# commentaries

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<p>Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the son of David, rose up, and rebelled against his lord- </p><p>This again was true but only to an extent. The kingdom was rent away from the house of David for their apostacy, and Jeroboam had potentially been enabled to be a new Messianic king. He failed in that, but to blame the division solely upon Jeroboam merely being a rebellious servant was Abijah's biased narrative.</p>


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<p>There were gathered to him vain men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them- </p><p>Rehoboam was 41 when he became king, so again Abijah is spinning narrative according to his own bias.</p>


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<p>Now you think to withstand the kingdom of Yahweh in the hand of the sons of David. You are a great multitude, and there are with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods- </p><p>Abijah recognizes they are double his strength, but he seeks to touch their conscience about the golden calves, as if they are as it were pitting themselves against Yahweh. Even though his own wife was an idolater and he likely was too. He is leading up to the argument that they are fighting against God (:12). See on :21. He overlooks how God Himself withstood the line of David and had torn away the ten tribes and given them to Jeroboam, with the potential to make a Messianic kingdom out of them.</p>


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<p>Haven’t you driven out the priests of Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves after the ways of the peoples of other lands? So that whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull and seven rams, the same may be a priest of those who are not gods- </p><p>Yahweh's priests were consecrated with a young bull and two rams (<a href='B:20 29:1'>Exo 29:1</a>). Again we see how Jeroboam crafted a false religious system on the basis of the true one, and that is typical of all our apostacy. And whilst perhaps they did drive out Yahweh's Levitical priests, it's likely many left the apostacy of their own accord. Although they would've arrived in a Judah also given over to idolatry, with the queen Maacah an idolater; hence God's wrath with Judah through Shishak's invasion.</p>


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<p>But as for us, Yahweh is our God, and we have not forsaken Him. We have priests ministering to Yahweh, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work-</p><p>This was untrue, they had forsaken Yahweh and been seriously punished for it by Shishak, and the queen was an idolater. Abijah, like many in the orthodox churches, reasoned that because he had a priesthood obeying Mosaic commands, therefore and thereby they had not forsaken Yahweh. He thought that religious structure alone defined his faith in and loyalty to Yahweh.</p>


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<p>and they burn to Yahweh every morning and every evening burnt offerings and sweet incense. They also set the showbread in order on the pure table; and the lampstand of gold with its lamps, to burn every evening. We keep the instruction of Yahweh our God; but you have forsaken Him- </p><p>Shishak's invasion had perhaps taken away the plural "gold tables" for the showbread, and forced them to return to the Godly, Mosaic pattern of just one table for the showbread.</p><p>The table of show bread was to be made of acacia wood (<a href='B:20 25:23'>Exo 25:23</a>), but David planned to make it of pure gold, and even worked out the weight of gold required for it (<a href='B:130 28:16'>1Ch 28:16</a>). And Solomon indeed made it of gold (<a href='B:110 7:48'>1Ki 7:48</a>), leading to it being known as "the pure table" (<a href='B:140 13:11'>2Ch 13:11</a>). Religion had overtaken spirituality, form had eclipsed content. Likewise the "tables of silver" David ordered to be made (<a href='B:130 28:16'>1Ch 28:16</a>) do not feature in the tabernacle. He was missing the point- that God wanted His holiest symbols made of common, weak things like acacia wood. For His strength and glory is made perfect in weakness. David claims these plans were from God (<a href='B:130 28:19'>1Ch 28:19</a>), although as discussed on <a href='B:130 28:12'>1Ch 28:12</a>, they were in fact from his own mind. The way these things were taken into captivity, with no record of this golden table ever being returned, surely reflects God's judgment upon this kind of religious show. He prefers a humble house church in an inner city room, rather than a gold plated cathedral. The way some exclusive churches speak of 'maintaining a pure table' suggests they have made the same essential mistake as David did.</p>


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<p>Behold, God is with us at our head, and His priests with the trumpets of alarm to sound an alarm against you. Children of Israel- </p><p>We read here of Abijah's apparent devotion. The comment of <a href='B:110 15:3'>1Ki 15:3</a> is that his heart wasn't perfect with Yahweh as David's was. David clearly sinned and seems to have suffered a decline in his ethics and spirituality as he got older. But he was judged on the overall dominant desire of his heart, to the point that having a heart perfect with Yahweh seems to effectively mean 'He was wholeheartedly devoted to Yahweh and never worshipped other gods'. Whereas Abijah, despite peaks of spirituality and an appearance of loyalty to Him, did not have that total devotion to Yahweh as the dominant position of his heart throughout his life. Whatever peaks of obedience and devotion we may attain at points in our lives, it is the overall core position of our heart which is judged. Men like David may sin terribly at some points, those like Abijah may achieve wonderful levels of devotion at some points. But those high or low points play no major part in the final, unknowable equilibrium of Divine judgment. We need to remember this, as we encounter our brethren and ponder what to make of them, in their pits of sin and heights of devotion. Those points on their graph ought not to unduly weight our overall position on them.</p><p>The reference to trumpets alludes to <a href='B:40 10:9'>Num 10:9</a>, and Abijah thought that by merely blowing trumpets he would have Yahweh's help. This is why he was driven to a desperate situation in the battle with Jeroboam, so that he really called to Yahweh with all his heart, and not through mere ritualism.</p><p>Don’t fight against Yahweh, the God of your fathers; for you shall not prosper- </p><p><a href='B:510 5:39'>Act 5:39</a>; <a href='B:510 23:9'>Act 23:9</a> appear to allude to this. But as pointed out on :8, Abijah himself was associated with idolatry, and as with the context of the Acts allusions, this is a rather twisted argument. 'If you fight me you're fighting God' has been an oft deployed argument that often lacks full integrity. See on :21.</p>


