Burunche’s Blog

Ezra 3:1 – 13 Sacrifices Restored

“By the seventh month, the Israelites had settled in their towns, and the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem. Then Jeshua son of Jozadaka and his fellow priests, along with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God. They set up the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the LORD—both the morning and evening burnt offerings—even though they feared the people of the land.

They also celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in accordance with what is written, and they offered burnt offerings daily based on the number prescribed for each day.

After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings and those for New Moons and for all the appointed sacred feasts of the LORD, as well as all the freewill offerings brought to the LORD.

On the first day of the seventh month, the Israelites began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, although the foundation of the temple of the LORD had not been laid. They gave money to the masons and carpenters, and food and drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, as authorized by King Cyrus of Persia.

Temple Restoration Begins

In the second month of the second year after they had arrived at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates including the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned to Jerusalem from the captivity, began the work. They appointed Levites twenty years of age or older to supervise the construction of the house of the LORD. So Jeshua and his sons and brothers, Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Yehudah), and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.

When the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their positions to praise the LORD, as King David of Israel had prescribed. And they sang responsively with praise and thanksgiving to the LORD:

“For He is good; for His loving devotion to Israel endures forever.” Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD had been laid.

But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the first temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple. Still, many others shouted joyfully. The people could not distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people were making so much noise. And the sound was heard from afar.”

“Bravery is being afraid and saddling up anyway,” to quote John Wayne. Based on that standard, these recently returnees from Babylon are very brave! Even though they have re-settled in their traditional cities, the Israelites now come together in Jerusalem and the priests build the altar and begin making sacrifices out in the open. These people may be worshiping while watching for an attack by the local people, but they are worshiping anyway.

Who are the “people of the land” the returnees fear? When the Babylonians and Assyrians carried off captives, they brought in people from other conquered lands to work the farms and the vineyards. In the beginning, these people had no fear of God; however, after several attacks by wild animals, authorities brought back a few priests to teach the people about the God of Israel. Those people who had been resettled from elsewhere then combined worshiping God with worshiping their other deities. These people became the Samaritans, and their compromised form of worship helped separate them from the Jews who returned from captivity.

The Israelites begin by celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and all the other feasts in their appointed times. The priests offer the sacrifices required by the Law of Moses. At this point, nobody is worshiping Asherah, Moloch, or any of the other pagan gods; exile has taught the Jews some bitter but valuable lessons. Living in Babylon, these people have seen first – hand a society that is not based on the worship of the One True Living God.

Next, the people begin building the temple. When the foundation has been laid, there is a mammoth celebration with singing, blowing of trumpets, and all kinds of other instruments. But mingled in the crowd are elders who remember the glories of Solomon’s temple before it was ransacked. The foundations for this temple are far smaller than that of Solomon’s, and the comparison is heart – breaking. So while the younger Israelites are rejoicing, those who remember the previous temple are wailing in grief for the loss of it. The noise is amazing, echoing through the valleys surrounding Jerusalem. 

APPLICATION: When the Jews returned from exile, things weren’t easy at all. The Bible speaks airily about families re-settling in their towns and villages, but remember that after the Jews had left, other people came in and took over their houses and lands. Now the Jews were trying to re -claim those properties, and it’s likely that those holding them would not give up readily. How many times must those returnees have wished fervently that their ancestors had behaved themselves so that the exile would never have taken place! The friction that ensued when the Jews tried to reclaim their property might have fueled antagonisms between the Jews and Samaritans.

When the foundations for the new temple were laid, the younger people might have been thrilled. After all, they had only heard about Solomon’s temple but had never seen it. But for the elders who knew Solomon’s temple, this shrunken floor plan must have been a bitter disappointment. While the elders were pragmatic enough to realize that they had to tailor their building to the resources available, all they had to do was to look at the remains of Solomon’s temple to see that this temple would be minuscule by comparison. Ironically, it was gross neglect of Solomon’s temple that helped spur moral degradation of both Israel and Judah, resulting in successive waves of conquerors assailing the two kingdoms.

We can learn several things from this story:

1. When God gives you a gift, take care of it! God gave the Promised Land to the Jews, and all they had to do to remain in it was to follow His instructions. But repeatedly, the Jews demonstrated that they had less fear of the Living God than did their pagan neighbors. The Jews refused to receive correction when God sent prophets, ignoring them and even killing them. How many times has God tried to get our attention, while we have made excuses and directed our energies and resources to entertaining ourselves and making our lives comfortable?
2. If we are the ones tasked with rebuilding a situation, we need to take courage and do our best, even if our efforts result in something far smaller than the original buildings/organizations/foundations. Those who returned from exile went ahead in the face of local opposition to erect the altar, re – establish regular worship, and lay the foundations of the temple. The elders might have been weeping for what they had lost, but they were still helping anyway.
3. Worship is always important, but even more so when we face opposition. There is never a time when worship is more necessary than when we are under scrutiny and criticism.

May God help us to worship Him daily, no matter how difficult our circumstances are, even if our knees are shaking!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow You closely all the days of our lives and to worship You, no matter what. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Ezra 2:1 – 70 The List of Returning Exiles (Nehemiah 7:4-69)

“Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 2accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

This is the count of the men of Israel: the descendants of Parosh, 2,172; the descendants of Shephatiah, 372; the descendants of Arah, 775; the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812; the descendants of Elam, 1,254; the descendants of Zattu, 945; the descendants of Zaccai, 760; the descendants of Bani, 642; the descendants of Bebai, 623; the descendants of Azgad, 1,222; the descendants of Adonikam, 666; the descendants of Bigvai, 2,056; the descendants of Adin, 454; the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98; the descendants of Bezai, 323; the descendants of Jorah, 112; the descendants of Hashum, 223; the descendants of Gibbar, 95; the men of Bethlehem, 123; the men of Netophah, 56; the men of Anathoth, 128; the descendants of Azmaveth, 42; the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743; the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; the men of Michmash, 122; the men of Bethel and Ai, 223; the descendants of Nebo, 52; the descendants of Magbish, 156; the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254; the descendants of Harim, 320; the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725; the men of Jericho, 345; and the descendants of Senaah, 3,630.

