BIBLE READING: 2 Chronicles 10

Rehoboam was in a perfect position to take over Israel and rule well. It was expected that he would become king, and the people acknowledge this by gathering for his coronation (2 Chronicles 10.1). However, the people had an issue with the taxes his father imposed on them (10.3-4). They approached him reasonably and Rehoboam wisely took pause to consider what he should do (10.5). He even took counsel with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father (10.6). This was shaping up to be an object lesson in conflict resolution.

But then Rehoboam made a choice that no one saw coming. He rejected the counsel of the old men and instead decided to listen to the friends he grew up with (2 Chronicles 10.8, 13). The bible goes out of its way to make sure we understand how completely Rehoboam rejected the older wisdom to listen to his friends. As he addressed the people, his words are almost identical to the counsel of his friends (10.10-11, 14), and the result was devastating. The people reject Rehoboam’s leadership and rebel against him, leading the nation into immediate war (10.16-19).

Think seriously about how foolish this choice truly was. He had people who cared about his success AND the success of the kingdom AND were wanting to help him. But he chose to listen to his friends who wanted nothing more than to assert power. Why? It’s because he valued his friends the most and he wanted to please them. Because of his relationship with these young men, their advice prevailed over those who had more experience, wisdom and concern for good. This, my friends, is the power of influence, and why it matters who your friends are. In the moment, right and wrong wasn’t clear, and was the influence of Rehoboam’s friends that clouded his judgment. This tends to be how relationships work. We value the opinions of those we spend time with and trust; so much so that it can distort reality.

But simply listening to them wasn’t the problem. Their ideas were divisive and foolish. Their counsel was not rooted in anything except pride and personal agendas. This is a shallow way of thinking that the sober-minded person can discern. But how often are people swayed because they don’t know or value righteousness and wisdom?

Given a second chance, Rehoboam would probably have made a different choice. But that’s because hindsight is 20/20. This story is given for our instruction so that we might learn to be wise in the moment. You might not think the influence of others greatly affects your life and your choices; but both secular and biblical wisdom teaches us otherwise. Simply put, Paul would say, “Bad company corrupts good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15.33). If we want to walk with God, we must choose to walk with the wise (Proverbs 16.20).

BIBLE READING: 2 Chronicles 1-9

‘The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him?’ (2 Chronicles 2.5-6)

Solomon was given a historic and significant charge: to build a house for God to dwell among his people (1 Chronicles 22.5; 28.11-ff). His father David made all the necessary financial and organizational preparations so that this structure would ‘be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands’ (1 Chronicles 22.5). Solomon understood this structure would represent the greatness of God, who is ‘greater than all gods’ (2 Chronicles 2.5). So ‘Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD’ (2 Chronicles 2.1).

He used the best materials: gold and silver, cedar, iron, purple, crimson and blue fabrics. Even the nails were made of gold (2 Chronicles 3.9)! He hired the most skilled workers to craft, sculpt and construct even the smallest of details of the temple. There was nothing too excessive, nothing too precious that he would withhold from this project. Solomon understood that to properly honor the glory of God, they must give their very best. What an instructive moment for God's people, even today! We do not have a physical temple to build, but rather, our bodies and the church represent the temple of the living God. We are chosen by and precious to God, living stones being built up into a spiritual house for God (1 Peter 2.4-5). How much more should be pure and holy, giving God our very best so that he can dwell among us?

But Solomon also understood his place before God in all this. Twice he would state his unworthiness to build temple (2 Chronicles 2.6; 6.18). Besides, this building alone could not capture the magnitude of God; in fact, even the highest heaven couldn’t contain him (2 Chronicles 2.6)! Sure, he could use the best materials and craftsman, but by himself the building would just be a place where offerings would be made. God is the one who made it special and magnificent, and Solomon had been called for this task to honor God in this way. And so, with great humility and care Solomon built the temple for YHWH, and afterwards he blessed YHWH, the great God for giving him both the ability and purpose to serve him (2 Chronicles 6.10).