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<p>But Jeroboam caused an ambush to come about behind them: so they were before Judah, and the ambush was behind them- </p><p>As discussed on :14, this was meant by God to put Judah into a hopeless situation. I have shown above that Judah were not much better than Israel and their claims to be faithful to Yahweh were hypocritical. But they were put into a situation which forced them to realize that, and to truly repent and cry to Yahweh from their hearts.</p>


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<p>When Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and behind them; and they cried to Yahweh, and the priests sounded with the trumpets- </p><p>The reference to trumpets alludes to <a href='B:40 10:9'>Num 10:9</a>, and Abijah thought that by merely blowing trumpets he would have Yahweh's help. This is why he was driven to a desperate situation in the battle with Jeroboam, so that he really called to Yahweh with all his heart, and not through mere ritualism. The "shout" of :15 was their cry from the heart to God, and He responded to that. We all tend to repeat the same words in prayer, until prayer becomes little more than ritualism, the blowing of trumpets which Abijah had practiced:&nbsp; But then situations are brought into our lives when we "shout" to God from the heart, praying as we ought to- and then He responds.</p>


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<p>Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as the men of Judah shouted, it happened, that God struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah- </p><p>As explained on :14, this "shout" was a cry from the heart to Yahweh, well beyond the mere ritualism of blowing trumpets. Judah were not much better than Israel, as demonstrated above. But they cried from the heart to Yahweh, whereas Israel didn't. And so God gave them victory, and used them to punish Jeroboam for his impenitent apostacy.</p>


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<p>The children of Israel fled before Judah; and God delivered them into their hand- </p><p>Judah weren't much better than Israel. But God so respects faith and repentance, even if in extremity, such as on a deathbed- that He responds. .</p>


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<p>Abijah and his people killed them with a great slaughter; so there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men- </p><p>"Thousand" is not to be read literally; the term often refers to a military division of some sort. And they didn't fall in the same day, as the fighting continued for some time (:19).</p>


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<p>Thus the children of Israel were overcome at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied on Yahweh, the God of their fathers- </p><p>They relied on Him at one point, and were rewarded for it. But not generally. This reflects God's extreme sensitivity to faith in Him, even if He knows the surrounding context of a man's life is not of faith in Him. "Relied" is the word used in <a href='B:140 14:11'>2Ch 14:11</a>; <a href='B:140 16:8'>2Ch 16:8</a> in a similar context:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its suburbs, Jeshanah with its suburbs and Ephron with its suburbs- </p><p>These victories were short-lived, because Bethel soon returned to the northern kingdom, and the golden calf there was not destroyed by Judah as it should have been (<a href='B:120 10:29'>2Ki 10:29</a>).</p>


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<p>Jeroboam didn’t recover strength again in the days of Abijah. Yahweh struck him, and he died- </p><p>This implies special judgment from God (<a href='B:90 25:38'>1Sa 25:38</a>; <a href='B:510 12:13'>Act 12:13</a>).</p>


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<p>But Abijah grew mighty, and took to himself fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons, and sixteen daughters- </p><p>"Grew mighty" is the same word Abijah has twice used in :7,8, claiming in :8 that Jeroboam was withstanding or growing mighty against Yahweh. Perhaps the hint is that Abijah was really no better (see on :8,12), because he too withstood Yahweh in marrying so many wives, at least one of whom [the favourite] was an unashamed idolater.</p>


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<p>The rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways and his sayings, are written in the commentary of the prophet Iddo-</p><p>Neither the sayings of Abijah nor the book of Iddo have been preserved. There are many writings referenced within scripture which are not now available. The book of the prophet Iddo may well have been inspired by God, but was only useful for its time. The scriptures we have are therefore the result of careful Divine selection, and all of them are somehow relevant to us, even the Chronicles genealogies, in a way these other writings aren't.</p>


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<p>So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land was quiet ten years- </p><p>The description of death as sleeping with fathers is clear evidence that death is seen as a sleep, unconsciousness, and not as the start of an immortal soul going to heaven or 'hell'. Good and bad, David and Solomon, are gathered together in death. The division between them will only therefore come at the resurrection of the dead, and the granting of immortality at the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus.</p><p>The land itself was quiet but that didn't mean Judah were not at war. There was 20 years peace later on (<a href='B:140 15:10'>2Ch 15:10</a>; <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a>). The impression is given that Asa's [partial] faithfulness to Yahweh meant there was peace, and peace is a fruit of loyalty to Yahweh. Baasha became king of Israel in the third year of Asa (<a href='B:110 15:28'>1Ki 15:28</a>; <a href='B:110 15:33'>1Ki 15:33</a>) and “there was war between Asa and Baasha all their days” (<a href='B:110 15:32'>1Ki 15:32</a>).</p>


