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Proverbs 4 of 14 – Anatomy of Seduction; Wisdom’s Call

Read: Proverbs 7-9 and Psalm 87

Two chapters on adultery are not enough! Today we read about how easy it is to be seduced by adultery followed by a chapter that begs us to choose wisdom.

As I let the words wash over me, I’m drawn to the theme of selfish desire, of me, me, me. What gives me pleasure right now? Our classic comeback for our girls was, “I want doesn’t live here,” but does it? How often does “I want” creep into our lives? The lure of adultery is all about I want, some temporary fix where one is convinced it’s ok to be completely self-indulgent. It may be nurtured in loneliness, anger, bitterness, etc., but it is not God’s plan for our lives. My prayer is we learn to re-think church as the community of believers where we can lean on each other, to transparently express feelings not as a dumping ground, but as a means of asking for help to focus on God above all else when these feelings of loneliness invade our minds. I’m convinced that the more we are able to live in a community of believers, the more we will grow in our faith and stay far from the path of temptation.

Chapter 7 provides a narrative story of how adultery creeps in and destroys. This reads like a script from many movies and TV shows, except the adulterers are not honored here, they are not the heroes. When did the movies change in this country? It seems like they once attempted to portray family values that honored marriage, but I guess that became too commonplace, so they had to be edgy to get the attention of movie-goers; followed by television shows and now a plethora of cable/streaming channels.

The intro to the warning about adultery this time begins with a call for wisdom:

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
Proverbs 7:4-5

It is clear that when we seek God first, when we lock arms with Jesus and ask for wisdom, we will not stray into the streets of temptation. Lord help us to keep your perspective as we look out our windows at the streets below. Hold us tight and remind us of your desire for marriages you arranged.

Chapters 8 & 9 eloquently lay out the case for choosing wisdom. I need to be reminded of this often, especially the thought that wisdom does not originate from with me!

Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Proverbs 8:10-11

There are several nice little videos floating around the internet these days, well at least on Facebook. They show people rising above all odds, overcoming obstacles and failure because they believed in themselves. Up until that last point, I’m moved by the imagery, but this is a false god, a lie meant to teach us to look inside for truth, wisdom and courage. I grew up listening to Simon & Garfunkel and playing I Am A Rock with enthusiasm. The ironic lyric was meant to discourage such individualism, but it came at a time when dust to stardom was the dream of our culture.

“Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord.
But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
Proverbs 8:32-26

Find wisdom indeed! Wisdom is interwoven in the pages of the Bible, sometimes as direct as Chapter 8, other times by showing us examples of foolishness. In the 21st century we have the privilege of reading the words that many did not. May we spur each other on to gain wisdom from God. We should not do this life alone. It’s messy and difficult, but I would rather stumble while surrounded by a group of true Christ followers than out on my own. The “do it myself” culture needs to give way to do it in community. A tall order and lofty dream for sure, but when we put Jesus in the center, the focus of all, this is not so difficult to imagine.

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Proverbs 3 of 14 – Warnings Against Adultery

Read: Proverbs 5-6 and Psalm 86

Most of the warnings in these two chapters deal with adultery, one of the Ten Commandments that has to be explained over and over again to penetrate our think skulls! Such a simple concept, but obviously a divisive issue that seems to have transcended time.

With repeated warnings, you would think this would be an issue of the past, one we read about and say, “wow, those people were crazy,” but these words ring as true today as they did 2,500 years ago.

Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.
Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,
Proverbs 5:7-8

Do not go near the house of the adulterous woman…because you know full well what is going on. You know the path, you know the house, so stay away! There are so many examples of strong people slipping into adultery, intelligent leaders, gifted men and women who lose their way. The warning is strong and repeated often in various ways just in case we missed it!

Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
or let her captivate you with her eyes.
Proverbs 5:15, 6:25

The Lord created the covenant bond of marriage to be a joyful experience, one where we find comfort at home:

May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
Proverbs 5:18-20

There is nothing new here in 2017, why be enticed by another woman? With a few keystrokes the floodgate of pornography is at our fingertips. Wayward men and women, somebody’s sons and daughters, who have either lost their way or have never been shown a righteous path attempt to satisfy desires of the flesh. I suppose this is like a drug that provides a temporary escape–there is no good answer to “why,” yet the problem is real. Perhaps this is why the reminder is inserted here:

For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths.
Proverbs 5:21

If we really believe that our ways are in full view of the Lord, would we really walk down this path?

But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
whoever does so destroys himself.
Proverbs 6:32

Always in hindsight we know it is a mistake. The temporary insanity that causes us to slip is most likely the result of putting our focus on earthly pleasures and losing sight of God’s plan for our lives. The Tempter is devious and his desire is to see us fail, to fall into traps. Lord help us to hear the warning sirens and reach out to those who would keep us accountable to your better plan.

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Proverbs 2 of 14 – Nothing I Hold Onto

Read: Proverbs 3-4

I’m not sure I should post this, but I hope it’s useful for something. It’s real and transparent, though it only scratches the surface of the challenges of the day.

In particular, Proverbs 3:5-6 forms the basis for Nothing I Hold Onto, (Will Reagan and United Pursuit). This song echoed in my head after discovering the robbery of our empty house a few years ago. Thieves broken in and removed all of the appliances, mirrors, etc., as we served in Monterey, CA. Our insurance company essentially said, sucks to be you and we were left footing that bill completely. In the next week we hope to close on the sale of that same house as we empty our savings to reduce the principal to meet market demands. The financial loss is unbelievable, but very real.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

While Zoe is left to close on the sale with my power of attorney, I will have the privilege of visiting a church with Healthy Growing Churches in an effort to help them find a path that will reinvigorate their church, to set them on a new life-cycle to be an effective witness to their community for the kingdom. I’ll get to meet with the Management Team for Restore Christian Church in Jacksonville, NC, and finish my part of launching that new church. I’ll get a chance to work other projects with HGC to reshape the way many think about discipleship and I’ll be honored to help out as best I can with the local church here in Anderson, SC.

Here’s the plain truth: I’d rather be doing these activities to support the kingdom than working for some company for financial gain.

Honor the Lord with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
Proverbs 3:9-10

Honestly, I don’t need barns that are overflowing or vats filled with new wine, but I will trust that God has a plan in all this mess.

Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
for the Lord will be at your side
and will keep your foot from being snared.
Proverbs 3:25-26

My comfort comes from knowing that the Lord is at my side.

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Proverbs 4:7

I pray that there is great gain in wisdom as we go through these next few weeks. In this trial my prayer is simply:

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:23-27

We all have burdens to bear and it’s not my intent to cast this burden on anyone, I’m just being real and transparent. For a few brief moments this week I was able (and will be able) to lose my selfish thoughts in music, in playing guitar as part of authentic worship. That’s the best therapy I can think of.

Lord, help me keep my eyes straight ahead, fixed on you and your perfect plan for my life, for my family and friends. Keep my feet on paths of righteousness when I struggle to see what’s in front of me. I completely trust you have a reason and purpose behind all of this, though it’s honestly very difficult to understand. Perhaps that’s the point:

I lean not on my own understanding,
my life is in the hands of the maker of heaven.
I give it all to you Lord
Trusting that you’ll make something beautiful out of me.
There’s nothing I hold onto.

Nothing I Hold Onto, Will Reagan

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Proverbs 1 of 14 – Benefits of Wisdom

Read: Proverbs 1-2 and Psalms 85

In the next two weeks the words of King Solomon and other wise men will fill my thoughts. Given the difficulties we are currently facing, the timing of this scripture is perhaps most important.

Beyond the intro, the first exhortation from King Solomon is to ignore the temptation to go along with sinful people. Simply put,

My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. Proverbs 1:10

To begin with, this assumes we have enough discernment to recognize the lure and bait of a sinful person. In hindsight this is easy to identify, it’s having the foresight to see what is happening that I find difficult. The distinction here, I believe, is these men are well known to be scoundrels; their reputation precedes them. Lord help us to have the foresight and clearly see the traps that lie ahead!