The priests: The descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973; the descendants of Immer, 1,052; the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247; and the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah), 74.

The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 128.

The descendants of the gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai, 139 in all.

The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephusim, the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Tamah, the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.

The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Peruda, the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami. The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.

The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but could not prove that their families were descended from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 652 in all.

And from among the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.

The whole assembly numbered 42,360, in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers. They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Offerings by the Exiles (Nehemiah 7:70-73) When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings to rebuild the house of God on its original site. According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly garments. (1,129.7 pounds or 512.4 kilograms of gold coins, 5,000 minas are approximately 3.14 tons or 2.85 metric tons of silver.)

So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, along with some of the people, settled in their own towns; and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.”

Ezra is describing the first group of Jews to return to Jerusalem – “The whole assembly numbered 42,360, in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers. They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.”

Pity Ezra the scribe! Ezra was attempting to record every family that returned from Persia to Jerusalem. Why were these detailed records so important? Tracing one’s family was essential if one were to be allowed to participate in temple worship, particularly as a priest. Notice that one group of men descended from the daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite, David’s friend, were unable to trace their ancestry convincingly and therefore were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The priests postponed this decision until they could consult the Urim and Thummim.

Why didn’t all the Jews leave Babylon to return to Israel? Well, these people had been settled in Babylon for generations and were now comfortable. Those returning to Israel faced an uncertain future while those who remained in Babylon felt safe. When Ezra was listing families willing to take that risk, he was recording the names of pioneers, people willing to fulfill the Will of God by leaving the comforts of Babylon and risking their lives on a journey of several hundred miles to return to cities that lay in ruins. It was no small thing for a family to be listed here.

When the delegation reached Jerusalem, the heads of families donated a staggering amount of wealth to help rebuild the temple. Then all these people settled in their own towns.

APPLICATION: These days, tracing one’s ancestry has become big business. In some parts of the world, people can recite their ancestry for several generations. Ezra was carefully recording all these families because later their descendants would want verification of the contributions their families made to the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem.

For priestly families, it was critically important to assure that only those who were fully qualified would minister in the temple. Priestly families also enjoyed certain perks, including sharing meat from offerings, etc. The children of priests had to be careful to marry into the proper families so that they would not accidently forfeit their privileges.

For those of us who serve the One True Living God, we are doubly blessed. No matter who our fathers are, we have a Heavenly Father who is the King of Heaven. While the priests had to continue to offer sacrifices, our sins have been paid for by the blood sacrifice Jesus made on the cross at Calvary. So while it’s nice to know where we have come from, what’s more important is our eventual destination: heaven.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, thank You for sending Jesus to die for our sins so that we aren’t dependent on where we have come from or who our families are. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

The Proclamation of Cyrus (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Isaiah 45:1-25)

“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”

So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. And all their neighbors supported them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuables, in addition to all their freewill offerings.

Cyrus Restores the Holy Vessels

King Cyrus also brought out the articles belonging to the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods. Cyrus king of Persia had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. This was the inventory: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 silver utensils, 1030 gold bowls, 410 matching silver bowls, and 1,000 other articles. In all, there were 5,400 gold and silver articles. Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles went up from Babylon to Jerusalem.”

King Cyrus of Persia is in the first year of his reign when he makes a startling proclamation encouraging Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Why might a pagan king make such a pronouncement? “He is the God who is in Jerusalem.” Cyrus may view the Jewish God as a local god seated in Jerusalem; however, he is wise enough to realize that he needs all the spiritual support he can get. The God of the Jews is the same God who destroyed an enormous Egyptian army and then did miracles in the wilderness. This same God has delivered the Jews many times. Why not rebuild His temple in hopes of propitiating Him?

“Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let every survivor, wherever he lives, be assisted by the men of that region with silver, gold, goods, and livestock, along with a freewill offering for the house of God in Jerusalem.’”

Wow! Is Cyrus encouraging a mass exodus of all of his Jewish subjects? Doubtful. Cyrus fully realizes that there are those who may have settled into Babylon so completely that they won’t want to return to Jerusalem. But Cyrus is a munificent king who does things in a big way and who expects his subjects to do the same. Amazingly, Cyrus’s subjects do respond generously, and Jewish family heads prepare to leave for Jerusalem.

Yet another miracle takes place when Cyrus has all the furnishings from the temple of Jerusalem brought out and itemized. Thousands of years later, not only do we know exactly which items were sent back to Jerusalem, but we also know the names of the Persian treasurer and the Jewish prince to whom the items were given. Remember that these items are not the same ones created by King Solomon; through the years, successive kings have looted the temple, sending its treasures out of the country to buy off marauding armies. But these vessels might be the same ones that Belteshazzar and his courtiers were using the night God’s handwriting appeared on the wall and Daniel gave the interpretation.

APPLICATION: In the time of Cyrus, the Persian Empire was vast and highly organized. The Book of Esther describes royal messengers traveling hastily throughout the kingdom. Ostensibly, Cyrus had no reason to pay attention to the God of the Jews, but he did. Cyrus had a better appreciation for God than some of the Jews had.

Sometimes viewing current events around the world can become quite depressing. As I am writing this, Russia is still attacking Ukraine. There are political upheavals and economic downturns in several countries. Chaos appears to be the order of the day. We wonder if there is any hope left in the world. That might have been exactly the way the Jewish exiles in Persia felt. Seventy years had passed and there appeared to be no changes in their situation. The prophet Daniel even began special prayers when he realized that the seventy years foretold by Jeremiah had passed. It was when Daniel prayed that the Angel Gabriel came to him, encouraging him.

We all should be encouraged by the story of Cyrus. Even though the Jews thought that God had abandoned them in Persia, that was not true. When the time came for the delegation to leave for Jerusalem, Cyrus made the announcement and then ensured that the delegation would have everything it needed to be successful. While Daniel did not accompany that delegation, Daniel’s prayers helped assure them of success as well.