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<p>Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God- </p><p>This is the phrase specifically used in appeal to Israel as they approached the promised land; their inheritance of it was conditional upon this (<a href='B:50 6:18'>Deu 6:18</a>; <a href='B:50 12:28'>Deu 12:28</a>). This connects with the idea of the land being at peace whilst Asa was obedient (see on :1; <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a>). One meaning of "Asa" is "physician", and he ended his days trusting physicians rather than Yahweh. Perhaps he trained as a physician and ended up therefore having more faith in science than in Yahweh. The statement therefore may refer to his initial state of loyalty to Yahweh. But this could refer to God's judgment upon his whole life, and <a href='B:110 15:11'>1Ki 15:11</a> says that "he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as did David his father". </p><p>Asa is recorded as serving God just as well as David, when actually this wasn't the case; but God counted him as righteous. The incomplete faith of men like Baruch was counted as full faith by later inspiration (<a href='B:70 4:8-9'>Jdg 4:8-9</a> cp. <a href='B:650 11:32'>Heb 11:32</a>). Asa was not perfect, nor was David; but God's overall judgment was that he "did right", despite doing wrong at specific points in his life. Indeed as noted on <a href='B:140 16:12'>2Ch 16:12</a>, Asa died at a low point for him spiritually. But the judgment overall was that he "did right" and that "nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days" (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a>). We must learn therefore not to judge a person too harshly if they die at a weak spiritual point, e:g. through suicide.</p>


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<p>He took away the foreign altars, and the high places, and broke down the pillars, and cut down the Asherim- </p><p>Chronicles typically seeks to sanitize the record and present the kings as positively as possible. The truth is that Asa didn't remove the high places (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a>), and soon afterwards, the worship of foreign gods revived. So Asa's reforms were not that thorough, and in any case, the people generally remained in idolatry.</p>


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<p>and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to obey the law and the commandment- </p><p>Perfection is simply not achieved by God's people. Therefore the idiom of 'seeking Yahweh' is used, and is made parallel with obedience to His laws (<a href='B:140 14:4'>2Ch 14:4</a>) and not forsaking Him, just holding on to Him in faith, 'being with Him' (<a href='B:140 15:2'>2Ch 15:2</a>).</p>


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<p>Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the sun images- </p><p>Asa and Jehoshaphat removed the high places, but in a sense they didn't (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a> cp. <a href='B:140 14:5'>2Ch 14:5</a>; <a href='B:140 17:6'>2Ch 17:6</a> cp. 20:33). We read of how the land was purged of Baal, Sodomites etc:; but in a very short time, we read of another purge being necessary. Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah all made major purges within a space of 80 years. Jeremiah therefore condemns the Jews who lived at the time of Josiah's reformation for not knowing God in their hearts. Asa gathered the gold and silver vessels back into the temple- and then went and used them to make a political treaty. He apparently treated them as God's riches, but then in reality he used them as his own (<a href='B:110 15:18'>1Ki 15:18</a>; <a href='B:110 15:15'>1Ki 15:15</a>). Many a Western Christian has this very same tendency. We too must ask ourselves whether our spirituality is really just a product of the crowd mentality; as the crowd shouted one day "Hosanna to the Son of David", a few days later they wanted Jesus to be delivered rather than Barabbas, but within minutes they were persuaded to cry for the crucifixion of the Son of God. Church life, Bible studies, the breaking of bread::. inevitably, there is a crowd mentality developed here. There is a feeling of devotion which wells up within us as a community, as an audience, as we sit there, as we stand in praise and worship together. But the real spirituality is far deeper than this. We must seriously ask whether our spirituality, our feelings of devotion, our true repentance, are only stimulated by these meetings?</p><p></p><p>The kingdom was quiet before him- </p><p>See on :1; <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a>.</p>


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<p>He built fortified cities in Judah; for the land was quiet, and he had no war in those years, because Yahweh had given him rest- </p><p>This seems a major theme in the record; see on :1; <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a>. We note how circumstances repeated. Rehoboam had built fortified cities in Judah, especially on the approaches to Jerusalem. But they were all overwhelmed by Shishak, and he took Jerusalem. The lesson was that human strength alone would not save Judah. He was intended to learn from Rehoboam's history, as we are.</p>


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<p>For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God. We have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered- </p><p>It is unlikely that all Israel were solidly seeking Yahweh, as Asa himself had weak aspects, the high places weren't removed and the population revived the idolatry after his death. So this seems a rather self congratulatory attitude. See on :12. After the victory against the Ethiopians, Asa purges Judah of idols (<a href='B:140 15:8'>2Ch 15:8</a>); and there is ample evidence from what is said after the victory that Asa and Judah were not so totally devoted to Yahweh at the time of 2 Chronicles 14 (see on <a href='B:140 15:1'>2Ch 15:1</a>; <a href='B:140 15:3'>2Ch 15:3</a>; <a href='B:140 15:5'>2Ch 15:5</a>; <a href='B:140 15:8'>2Ch 15:8</a>).</p>