Wisdom’s Rebuke

Wisdom is personified in Proverbs 1:20-33. The imagery is really great!

on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech
Proverbs 1:20-21

If we would stop and listen we would hear wisdom speak, but it seems I am often in such a hurry, stressed by one thing or another, that I often do not hear the shouts from the city gate. The rebuke is rather harsh: I will mock when calamity overtakes you (Proverbs 1:26b); tough words which simply reveal the truth.

Moral Benefits of Wisdom

It’s great to follow up the rebuke with some refreshing words: if we call out for insight and wisdom God will provide!

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:6

Thank you Lord!

While wisdom is not afraid to rebuke when necessary, wisdom provides discretion and understanding, saves us from wicked and adulterous people; it leads us on the path of righteousness.

Wisdom begins with fear of the Lord, with a deep and sincere appreciation for who God is as Father, Creator and Redeemer of all. This is important to appreciate in a world that relies on IQ scores to define those who are wise and who should be followed. In a world that denies God’s existence, the moral compass has no true north. Our key advantage is not only relying on the One True God, but working hard to learn his ways and follow his path. Reading the Bible daily is a start. Hearing the whispers and shouts from the gate is a great next step. Thank you for your words Lord. Help us to hear!

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Manasseh and Josiah; Judah Falls into Captivity

Read: 2 Chronicles 33-36

Today we read the closing chapters in 2 Chronicles, the last of the kings of Judah. Here’s a quick outline:

Manasseh

The story of Manasseh has a terrible beginning. Unlike his father:

He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. 2 Chronicles 33:3

A month ago, when reading through 2 Kings 21, I summarized King Manasseh’s life in a simple sentence. Just a few weeks ago Brett Andrew provided great insight into Manasseh by including references to this passage in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13. The sermon focused on this amazing thought: if God can forgive Manasseh, he can forgive anyone.

This is incredible and so significant for us to hear today. I hope you’ll listen to the sermon, especially where Manasseh:

In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God. 2 Chronicles 33:12-13

For those who are holding onto guilt for past mistakes, this is the ultimate message for healing; permission to let go of the past. The God of Creation loves you more than you can imagine! Lord, help us to humble ourselves and turn to you completely.

Amon

From this amazing story, we move on to the brief account of Amon. Not much to say here. He did evil and did not humble himself.

Josiah

The narrative here and in the parallel account in 2 Kings 22-23 provide a great example of how a generation can change. Josiah was only 8 when they made him king, but by his 16th birthday, he began transforming Judah:

he began to seek the God of his father David. In his twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles and idols. 2 Chronicles 34:3

When he was 26, in his eighteenth year as king, they found the Book of the Law. When King Josiah was told he tore his robes and re-committed himself to ways of the Lord. He lead Judah by great example and read the entire book to the remnant of Israel and Judah, all who were eager to hear what the Lord wanted.

Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin pledge themselves to it; the people of Jerusalem did this in accordance with the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 34:32

Josiah was so moved by the words he reestablished the Passover like none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:18). This was a great time in the history of God’s chosen people. As the prophet foretold, disaster did not come during his lifetime.

Josiah ruled well, but died in battle when the king of Egypt attacked a neighboring kingdom. He was moved to join the battle, but that proved to be a fatal mistake for him and his son.

Remaining Kings

Chapter 36 quickly wraps up the narrative of the remaining kings outlined above. Few details are listed here as the kings of Judah come to an end and the people are swept away into captivity by the Babylonians. The story is not over by a longshot, but we find the people have once again moved away from God:

The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy. 2 Chronicles 36:15-16

And there was no remedy until the ultimate sacrifice by Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

The rest of the chosen are swept away, yet some of these, the remnant, remain faithful even without the temple and freedom to worship God openly. The whole idea of the remnant permeates Frank Peretti’s early books, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness. I remember reading about the concept of “the remnant” so many times and wondering, are we the remnant? Which side of the coin are we?

