to you: 32 I will bring the land into desolation; and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it. 33 You will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you: and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste. 34 Then shall the land enjoy its Sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you are in your enemies` land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy its Sabbaths. 35 As long as it lies desolate it shall have rest, even the rest which it didn`t have in your Sabbaths, when you lived on it.
Persia takes over Babylon, and King Cyrus (as Isaiah 44:28; 45:1 predicted) is raised up by God to send the Jews back to Judah to rebuild the temple (as Jeremiah predicted).
Application
God keeps His promises to curse and deport, and to bless and restore, valuing our loyal obedience over the most magnificent temple on earth.
Prayer
Lord God, may I value my loyal obedience as much as You do. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God wants His people to obey His word, something they are fully capable of doing, so He can bless them. Then His glory can be seen by everyone, and all will be drawn to Him. God sends warnings through those who speak His word (prophets), which if ignored, are followed by massive doses of pain, until people repent. Most don't. When the afflicted repent, God graciously forgives, and sometimes reverses the judgment so they have a chance to do things correctly. God must be worshiped according to what He has specified (worship is a response to revelation), not according to how we feel. He values loyalty to His covenant above all, on His own part, and ours.Us in a nutshell: Without an accurate understanding of God's requirements, and history, we will be drawn toward the sensual, rather than the spiritual, get mired in sin, and suffer for it. We can go from good to bad, or bad to good; our choice. Either course of action has its divinely ordained consequence. If we don't serve God, we will serve a cruel master. There is no nice neutral territory. It is ultimately suicidal to ignore God's words. When we repent, things get better, but scars remain.