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<p>Asa had an army that carried shields and spears: out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bore shields and drew bows, two hundred and eighty thousand. All these were mighty men of valour- </p><p>We note the relatively large number of Benjamites. "Little Benjamin" were far smaller than Judah but committed more soldiers in relative terms. The loyalty of Benjamin to Judah is a theme of the records, and yet we recall that relatively recently, they as the tribe of Saul had been the least loyal to Judah. Just as Philistines of Gath became David's most loyal followers, so Benjamin became solidly united with Judah. God has a way of turning people around completely.</p><p>There is a significant increase in numbers in his son's time, when the army was exactly double the size of that recorded in this section (<a href='B:140 14:8'>2Ch 14:8</a> cp. <a href='B:140 17:14-18'>2Ch 17:14-18</a>). The total here was 580,000; but there it is exactly double (1,160,000;&nbsp; Judah 780,000, Benjamin 380,000). This suggests that again, numbers are not being used in the literal sense which modern readers are accustimed to.</p>


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<p>There came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an army of a million troops, and three hundred chariots; and he came to Mareshah- </p><p>The apparent problem of large numbers in the records are largely resolved by understanding the terms 'hundred' and 'thousand' not literally, but as referring to military subdivisions. A "Zerah" is mentioned as a descendant of Esau, and the name refers to at least four different people, all within the Abraham family. So this individual could have been a descendant of Esau who was exercising "the old hatred" against Jacob, although he was now located in "Ethiopia", a vague term applicable to anywhere around Egypt.</p>


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<p>Then Asa went out to meet him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah- </p><p>Zephathah is the Zephath of <a href='B:70 1:17'>Jdg 1:17</a>, where Judah won a great victory against the Canaanites, and was afterward renamed to Hormah, also a site of victory (<a href='B:40 21:3'>Num 21:3</a>). Perhaps the usage of the old name is to draw attention to the victory won there historically.</p>


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<p>Asa cried to Yahweh his God and said, Yahweh, there is none apart from You to help, between the mighty and him who has no strength. Help us, Yahweh our God; for we rely on You, and in Your name are we come against this multitude. Yahweh, You are our God. Don’t let man prevail against You- </p><p>This is a similar situation to that in <a href='B:140 13:18'>2Ch 13:18</a>, where an otherwise unspiritual and idolatrous Judah "relied" on Yahweh in desperation. They relied on Him at that one point, and were rewarded for it. But not generally. This reflects God's extreme sensitivity to faith in Him, even if He knows the surrounding context of a man's life is not of faith in Him.</p><p>Our faith will be strengthened by knowing that because we bear the Name, all that happens to us happens to our Lord and His Father. Thus Asa prayed: “Help us… in Your Name we go against this multitude…let not man prevail against You”. It is absurd that man should prevail against God; and yet Asa believed that because His people carried His Name, therefore it was just as impossible that man should prevail against them.</p><p>This is a feature of many spiritual prayers: not to crudely, directly ask for the obvious; but to simply inform the Almighty of the situation, in faith. Other examples include: <a href='B:10 19:24'>Gen 19:24</a>;&nbsp; <a href='B:230 3:1-4'>Psa 3:1-4</a>; <a href='B:230 142:1-2'>Psa 142:1-2</a>; <a href='B:500 11:21-22'>Joh 11:21-22</a>; <a href='B:110 19:10'>1Ki 19:10</a> cp. <a href='B:520 11:2-3'>Rom 11:2-3</a>; <a href='B:230 106:44'>Psa 106:44</a> cp. <a href='B:290 64:3'>Isa 64:3</a>.</p><p>There is only one God, one source of help and power- and thus the oneness of God inspires our faith in Him. This motivated Asa to cry unto Yahweh in faith: "There is none beside You to help…". <a href='B:660 2:14-18'>Jas 2:14-18</a> speaks of the connection between faith (believing) in the one God and works (doing). It is no co-incidence that <a href='B:660 2:19'>Jas 2:19</a> then says in this context: "Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well" (RV). To have faith in the unity of God will lead to works, 'doing well'.</p>


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<p>So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled- </p><p>Enemies fleeing before God's people was the sign of obedience to the covenant. But as noted on :7, Judah generally were not particularly obedient. We continually marvel at God's grace toward His people, ever eager to impute righteousness, and to be impressed by any sign of faith and obedience. After the victory against the Ethiopians, Asa purges Judah of idols (<a href='B:140 15:8'>2Ch 15:8</a>); and there is ample evidence from what is said after the victory that Asa and Judah were not so totally devoted to Yahweh at the time of 2 Chronicles 14 (see on <a href='B:140 15:1'>2Ch 15:1</a>; <a href='B:140 15:3'>2Ch 15:3</a>; <a href='B:140 15:5'>2Ch 15:5</a>; <a href='B:140 15:8'>2Ch 15:8</a>).</p>


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<p>Asa and the people who were with him pursued them to Gerar. There fell of the Ethiopians so many that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before Yahweh and before His army; and they carried away very much booty- </p><p>Yahweh's army is paralleled with that of Judah. Yahweh of hosts, of Angelic armies, is manifested in His people upon earth. David was taught this when he was told to advance his army only in accordance to the noise of the heavenly armies above him (see on <a href='B:100 5:24'>2Sa 5:24</a>). We too are not alone; we are the manifestation of our guardian Angels above us, and collectively, the hosts of God's people reflect Yahweh of hosts above them.</p>