God can swiftly turn tragedies into celebrations and mourning into dancing. Psalm 126 tells us:

“When the LORD restored the captives of Zion, we were like dreamers.

Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” The LORD has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.

Restore our captives, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.

He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.”

The phrase about “streams in the Negev” refers to the fact that dry stream beds can suddenly fill with water when it rains in the mountain watershed that feeds those streams. In a few minutes, a stream bed can go from being empty and dry to being full to overflowing. God can move in an instant! Do not be discouraged or down – hearted! If you are continuing to serve the Lord, He is watching. At the right time, God will move and help you.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust Your timing and Your provision. Keep us free from doubt, knowing that You are the One who orders the stars and the planets, the seasons and the weather. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

NOVEMBER 21, 2022 ANOTHER LOOK AT THE ISRAELITES PART TWO #39 2 CHRONICLES 36:1 – 23 JOSIAH DIES – NOW IT’S OPEN SEASON ON JUDAH!

2 Chronicles 36:1 – Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah (2 Kings 23:31-35)

“Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king in Jerusalem in place of his father. Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And the king of Egypt dethroned him in Jerusalem and imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. (100 talents is approximately 3.77 tons or 3.42 metric tons of silver. A talent is approximately 75.4 pounds or 34.2 kilograms of gold.)

Then Neco king of Egypt made Eliakim brother of Jehoahaz king over Judah and Jerusalem, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Eliakim’s brother Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt.

Jehoiakim Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 23:36-37)

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

Then Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jehoiakim and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also took to Babylon some of the articles from the house of the LORD, and he put them in his temple in Babylon. As for the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, the abominations he committed, and all that was found against him, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And his son Jehoiachin reigned in his place.

Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 24:6-9)

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months and ten days. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

In the spring, King Nebuchadnezzar summoned Jehoiachin and brought him to Babylon, along with the articles of value from the house of the LORD. And he made Jehoiachin’s relative Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Zedekiah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 24:18-20; Jeremiah 52:1-3)

Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke for the LORD.

He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. Furthermore, all the leaders of the priests and the people multiplied their unfaithful deeds, following all the abominations of the nations, and they defiled the house of the LORD, which He had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1-7)

Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.

So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who put their choice young men to the sword in the sanctuary, sparing neither young men nor young women, neither elderly nor infirm. God gave them all into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, who carried off everything to Babylon—all the articles of the house of God, both large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king and his officials.

Then the Chaldeans set fire to the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned down all the palaces and destroyed every article of value.

Those who escaped the sword were carried by Nebuchadnezzar into exile in Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power.

So the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation, until seventy years were completed, in fulfillment of the word of the LORD through Jeremiah.

The Proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4; Isaiah 45:1-25)

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows:

“This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

‘The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and may he go up.’”

What’s the value of a single righteous life? As long as Josiah was king, the nation of Judah served the Lord. But when Josiah died at age 39, his son Jehoahaz succeeded him and things went downhill swiftly!

What does the term “Open Season” mean? Generally, there are restrictions for various kinds of game that people can hunt. Such restrictions might include hunting only at certain times of the year or under certain conditions. But “open season” indicates that a particular animal may be hunted at any time and under any conditions. With Josiah’s death, the last righteous leader is gone, the people are reverting to idolatry, and it’s open season on Judah.

Pharoah Neco might have left Judah alone, but when he learned that Josiah was dead, he came to Jerusalem, deposed Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and carrying him off to Egypt. Neco imposed a weighty levy on Judah, and made Jehoahaz’s brother Jehoiakim king in his place. Jehoiakim ruled for eleven years, leading Judah further into idolatry, until King Nebuchadnezzar raided Jerusalem, carrying off some of the treasures and taking Jehoiakim into slavery in Babylon. Later, Nebuchadnezzar returned to Jerusalem, collecting everything of value, killing many of its inhabitants, sending many of them into captivity in Babylon, and then breaking down the city walls. Judah and Jerusalem remained in this state for seventy years as foretold by Jeremiah, but then a miracle happened.

Just after Cyrus became king of Persia, he issued an edict: “The LORD, the God of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and may he go up.’” Amazing! Incredible! A pagan king who has never known the Living God suddenly made one of the most important proclamations of all time.

APPLICATION: Once more, we see the sad results of Josiah’s hasty decision to attack Pharaoh Neco. Josiah died at age 39, and his son was 23 when he succeeded Josiah, so Josiah must have fathered this man when he was 16. Obviously, Josiah did little or nothing to train this man in the ways of God. The evil kings described here reigned about 23 years altogether; Josiah might have reigned for that 23-year period, prolonging the era of revival in Judah. Who knows how many people slid into idolatry because of Josiah’s premature death? No, Josiah’s decision was a very selfish one and not befitting of a wise king.

For graphic descriptions of the last days of Jerusalem and the chaos that ensued, we can turn to the Books of Jeremiah and Lamentations. These days, there are many people who choose to refer to themselves as “Prophet ____,” thus garnering lots of attention and money. But true prophets have a very rough time of it! There is an apocryphal story that Maimonides, the twelfth century Hebrew sage, once said, “Tell the truth and see the world,” indicating that if you tell the truth, you had better be prepared to flee quickly once you have done so! (Maimonides and his family fled religious persecution from country to country for much of his life.) 

The proclamation of Cyrus calling for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem stands as something miraculous. By this point, the Persian Empire was enormous, stretching from modern Indi, Pakistan and Turkey all the way to Egypt. Jerusalem belonged to a tiny nation that had been destroyed seventy years earlier; its walls lay in ruins. And yet God moved Cyrus to make this pronouncement. Did God give Cyrus a dream or speak to him in an audible voice? We don’t know; we only know that shortly after Cyrus began his reign, he made this proclamation.