Here's the point: The greatest efforts we perform are limited and meaningless without God and his approval. Even those who are called to tasks of great magnitude impacting people on a mass scale are stewards of God’s great glory. We must not think ourselves great because we have been called to something great. We must think ourselves blessed and constrained with purpose because God has called us. It is a privilege to serve the living God and make him known; and it is a profound blessing to have the attention of YHWH when we walk with him in humble obedience (2 Chronicles 6.18-19). And so let us be thankful and humble before God who endows us with resources and opportunity to serve in meaningful ways.  

BIBLE READING: 1 Chronicles 15-16

David’s first attempt to bring the ark to Jerusalem was a devastating event that left Uzzah dead and David in fear (1 Chronicles 13.5-14). But God was merciful to David, and David learned from these mistakes (15.12-13). He reset his heart by seeking God’s counsel and remembering the commandments of God (1 Chronicles 14.10, 14). This moved him to further preparations for the ark’s return to Jerusalem: ‘he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. Then David said that no one but the Levites may carry the ark of God… And David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it.’ (1 Chronicles 15.1-3). He was obedient to God’s directive and eager to have the presence of God back among them.

The processional of the ark to Jerusalem and subsequent celebration was excessive. David prescribed countless offerings (15.26; 16.2-3). He appointed hundreds of Levites ‘to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel’ and select men to loudly play harps and lyres (15.16), ‘to sound cymbals and to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God’ (16.4-6). There was much rejoicing (15.25), especially by David, who dressed himself in a linen ephod and danced before the Lord (15.27-29). As the ark of the covenant ‘which is called by the name of the LORD who sits enthroned above the cherubim’ (1 Chronicles 13.6) returned to be among God’s people, there was nothing held back in terms of opulence and obedience.

Some observations about this scene.

Proper honor for God is an outflow of purification and preparation. David didn’t immediately try to bring the ark to Jerusalem. Instead, he invested himself in activities that allowed for this to be a God-honoring process. If our heart is not set on God’s honor, we will fail miserably to honor him or receive the blessings of his presence. Sometimes we need to ‘cleanse our hands and purify our hearts’ by recognizing our double-minded selfishness (James 4.8). We do this by ‘[purifying our] souls by obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love…” (1 Peter 1.22). Only then will God begin to draw near to us.

God deserves our best worship. David’s actions only seem excessive to those who don’t appreciate God’s worthiness. After his failure, David learned more than just obedience and fear. God deserved to be obeyed and worshipped. His presence wasn’t a right but a gift that could be accessed by his grace. It is a tremendous blessing to have the Creator of the universe available to his people at any moment by the blood of Jesus. We must not take this lightly! Like David, we must be totally invested in honoring God and restoring his presence among his people. There is no effort too great when offered through obedience and submission that God does not deserve. Perhaps we would do well to consider how to unlimit our devotion to God by exalting him with less inhibition and greater humility and thanks.

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 18-19

King Hezekiah had witnessed the devastation of Israel by the Assyrians; and now they were standing on his doorstep (18.17). The Assyrians captured the fortified cities of Judah (18.13), leading Hezekiah to accept a desperate plea deal. He paid the imposed tribute (18.14-16) placing himself at the mercy of the Assyrians, and hoping that would be the end of it. But King Sennacherib wasn’t content to simply withdraw. He sent his mouth, Rabshakeh, to ensure Judah knew who was in charge now (18.17-ff).

“…if you say to me, ‘We trust in the LORD our God,’… is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’… ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand…’” (2 Kings 18.19-29).

His rationale wasn’t bad and his argument wasn’t entirely wrong. Hezekiah did not have the manpower to fight (2 Kings 18.24). Besides that, no one else had been able to stand against the Assyrians. YHWH himself had appointed Assyria for this purpose (Isaiah 10.5-6), and Sennacherib was keenly aware of his position (2 Kings 18.25). If one considered only the present factors, the outcome seemed obvious.