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<p>They struck all the cities around Gerar; for the fear of Yahweh came on them. They despoiled all the cities; for there was much spoil in them- </p><p>A similar situation repeated itself in <a href='B:140 17:10'>2Ch 17:10</a>. The record constantly stresses that the victory was from God. The fear of Yahweh coming upon those cities was the promised reward for obedience (<a href='B:50 11:25'>Deu 11:25</a>), and recalls the terror which fell upon the cities around Jacob at the time of <a href='B:10 35:5'>Gen 35:5</a>. But that terror didn't come because Israel were righteous at that time; in fact the opposite. For they had just massacred Shechem. Likewise here, these blessings were by grace, for Judah were not so righteous at this time; and reflected Yahweh's extreme sensitivity to any faith and obedience toward Him. The Hebrew word here used for "spoil" is found only in Chronicles, Ezra, Esther, Nehemiah and Daniel- evidence that this part of Chronicles was Divinely rewritten in the captivity.</p>


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<p>They struck also the tents of the herdsmen, and carried away sheep in abundance, and camels, and returned to Jerusalem- </p><p>This phrase in the LXX is used in <a href='B:490 24:52'>Luk 24:52</a> and <a href='B:510 1:12'>Act 1:12</a> of the disciples returning after a far greater victory. The Bible is continually seeing deeper meaning and application of all the wealth of history recorded in it. Although it is debatable whether such pillaging as recorded here was really God's will.</p>


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<p>The Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded- </p><p>I hinted throughout 2 Chronicles 14 that things were not quite as spiritually rosy with Asa and Judah as Asa liked to present. And so this message from God was to warn Asa of the conditionality of God's help, implying Asa was tempted to forsake Him. "Azariah", 'Yah has helped', was the son of Oded, 'repetition'; it was as if the message that God had helped win the victory of 2 Chronicles 14 needed to be repeated. It seems from :2 that Azariah went out to meet Asa as he returned to Jerusalem from the victory of <a href='B:140 14:15'>2Ch 14:15</a>.</p>


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<p>and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin! Yahweh is with you, while you are with Him; and if you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you- </p><p>The whole way of life of the righteous man is described as seeking God, knowing we will eventually find Him when the Lord returns to change our natures. So many times does David parallel those who seek God with those who keep His word (e:g. <a href='B:230 119:2'>Psa 119:2</a>). We will never achieve perfect obedience; but seeking it is paralleled with it. Perfection is simply not achieved by God's people. Therefore the idiom of 'seeking Yahweh' is used, and is made parallel with obedience to His laws (<a href='B:140 14:4'>2Ch 14:4</a>) and not forsaking Him, just holding on to Him in faith, 'being with Him'.</p><p>The Lord Jesus was well aware of the connection between God's refusal to answer prayer and His recognition of sin in the person praying (<a href='B:100 22:42'>2Sa 22:42</a> = <a href='B:230 2:2-5'>Psa 2:2-5</a>). It is emphasized time and again that God will not forsake those who love Him (e:g. <a href='B:50 4:31'>Deu 4:31</a>; <a href='B:50 31:6'>Deu 31:6</a>; <a href='B:90 12:22'>1Sa 12:22</a>; <a href='B:110 6:13'>1Ki 6:13</a>; <a href='B:230 94:14'>Psa 94:14</a>; <a href='B:290 41:17'>Isa 41:17</a>; <a href='B:290 42:16'>Isa 42:16</a>). Every one of these passages must have been well known to our Lord, the word made flesh. He knew that God forsaking Israel was a punishment for their sin (<a href='B:70 6:13'>Jdg 6:13</a>; <a href='B:120 21:14'>2Ki 21:14</a>; <a href='B:290 2:6'>Isa 2:6</a>; <a href='B:300 23:33'>Jer 23:33</a>). God would forsake Israel only if they forsook Him (<a href='B:50 31:16-17'>Deu 31:16-17</a>; <a href='B:140 15:2'>2Ch 15:2</a>). We can therefore conclude that His desperate “Why have You forsaken me?” was because He was so intensely identified with our sins that in the crisis of the cross, He indeed felt forsaken because of sin. He did not sin, but felt like a sinner; He thereby knows how sinners feel.</p><p>Asa had a wife called Azubah, who was the mother of the generally righteous Jehoshaphat (<a href='B:110 22:42'>1Ki 22:42</a>). The mother may be mentioned because of her great influence upon the spiritual path of her children. However, there is also the theme that believers arise from unbelieving backgrounds. "Azubah" means "forsaken". It is the same word used here in <a href='B:140 15:2'>2Ch 15:2</a>, where Jehoshaphat's father Asa was told of God "If you forsake Him, He will forsake you". It could be that Asa forsook Azubah and she was effectively a divorced woman; or perhaps the wife was renamed this because Asa felt she had forsaken Yahweh, which is how the word "forsaken" ('Azubah') is usually used.</p>


