Dec 28 2014

The End of the Southern Kingdom – 2 Chronicles 36

Jehoiachin-Jeconiah was a king of Judah. He was the son of Jehoiakim with Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, reigned next at the age of 23. His reign lasted for three months, when “the king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.” Neco then made his brother, Eliakim, king and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Then he carried Jehoahaz off to Egypt.

Jehoiakim was 25 years old when he began his reign, and he reigned eleven years. The scripture simply says that he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Whatever that means, you can be sure that idolatry was involved somewhere. Then Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, bound him in chains and took him to Babylon. he also took some vessels from the house of the Lord, and brought them to his palace.

Then Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim’s son, began his reign, which lasted just over three months. Then Nebuchadnezzar also sent for him, and brought him to Babylon, making his brother, Zedekiah, king. He was twenty-one when he began his reign, and he also reigned for eleven years. He also did evil in God’s eyes. It was a ruinous time. Zedekiah rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, and he turned away from God, so there was no help for him. Next comes the capture and burning of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans.

The Books of Chronicles ends with the Proclamation of Cyrus, in which he says that God has charged him with building a house in Jerusalem. Thus ends the Book of Chronicles, which was written to give the remnant of the southern kingdom, who had returned from captivity, hope for the future and an understanding of the past. It shows that the line of David remained intact and kept the necessary records of their heritage and lineages, so that God’s people could begin to rebuild the land, the temple, and their lives.

(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

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

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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.

Jan 12 2014

The Events of the Days

The Books of I and II Chronicles, like Kings and Samuel, were originally one book. The Hebrew title for the book (“Dibre Hayyamim“) is often translated “The events (or annals) of the days.” We like the fact that the Septuagint calls it “the things omitted,” as that seems the very best description – for it contains much that Samuel and Kings do not. But the overriding message throughout the book is the faithfulness of God to his covenant with His people through the house of David.

English: Table of nations according to genesis 10 Nederlands: Volkerenlijst naar genesis 10 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 Chronicles 3:17-24 contains the names of a list of descendants of David that is at least 5 generations beyond the exile, and so it seems reasonable to date the beginning of the writings to at least 400 B.C., and possibly a few decades afterward. With the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar, the Davidic kingdom was overthrown, and there was no longer a nation of Judah. Babylon, however, fell to the Persians in 538 B.C., and after the decree of Cyrus, the returning exiles (with much help from Ezra and Nehemiah) eventually got the temple rebuilt, as well as the walls around Jerusalem. But where did that leave God’s people if there was no more monarchy of David’s house? What was God’s plan, and where did that leave the covenant made to David in 2 Samuel 7?

This is the main purpose of the Book of Chronicles – to reinforce faith in the promise of the Davidic throne through a clear and precise record of the nation’s history from the perspective of the remnant of the southern kingdom and its rulers. As the book was written, a start in rebuilding had been made in the temple and in Jerusalem, but the people must not repeat the mistakes of the past. And so those who had not been there must learn all about it.

The genealogy of the first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles begins in verses 1-3 of chapter one – from Adam to Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japeth. From here, it begins to read very much like what we know now as “The Table of Nations” in Genesis 10. Verses 5-24 give us the sons of each of Noah’s sons, etc. down to Abraham, and thus the names of nations – many of which are very familiar to us now through geography, history, and other biblical reference, such as Canaan, Egypt, Cush, and Uz (from Job).

Verses 28-54 give us the generations from Abraham to Jacob (Israel), but only Jacob’s brother Esau is the focus of the genealogical record from verse 35 onward in this chapter. Jacob’s descendants will be covered at great length beginning in chapter 2. These 29 verses are all devoted to the nation of Edom, which Esau fathered, many of which would be bitter enemies with Israel and Judah in times to come.

(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

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.

Dec 22 2013

Prophet of Hope – Zechariah

Zechariah (fresco by Michelangelo) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Book of Zechariah begins in the first verse with the word of the Lord coming to this prophet in the eighth month of the second year of Darius’s reign. This is October/November of 520 B.C., and places it between Haggai 2:1 and 2:10. Zechariah was a priest. The text tells us that he was the grandson of Iddo, who was one of the Levitical priests that came back from Babylon with Zerubbabel, the grandson of king Jehoiachin (Nehemiah 12:1-4).

Zechariah is sometimes referred to as the prophet of hope. The people had been back from captivity for twenty years. Taxes were high, especially in light of Darius’s preparations for his campaign against Egypt. Jerusalem was far from restored – in fact, the people felt like they were nothing on the world’s “stage.” The temple foundation had been started shortly after their return, but the effort had stalled due to opposition. Discouragement ruled the day, and the only thing to do seemed to be to just try to get by in the best ways that one could.