“The returning exiles came to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua. They enthusiastically rebuilt the altar, resumed sacrifice, and began rebuilding the temple. For eighteen years they were delayed by enemies from the north, but in 520 B.C. an appeal to Darius, King of Persia, made it possible for them to resume work. Encouraged by Haggai and Zecariah, whose prophetic messages are directly related to the rebuilding project, the people completed and dedicated the temple in 516 B. C., as recorded in Ezra 1 – 6.” (The Amplified Bible, Introduction to the Book of Ezra)

The Books of Chronicles were likely compiled by Ezra, the scribe and priest who led the second delegation back from Babylon to Jerusalem in 458 B.C. Comparing the Books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings with the books of 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles, we realize that Ezra was far more interested in the spiritual state of the kings than in some of the details. But Ezra was viewing events through the lens of hindsight and could readily see where things went wrong.

In the American South, there is a saying that everybody is good for something, either for a good example or for a bad one. May those who come after us find us faithful, so our lives serve as good examples!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to live in such as way that we will glorify You throughout our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

“Then Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and the Passover lamb was slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month. He appointed the priests to their duties and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.

To the Levites who taught all Israel and were holy to the LORD, Josiah said: “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. It is not to be carried around on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. Prepare yourselves by your families in your divisions, according to the instructions written by David king of Israel and his son Solomon.

Moreover, stand in the Holy Place by the divisions of the families of your fellow countrymen, the lay people, and according to the divisions of the families of the Levites. Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your fellow countrymen to carry out the word of the LORD given by Moses.”

From his own flocks and herds, Josiah contributed 30,000 lambs and goats plus 3,000 bulls for the Passover offerings for all the people who were present.

His officials also contributed willingly to the people and priests and Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the administrators of the house of God, gave the priests 2,600 Passover offerings and 300 bulls. Additionally, Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, as well as Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated to the Levites 5,000 Passover offerings and 500 bulls.

So the service was prepared; the priests stood in their places and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command. And they slaughtered the Passover lambs, while the priests sprinkled the blood handed to them and the Levites skinned the animals. They set aside the burnt offerings to be given to the divisions of the families of the people to offer to the LORD, as is written in the Book of Moses; and they did the same with the bulls.

They roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the regulation, and they boiled the other holy offerings in pots, kettles, and bowls and quickly brought them to all the people. Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering up burnt offerings and fat until nightfall. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. And the gatekeepers at each gate did not need to leave their position, because their fellow Levites made preparations for them.

So on that day the entire service of the LORD was carried out for celebrating the Passover and offering burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah. The Israelites who were present also observed the Passover at that time, as well as the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days. No such Passover had been observed in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present, and the people of Jerusalem. In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.

The Death of Josiah (2 Kings 23:28-30)

After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, O king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty. God told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or He will destroy you!”

Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo. There the archers shot King Josiah, who said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded!” So his servants took him out of his chariot, put him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. And Josiah was buried in the tomb of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him.

Laments over Josiah

Then Jeremiah lamented over Josiah, and to this day all the choirs of men and women sing laments over Josiah. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Book of Laments.

As for the rest of the acts of Josiah, along with his deeds of loving devotion according to what is written in the Law of the LORD, and his words, from beginning to end, they are indeed written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.”

Josiah is continuing his reforms and now wants to celebrate Passover. Some previous kings have celebrated Passover, but nobody has celebrated the way Josiah does! The first thing Josiah does is to make sure the priests, Levites, and common people consecrate themselves so that they can celebrate according to the Law. Next, Josiah donates lavishly. Look at the animals slaughtered: Josiah himself donates 30,000 lambs and goats plus 3,000 bulls. Josiah’s officials also contributed 2600 Passover offerings and 300 bulls. Several of the Levites also donated 5,000 Passover offerings and 500 bulls. (Presumably, “Passover offerings” would refer to the lambs.) The results of these preparations are celebrations the likes of which have never been seen since the prophet Samuel.

Josiah continues the work on the temple until it is complete. All is well in Judah for the time being, and Josiah has is set for a long and prosperous reign, until he makes a fatal mistake. Pharaoh Neco is rushing to a battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates, several hundred miles east of Jerusalem. Puffed up with pride, Josiah insists on going out to confront Neco. Neco sensibly asks Josiah why Josiah is attacking, since Neco has no issue with Judah. Not only that, but Neco warns Josiah that he, Neco, is on a mission from God and that God has told him to hurry. If Josiah is foolish enough to insist on attacking the Egyptians, God will destroy him.

Josiah refuses to listen to Pharaoh Neco – and God; instead, Josiah attacks Neco’s huge army with fatal results. Disguising himself as a common charioteer, Josiah plunges into battle and is fatally wounded by Egyptian archers. Josiah’s servants take him back to Jerusalem where he dies. So ends the rule of the last righteous king of Judah.

APPLICATION:  Josiah became king when he was eight and he has reigned until his death in battle at age thirty – nine. The sad thing is that Josiah’s death at this time is totally unnecessary. Blinded by pride, Josiah decides to seek glory on the battlefield, ignoring the word of God because it is coming from a pagan Egyptian.

Is Josiah’s death at this early age the perfect will of God? Likely, no. There is no indication that God has moved Josiah to fight Pharaoh Neco, and Neco himself has warned Josiah to remain in Jerusalem. Why does Josiah, a man who previously has always sought God’s will suddenly decide to engage in a senseless fight? Pride might be one answer; however, let’s consider another possibility.

Even though Josiah has cleansed Judah from its idols and has rebuilt the temple, and has moved all the leaders of Jerusalem and Benjamin to covenant with God, things may be quietly falling apart. Have all those elders acted on their oaths or are they sliding back into idolatry? Are the priests and Levites remaining righteous, or have they begun compromising themselves? Perhaps Josiah has learned that his reforms are being undermined by those who should have maintained them. It’s very tough to keep an entire nation on track if leaders are sliding back into corruption. Under such circumstances, it’s possible that Josiah might choose to challenge Neco with the idea that if he survives, it’s God’s will and if he dies, God will take him to Himself. 

In police circles there is a term “death by cop.” When someone is in despair, sometimes that person will incite the police to shoot at him/her in hopes that he/she will die in the conflict. It’s a form of suicide, even though the fatal blow comes from someone else. Perhaps Josiah’s foolish attack on Pharaoh Neco is really a form of “death by pharaoh.”

