Category: 2 Chronicles

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Four kings follow in quick succession. All four did evil in the eyes of the Lord. (See 2 Kings 23:32 for Jehoahaz.) The book ends with Cyrus’ proclamation regarding the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. The great aim of these two books is to encourage believers to build the Temple – for us it’s the Temple of His Spirit, the Church.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, we would trust in You with all our hearts, and lean only on Your understanding. We would acknowledge You – Please make straight our paths.

“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, …”

Here we are at the end of the book of Chronicles, of the kings of Israel and Judah.

We are to remember that this book was written for the exiles returning to the promised land.

Soon we will begin reading through Ezra and Nehemiah, details and accounts of the return of God’s people, the rebuilding of the temple.

But here we have book ending in triumph – our God is SOVEREIGN!

“… The LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia,”

We see God at work in the world powers. He raises up. He pulls down.

He caused Cyrus to issue a command and proclamation for the return.

How good it is for us, the proclamation of love in the form of God in the Person of the Son – Our King Jesus – That God has proclaimed His love and mercy to us, that He abides with us, in us as little tabernacles – That on that last day we will be brought into His presence, becoming in full truth a building not built with hands.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Father God,

Please help us see today what You want for us, what You wanted for the exiles returning.

Please fix within us a steady and sure hope in Your steadfast love and faithfulness – In Your sovereignty at work in our lives.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

This Passover was a spiritual high-point. Yet the complete dissolution of Israel happened within a few years. We must not rest on the laurels of the past. The Church is ever only one generation away from apostasy and decline. Our hope is in Jesus Christ – what He has started He will finish. He was raised from the dead – unlike Josiah!

SJA Notes

* Loving God, help us to bind Your steadfast love and faithfulness around our necks, to write them on the tablet of our hearts – So that we might find favour and good success in Your sight and in the sight of those around us.

“He appointed the priests to their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.”

This is what a king does!

He gives jobs and encourages us in our service.

Our true King, Jesus Christ, God in the Person of the Son – He does this.

Our good works, the jobs given to us in Jesus, were prepared _beforehand_ by God Himself (Ephesians 2:10).

We are all part of the royal priesthood (living stones, spiritual house, 1 Peter 2).

Through Jesus our King we are appointed to the service of God.

Let us be encouraged in this by Him.

Jesus sent His Spirit, which abides in us His people, to encourage us in our service.

We can be encouraged in reading of Josiah, he was a king who patterned Jesus in many ways.

* Dear Lord God,

Thank You for saving us to good works, that we do because You have saved us – As You call us, we love You and do what You ask.

Please help us to love You more each day.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

For his first six years, Josiah knew only his grandfather’s faith! He followed that faith, the faith of his fathers that God blessed. There were many other faiths or religions of his ancestors that God did not bless, but judged, because they brought many evils. The high point was the rediscovery of the Bible! Unfortunately for God’s people, Josiah did not live forever! (v.33) Hallelujah for the birth of Jesus Christ!

SJA Notes

“All his days they did not turn away from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.”

Josiah made a good covenant with the Lord (and with the people). We see true worship, we see humility before the word of the Lord, we see the people turning back to the Lord and idolatry put away and torn down.

It was a good covenant that the king made.

But the king died. And the people died.

As we have seen all through these generations, the spiritual health of the nation rises and falls in good part with the heart of the king.

But the king dies. And the people die.

That is why we need Jesus.

He is the ever-living king who has broken death!

The covenant God enacts through Jesus as King does not end, because our King does not die!

And He is the true man, who was both fully God but also fully man. He has experienced the hardship of this life, the tribals and tribulations, and yet has remained without sin.

The covenant God enacts through Jesus as the righteous man does not end, because as God He is able to enact and keep both sides – And we rest in Him! His righteousness is ours!

* Dear Lord God,

You have made it possible for us to know You, though we are full of sin and unable to save ourselves.

You have worked so that Your right and holy and powerful justice is undiminished, yet we can escape out from under it.

Thank You Lord!

Amen.