These are typically situations where faith caves. People find themselves out of options and human rationale purports that God’s ways have failed. It’s time to take a different approach. Clearly, Hezekiah’s back was against the wall and his resources depleted. The pattern of previous kings was to appeal to other nations for help (as his father Ahaz had done, 2 Kings 16.7ff). But here is where Hezekiah was different. He appealed to YHWH’s mercy through His prophet and with his own intercession (2 Kings 19.1-19). ‘O YHWH our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O YHWH, are God alone’ (19.19). He simply refused to accept other options or change his allegiance. His powerful plea is the core of what it means to have integrity, and we must pursue this practice.

But more than Hezekiah’s choices, Sennacherib made one serious misjudgment. To him, YHWH was in his hip pocket. He saw YHWH simply as the next god in line to be conquered (2 Kings 18.33-35). Much like Pharaoh many years before, Sennacherib did not know YHWH and felt no compulsion to respect him (cf. Exodus 5.2). If we learn anything from scripture, it is that YHWH always shows up when his honor is on the line. “I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David” (2 Kings 19.34). Before the night passed, Sennacherib’s army was depleted, he fled home to Assyria and within a short time, Sennacherib was murdered by his own sons (2 Kings 19.35-37).

Sometimes YHWH allows these situations to instruct his people. Perhaps we need our back against the wall to remind us how desperately we need mercy and that only God prevails with certainty and hope. He is not just the next god in line. He is God alone.

BIBLE READING: 2 Kings 9-10

Ahab and Jezebel wrecked the lives of many people. Their God-lessness culminated in the murder of an innocent man simply because they wanted him property (1 Kings 21), and this choice, secured God’s judgment against them.

“Thus says the LORD: ‘In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.’ …Behold I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel… the dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.” (1 Kings 21.17-24).

God would appoint Jehu, one of Ahab’s commanders, to carry out the sentence (2 Kings 9.6-10; 25-26). With conviction and zeal Jehu exterminated the house of Ahab, purging the people of their God-less influence, according to the word of the LORD (2 Kings 9.26, 33-37; 10.10-11, 16-17). Moreover, “he wiped out Baal from Israel” (2 Kings 10.18-28). His tactics were brutal, but necessary acts of judgment from God (2 Kings 10.30). However, it appears his behavior went beyond what God expected from him (Hosea 1.4-5); but worse, “Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam… [from] the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan” (2 Kings 10.29, 31), bringing judgment upon his family and the nation (2 Kings 10.30b; 15.12). “In those days, the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel” (2 Kings 10.32).

A couple of lessons to consider from these events.

God is moved by the wickedness in the world. This is the hope of every righteous person— that God will arise and defend righteousness (Psalm 3.7; 7.6; 9.19; 10.12), to which God always responds (Psalm 12.5). It did not happen in the timeframe we would have expected (1 Kings 21.27-29), but God’s clear statement of judgment came to pass. He judged Ahab’s family so as to eradicate their influence on his people; and God is working towards the same end today. Perhaps it is not through mass killings, but God has put the wicked under judgment (2 Peter 2.1-3). We must not be lulled by the passing of time but settled in God’s justice and patience towards all.

God uses people to carry out his will. Jehu was a tool for justice, and he was commended so far as he operated within God’s expressed will to him. However, he was not given carte blanche in these matters. In fact, he got outside the bounds of God’s will and ignored the critical factor of his role: being right with God. For his failures he was also condemned. We must appreciate that understanding our activity from God doesn’t give us liberty to carry it out however we choose. We must continue to submit to God and not the gods of popular opinion or tradition. All the idols around us must be destroyed. We must not be deceived into thinking God’s favor is unconditional or that our usefulness or position are God’s total approval. God has given us these to serve his purposes and glory.