We must always listen for God’s words, even when they come from unlikely sources. Josiah refused to listen to Pharaoh Neco because Neco was a pagan; however, if God could speak through Balaam’s donkey, He could certainly speak through Neco. There is no indication that Josiah sought God’s will before moving out to confront Neco. Josiah’s premature death at age thirty – nine deprived Judah of its last righteous king. Who knows how much more good Josiah would have done, had he lived another twenty or thirty years? May we learn from Josiah’s example and seek God’s guidance in all our major decisions, remembering that those decisions may have lasting consequences for people we might never meet.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to always turn to You for guidance, never forgetting that You are the only One who knows the end from the beginning. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22:8-13)

While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the LORD given by Moses. And Hilkiah said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the LORD!” And he gave it to Shaphan.

Then Shaphan brought the book to the king and reported, “Your servants are doing all that has been placed in their hands. They have paid out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have put it into the hands of the supervisors and workers.”

Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his clothes and commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the servant of the king: “Go and inquire of the LORD for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah concerning the words in the book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that has been poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD by doing all that is written in this book.”

Huldah’s Prophecy (2 Kings 22:14-20)

So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went and spoke to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, the keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem, in the Second District.

And Huldah said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out upon this place and will not be quenched.’

But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and because you have humbled yourself before Me and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.

‘Now I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.’” So they brought her answer back to the king.

Josiah Renews the Covenant (2 Kings 23:1-3)

Then the king summoned all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. And he went up to the house of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites—all the people small and great—and in their hearing he read all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD.

So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. Then he had everyone in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand in agreement to it. So all the people of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

And Josiah removed all the abominations from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required everyone in Israel to serve the LORD their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.”

The story is nearly incredible! The priests are bringing out the money that has been collected for temple repairs when they just “happen” to find the Book of the Law of Moses. WHAT? Throughout all generations, the priests have been charged with keeping the Law, especially as it regards temple worship. But somehow during the time all these pagan kings have been in power, the Book of the Law has gotten shoved into a dusty corner covered with cobwebs.

Perhaps a conscientious priest hid the Book of the Law during the first part of Manasseh’s reign when Manasseh was bringing graven images and additional altars into the temple. Perhaps the priests feared that if Manasseh ever got his hands on that book, he would burn it. But once something has been put away for safe keeping, it is easily forgotten. Now Hilkiah the priest gives the Book to Shaphan the scribe who then informs Josiah,
“Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” Why does Shaphan make such an off – handed remark about something so important? Previous kings killed anyone teaching the ways of the Lord. Even now, Shaphan still isn’t certain what kind of reception he will get.

When Shaphan reads the Law to King Josiah, Josiah is stunned! Here is the Word of the God whom Josiah has been worshiping, and his people have violated every single one of God’s commands for generations. Josiah sees clearly that unless his people repent immediately, they are bound for destruction. Josiah is no fool; he fully realizes that some of his subjects have merely given lip service to his reforms but continue to worship idols.

Realizing the perilous situation of the people of Judah, Josiah tears his garments in despair and then asks the priests to inquire of the Lord regarding the fate of his people. It is highly significant that the priests do not use the ephod and the Urim and Thummim to discern the will of the Lord but rather go to Huldah the prophetess. Amazingly, even in these uncertain times, there is still a woman hearing from the Lord.

Huldah’s message is a grim one: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Tell the man who sent you that this is what the LORD says: I am about to bring calamity on this place and on its people, according to all the curses written in the book that has been read in the presence of the king of Judah, because they have forsaken Me and burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out upon this place and will not be quenched.’

But as for the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD, tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and because you have humbled yourself before Me and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I have heard you,’ declares the LORD.

‘Now I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the calamity that I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants.’”  

Josiah is horrified, but he does what he can. Calling the elders of Jerusalem and Benjamin together, Josiah reads all the Law to them and then stands by the King’s Pillar in the temple and swears that he will follow the Lord and keep His commands, decrees, and statutes. Then all the leaders of Benjamin and Jerusalem also enter into a covenant to keep all of the Law.

APPLICATION: There is a famous novel by a Nigerian writer named Chinua Achebe entitled Things Fall Apart. Set in the 1890’s, the novel depicts the social upheaval brought by missionaries and the colonial government to a society previously governed by traditional rules. For King Josiah, reading the Book of the Law is just as earth – shaking as the events described in that novel. Josiah is emotionally shattered as he realizes that Judah is bound for destruction. Things are falling apart; what can Josiah do?

Fully aware of the sins of the people, Josiah now realizes that generations of disdain for God are about to bring disaster on Judah. The Assyrians have already conquered Israel, leaving it in tatters. Now the prophetess Huldah confirms Josiah’s worst fears: Judah is bound for destruction as well. Josiah tries to forestall this calamity by reading the Law to the leaders and getting them to swear oaths before God. Are these leaders really serious? Who knows? But at least they honor the Lord for the remainder of Josiah’s reign.

Any group will only be as righteous as a group as its leadership; however, individual members may continue to cherish pet sins and practice idolatry in private. Josiah’s reforms hold off destruction for a few decades. Sometimes we have to be content with doing what we can, realizing that others who succeed us may pursue less noble agendas. But God does not hold us responsible for the actions of our successors, only for our own responses to our situation. May we take courage from Josiah’s example and do everything we can in our homes, our schools, our churches, our businesses, and our society so that God will be honored as much as possible in our day!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to honor You in all aspects of our lives so that those around us will honor You also. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Josiah Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 22:1-2)

2 Chronicles 34:1 – 13 “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Josiah Destroys Idolatry (1 Kings 13:1-10; 2 Kings 23:4-20)

In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, Josiah began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images. Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he cut to pieces the incense altars that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved idols, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. Then he burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them. He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Josiah Repairs the Temple (2 Kings 22:3-7)

Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.