Lord I pray that we would lead well, that we would humble ourselves and hear your voice above all the noise and commotion of this day and age. Awaken your remnant, Lord. Help us to be strong and courageous as we intentionally build your church and create spaces that invite people into fellowship with Christ.

 

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Hezekiah’s Reforms

Read: 2 Chronicles 30-32 and Psalm 84

King Hezekiah was eager to reform Israel (those who were not swept away by the Assyrians) and Judah. He worked hard to get them back on track. He knew that they needed to gather in numbers in order to gain momentum — they needed what we refer to as church.

Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. 2 Chronicles 30:1

His couriers were not well received as they spread the news of Hezekiah’s plans to gather and celebrate Passover; however, some did hear, some did understand. Eventually,  large crowd gathered to celebrate the Lord’s deliverance in the Passover feast. So many, in fact, that they were not all properly consecrated–they didn’t have time to go through all of the ritual cleaning steps. Hezekiah asked God to overlook this issue for their hearts were turned toward Him and the Lord heard and healed his people.

The festival went on for 7 days and then they decided to carry on for another 7 days.

There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.  The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place. 2 Chronicles 30:26-27

Strengthened as a community of believers, they went out and destroyed the idols and Asherah poles that had become the center of worship. Together they were resolved. While individually they might be wonderful followers of the Lord, but Hezekiah knew that they needed to gather as a congregation, as a group, in order to change the evil ways of generations.

The people voluntarily brought their tithes to the temple; heaps of things!

Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the heaps; and Azariah the chief priest, from the family of Zadok, answered, “Since the people began to bring their contributions to the temple of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and plenty to spare, because the Lord has blessed his people, and this great amount is left over.” 2 Chronicles 31:9-10

They distributed contributions among the Levites so they could focus on serving the Lord in the temple. They wanted their staff to be free from distraction, to concentrate on serving the Lord as Moses outlined.

In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. 2 Chronicles 31:21

The Assyrians are watching this transformation and began their military campaigns against Judah. Sennacherib king of Assyria thought he could sweep away Hezekiah and his people like he had successfully done with the northern kingdom, the people of Israel.

Hezekiah was confident that God was with them so he encouraged his people:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. 2 Chronicles 32:7-8

Sennacherib continued to attempt to defeat God’s people, but his psychological warfare was ineffective:

Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!” 2 Chronicles 32:15

Hezekiah and Isaiah cried out to the Lord for help and God answered their prayers in a mighty way, he sent an angel who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king (2 Chronicles 32:21).

In just a few verses the battles are summarized, but this was hugely significant. With no mention of army vs army, the Assyrians are defeated. Hezekiah’s fame grew and so did his pride. Though we’re not privileged to many details, we simply read that his heart was proud, then he repented and the Lord relented.

There are many great lessons in today’s text. I really appreciate how Hezekiah boldly rallied the people around the celebration of the Passover. As we prepare for Easter 2017, I pray we will boldly invite people to church, to the gathering of God’s people, to hear the message of the cross. It’s not enough to sit in our homes and nod our heads in agreement, united together we need to gather and celebrate the Risen Savior.

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Ahaz Comes and Goes; Hezekiah begins

Read: 2 Chronicles 28-29 and Psalm 83

Ahaz

The only good thing I can say about Ahaz is that somehow he had a son, Hezekiah. Ahaz followed the ways of the northern kingdom, detestable practices, even burned his children in the fire as a sacrifice to some god.

In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. 2 Chronicles 28:22

While most of us will cry out to the Lord in bad times, Ahaz somehow got worse! He reigned 16 years as king of Judah, long years for the few who remained faithful–surely there were some who made up the remnant. Ahaz was the king of the southern kingdom when the northern kingdom was carried away into Assyrian captivity and eventually completely destroyed. This provides the backstory for Hezekiah.

Hezekiah

Chapter 29 provides a brief introduction for Hezekiah’s reforms and good deeds:

So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly. 2 Chronicles 29:35-36

From the ashes of the northern kingdom and corruption of Ahaz, we are treated with an extensive narrative about a king who did well. Turning around the kingdom at this point must have been quite a difficult task. It’s one thing to relaunch a church, this is restarting and entire kingdom as they watch their brothers and sisters (i.e., Israel) get carted off to oblivion.