Zechariah’s vision of the four horsemen (Zechariah 6:1-8), engraving by Gustave Doré. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That is where Zechariah comes in, letting the people know that despite adversity from hostile enemies, they must remain faithful because God is in control. He was in control of everything before, during, and after captivity. He is in control of what is happening now, and He is in control of what will come to pass. The book is full of apocalyptic visions and oracles that read much like the apocalyptic literature that would come to be so popular, and filled with language and symbolism that would be very meaningful to the people of the times.

The first six chapters are a series of eight night visions that we could spend several pages discussing. They are a combination of reassurances of God’s favor for His people and of Messianic promise – restoring the covenant and the house of David. Chapter 7 takes up two years after these night visions, dealing with all of the fasting that the people are doing. The Lord has not commanded them to do so much fasting. What He wants from the people is for them to return to faithfulness and live by His commandments.

Concluding with chapters 9-14, various future events are addressed – at the forefront are God’s coming judgment on the nations that oppressed them and much emphasis on the coming Messiah. There is much encouragement in these chapters, but also warning – God has had more than enough of idolatry and wicked leadership! The future looks good indeed, but it depends on their faithfulness.

/Bob’s boy

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image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Dec 15 2013

Restoring God’s House – Haggai

The biblical prophet Haggai. Woodcut from the Nuremberg Chronicle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On most of the occasions in scripture that we read of a prophet who had been preaching to God’s people about a particular subject, that prophet finds little good to come from the recipients of that preaching. A notable exception was Nineveh’s repentance when Jonah gave them God’s warning – but Jonah wasn’t exactly thrilled about that response, was he? Haggai and Zechariah are two exceptions that stand alone – at least as far as the rebuilding of the temple is concerned.

Haggai begins with reference to “the second year of Darius,” and that historically sets this book in the year 520 B.C. Chapter 1:1 gives us “the first day of the 6th month,” which makes the starting date of this book August 29, 520 B.C. It just doesn’t get any better than that with biblical dating. In fact, we get 5 such exact accounts of dates from Haggai. Just 24 days after Haggai’s first message, the people start work on the temple on September 21, 520 B.C. (Haggai 1:15 – the 24th day of the sixth month). Haggai 2:1 occurs in “the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month,” which is October 17, 520 B.C. Haggai 2:10 and 2:20 both happened on “the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,” which is December18, 520.

Per the decree of Cyrus, the people began returning from captivity in 538 B.C. They started working on the temple in 537, but that ceased in 536 due to opposition (see Ezra 3:1-4:5). The work had been left unfinished for 18 years when the Book of Haggai begins. The reign of Cyrus the Great ended about 530 B.C. When his son Cambyses died in 522, a general, Darius I, rose to power in his place.

Haggai and Zechariah were present at the rebuilding of the Temple of God during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, after the return from exile.
The Medo-Persian Empire included the lands of Media and Persia, much of the area shown on this map and more. The Jewish exiles were concentrated in the area around Nippur in the Babylonian province. The decree by King Cyrus that allowed the Israelites to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple was discovered in the palace at Ecbatana.

Haggai picks up in verse one of the first chapter where Ezra 5:1 makes mention of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, as it was after Haggai’s message that the temple construction was re-started. Then came Tattenai’s letter to Darius to try and stop the rebuilding. But the elders did not stop while they were waiting for the letter to reach him (Ezra 5:3-17). It was Darius’s decree (Ezra 6) that ensured the temple would be completed.

It was God’s will, of course, that ensured Darius would make such a decree. God called Haggai to move the people to action because they were stalled in completing the work of rebuilding the temple. Some form of “thus says the Lord” occurs 19 times in 38 verses, and the words”Lord of hosts” occurs 14 times, illustrating God’s sovereignty. Haggai’s message has them examine their situations and their lack of prosperity (Haggai 1:5-7, 2:15-19) in light of the work they had left unfinished. In chapter 2, the Lord (through Haggai) spoke to Zarubbabel, (who was in the line of David as the grandson of Jehoiachin) and Joshua, the High Priest.

The Lord intended to re-establish His people in their land, along with the house of David (Haggai 2:23). He had promised to bless the world through them (Haggai 2:9). There was a coming Messiah to prepare for. It was time to go to work!

/Bob’s boy

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image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Dec 13 2013

Psalm 107:23-43 – By His Blessing

When Judah was captured, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed, and the people taken away as Babylonian prisoners (2 Kings 25; 2 Chronicles 36:13-23).

The second half of Psalm 107 continues the theme of describing the plight of exiles during the Babylonian captivity and their eventual rescue by the Lord. The particular group that verse 23 begins with is made up of those who went to sea. Whether they were sailing in the service of the foreign king or being transported for some unknown purpose we are not told. But this group met with trouble by turbulent seas and weather and the scripture says they nearly perished. But again, the Lord heard their cry and quieted the storm so they would be brought to safety.