So they went to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites at the doors had collected from the people of Manasseh and Ephraim, from all the remnant of Israel, Judah, and Benjamin, and from the people of Jerusalem. They put it into the hands of the supervisors of those doing the work of the house of the LORD, who in turn gave it to the workmen restoring and repairing the house of the LORD. They also gave money to the carpenters and builders to buy dressed stone, as well as timbers for couplings and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had allowed to deteriorate. And the men did the work faithfully. The Levites overseeing them were Jahath and Obadiah, descendants of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam descendants of Kohath. Other Levites, all skilled with musical instruments, were over the laborers and supervised all who did the work, task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers.

 

Sometimes reading the stories of the kings of Judah and Israel is extremely depressing. One man after another messes up, leading his people further and further into spiritual La Brea tar pits. But the story of Josiah gives us one last ray of light and encourages us that even if someone comes from a bad background, even if someone becomes a king as a child, righteousness can still prevail with proper advisors and supporters.

King Hezekiah was righteous but fathered Manasseh, who brought idolatry back to Judah. Manasseh repented once in captivity in Babylon and returned to Jerusalem to try to undo the horrors that he had created. When Manasseh’s son Amon ascended to the throne at age twenty – one, he proceeded to bring back full – bore idolatry. Amon was so terrible that his own servants killed him in the palace after only two years of his rule. Now Amon’s eight-year-old son, Josiah, has become king.

Miraculously, Josiah loves God and serves Him whole – heartedly just as King David did. These comments are a high tribute to whomever has trained Josiah in the ways of God. Josiah begins to seek God when he is sixteen and when he is twenty, he cleanses Judah and Jerusalem of high places, Asherah poles, and idols of every sort, cast and carved. Josiah crushes all these items to dust and then scatters that dust over the graves of those who had worshipped those idols. Josiah kills the pagan priests and burns their bones on the pagan altars, desecrating them. Not only does Josiah do this in Jerusalem and Judah, but also throughout the Northern Kingdom as well. “Josiah did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, as far as Naphtali, and in the ruins around them. He tore down the altars and Asherah poles, crushed the idols to powder, and cut to pieces all the incense altars throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.”

Why can Josiah go throughout most of the Northern Kingdom cleansing it? Sadly, the Assyrians have already killed most of the citizens of the Northern Kingdom or carried them off into captivity. Now that the idolators have perished, there is nobody left to oppose Josiah. And Josiah’s coming has been foretold from the time Jeroboam built the altar at Bethel.

The story is told in 1 Kings 13. Jeroboam has just built two big altars, complete with golden calves, one in Dan and the other in Bethel. “And behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. The man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord, O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you shall he offer the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.”

When Josiah is twenty – six years old, to cleanse the land and the temple, he orders that the temple in Jerusalem be repaired. These are the first repairs in a long time, and there is a great deal to do. Moved by the Holy Spirit, people from all over Judah and from much of the Northern Kingdom have donated money for this cause. Even though this work is beyond the scope of the traditional duties of the priests, they assume positions as supervisors and general contractors, assuring that the work is done properly.

Once more, Ezra carefully records the names of those handling most of the duties. Even though these men have died thousands of years ago, God is still reminding us of their faithfulness and their attention to their tasks. Never assume that God does not know your circumstances! Never feel that your efforts have gone unnoticed or unappreciated! God knows! God sees! God understands!

Tomorrow we will continue the story of Josiah. Josiah acted righteously and loved God because people whose names have not been recorded here discipled him properly. We must train our children while they are young; it is a mistake to leave children alone and assume they will make right choices later. If we love our children, we will train them in the ways of God and discipline them. Proverbs 13:24 tells us, “A refusal to correct is a refusal to love; love your children by disciplining them.” (The Message)

We must always remember that God is watching and taking note of our efforts. When we are discouraged and feel that our struggles are in vain, we should turn to God, the only One who truly knows us.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. Help us to love You more each day than we did the day before. And help us to train the children around us so that they will truly know You, the One True Living God. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.  

2 Chronicles 33:1 – 25 Manasseh Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 21:1-9)

” Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he raised up altars for the Baals and made Asherah poles. And he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.

Manasseh also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever.” both courtyards of the house of the LORD, he built altars to all the host of heaven. He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Manasseh even took the carved image he had made and set it up in the house of God, of which God had said to David and his son Solomon, “In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will establish My Name forever. I will never again cause the feet of the Israelites to leave the land that I assigned to your fathers, if only they are careful to do all that I have commanded them through Moses—all the laws, statutes, and judgments.”

So Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.

Manasseh’s Repentance and Restoration (2 Kings 21:10-18)

And the LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they did not listen. So the LORD brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.

After this, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate, and he brought it around the Ophel and heightened it considerably. He also stationed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah.

He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city. Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

As for the rest of the acts of Manasseh, along with his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD, the God of Israel, they are indeed written in the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. His prayer and how God received his plea, as well as all his sin and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself, they are indeed written in the Records of the Seers. And Manasseh rested with his fathers and was buried at his palace. And his son Amon reigned in his place.

Amon Reigns in Judah (2 Kings 21:19-26) Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem two years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon served and sacrificed to all the idols that his father Manasseh had made, but he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done; instead, Amon increased his guilt. Then the servants of Amon conspired against him and killed him in his palace. But the people of the land killed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.”

Remember God granting Hezekiah fifteen additional years of life? During that time, Manasseh, Hezekiah’s successor, was born. Why Manasseh wound up as king at age twelve is a mystery. Didn’t Hezekiah have other sons who were older and wiser who might have succeeded him? Was Manasseh’s mother a favorite wife who manipulated the aging Hezekiah? This information is unavailable. But when Manasseh became king, obviously, those advising him were full – bore idolaters who had been enduring Hezekiah’s reforms just waiting for their opportunity.

It is always a bad mistake to assume that evil has been defeated and will never resurface! Within a short time, Manasseh built Asherah poles, altars, and high places throughout Judah. Not content with building pagan altars, Manasseh even offered his sons as live burnt offerings to Moloch in the Valley of Hinnom. Manasseh set up pagan altars and pagan images in the temple and turned his back on the God of Israel. “So Manasseh led the people of Judah and Jerusalem astray, so that they did greater evil than the nations that the LORD had destroyed before the Israelites.”  Judah was rapidly sliding into a spiritual morass, until the kings of Assyria captured Manasseh, placed a hook in his nose, and sent him to Babylon in chains.