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<p>Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law- </p><p>Although this can be read as a general comment upon Israel's history at the time of the judges (:4), it clearly has relevance to the time of Asa (see on <a href='B:140 17:9'>2Ch 17:9</a>). It would also have been perceived by the exiles as relevant to them. This again suggests that the spiritual picture of Asa and Judah in 2 Chronicles 14 was presented there in a very rosy way. Things were not spiritually so wonderful. The main priestly duty was to teach God's word to the people. A whole string of texts make this point: <a href='B:50 24:8'>Deu 24:8</a>; <a href='B:120 17:27'>2Ki 17:27</a>; <a href='B:140 15:3'>2Ch 15:3</a>; <a href='B:160 8:9'>Neh 8:9</a>; <a href='B:400 3:11'>Mic 3:11</a>. Note too the common partnership between priests and prophets. Because of their role as teachers, it is understandable that the anger of the first century priesthood was always associated with Christ and the apostles teaching the people: <a href='B:470 21:33'>Mat 21:33</a>; <a href='B:490 19:47'>Luk 19:47</a>; <a href='B:490 20:1'>Luk 20:1</a>; <a href='B:510 5:21'>Act 5:21</a>. The priests felt that their role was being challenged. As part of the priesthood, our duty is to all teach or communicate the word of God to each other. It was God's intention that natural Israel should obey the spirit of this, so that they would "teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord" (<a href='B:650 8:11'>Heb 8:11</a>). That was how God intended Israel of old to fulfil this idea of being a priestly nation.</p>


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<p>But when in their distress they turned to Yahweh the God of Israel and sought Him, He was found by them- </p><p>The point was that Asa must learn the lesson from the history of God's people at the time of the judges, and continue seeking God in distress as he had done in the conflict of 2 Chronicles 14. Sadly at the end of his life, Asa in his distress didn't turn to Yahweh (<a href='B:140 16:12'>2Ch 16:12</a>).</p>


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<p>In those times there was no peace to him who went out, nor to him who came in; but great troubles were on all the inhabitants of the lands- </p><p>This clearly describes how things were at the time of the judges. But Asa is being bidden see parallels between that period and his time. And this invitation surely reveals that things were not well with Judah spiritually, and Asa was being set up as similar to the judges who revived God's people.</p>


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<p>They were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city; for God troubled them with all adversity- </p><p>This may be a reference to the fighting within Israel which went on in the period of the judges (e:g. <a href='B:70 9:44-47'>Jdg 9:44-47</a>; <a href='B:70 20:35-45'>Jdg 20:35-45</a>). Asa is being bidden understand that circumstances repeat, exactly because we are intended to learn from Biblical history. He was to see that his conflict with the ten tribes was a repeat of those situations. And to act as the Godly judges did, in faith.</p>


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<p>But you be strong, and don’t let your hands be slack; for your work shall be rewarded- </p><p>"Work" here is put for "faith". For it is faith and not works which is being appealed for from Asa (:2). This continues the purposeful confusion between faith and works which is found in James.</p>


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<p>When Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominations out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from the hill country of Ephraim; and he renewed the altar of Yahweh that was before the porch of Yahweh- </p><p>This purging of idolatry which took place after the victory against the Ethiopians in 2 Chronicles 14 shows that Asa's claims that Judah were totally loyal to Yahweh, and therefore as it were deserved victory, were somewhat hollow. But he was given the victory, and in fact that elicited from him an awareness that this was by grace, and his claims to total devotion to Yahweh in <a href='B:140 14:7'>2Ch 14:7</a>; <a href='B:140 14:11'>2Ch 14:11</a> had been exaggerated. We too are sometimes given blessing and victory which is inappropriate to our faith, and the experience elicits in us self examination and repentance.</p>


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<p>He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those who lived with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon; for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him- </p><p>AV "And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon". "The strangers" reflects how religious division soon leads to those divided from being considered as foreigners. This makes the account absolutely psychological reality, and is true to observed experience in Christian divisions. Simeon had inheritance within Judah (<a href='B:60 19:1'>Jos 19:1</a>), so it is unsurprising that people from there came over to Judah.</p>


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<p>So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa- </p><p>The feast of weeks began on the sixth day of the third month.</p>


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<p>They sacrificed to Yahweh in that day, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred head of cattle and seven thousand sheep- </p><p>Remember that 'hundred' and 'thousand' are not always to be taken as literal numbers, but can refer to groups. The sacrifices often feature offerings in groups of seven (<a href='B:40 29:32'>Num 29:32</a>; <a href='B:130 15:26'>1Ch 15:26</a>). Presumably these were offered as peace offerings, although there is no evidence of the burnt offerings and sin offerings which were intended to precede peace offerings.</p>


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<p>They entered into the covenant to seek Yahweh the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul- </p><p><a href='B:140 15:12'>2Ch 15:12</a>; <a href='B:140 15:15'>2Ch 15:15</a> parallels seeking God with having our whole desire for Him, giving all our heart and soul to Him. God judges a man’s life with regard to where the essential, dominant desire of his heart is focused. This is why some of the kings of Judah are introduced with the comment that they did right in God’s sight- even though it becomes apparent that they did many wrong things, and sometimes died committing wrong acts. But surely they were judged on their dominant desire, where their heart was, and not on their specific acts of failure. For David, the salvation promised to him through Christ was “all my desire” (<a href='B:100 23:5'>2Sa 23:5</a>). The direction of his life was towards that end.</p>


