Sep 14 2014

Jehoshaphat’s Reforms – 2 Chronicles 19

Thomas Seddon – Jerusalem and the Valley of Jehoshaphat from the Hill of Evil Counsel – Google Art Project (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After Jehoshaphat returned to Jerusalem, he was visited by Jehu, the son of Hanani the seer. Jehu rebuked him for the alliance he had made with Ahab, but said that he had found favor with the Lord because he had “destroyed the Asheroth out of the land,” and also because he had set his heart “to seek God.”

So Jehoshaphat took his responsibility as king and with the service of God personally. He went out among the people “from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim,” bringing the people back to the Lord. He appointed judges throughout Judah, and sternly admonished them to show no partiality or take bribes, but to take care to deal justly with the people.

he then appointed Levites and priests to “give judgment before the Lord, and decide disputed cases, and to do it “in the fear of the Lord, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart.” He set Amariah the chief priest and Zebadiah, the governor of the house of Judah over them to ensure that the law of the Lord was respected, and that justice was done.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy

___________________

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Sep 7 2014

Ahab Defeated – 2 Chronicles 18

Michelangelo’s Asa-Jehoshaphat-Joram.jpg. The man on the left is generally considered to be Jehoshaphat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jehoshaphat sought to make a marriage alliance with the northern king, Ahab. Ahab wanted Jehoshaphat to bring his troops and fight against the Syrians at Ramoth-gilead. Jehoshaphat wanted to inquire of the Lord first. So Ahab gathered 400 prophets who predicted success. But one named Micaiah (who Ahab despised) predicted otherwise. He said that his vision saw the Lord with His hose asking how best to entice Ahab to Ramoth-gilead so that he would fall. And it was decided to place a lying spirit in the tongues of all of his prophets.

The relating of this vision angered Ahab, and he had the prophet locked up. So Ahab and Jehoshaphat took their forces to Ramoth-gilead. There, Ahab told Jehoshaphat to remained dressed in his kingly robes, while Ahab would change into a disguise.. Jehoshaphat mysteriously seems gullible in agreeing to this – or did he just have that much faith in God? The plan worked for Ahab, as the Syrians mistook Jehoshaphat for the northern king.

But Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord and he was protected. Ahab, however, was defeated and mortally wounded. He had his men take him out of the battle and they left him propped up in his chariot , facing the Syrians. He died that evening at sunset.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy

___________________

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Aug 31 2014

Jehoshaphat! – 2 Chronicles 17

Statues of Josaphat and Ezechias on the Monastery of El Escorial. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Not many people know much about king Asa’s son Jehoshaphat, except that the name has been used in the phrase “Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!” There is a lot of speculation about where that phrase came from, and if you query any search engine, you will come across some very entertaining attempts to explain it. None that I have seen seem very likely, though. It is just possible that it became popular because it is phonetically pleasing as a substitute for swearing.

As king, Jehoshaphat worked hard to strengthen Judah against the northern kingdom. He set garrisons and occupied cities all over, including some that his father had captured. Unlike his father, the Lord was with him, the scripture tells us in verse 3, and did not “seek the Baals.” With God’s help, he grew strong in power and in riches.

verse 7 says that in the third year of his reign, he sent several men, including Obadiah, around to teach the Book of the Law in all the cities of Judah. Verse 10 says that all of the kingdoms around Judah feared them during his reign, and none of them bothered Judah. In fact, verse 11 says that the Philistines, of all people, “brought Jehoshaphat presents and silver for tribute, and the Arabians also brought him 7,700 rams and 7,700 goats.”

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy

___________________

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Aug 24 2014

Asa’s Folly – 2 Chronicles 16

English: Baasha of Israel was the third king of the northern Israelite Kingdom of Israel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chapter 16 says that in the 36th year of Asa’s reign in Judah, Baasha (the king of Israel) went up against him and began building Ramah. Ramah was strategically located about 5 miles north of Jerusalem along the main road. Baasha’s goal in doing this was to prevent travel in and out of Jerusalem. So Asa took silver and gold from the treasury of the house of the Lord and took it to the king of Syria, Ben-hadad. He reminded him of the covenant that had been between their fathers, which extended to them; and he asked him to break his covenant with Israel.

Ben-hadad complied and sent his armies to conquer cities in Israel. When Baasha heard what was going on, he dropped work on Ramah and went to salvage the rest of the country against the Syrians. When they left, Asa and his forces disassembled all that had been built in Ramah. He took all of the stones and timber from the city and he built Geba and Mizpah. Mizpah was very close to Ramah, but now it was under Asa’s control.

Hanani the seer came to Asa and rebuked him for going to the Syrians. He reminded him that because he had previously trusted in the Lord, God had given the Ethiopians and the Lybians into his hands. Because of his foolishness in not trusting the Lord, he told him, he would always have wars. Asa became angry and put the seer into prison in stocks.

Things went downhill for Asa from there, and he eventually got some disease in his feet. Gangrene? We are not told, but he died in the 41st year of his reign.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy

___________________

some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Aug 17 2014

Azariah the Prophet Speaks to Asa – 2 Chronicles 8

English: Asa destroys the idols and forbids worship in local shrines (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Spirit of God visited Azariah the prophet so that he would go talk to the newest king, Asa. He told hi how that God would be with him as long as he was with God. But if he forsakes the Lord, God will forsake him. As soon as Asa heard this prophecy, he got rid of the idols from Judah and Benjamin, as well as from the cities that he had taken.

And he gathered the people of Judah and Benjamin together and related these things, no doubt making clear to them that things would be different now concerning God. And many others who learned that the Lord was with him, came to live under his rule as well. Asa even removed his own mother, Maacah from being queen accuse she had made an idol to Ashera. He crushed and burned her idol as well.

He did not take away the high places, however. But verse 17 says: “Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days.” He showed God respect, and he brought sacred gifts into the House of God,. As a result of Asa’s actions, there was no more war until the 35th year of his reign.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy

___________________

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

Aug 10 2014

Asa Reigns as King – 2 Chronicles 14

English: Asa of Judah was the third king of the Kingdom of Judah and the fifth king of the House of David. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Having just assumed the throne in Chapter 13, Abijah is laid to rest at the start of chapter 14. It is longer, however, than the account of his reign in 1 Kings 15, which does at least note the war. His son, Asa, takes over; and the text tells us that the land had “rest” for ten years. One reason for that was undoubtedly because verse two says that he “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” He took away the foreign altars, got rid of the Asherim, and commanded Judah to keep God’s commandments.

Asa built fortified cities and towers and walls, and also built up a strong army – 300, 000 might men of Judah and 280,000 from Benjamin. There was peace until Zerah the Ethiopian came up against him with a million men and 300 chariots. verse 9 says they came as far as Mareshah, which had been one of Rehoboam’s fortified cities. Asa went out to meet him and prayed to the Lord with both pleading and praise. So, verse 12 says, the Lord defeated Zerah and his forces. Asa and his men pursued those who fled, and none were left alive.

Asa and the men of Judah took much spoil, the text says, from both the Ethiopians and the cities they attacked near Gerar, before returning to Jerusalem.

(This year’s reading plan for Luke, Acts, and 1 and 2 Chronicles averages just 15 verses per day – 5 days per week!)
Schedule for this week

/Bob’s boy

___________________

Please visit this site’s menu item “The Author’s Books” for info on the author’s books, website, and Facebook page.

All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.