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There is a hopeful logic to the attention paid to the priestly order in today’s opening chapter.  Accounts of Levi’s descendants being arranged and commissioned signal that Judah’s king had both a heart and the time for such work.  After all, not only did David and Solomon possess hearts that were faithful to the LORD, but they also had a significant era of peace within which to build the religious infrastructure.  And indeed, the first decade of Hezekiah’s reign was infinitely more peaceful than any moment during his father’s tenure. 

That peace is threatened, though, when Sennacherib – the son of Ahaz’s nemesis – drives the Assyrian army into Judah, with his sights set on her capital.  After acknowledging Hezekiah’s acts of faithfulness, as well as his strategic efforts to protect Jerusalem, the author recounts the psychological warfare waged by Assyria’s king: “Like the gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.” And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city.  And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.

Hezekiah’s response to this – with an assist from the prophet Isaiah – follows the pattern of faithfulness we’ve observed.  However, the second half of our reading today inverts this ascendant hope: Hezekiah’s pride wins his heart; his son, Manasseh, was even worse than his grandfather, leading Judah to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel, and his successor, Amon, barely deserves mention.  Our reading ends today over 350 years since David was first installed as king, and with a sense that the end may be drawing nigh. 

Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

2 Chronicles 31 through 33.  Now let’s read it!

There is a hopeful logic to the attention paid to the priestly order in today’s opening chapter.  Accounts of Levi’s descendants being arranged and commissioned signal that Judah’s king had both a heart and the time for such work.  After all, not only did David and Solomon possess hearts that were faithful to the LORD, but they also had a significant era of peace within which to build the religious infrastructure.  And indeed, the first decade of Hezekiah’s reign was infinitely more peaceful than any moment during his father’s tenure. 

That peace is threatened, though, when Sennacherib – the son of Ahaz’s nemesis – drives the Assyrian army into Judah, with his sights set on her capital.  After acknowledging Hezekiah’s acts of faithfulness, as well as his strategic efforts to protect Jerusalem, the author recounts the psychological warfare waged by Assyria’s king: “Like the gods of the nations of the lands who have not delivered their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver his people from my hand.” And they shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city.  And they spoke of the God of Jerusalem as they spoke of the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of men's hands.

Hezekiah’s response to this – with an assist from the prophet Isaiah – follows the pattern of faithfulness we’ve observed.  However, the second half of our reading today inverts this ascendant hope: Hezekiah’s pride wins his heart; his son, Manasseh, was even worse than his grandfather, leading Judah to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel, and his successor, Amon, barely deserves mention.  Our reading ends today over 350 years since David was first installed as king, and with a sense that the end may be drawing nigh. 

Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

2 Chronicles 31 through 33.  Now let’s read it!

There was a measure of hope in Judah yesterday after Jotham’s reign ended without slipping into evil.  However, his son, Ahaz, instigates a precipitous slide that will shock even the longsuffering reader.  He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel…

So the LORD gave them first to Syria (or Aram), then to Israel, which demonstrates a compassion that should shame its southern brethren.  But despite multiple defeats, mercy from Israel’s elders, and a new threat from Edom, Ahaz responds to the ring enclosing around him by seeking help from a newly strengthened Assyria.  As you can imagine, entrusting Judah’s defense to someone other than the LORD leads to even greater despair.  Later, the author reminds us that this apostasy was no fluke, for even in the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the LORD – this same King Ahaz.

The Chronicler spares no detail in outlining the breadth of Ahaz’s rejection of the LORD.  Should Judah continue to exist, and the promises made to David and Solomon endure, these abominations will have to be unwound.  Fortunately for Judah, Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, begins a program of reclamation and repentance immediately upon ascending the throne.  And, as we’ve come to expect, the story slows to a crawl once again as every element of the restoration is examined.

As you read, keep the historical placement in the back of your mind.  These events take place about 200 years after the kingdom divided.  Israel, the northern kingdom, is in its final days, soon to be wiped clean by Assyria – in fact they’ve probably already ceased to exist as a political entity by the time of the Passover that’s celebrated today.  Yet Hezekiah slows down the story – and our author follows suit – to attend to more important matters.

Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

2 Chronicles 28 through 30.  Now let’s read it!

There was a measure of hope in Judah yesterday after Jotham’s reign ended without slipping into evil.  However, his son, Ahaz, instigates a precipitous slide that will shock even the longsuffering reader.  He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel…

So the LORD gave them first to Syria (or Aram), then to Israel, which demonstrates a compassion that should shame its southern brethren.  But despite multiple defeats, mercy from Israel’s elders, and a new threat from Edom, Ahaz responds to the ring enclosing around him by seeking help from a newly strengthened Assyria.  As you can imagine, entrusting Judah’s defense to someone other than the LORD leads to even greater despair.  Later, the author reminds us that this apostasy was no fluke, for even in the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the LORD – this same King Ahaz.