It is encouraging to think that one man can provide a pivot point for a nation. The featured image on this post represents one man, one starfish, in an ocean that is otherwise empty. I’m sure he was supported by a large group of those unnamed, but he stood as the leader that changed the course of history and extended the kingdom of God’s chosen for another 100+ years. That is significant!

It’s intimidating to think about changing an entire country, even to the point of paralysis. Lord, help us to see this good example and not try to solve the entire problem; rather, show us how to have an impact on the few around us. One at a time, we can change history, though we might not see it in our lifetime. Help us to do this with humble hearts, showing the love of Christ to those we meet. Help us to be content to be one of the many whose names are not listed, yet are in fact the ones that did the work.

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Amaziah, Uzziah, and Jotham

Read: 2 Chronicles 25-27 and Psalm 82

Amaziah

You can criticize me all you want, but I would be completely ashamed if my epitaph read like Amaziah’s:

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord,
but not wholeheartedly.
2 Chronicles 25:2

Flipping through different translations we find other words for “but not wholeheartedly”: Reluctantly, half-hearted, not with a loyal heart. What did Amaziah do to earn such a reputation? I hope I can learn from this to avoid such a label!

The previous chapter we remember Joash completely lost sight of God’s plan after Jehoiada died by having his son Zachariah killed and scorning him as he died (2 Chronicles 24:22). The officials in King Joash’s court conspired against him for this cruel act and killed him in his bed. King Amaziah’s first action is to punish the officials who avenged Zachariah’s murder — he executed these officials. I’m not convinced this is a good action, but it is included in the narrative that supports King Amaziah as “good.”

He hires 100,000 fighting men from Israel (the northern kingdom), but is confronted by a man of God and releases these men from his army. This showed Amaziah was willing to be corrected. An amazing trait all by itself.

The brutality of the ensuing battle is hard to comprehend. They captured 10,000 men then threw them off of a cliff to their death. My only thought on this ugly image is that Amaziah’s heart must have become dark as a result.  Not only did they throw men off a cliff, the troops he dismissed killed 3,000 people in towns that belonged to Judah. It’s hard to imagine anyone in power having no reaction to such carnage. This is my supposition because he does the unthinkable:

When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them. 2 Chronicles 25:14

I believe his heart changed as a result of these events.  God sends a prophet to confront Amaziah and his reaction?

While he was still speaking, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?” 2 Chronicles 25:16

This is the same Amaziah on the outside, but something has dramatically changed on the inside. His next move is to threaten the king of Israel and provoke him into a fight. (see Kings of Israel and Judah for some details.) Needless to say, Amaziah did not fare well afterwards:

From the time that Amaziah turned away from following the Lord, they conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 2 Chronicles 25:27

He did what was right, then he committed horrible crimes and his pride led him to death.

Uzziah

Chapter 26 provides the narrative for King Uzziah. The text says he did what was right like Amaziah did, but I’m not sure that’s a complete compliment! God was with him in battles and he won victories as a result. He invented weapons that protected his men and gave them great advantage (2 Chronicles 26:15). However, by verse 16 we read the sad truth about father-like-son heritage:

But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. 2 Chronicles 26:16

Pride. He was consumed by pride and his anger revealed itself in rage against the priests who tried to correct him. The result: he broke out in leprosy and lived separate from everyone until he died. Jotham, his son, began to rule as a result of his isolation.

Jotham

Jotham did well, but he did not stop the people from following their corrupt practices. He rebuilt the Upper Gate and amassed great wealth. He became powerful because he walked with the Lord (2 Chronicles 27:6). Not much else is offered in 2 Chronicles about Jotham–sometimes the lack of words is a good thing! He reigned for 16 years.

Pride seems to be a huge issue; perhaps that’s the lesson to walk away from today. The topic of many sermons, pride comes in many forms, but mostly results in downfall. It’s one thing to take pride in work because we give it our all, but it’s another thing to work for pride. Lord, help me to see when my decisions are based on my desire for recognition above the commitment to excellence and the goal of pleasing you. Show me the difference and keep me from moving in that direction!

