OTI-14

960313WE

From Solomon [970 BC] to the collapse of the Judean Monarchy, the exile of the Jews and the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 586 BC, this book trace 384 years of people living in the sight of God.  As a Divine Documentary the life of each king is exposed. Prosperity or Adversity came from their relationship with God. The Kings of Judah 1.      REHOBOAM – Although he is not righteous, he humbles himself before God and averts His wrath (12:12) 2.      ABIJAH – He enjoys a short and evil reign, but he conquers Israel because “the sons of Judah … trusted in the Lord” (13:18) 3.      ASA – Although he destroys foreign altars and idols, conquers Ethiopia against great odds through his trust in God, and restores the altar of the Lord, yet he fails to trust God when threatened by Israel. 4.      JEHOSHAPHAT – He brings in a great revival; “he took great pride in the ways of the Lord” (17:6)  Jehoshaphat overthrows idols, teaches God’s Word to the people, and trusts in God before battle. 5.      JEHORAM – A wicked king, he follows the ways of Ahab and  marries his daughter.  He leads Judah into idolatry and when he dies in pain, departs “with no one’s regret” (21:20). 6.      AHAZIAH & ATHALIAH – Ahaziah is as wicked as his father, as is his mother, Athaliah,  Both are murdered. 7.      JOASH – Although he repairs the temple and restores the worship of God, when Jehoiada the priest dies, Joash allows the people to abandon the temple and return to idolatry. 8.      AMAZIAH – Mixed in his relationship to God, he later forsakes the Lord for the gods of Edom.  He is defeated by Israel and later murdered. 9.      UZZIAH – He begins well with the Lord and is blessed with military victories.  However, when he becomes strong, he proudly and presumptuously plays the role of a priest by offering incense in the temple and therefore is struck with leprosy. 10. JOTHAM – Because he rebuilds the gate of the temple and reveres God, the Lord blesses him with prosperity and victory. 11. AHAZ –  A wicked king and an idolater, he is oppressed by his enemies and forced to give tribute to the Assyrians from the temple treasurers. 12. HEZEKIAH – He repairs and reopens the temple and puts away the altars and idols set up by his father, Ahaz.  Judah is spared destruction by Assyria because of his righteousness.  His reforms are given only a few verses in Kings but three chapters in Chronicles. 13. MANASSEH 14. AMON – Manasseh is Judah’s most wicked king.  He sets up idols and altars all over the land.  However, he repents when he is carried away by Assyria.  God brings him back to Judah and he makes a halfway reform, but it comes too late.  Amon follows in his father’s wickedness.  Both kings are murdered. 15. JOSIAH – A leader in reforms and spiritual revival, he centers worship around the temple, finds the law and obeys it and reinstitutes the Passover. 16. JEHOAHAZ, 17. JEHOIAKIM, 18. JEHOIACHIN – Their relentless evil finally brings the downfall of Judah.  The temple is ravaged in each of their reigns. 19. ZEDEKIAH – Judah’s last king is also wicked.  Jerusalem and the temple are destroyed, and the captivity begins.  Second Chronicles nevertheless ends on a note of hope at the end of the captivity, when Cyrus issues the decree for the restoration of Judah:  “Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!” (36:23) The interesting feature of this book is that each life has a lesson to be learned. More than just a narrative, powerful warnings and challenges abound. In the light of such a gloomy era of history, God gives His people hope in their godly kings, in their Gracious God  and in His Sovereign hand in history as the last verses of this book point out. If any one verse could capture what God was saying to His people it would be in 2 Chronicles 15:2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. (NKJV) I. God is HOLY 2 Chronicles 19:2  And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you. (NKJV) A. LIVE AS TEMPLES FOR HIM 1. The Glory of the Lord Filled the Temple 2 Chronicles 5:14  So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God. (KJV) 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.  And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house. And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (KJV) 2. We are His Temple 1 Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (KJV) 2 Corinthians 4:5-7  For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. (KJV) B. LOVE LOYALTY TO HIM 1. He expects us to be RELIABILE to our dying day  2 Chronicles 26:16-23  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. So Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him were eighty priests of the LORD — valiant men.  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.” 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.  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. 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.  Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz wrote. 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. (NKJV)Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. (NIV) 2. He expects us to be HUMBLE with His blessings 2 Chronicles 32:24-31  In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death, and he prayed to the LORD; and He spoke to him and gave him a sign.  But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.  Hezekiah had very great riches and honor. And he made himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of desirable items;  storehouses for the harvest of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of livestock, and folds for flocks.  Moreover he provided cities for himself, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much property.  This same Hezekiah also stopped the water outlet of Upper Gihon, and brought the water by tunnel to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.  However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart. (NKJV) 3. He expects us to be SENSITIVE to His leading 2 Chronicles 19:2-3  And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Therefore the wrath of the LORD is upon you. “Nevertheless good things are found in you, in that you have removed the wooden images from the land, and have prepared your heart to seek God.” (NKJV) 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 4. After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who acted very wickedly.  And he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion Geber.  But Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” Then the ships were wrecked, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish. (NKJV) 5. HE expects our RESPONSIBILITY for our decisions 2 Chronicles 35:20-25 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him.  But he sent messengers to him, saying, “What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.”  Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself so that he might fight with him, and did not heed the words of Necho from the mouth of God. So he came to fight in the Valley of Megiddo. And the archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded.”  His servants therefore took him out of that chariot and put him in the second chariot that he had, and they brought him to Jerusalem. So he died, and was buried in one of the tombs of his fathers. And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. Jeremiah also lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments. (NKJV) C. LIVE SEPARATED UNTO HIM Second Corinthians 6:15-18  And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”   “I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” (NKJV) John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. (NKJV) II. God is SOVEREIGN 2 Chronicles 18:33 Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” (NKJV) A. WORSHIP Knowing Him 1. HE IS AWESOME: II Chronicles 2:6 But who is able to build Him a temple, since heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him? Who am I then, that I should build Him a temple, except to burn sacrifice before Him? (NKJV) II Chronicles 6:18 But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! (NKJV) 2. HE IS GOOD 2 Chronicles 5:13  indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, (NKJV) 3. HE IS PURE 2 Chronicles 12:6  So the leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves; and they said, “The LORD is righteous.” (NKJV) 4. HE IS MAGNIFICENT 2 Chronicles 13:12  “Now look, God Himself is with us as our head, and His priests with sounding trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O children of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you shall not prosper!” (NKJV) 5. HE IS GENEROUS TO THOSE WHO TRUST HIM 2 Chronicles 13:18  Thus the children of Israel were subdued at that time; and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD God of their fathers. (NKJV) 6. HE IS KIND TO THE WEAK 2 Chronicles 14:11  And Asa cried out to the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O LORD our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!” (NKJV) 7. HE IS PATIENT WITH HIS CHILDREN 2 Chronicles 21:7  Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever. (NKJV) B. WALK Fearing Him 1. He holds our very BREATH: Daniel 5:23  “And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. (NKJV) 2. He alone is IMMORTAL: James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. (NKJV) III. God is OMNIPOTENT 2 Chronicles 20:6-12  and said: “O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? “Are You not our God, who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and gave it to the descendants of Abraham Your friend forever?  “And they dwell in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us — sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine — we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’ “And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir — whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them —  “here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit.  “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (NKJV) A. HOPE only in Him Psalm 73:25   Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. (NKJV) Romans 15:13  Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)