2Chronicles 23:16 – 35:15
Overview
Today’s reading was a roller-coaster of kings obeying or failing God. Joash repairs the temple and does good in the sight of God but later falls into worshiping false idols. Amaziah becomes king next and after God helps him win a battle, he brings back false idols from the other country for the people to worship. The next king of Judah was Uzziah. He followed God and his commandments but later becomes proud and boastful and God strikes him with leprosy. His son Jotham was the next king and he did what was right in the sight of the Lord. He fought the Ammonites and defeated them. Jotham grew strong because he walked in the Lord. His son Ahab was next and he was wicked. He set up idols to worship baal. Ahab closed the temple doors and built high places in every town in Judah to worship false gods and burn sacrifices to them. God’s anger was aroused. After Ahaz died, his son Hezekiah became king and opened the doors of the temple. He brought in the Levite priests and told them to consecrate themselves and the temple so Judah could once again worship God. After this was done, Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly. Manasseh was the next king. He did evil in the sight of God. He worshiped false gods in the temple. God was furious and used the Assyrians to attack and capture him, put a hook in his nose and carry him off as a prisoner to Babylon. Manasseh cries out and humbles himself before God and is restored as king of Judah and followed God and his commands. Amon, Manasseh’s son became king and followed the false gods his father had made and he did not humble himself before the Lord. Amon was assassinated by his officials and the people of the land put Josiah in place as king. He was 8 years old when he became king. He reformed Judah and Josiah removed all the idols from all of Israelites. Everyone in Israel serve the LORD as long as Josiah was alive.
Scripture – 2Chronicles 28:1-2
1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD. 2 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols for worshiping the Baals.
Observation
After many kings have come and gone, the people and leaders knew that peace would prevail if God was on their side. But instead, time after time they would seek out and worship false gods and practice terrible sacrifices to idols that they made with their own hands. Each time the scriptures describe one of these leaders, King David is used as the measuring stick for worshiping and obeying God. In the case of Ahaz, he was “unlike David” and did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Instead of following the law of Moses as given by God, Ahaz and many other kings turn their hearts away from worshiping God and place their hearts in the hands of meaningless idols and false gods who do nothing but bring disaster upon their lands. Ahaz even closed up the temple so his people could not worship God. As we look back and see how each king led the people, we see a clear contrast between obedience to God and disobedience. When they followed God, they were successful, peaceful and happy. When they turned their backs on God, they were in conflict with other nations, fighting within themselves and struggling through life.
Application
We don’t have to struggle through life without God, He desires to have a relationship with Him. Instead of a earthly king, God sent his Son Jesus to be our example to follow. He walked on this earth and taught us how we can be reconciled with God. John 3:17 says “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”. Christ died as our perfect final sacrifice so we could be reconciled with God. He loves us so much that he gave His only Son Jesus, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. We need to stop following our false idols and turn to the one true God who loves us and has made a way for us to have fellowship with Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who allows us to be righteous before you. Thank you that we can learn to worship and obey you by reading your Word in the bible. Help me to be like Jesus so others will see your love and want to seek you.