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<p>and that whoever would not seek Yahweh the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman- </p><p>This smacks of hypocrisy and a commitment made on the cusp of religious extremism, rather than humble spirituality. For as noted throughout 2 Chronicles 14 and <a href='B:140 15:3'>2Ch 15:3</a>; <a href='B:140 15:5'>2Ch 15:5</a>; <a href='B:140 15:8'>2Ch 15:8</a>, they themselves had not wholly sought Yahweh. And now they condemn such persons to death. But not so many years later they needed to be brought back to Yahweh (<a href='B:140 19:4'>2Ch 19:4</a>). See on :14.</p>


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<p>They swore to Yahweh with a loud voice, and with shouting, trumpets and cornets- </p><p>The loudness of their voice corroborates the impression noted on :13, that this was unspiritual religious extremism.</p>


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<p>All Judah rejoiced at the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought Him with their whole desire; and He was found of them: and Yahweh gave them rest all around- </p><p>This joy was at an oath which threatened death against anyone who didn't worship Yahweh (:13), when they themselves had not been wholeheartedly for Him. And yet despite the hypocrisy, Yahweh "was found of them". Again, we see His sensitivity to any faith and spirituality. This is not to say that He accepts just whatever we give Him, and that, by extension, we can serve God on our own terms. But it is also so that God is very sensitive to all movements towards Him and for Him.</p>


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<p>Also Maacah, the mother of Asa the king, he removed from being queen, because she had made an abominable image for an Asherah. Asa cut down her image, and made dust of it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron- </p><p>This would have been difficult for him, given it was his mother. The Lord may have thought of this as He crossed the same brook, the night before His death.</p>


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<p>But the high places were not taken away out of Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days- </p><p>As discussed on :15, this is not to say that we are free to serve God on our own terms, picking and choosing our issues of obedience and compliance. Rather does this reflect how human external behaviour, even if it is sinful, is not always a reflection of the basic, core position of the human heart. Human behaviour is so complex in its motivation, and there is often a connection between the heart and external behaviour which is very indirect and can even at times be inverse. In other words, we may act the opposite of what we really think. But God alone can know and judge these complexities. This is why we must not judge; because we cannot judge. We do not see the heart.</p><p>Asa and Jehoshaphat removed the high places, but in a sense they didn't (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a> cp. <a href='B:140 14:5'>2Ch 14:5</a>; <a href='B:140 17:6'>2Ch 17:6</a> cp. 20:33). We read of how the land was purged of Baal, Sodomites etc:; but in a very short time, we read of another purge being necessary. Partial cleansing of idolatry amounted to no cleansing. Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah all made major purges within a space of 80 years. Jeremiah therefore condemns the Jews who lived at the time of Josiah's reformation for not knowing God in their hearts. Many a Western Christian has this very same tendency. We too must ask ourselves whether our spirituality is really just a product of the crowd mentality; as the crowd shouted one day "Hosanna to the Son of David", a few days later they wanted Jesus to be delivered rather than Barabbas, but within minutes they were persuaded to cry for the crucifixion of the Son of God. Church life, Bible studies, the breaking of bread::. inevitably, there is a crowd mentality developed here. There is a feeling of devotion which wells up within us as a community, as an audience, as we sit there, as we stand in praise and worship together. But the real spirituality is far deeper than this. We must seriously ask whether our spirituality, our feelings of devotion, our true repentance, are only stimulated by these meetings?</p><p>As discussed on <a href='B:110 15:3'>1Ki 15:3</a>, Asa like David clearly sinned and seems to have suffered a decline in his faith as he got older, as the Chronicles record shows. But he was judged on the overall dominant desire of his heart, to the point that having a heart perfect with Yahweh seems to effectively mean 'He was wholeheartedly devoted to Yahweh and never worshipped other gods'. Despite all the ups and downs, of which his final faith in doctors rather than Yahweh was one of the down points (<a href='B:120 16:12'>2Ki 16:12</a>), his overall deepest heart was for Yahweh.</p>


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<p>He brought into God’s house the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels- </p><p>The reference is to what he captured from the Ethiopians and looted from the tribesmen around Gerar (<a href='B:140 14:14-15'>2Ch 14:14-15</a>); and to what his father Abijah had taken from Jeroboam (<a href='B:140 13:16'>2Ch 13:16</a>). We note that Abijah dedicated things to God, but despite that, "he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God" (<a href='B:110 15:3'>1Ki 15:3</a>). External generosity isn't anywhere near as valuable as a heart totally given over to God.</p>


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<p>There was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa- </p><p><a href='B:130 14:1'>1Ch 14:1</a> likewise notes that Asa's reign began with 10 years of peace. The land itself was at peace but that didn't mean Judah were not at war. For Baasha became king of Israel in the third year of Asa (<a href='B:110 15:28'>1Ki 15:28</a>; <a href='B:110 15:33'>1Ki 15:33</a>) and “there was war between Asa and Baasha all their days” (<a href='B:110 15:32'>1Ki 15:32</a>). Then there was then this 20 years peace later on (<a href='B:140 15:10'>2Ch 15:10</a>; <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a>). The impression is given that Asa's [partial] faithfulness to Yahweh meant there was peace, and peace is a fruit of loyalty to Yahweh. See on <a href='B:140 16:1'>2Ch 16:1</a>.</p>


