2 Chronicles 29:9
“For indeed, because of this our fathers have fallen by the sword; and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity.”
When Hezekiah assumed the throne, the nation of Judah was experiencing difficult times. The Assyrian forces had defeated most of the nations surrounding them, and the threat of Judah being overthrown was a daily reality. All eyes were fixed upon the king. What would he do to protect his people? Hezekiah realized the natural problems needed a spiritual solution. He knew the best defense for the nation would be found in turning back to the Lord, so he called the people to “sanctify themselves.” Sanctify means to set apart. The cure to what ailed the nation was to set themselves apart to the Lord.
I can almost hear those who would complain saying, “Hezekiah we need real world solutions, what are you going to do to protect us against the enemies?” As the story continues to unfold, we will see that Hezekiah did what no other nation was able to do. He led his people to victory over the Assyrians. So striking was this defeat, that Babylon sent delegates to learn Judah’s foreign policy.
I think Hezekiah was on to something. He realized what we often fail to see; almost all natural problems have a spiritual solution. No matter what we might be facing, we will have a better chance of victory when we choose to draw near to the Lord.
Pastor Jim
Amaziah was king of Judah during very tumultuous times. The surrounding nations were a continuous threat, war was a way of life, and the people lived with the constant fear of being attacked. In order to help guard against the enemies, Amaziah hired a group of mercenaries from Israel. Although it was a great expense for the nation, it brought them comfort knowing they had a vast army reserved to assist in the event of battle. At this point in the story, we are introduced to an unnamed man of God who came to the king and warned him not to trust in the mercenaries, but to pay them, and send them back to Israel. He wanted the king to learn two important lessons.
Isaac Newton is credited with discovering certain laws governing the natural world. These laws cannot be broken. The law of gravity simply states, what goes up must come down. We prove that to be true each time we toss something into the air and watch as it lands back on the ground. Just as there are natural laws determining the course of nature, so there are spiritual laws that will determine the course of our lives. One of those laws is expressed here.
These were dark days in Judah. The once glorious land was filled with idols, immorality and unrighteousness. This had so weakened the nation, they were being attacked and defeated on all sides. Desperate times like these always provide a backdrop for men and women of God to rise to the occasion, and have a tremendous impact upon their world for the kingdom of God. Unfortunately, Ahaziah was not that man. Instead of using his position as king to bring about true and lasting change by turning the hearts of the people back to the ways of God, Ahaziah led the people farther and farther away from the Lord. This young man helped weaken the nation and hasten its demise. Sadly, the strongest influence in leading Ahaziah away from the ways of God was his mother, Athaliah, who advised him to do wickedly.
I have often found myself in circumstances similar to that of Jehoshaphat. I am not saying the Moabites have ever tried to attack my house, but I often feel as though I do not know what to do, and my only recourse is to keep my eyes on the Lord. While it is obvious Jehoshaphat did not know how to defeat the swelling armies of his enemies, he was not without direction while he awaited the Lord’s instruction. We see three key ingredients that should be part of our lives when we do not know what to do.
Greek mythology tells the story of the great warrior, Achilles, who survived many battles. As a baby, the legend foretold he would die young. To prevent his death, his mother took him to the River Styx, and dipped his body into the water. She held Achilles by the heel, so his heel was not washed over by the magical waters. Later in battle a poisonous arrow struck him in his heel killing him.
Sometimes, when reading our way through the Bible, we come across phrases that don’t seem to make sense. This is one of those times. In this text we find the king of Judah, a man reigning over the nation God chose to be a light to the whole world, strengthening himself against Israel. He is building defenses, not against the nations around him, but against the northern tribes who had the same call as he did. Instead of reading that the twelve tribes developed a unified front to reach the world with the message of God, we find Judah had to build defenses against the attacks from Israel.
There are some truths that are so powerful it seems almost frightening to open them up. That is certainly true of this particular verse. The truth tucked away here is so powerful it has the ability to transform the life of every individual who will apply it, and to bring about real and lasting changes in the world in which we live. It is a truth that might even need a warning label. “If you apply this verse to your life, God will do great things in and through you.”
Sometimes we come across passages of Scripture that are difficult to interpret. The imagery is something we do not quite understand, or we feel as though not enough information is given to really explain what the text means. THIS IS NOT one of those times. This passage could not be more clear. There is no doubt left in the mind of the reader as to what we are being told. Two contrasting truths are presented.
Jim Gallagher 