The praise for the Lord begins in verse 31, but from verse 33 onward, the point of the psalm is made known. The Lord DOES hear the cry of His people; and in a litany of ways that He often turns events around 180 degrees, the psalm praises God for His providence, His power and mercy, and His care for His people. The last four verses sum it up well:

When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;

but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Dec 6 2013

Psalm 107:1-22 – Let Them Thank the Lord

English: The Captivity of Judah, as in 2 Chronicles 36:11-21, illustration from a Bible card published by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This psalm is the first in the collection we have come to know as Book 5, the final book in Psalms, composed of 44 chapters. We will read only the first half of this psalm today – the first 22 verses. We do not know who the author is. The time is some time after Babylonian captivity. Some scholars think it was written for and sung at the dedication of the second temple.

It is readily apparent that the psalmist is referring to people who were exiled during the captivity. Verse 4 four begins with the first group that were banished from the land as part of the exile and wandered the desert. Verse 10 speaks more specifically of those who were imprisoned in exile, while verse 17 appears to refer to some who became very ill either during the march to Babylon or after they arrived. In each case, the psalmist speaks of their cry to the Lord and how He delivered them. A community lament, yes. But it seems to more generally address those of the redeemed who became the remnant.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Nov 27 2013

Psalm 106:24-48 – Glory In Your Praise

We pick up the second half of this historical psalm in verse 24, as the psalmist is recounting the history and the sins of the people of Israel. Verses 24-27 continue telling of the failings of the people in the desert as the Lord declares they will wander in the desert forty years, and fall there (Numbers 14:28-35).

Verses 28-31 continue with the great sin of the people in the Baal worship at Peor, and recount how Phinehas intervened and saved them from the plague that ensued (Numbers 25). This led to his family having the priesthood from generation to generation. Verse 32 continues with the story of the waters at Meribah and the sin of Moses there when he struck the rock (Numbers 20).

Jews Led Into Captivity

Verses 34-39 summarize how the people of Israel failed to drive all the Canaanites from their land, and ended up mixing with these nations. This led to their idol worship, just as had been predicted, even sinking to child sacrifice. Verse 39 says that they “became unclean” and “played the whore in their deeds.”

Verses 40-46 then summarize the punishment of captivity that the judgment of the Lord brought to them. Verses 44-46 show God remembering his promise to Solomon when he heard their cry, and causing them to be pitied by their captors. The historical psalm has turned into a lament now, and the concluding verse indicates that their restoration is not yet realized – which is the plea of this psalm:

Save us, O Lord our God,
and gather us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
and glory in your praise.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Nov 13 2013

Psalm 89:27-52 – Will You Hide Yourself Forever?

In this second half of Psalm 89, it quickly becomes apparent that it must indeed have been written after the exile and the capture and deportation of king Jehoiachin. Where we pick up verse 27, the psalmist is still writing a rather long section that is quoting God – His promise and covenant with David (2 Samuel 7), as well as His warning to Solomon of what will happen if David’s heirs stray from Him (1 Kings 9).

The Anointing of Solomon by Cornelis de Vos. According to 1 Kings 1:39, Solomon was anointed by Zadok. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The psalmist is “reminding” the Lord of His promises, yet he acknowledges that the heirs to David’s throne did exactly what the Lord warned against. Still, he seems to be faltering in his confidence that God is going to keep His covenant with David alive now. Verses 38-45 in particular accentuate that sentiment, and verse 39 specifically says so, saying “You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust.” The latter part of that verse obviously refers to Jehoiachin’s fate.

Verse 46 is where the psalmist specifically acknowledges that the things that have happened are a result of God’s wrath against His unfaithful people: “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?” Verses 50-51 do indeed suggest a time before the Lord dealt with the Edomites and the others who betrayed Israel, as it speaks of all of the nations that now mock them.

In verse 49, the psalmist questions the Lord earnestly about when the end of His anger will come: “Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David?” He ends his prayer with “Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.”

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Oct 16 2013

Psalm 137 – By the Waters of Babylon

Destruction of Jerusalem under the Babylonian rule. Illustration from the Nuremberg Chronicle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This psalm is one that is often misunderstood. It is also one that skeptics and critics like to quote to “prove” that the Bible, of all things, is somehow evil (he says, rolling eyes toward heaven). Verses 1-3 make it clear – psalm 137 is obviously written either during the time of Babylonian captivity or just afterward, making it some time between 587 BC and 537 BC.

It is a lament for the destruction of Jerusalem, and for all that was lost in human life, in heritage, in freedom, and in dignity. It is lament of a people who were taken off forcibly and with certain ferocity, while others they knew – and loved – were killed violently.