The Chronicler spares no detail in outlining the breadth of Ahaz’s rejection of the LORD.  Should Judah continue to exist, and the promises made to David and Solomon endure, these abominations will have to be unwound.  Fortunately for Judah, Ahaz’s son, Hezekiah, begins a program of reclamation and repentance immediately upon ascending the throne.  And, as we’ve come to expect, the story slows to a crawl once again as every element of the restoration is examined.

As you read, keep the historical placement in the back of your mind.  These events take place about 200 years after the kingdom divided.  Israel, the northern kingdom, is in its final days, soon to be wiped clean by Assyria – in fact they’ve probably already ceased to exist as a political entity by the time of the Passover that’s celebrated today.  Yet Hezekiah slows down the story – and our author follows suit – to attend to more important matters.

Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

2 Chronicles 28 through 30.  Now let’s read it!

Today’s three chapters break neatly across the three reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, and Jotham.  A clean literary rhythm has emerged for these kings: an introduction that includes an assessment of righteousness, age at coronation, and mother’s heritage; a middle that outlines achievements, often followed by a “but” statement regarding an ethical failure; and an epitaph, listing the length of reign, “for more information” citation, and burial notice. 

There are a few details that contribute to the flavor of these staccato accounts.  One that may or may not be significant is the mention of the king’s mother in the opening paragraph.  Each king today is a daughter of Jerusalem, which may have something to do with each king’s opening faithfulness.  Sons of mothers who were from other kingdoms, such as Rehoboam, and those whose fathers married daughters of Ahab’s line, have not begun well.     

Another trend to watch is the death scenes for the kings of Judah, such as this for Amaziah: From the time he turned away from the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish.  But they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there.

From Jehoram in chapter 21, who died “to no one’s regret” when his bowels erupted, through Uzziah, who was shunned as a leper in chapter 26 – six consecutive monarchs of Judah die either by horrible disease or by assassination.  None of them is acknowledged as receiving honor, or even being missed, by their subjects.  So the brevity of chapter 27 is a welcome relief: Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, he avoided the failure of his father, and died before anything bad happened. 

While these trends may be no more than historical trivia, remember the intention with which the author approached other themes, such as the genealogies and Temple construction.  Imagine that he would not be wasting space, and look for other details that might point to larger trends. 

Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

2 Chronicles 25 through 27.  Now let’s read it!

Today’s three chapters break neatly across the three reigns of Amaziah, Uzziah, and Jotham.  A clean literary rhythm has emerged for these kings: an introduction that includes an assessment of righteousness, age at coronation, and mother’s heritage; a middle that outlines achievements, often followed by a “but” statement regarding an ethical failure; and an epitaph, listing the length of reign, “for more information” citation, and burial notice. 

There are a few details that contribute to the flavor of these staccato accounts.  One that may or may not be significant is the mention of the king’s mother in the opening paragraph.  Each king today is a daughter of Jerusalem, which may have something to do with each king’s opening faithfulness.  Sons of mothers who were from other kingdoms, such as Rehoboam, and those whose fathers married daughters of Ahab’s line, have not begun well.     

Another trend to watch is the death scenes for the kings of Judah, such as this for Amaziah: From the time he turned away from the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish.  But they sent after him to Lachish and put him to death there.

From Jehoram in chapter 21, who died “to no one’s regret” when his bowels erupted, through Uzziah, who was shunned as a leper in chapter 26 – six consecutive monarchs of Judah die either by horrible disease or by assassination.  None of them is acknowledged as receiving honor, or even being missed, by their subjects.  So the brevity of chapter 27 is a welcome relief: Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, he avoided the failure of his father, and died before anything bad happened. 

While these trends may be no more than historical trivia, remember the intention with which the author approached other themes, such as the genealogies and Temple construction.  Imagine that he would not be wasting space, and look for other details that might point to larger trends. 

Our verse for this week is Revelation 22:5: And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

2 Chronicles 25 through 27.  Now let’s read it!

Almost a century has passed since the kingdom divided between north and south.  In Jerusalem, over sixty years of relative peace have coincided with relative faithfulness to the LORD, while four different dynasties have ruled over their brothers to the north.  And though Samaria is currently enjoying a period of palace stability – after all, there hasn’t been a rebellion in over 40 years – it is nothing compared to the unquestioned succession of David’s inheritors. 

This peace is shattered, though, when Jehoram dies (which concluded yesterday’s reading).  Remember that he had married into the family of Ahab, and as prophets warned his father and grandfather, alliances with Ahab’s house never end well.  Ahaziah, his son, joins Joram in battle against Syria; Joram is wounded and retreats; and, as it was ordained by God, both of Ahab’s descendants – the kings of Israel and Judah – were executed by Jehu. 