While Manasseh was in captivity in Babylon, a miracle happened. “And in his distress, Manasseh sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his fathers. And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition; so He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.”

Manasseh returned to Jerusalem a totally changed man! “He removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, along with all the altars he had built on the temple mount and in Jerusalem, and he dumped them outside the city. Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.” For the rest of Manasseh’s reign, he did well. Then Manasseh died at age 67 and his son Amon reigned in his place.

Amon was twenty – one when he became king, and he was horrible. In two short years, Amon attempted to undo all the good that his father had done in the latter part of his career. Did Amon assume that his father had been a weak and foolish old man when he turned to the God of Israel? Did Manasseh attempt to teach Amon, only to have Amon refuse to listen? The only thing we know is that Amon was so horrible that his own servants killed him in the palace. Evidently, nobody mourned Amon’s death.

APPLICATION: Several years ago, I heard the testimony of a man who had been a member of the Hell’s Angels motorcycle gang, despite the prayers of his mother. But at a point, God got this man’s attention. The man took refuge in a phone booth in rural Oregon. Just as the Hell’s Angels were about to capture and kill him, the man called his mother in South Carolina, who called a local Assemblies of God minister. The minister turned out to be a big strong man who looked fully capable of defending himself. The minister collected this man from a phone booth just as the Hell’s Angels were about to attack him, took him home, and led him to the Lord. I attended church with the man’s mother, and I knew the story was true. Something similar happened to Manasseh.

Manasseh repented, and God extricated him from the Assyrians and returned him to Jerusalem, where he did everything he could to undo the spiritual damage that he had done previously. Too bad Manasseh’s son Amon refused to learn from his father’s experiences. Amon ruled for only two years, was assassinated, and was not mourned by anybody.

Sometimes we pray for unsaved family members and wonder if our prayers do any good. Manasseh’s story should give all of us help. The same God who picked Manasseh out of captivity in Babylon and brought him back to Jerusalem can do the same thing for our loved ones. One of my favorite Gospel songs says, “I know my God can turn it around!” Don’t lose hope! Don’t stop praying! Remember Manasseh! God can still turn seemingly hopeless situations into victory!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to trust You and to continue to pray, even when things appear hopeless, knowing that you are still the God of miracles! In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 32:1 – 33 Sennacherib Invades Judah (2 Kings 18:13-16; Psalm 46:1-11; Psalm 47:1-9; Psalm 48:1-14)

“After all these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, intending to conquer them for himself.

When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come to make war against Jerusalem, he consulted with his leaders and commanders about stopping up the waters of the springs outside the city, and they helped him carry it out. Many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said.

Then Hezekiah worked resolutely to rebuild all the broken sections of the wall and to raise up towers on it. He also built an outer wall and reinforced the supporting terraces of the City of David, and he produced an abundance of weapons and shields.

Hezekiah appointed military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them, saying, “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.”

So the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem (2 Kings 18:17-37; Isaiah 36:2-22)

Later, as Sennacherib king of Assyria and all his forces besieged Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem with a message for King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah who were in Jerusalem: “This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: What is the basis of your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, ‘The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria?’ Did not Hezekiah himself remove His high places and His altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn sacrifices’?

Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have the gods of these nations ever been able to deliver their land from my hand? Who among all the gods of these nations that my fathers devoted to destruction has been able to deliver his people from my hand? How then can your God deliver you from my hand?

So now, do not let Hezekiah deceive you, and do not let him mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand!”

And the servants of Sennacherib spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah. He also wrote letters mocking the LORD, the God of Israel, and saying against Him: “Just as the gods of the nations did not deliver their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”

Then the Assyrians called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them in order to capture the city. They spoke against the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth—the work of human hands.

Jerusalem Delivered from the Assyrians (2 Kings 19:35-37; Isaiah 37:36-38)

In response, King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out to heaven in prayer, and the LORD sent an angel who annihilated every mighty man of valor and every leader and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he entered the temple of his god, some of his own sons struck him down with the sword.

So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of King Sennacherib of Assyria and of all others, and He gave them rest on every side. Many brought offerings to Jerusalem for the LORD and valuable gifts for Hezekiah king of Judah, and from then on he was exalted in the eyes of all nations.

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery (2 Kings 20:1-11; Isaiah 38:1-7)

In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. So he prayed to the LORD, who spoke to him and gave him a sign. But because his heart was proud, Hezekiah did not repay the favor shown to him. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. Then Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart—he and the people of Jerusalem—so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them during the days of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah had very great riches and honor, and he made treasuries for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and all kinds of valuable articles. He also made storehouses for the harvest of grain and new wine and oil, stalls for all kinds of livestock, and pens for the flocks. He made cities for himself, and he acquired herds of sheep and cattle in abundance, for God gave him very great wealth.

It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Spring of Gihon and channeled it down to the west side of the City of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. And so when ambassadors of the rulers of Babylon were sent to him to inquire about the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone to test him, that He might know all that was in Hezekiah’s heart.

Hezekiah’s Death

As for the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of loving devotion, they are indeed written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. And Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried in the upper tombs of David’s descendants. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. And his son Manasseh reigned in his place.”

Sennacherib, the Assyrian commander, is approaching Jerusalem with an enormous army and Hezekiah is making preparations. The people stop up springs and divert springs, channeling the water into Jerusalem through a water tunnel that still stands as a marvel of ancient engineering. The Assyrians have already carried most of the population of Israel into captivity and now are turning attention to Jerusalem. Initially, Hezekiah pays the Assyrians a huge amount of money in hopes of averting an attack. The Assyrians pocket the money and just keep advancing.

When the Assyrians arrive, they do everything they can to intimidate the inhabitants of Jerusalem in hopes that they will surrender without a fight. But Hezekiah encourages his people with a command that echoes down through the ages: “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater One with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.”

