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Short Commentaries by Al on the Book of II ChroniclesReturn to the Index of Short Commentaries |
*II Chronicles 17:9-10 - “And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people. And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.” Wouldn’t that be a pleasant existence! No nation or groups attacking God’s people. Many in our generation cry, “No more war,” meaning that they are demanding that governments don’t make war. What was the cause that there was no war in Judah during Jehoshaphat’s reign? The king strengthened his defenses against his nearest potential enemy (verse 1), he put military units in strategic locations (2), and he behaved himself righteously (3) according to the standard of David (the man after God’s heart - I Samuel 13:14). Further, Jehoshaphat “sought to the Lord God” (4) to the extent that “his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord” (6). Because the king prepared himself spiritually, and his country militarily, “the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand”( 5), but Jehoshaphat didn’t stop there. He sent the servants of God throughout the land, and “they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people” (7-9). The nation of God today is not Judah or Israel, but is the church of His Son, Jesus (Matthew 16:18; John 10:36). Do the leaders of the church set defenses against the enemy? That is, are they strengthening the citizen (Christians) to hold the faith against temptations to go beyond the word or fall short of it? Are they themselves diligently seeking the Lord, and thoroughly teaching others His word? We have no promise that there won’t be attacks against the church - on the contrary, there will be constant efforts to destroy it - but doesn’t that mean that defenses and fortification are even more needed? Elders, preachers, is your heart “lifted up in the ways of the Lord”, and are you then building up others with you? II Chronicles 26:16 - “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.” The priests withstood king Uzziah, and ushered him out of the temple. As they spoke to him the Lord caused leprosy to rise in the king’s forehead, and he was quarantined for the remainder of his life (17-21). Seeing what became of him in the end, the earlier commentary on his reign is said indeed: “and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.” It happened to him for an example; it was written for our admonition (I Cor. 10:11). Be admonished to stay in the pathway of God all the days of your life (I John 1:7; Rev. 2:10). II Chronicles 29:5-7 - “...carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs. Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.” Hezekiah, in his first month as king, told the priests and Levites to restore the practice that was prescribed in the word of God 800 years earlier. They hadn’t kept the Passover properly since the days of Solomon nearly 200 years earlier (30:26), but God hadn’t changed His word or His requirement. What was written was written, and it remained the law. So it is with us today. The New Testament is God’s instruction for man’s faith and practice. Read it, know it, do it. And teach it to your household and your neighbors. II Chronicles 30:7 - “And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.” For 2 centuries the 10 northern tribes of Israel had separated themselves from the word of God. They had established their own religion with altars, priests, sacrifices and holidays specifically in order not to return to God’s temple in Jerusalem. King Hezekiah in Jerusalem wrote a letter to be circulated among those rebellious tribes: the course your ancestors have followed has not brought you the blessings of God; turn back to Him now and prosper. He was right, of course. And yet people today say, “I can’t leave the religion of my grandparents; it would be like saying that they were not saved.” Well, they weren’t safe in the arms of God if they followed a religion that ignored His word. God knows that we are an emotion-bound race. But our emotions often tie us to earthly things, rather than to the things of God. Who is Savior and Judge: God in Heaven by His word, or beloved ancestors who made wrong choices? |
A. L. Parr; P. O. Box 662; Lincoln, IL 62656-0662 Toll-free Phone: (844) 650-3223 alparr@acts1541.org |