But the crisis is not over, because Athaliah – who was Ahaziah’s mother and Ahab’s daughter – executes the remaining men of the royal family and takes the Jerusalem throne for herself.  It’s tragically ironic that Ahab’s line continues longer in Judah than it did in Israel.  Only through the desperate actions of the High Priest’s wife was one of David’s rightful heirs saved.  His coming of age, ascension to the throne, reforms, and eventual downfall, fill the rest of today’s reading. 

Notice that the sovereignty of God is becoming a prominent theme in Chronicles.  Both Jeroboam’s rebellion and Ahaziah’s execution had been ordained by God.  At the end of chapter 24, the Syrians plunder Jerusalem because the LORD delivered it into their hand.  Notice also the violence that is overtaking Judah.  Ever since the first alliance with Ahab’s family, and with the exception of Jehoshaphat (whose epitaph is hardly complimentary), the ruler of Judah has died in agony.  Consider the Chronicler’s interest in portraying this history, against the backdrop of promise, and warning, that had been made to Israel’s first kings. 

Our verse for this week is Matthew 25:40: And the king will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”

2 Chronicles 22 through 24.  Now let’s read it!

Two-thirds of the way through the Chronicles, let’s take stock again of the author’s priorities.  Genealogies and rosters filled at least half of the first book, with the priesthood and distribution of Temple duties on prominent display.  The Ark and Temple narratives dominated the 80 years that David and Solomon reigned.  The author shields us neither from Rehoboam’s clumsiness nor from referring to the northern tribes as “rebels.”  And consequently, the only times those northern tribes are mentioned is when they intersect with Judah.  By following the Davidic line almost exclusively, the author virtually ignores three-quarters of the Israelite population .

As decades sweep by, notice again what the author slows down for: Abijah’s campaign to subdue Jeroboam, Asa’s and Jehoshaphat’s reforms, the Micaiah narrative, and, today, the moment when a threat from Edom and Ammon caused Jehoshaphat to set his face to seek the LORD.  The passage, recorded in chapter 20, is beautiful in its emotion and humility. 

Put yourself in Jerusalem, as you notice the details: the king reminds God of His past promises and Judah’s faithfulness; that Israel had spared these kingdoms, at the LORD’s behest, during the Exodus; and that this “great horde” threatens the LORD’s possession, “which You have given us to inherit.”   A prophet rises in the Spirit; the people fall to the ground in worship; and the army marches into battle with song.  Listen for the line, “And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush…”

Unfortunately, Jehoshaphat walked in the way of Asa his father in both good and bad, and late in his reign he falls into the folly that undid his father. He is succeeded by Jehoram, whose treacherous eight-year reign is captured in the author’s biting epitaph: …And he departed to no one’s regret.  Listen to his descent, and to the only reason his dynasty survives at all. 

Our verse for this week is Matthew 25:40: And the king will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”

2 Chronicles 19 through 21.  Now let’s read it!

Yesterday’s reading ended during the reign of Asa, who, the author claimed, did what was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.  Especially after the Prophet Azariah encouraged him to “…Take courage!  Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded,” Asa put away the detestable idols…and he repaired the altar of the LORD in front of the Temple, and led all Judah, Benjamin, and remnants of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon to enter into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul…

However, after 36 years of apparent faithfulness, Asa seeks the help of the Arameans to thwart a challenge from the Israelite king, Baasha.  Think about this: the king of Judah made an alliance with a former vassal to protect his kingdom from the king of Israel – and he bought this protection with silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the LORD.  From one perspective, the gambit paid off; but the prophet Hanani sees otherwise, and tells Asa about it.

Asa is succeeded by Jehoshaphat, who also walked in the earlier ways of his father David, which produced security and prosperity for Judah.  But in chapter 18, Jehoshaphat is enticed to ally with the king of Israel – Ahab – for a raid against Ramoth-Gilead in Syria.  But Jehoshaphat wants to first seek the input of a prophet of the LORD, which is a positive development…and sets the story in a new direction.

All of the prophets brought before Ahab promise that he will succeed; Jehoshaphat is unconvinced, for reasons that are unclear.  “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah, son of Imlah,” Ahab replies, “but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.”  You’ll have to follow the banter closely, but remember that dialogue often reveals character.  Ahab is fairly one-dimensional, but what do you make of Jehoshaphat?  Of Micaiah?  Of the other prophets?  And of the Syrian response? 

Our verse for this week is Matthew 25:40: And the king will answer them, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.”

2 Chronicles 16 through 18.  Now let’s read it!