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Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash

Read: 2 Chronicles 21:4-24:27

Restore Church JAX Launches Today

Zoë and I are in Jacksonville, NC, to support Roger Burns and his team as they launch a new church. As part of the team, I was privileged to serve as Roger’s project manager, essentially handling the nuts and bolts of legal stuff to support the business entity, but more importantly, I was blessed to encourage, exhort, pray, work and laugh with Roger. Please take a moment and pray for Restore Christian Church, for their desire to transform this busy city outside of Marine Corps Air Station New River and Camp LeJeune, to bring new hope and the message of Jesus Christ to this part of the world.

Jehoram

This is probably one of the shortest histories of a king of Judah (Ahaziah, below, was even shorter!). Jehoram was evil. He killed his brothers and other leaders, adopted the godless ways of Ahab, i.e., the Northern Kingdom.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He passed away, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. 2 Chronicles 21:20

His terrible reign as king earned him stern words from Isaiah, the great prophet. Called out for the evil that he perpetuated, Isaiah prophesied the results:

So now the Lord is about to strike your people, your sons, your wives and everything that is yours, with a heavy blow. You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out.’” 2 Chronicles 21:14-15

And so it came to pass–Jehoram died a painful and horrible death.

Ahaziah

Only Ahaziah remained from Jehoram’s family, so he was made king when he was 22 years old. His reign was only one year long.

He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father’s death they became his advisers, to his undoing. 2 Chronicles 22:4

Athaliah

For all the good that Jehoshaphat did for Judah, marrying Athaliah was a huge mistake! Athaliah was the daughter of King Ahab and Jezebel–she was Ahaziah’s mother. She was a horror just like her mother was to Elijah. It was her prompting the accelerated Ahaziah’s downfall and death. In her rage she began to destroy the rest of the royal family of Judah. Joash was hidden away for six years, ultimately becoming king. In the meantime, Jehoiada the priest acted as chief advisor or guardian, doing the best he could to protect Joash and do God’s will. When they finally crowned Joash as king, Athaliah rebelled,

Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, “Treason! Treason!” 2 Chronicles 23:13

Under direction of Jehoiada the priest, Athaliah and all who followed her were put to death. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars (2 Chronicles 23:15). Further, Jehoiada organized the priests, commanders, nobles and rulers throughout the land so the people lived in peace.

Based on the narrative of Jehoiada, there are probably few better servant leaders among the historical characters we read about in the Bible. There’s no indication that he did anything for fame, fortune or personal gain. Everything he did honored God and Joash as king. Amazing. (Note to self: here’s another man of God to study further.)

Joash

Joash listened to the wise counsel of Jehoiada and did well in the eyes of the Lord as long as Jehoiada was around. He became king when he was only 7 years old and reigned for 40 years. Jehoiada was much older, as you can imagine. He led well and died at the ripe old age of 130 years!

After Jehoiada died, Joash and the people abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols (2 Chronicles 24:18). I don’t know how much time passed between verse 16 and 17, but it’s obvious that everything changed after Jehoiada died. For all his great leadership, he did not have an effective succession plan. (Another note to self: leave an effective hit-by-a-bus strategy!) 

The Lord’s anger was aroused and he sent Zechariah, son of Jehoiada to confront Joash. Zechariah told Joash that since he had forsaken the Lord, the Lord has forsaken him. Angered by this prophecy, Joash had Zechariah stoned to death in the courtyard of the temple. Joash turned completely evil:

King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.” 2 Chronicles 24:22

Ultimately the Arameans mounted an attack and the Lord delivered Judah into their hands. When the Arameans withdrew Joash was wounded and his own officials conspired against him and killed him. Joash started out well, but finished in horrible defeat.

What an uplifting post! The leaders of God’s people are 0 for 4 in these few chapters. How did they lose sight of that which was good?

Lord, help us to learn from these mistakes, the missteps of our ancestors.