Sennacherib makes the fatal mistake of mocking God. According to 2 Kings 19:35, “…For that night, the Angel of the Lord went forth and slew 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when the living arose early in the morning, behold, all these were dead bodies.” In the meantime, Sennacherib has also heard a rumor that the king of Ethiopia is also threatening to attack. Facing a disaster (perhaps a cholera outbreak in the camp?) and a possible attack from another direction, the Assyrian commander returned to Nineveh, where his sons assassinated him.

At one point, Hezekiah nearly dies however, God gives him a sign that He will heal him by moving the sun back one hour on the royal sun dial. When ambassadors from Babylon come to visit Hezekiah, he foolishly shows off all the royal treasures. At that point, God warns Hezekiah that one day, the Babylonians will carry all of those precious things to Babylon. Hezekiah’s response is a weak one; he comforts himself with the thought that this tragedy wild take place after his death. Hezekiah lives for another fifteen years, sufficient time to father Manasseh, one of the most evil kings to ever rule Judah.

APPLICATION: Hezekiah’s record as a king is an uneven one. During the threats from the Assyrians, Hezekiah came through as a hero of faith. But Hezekiah also failed to honor God as much as he should have after that deliverance and in addition, Hezekiah also gave the Babylonian embassy a guided tour of all the Judean treasures, making it simple for the Babylonians to collect everything and send it back to Babylon when they invaded later. God sovereignly healed Hezekiah when he had a major infection, but Hezekiah fathered Manasseh and then failed to train him in the ways of the Lord. Once more, a ruler who was a man of faith failed to train his son, resulting in spiritual disaster for the country.

All of us should study Hezekiah’s story carefully. Any one of us might make a great start, only to fail as a parent and to make other mistakes that leave our family vulnerable. May God help us to remain humble and close to Him at all times!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remain close to You, to worship You, and to allow You to guide us throughout all of our lives. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.

2 Chronicles 31:1 – 21 The Destruction of Idols

“When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own property.

Hezekiah reestablished the divisions of the priests and Levites—each of them according to their duties as priests or Levites—for the burnt offerings and peace offerings, for ministry, for giving thanks, and for singing praises at the gates of the LORD’s dwelling.

Contributions for Worship

The king contributed from his own possessions for the regular morning and evening burnt offerings and for the burnt offerings on the Sabbaths, New Moons, and appointed feasts, as written in the Law of the LORD. Moreover, he commanded the people living in Jerusalem to make a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD.

As soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously provided the firstfruits of the grain, new wine, oil, and honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance—a tithe of everything. And the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah also brought a tithe of their herds and flocks and a tithe of the holy things consecrated to the LORD their God, and they laid them in large heaps.

In the third month they began building up the heaps, and they finished in the seventh month. When Hezekiah and his officials came and viewed the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel.

Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and Levites about the heaps, and Azariah, the chief priest of the household of Zadok, answered him, “Since the people began to bring their contributions into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and there is plenty left over, because the LORD has blessed His people; this great abundance is what is left over.”

Hezekiah Organizes the Priests

Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare storerooms in the house of the LORD, and they did so. And they faithfully brought in the contributions, tithes, and dedicated gifts. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second. Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei, by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief official of the house of God.

Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was in charge of the freewill offerings given to God, distributing the contributions to the LORD and the consecrated gifts. Under his authority, Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah faithfully distributed portions to their fellow priests in their cities, according to their divisions, old and young alike.

In addition, they distributed portions to the males registered by genealogy who were three years of age or older—to all who would enter the house of the LORD for their daily duties for service in the responsibilities of their divisions— and to the priests enrolled according to their families in the genealogy, as well as to the Levites twenty years of age or older, according to their duties and divisions. The genealogy included all the little ones, wives, sons, and daughters in the whole assembly. For they had faithfully consecrated themselves as holy.

As for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who lived on the farmlands around each of their cities or in any other city, men were designated by name to distribute a portion to every male among the priests and to every Levite listed by the genealogies.

So this is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before the LORD his God. He was diligent in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law and the commandments, in order to seek his God. And so he prospered.”

“When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all.”

WOW! What happened? Some of these people were likely the same people who had been worshiping at these places before they came to Jerusalem. What changed? God moved in these people’s lives, cleansing them, purifying them, and placing the fear of God in their hearts. These people even tore down high places that had been there for centuries. What a cleansing of the land! All these actions stemmed from praise and worship.

Next, God began blessing the land so that it yielded abundantly, and the people began bringing tithes of their produce. These donations flowed into the temple, making it possible for the priests to concentrate on their work instead of struggling to feed their families. Once more, there were resources sufficient to maintain the temple.

APPLICATION: Part of this passage might seem pretty tedious as Ezra lists names of all those charged with receiving donations, storing donations, and disbursing donations. But wait! All these men died thousands of years ago, and yet, we still remember them. God has made sure that Ezra recorded the names of the faithful for all posterity as a memorial to their honesty and integrity.  

Why should we take encouragement from what seems like an ancient accounts book? Many times, we work, wondering if anyone is paying attention to our efforts. Perhaps you are caring for a handicapped child, an aged parent, or a child with ADHD or who is on the spectrum of autism. A superficial glance at your life will certainly fail to communicate all your struggles, your tears, and your sheer exhaustion. Or perhaps you work in a large corporation where backstabbing among workers is commonplace. You strive to remain uninvolved and to simply fulfill your duties, but you wonder if anybody really cares that you are not contributing to the seething chaos.

Take heart! God sees, God knows! God cares! God knows your name and all of your trials. Nothing is hidden from God. Those cries of anguish that you smother in a pillow, those doubts and fears that rob you of sleep – God knows all of them. Luke 12:6- 7 tells us: “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows.”

HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW – CIVILLA D. MARTIN

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Refrain

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to remember that You know everything about us, all our trials and all our struggles. Help us to praise you in the midst of our problems, realizing that when we praise You, You can transform our situations or give us grace to go through them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.