What causes the misunderstanding – even among some of those scholars who are genuinely faithful – is verse 9. First it should be pointed out that the word that is translated “blessed” in some versions (here and in other parts of the Bible) is more accurately translated as “happy.” Secondly, verses 8-9 are not recounting what has happened, but they are a prediction of what will be.

“Happy shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Happy shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!” The third thing to remember is that the prediction in this passage is of what the Medes and the Persians are going to do to the Babylonians. God is not instructing them to do so (nor does He condone it), but His word accurately predicts what will happen – the same atrocities the Babylonians committed. And the invading soldiers in this prediction will be just as joyful in their cruel conquest as the Babylonians were.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Mar 31 2013

Understanding the Cross of Christ – Part 3 (God’s Response To Sin)

In part 1 of this series, we began looking for a more informative answer to my young friend’s question (“Why would God send His only son to die?”). The answer is of course that it was God’s plan for our salvation all along. But a better explanation would really be aided by a better understanding of sin, atonement, and ultimately, propitiation. In part 2, we looked at what sin is, why it matters so much to God, and why it should matter to us. And now we turn to God’s response to sin – which, come to that, is also one of the reasons that it matters to us.

What are the consequences of sin?

When Adam and Eve obeyed Satan instead of God, God sent them from the Garden of Eden and posted an angelic being at the doorway of Eden to prevent them from entering it again (Genesis 3).

Of course, God’s first response to sin was to Adam and Eve after the fall of man, but He has given man many other earthly responses to sin. God was so grieved by man’s wickedness that He “struck down every living creature” (that wasn’t on the ark) in a global flood in Genesis 6-8. God promised His judgment on the Canaanites in Genesis 15:13-21 and again in Deuteronomy 9:4-5 , well in advance of the Israelites’ entry into the promised land in Joshua 3. And just as he warned them 1,000 years earlier in Deuteronomy 28:49-63, God had His people removed and taken captive for their continued disobedience, and their cherished holy city was burned (2 Kings 17, 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36:17-21). Of course, all of these, and many other earthly judgments God has brought to pass, pale in comparison to God’s promise of eternal separation from Him and the punishment that awaits the sinful in the end – in contrast to the reward that awaits the faithful (Matthew 8:11-12, Matthew 25:45-46).

Why does God require a price to be paid for sin?

The Lord spoke personally with Abraham, entering into a lasting covenant with him (Genesis 17).

It is a fact that it is no accident that the Creator of life demands discipline, and that the blueprints He gives us for living our lives result in the best that life has to offer for us. Godly living in the long and short-term always has born out that constant truth – His ways are best for us. And it is His will for all of us to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4) So why does God demand a price for sin? As we noted in part 2, God is too pure to tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13). But just as importantly, He is a fair and just God (Psalm 25:8-14, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, Deuteronomy 32:4). He has promised to reward us for our righteousness, just as He has promised to punish sin. He is faithful and true to all of His promises. If it were not so – if He simply turned a blind eye to sin – how could we count on Him to keep the other promises He has made to us?

How was sin dealt with in the Old Testament?

Sacrifices and offerings to God were made by presenting them to a Levitical priest (a descendant of Levi, one of the 12 sons of Jacob). Non-priests could not make an approach to God. The different types of offerings are described in Leviticus 1-7. Only the High Priest – from Aaron through the end of Eleazor’s line – approached God in the innermost part of the Tabernacle (the Most Holy place), as they did to make offering on the Day of Atonement. This occurrence simply put off the judgment of the Lord for their sins in the past year (Leviticus 16:34). These sacrifices and the old law were merely a shadow of the promise of what was to come (Hebrews 10:1-4).

The Levitical Priesthood

God had set apart the Levites (Numbers 3:12) and established the priesthood for His people through the lines of the three sons of Levi – all with special duties. These were the Gershonites (Numbers 4:24-26; 7:7-8), Kohathites (Numbers 3:29-32, 1 Chron 15:1-15), and the Merarites (Numbers 3:36-37; 4:29-33). Moses and Aaron were sons of Kohath; and it was through Aaron’s line that the priesthood continued until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., by way of his sons Eleazor, Ithamar, and Nadab and Abihu. The latter two met their end (and that of their lines) in Leviticus 10. Ithamar’s line ended in 2 Kings 2:26-27 with Abiathar. Eleazor’s line lived on until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

All through these ages, the promise loomed ahead of something better. A promise that was made first in Genesis 3:15-17, and would be repeated and expounded throughout the Old Testament. We will look closer at that promise as this series continues in part 4, taking a look at how Jesus fits into God’s plan for our salvation.