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Jehoshaphat, the Rest of the Story

Read: 2 Chronicles 18:1-21:3 and Psalm 81

Jehoshaphat was a strong leader that loved the Lord with all his heart. In all my years hearing sermons, reading the Bible and other teaching, I don’t recall a sermon series on Jehoshaphat, but much is to be learned from this king that rules over Judah during a tumultuous time in history. His main flaw was trying to advance his personal agenda ahead of God’s plans for Israel. This is complicated and I’ll only scratch the surface this morning. What I hope is that we will learn from this example as we see Jehoshaphat’s great decisions among his misled ideas.

Fast-forward to the end of today’s reading and we read rare words about the kings of this age:

He followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. 2 Chronicles 20:32

He sent officials to teach throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people (2 Chronicles 17:9). He wasn’t swayed by the people of the northern kingdom, though aligning himself with Ahab and later Ahaziah was dangerous.

Ahab was one of the worst kings in the history of Israel (see: Ahab Rejects Warning and Dies for some details). It seems that Jehoshaphat has set his sites on converting Ahab or at least showing him that there is only one God, the true God of all, and not the false gods and idols Jeroboam established in misleading the northern kingdom. Psalm 81 reminds us of their senseless reliance on their own devices. Sad. Lord, help us to be careful as we sit in lofty places while reading stories of old. Help us to see our own misguided thoughts that often get swept away in the tide of a society that is out of step with you.

Chapter 18 provides an example where the two kings meet to discuss a joint battle strategy. Ahab gets his prophets together and they predictably say what he wants to hear. Jehoshaphat has a better idea:

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
2 Chronicles 18:6-7

Jehoshaphat is not afraid to speak his mind, his immediate reaction: “The king should not say such a thing,” (2 Chronicles 18:7b). They sent for Micaiah while Ahab’s prophets kept on proclaiming great victory for their king. If it weren’t so tragic, it would be comical, but this is a deadly serious matter.

Micaiah arrives at the scene where all of these prophets are spouting words of victory:

When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”
The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?” 2 Chronicles 18:14-15

Someone please light the sarcasm sign! Ahab really doesn’t like Micaiah, but it gets worse.

“So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.” Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. 2 Chronicles 18:22-23

Zedekiah was offended and he takes it out on Micaiah by slapping him, an incredible insult. Imagine that happening at staff meeting! Undeterred, Micaiah knows the word he has provided is from the Lord. Soon afterward his prophecy becomes reality.

The crazy battle that ensues is discussed in my earlier post, but it never ceases to amaze me how ridiculous this arrangement is and how amazing that God would protect Jehoshaphat in this battle while Ahab is killed by a random arrow.

Chapter 19 begins with a prophet speaking against Jehoshaphat’s decision to help Ahab. It seems that Jehoshaphat is trying to reunite the kingdoms while God is trying to teach them a lesson–he’s out of step with the Lord’s plans, but doesn’t get it.

Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the Lord is on you. 2 Chronicles 19:2

It’s a double-edged sword. Jehoshaphat is doing many good things, but keeping company with those who are opposed to God is in fact a bad idea.

Jehoshaphat continues his reforms by establishing judges and enticing people to follow the Lord.

Chapter 20 provides an great example of Jehoshaphat’s reliance on God for direction, especially when nations rage war against Judah. They sought the Lord and he provided–the battle was the Lord’s, no way for man to take credit.

Later, Jehoshaphat attempts to connect with Israel again, but another prophet is sent to correct him:

“Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the Lord will destroy what you have made.” The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade. 2 Chronicles 20:37

Up and down, Jehoshaphat rides the rollercoaster of relying on God for the high points and relying on his own strength as low points. Much to learn about his life. I found this post well written: http://thebiblestudy.co.uk/study/king-jehoshaphat/ if you want to read more about Jehoshaphat.

 

Lord help us to rely only on your word, your will. As we go on mission in this world, give us a discerning heart that sees evil for what it is, yet loves people for who you want them to become. Help us to be in this world, but not of the world.

 

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