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<p>In the thirty sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah- </p><p>But Baasha died in the 26th year of Asa's rulership (<a href='B:110 16:8'>1Ki 16:8</a>; <a href='B:110 16:10'>1Ki 16:10</a>). The 35th year in <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a> refers to the point of division with Israel, when Judah became a separate entity. And this may be the same case here. However, the Hebrew characters used for 30 and 10 are very similar, and this may be an example of a coping error. If we read 15 and 16 in <a href='B:140 15:19'>2Ch 15:19</a> and <a href='B:140 16:1'>2Ch 16:1</a>, then the chronological problem disappears.</p><p>And built Ramah, that he might not allow anyone to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah- </p><p>There was such a flow of Israelites to Judah that Baasha tried to stop it, by building Ramah as an effective border control point on the approach road to Jerusalem- only about six miles from city. Ramah was in Benjamin, and clearly Asa had failed to retain it within Judah.</p>


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<p>Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of Yahweh and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben Hadad king of Syria, who lived at Damascus saying- </p><p>Benhadad was the grandson of Hezion, a name which uses similar characters to Rezon who led the first attempted revival of Zobah and Damascus (<a href='B:110 11:23'>1Ki 11:23</a>) after David's victories against them in <a href='B:100 8:3-8'>2Sa 8:3-8</a>. Asa gathered the gold and silver vessels back into the temple- and then went and used them to make a political treaty. He apparently treated them as God's riches, but then in reality he used them as his own (<a href='B:110 15:18'>1Ki 15:18</a>; <a href='B:110 15:15'>1Ki 15:15</a>).</p>


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<p>Let there be a covenant between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold. Go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me- </p><p>The intent of the treaty, however, was that Benhadad would attack Baasha (:4). Perhaps this was not stated specifically because Asa wanted to give lip service obedience to the command not to fight with his own brethren in (<a href='B:110 12:24'>1Ki 12:24</a>. So the Lord's money was spent on effectively getting others to fight their own brethren; and in essence the same can happen today in church politics. We also see how fickle are relationships when not governed by Divine principle; Benhadad's treaty with Baasha was broken when money was received from a third party, and he not only trashed the treaty but attacked him.</p><p>We must balance this lack of faith against the Divine assessment in <a href='B:140 15:17'>2Ch 15:17</a>: "The high places were not taken away out of Israel. Nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days".</p>


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<p>Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Maim, and all the storage cities of Naphtali- </p><p>These cities were in the far north of Israel. It was an invasion of the border area rather than of all Israel.</p>


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<p>It happened, when Baasha heard of it, that he left off building Ramah, and let his work cease- </p><p>Asa's plan appeared to have worked. Baasha stopped the attempted blockade of Jerusalem. Even though Asa did wrong in how he used the Lord's money / wealth, that isn't commented upon. It all seemed to work out. But we are left, naturally, with the question as to whether this was right or not.</p>


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<p>Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah- </p><p>We see here the value of stones and timber and the huge amount of labour needed to move them. This corroborates the way that Solomon's huge demand for these things led him into debt financially (see on <a href='B:110 9:14'>1Ki 9:14</a>) and into abusing his people for labour.</p>


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<p>At that time Hanani the seer of visions came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, Because you have relied on the king of Syria, and have not relied on Yahweh your God, therefore is the army of the king of Syria escaped out of your hand- </p><p>A lack of spiritual ambition is in fact a sin. When Asa was threatened by his enemies, he hired the Syrians to drive them away- and he was condemned for this, being told that he should instead have had the ambition to ask God to deliver the mighty Syrians into his hand, as well as his enemies (<a href='B:140 16:7'>2Ch 16:7</a>). He was reminded that the Angelic eyes of the Lord are running to and fro in our support (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>), as Asa would have theoretically acknowledged. But his sin of omission, his lack of an ambitious vision, incited the Father’s anger. We need to meditate carefully upon this, because it surely has many similarities with modern life, where money and ‘hiring’ worldly help is so easy…</p>


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<p>Weren’t the Ethiopians and the Lubim a huge army, with exceeding many chariots and horsemen? Yet, because you relied on Yahweh, He delivered them into your hand- </p><p>This is a similar situation to that in <a href='B:140 13:18'>2Ch 13:18</a>, where an otherwise unspiritual and idolatrous Judah "relied" on Yahweh in desperation. They relied on Him at that one point, and were rewarded for it. But not generally. This reflects God's extreme sensitivity to faith in Him, even if He knows the surrounding context of a man's life is not of faith in Him.</p><p>Asa's faith was rewarded when he faced a massive Ethiopian army; but some years later, God repeated the situation. A huge Israelite army faced him; and instead of trusting in Yahweh, he gave the temple treasures to Syria so that they would come and fight the battle for him. And God wasn't slow to point out how circumstances had repeated, but this time Asa had failed the test: " Were not the Ethiopians and Lubims a huge host:::? Yet because you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand::. herein you have done foolishly: therefore from henceforth you shall have wars" (<a href='B:140 16:8-9'>2Ch 16:8-9</a>). The "wars" God brought upon Asa weren't merely punishments; they were yet further opportunities for Asa to face the same situations, and overcome them with faith. And God likewise works in our lives.</p>


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<p>For the eyes of Yahweh run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him- </p><p>The Biblical record seems to very frequently seek to deconstruct popular ideas about sin and evil. One of the most widespread notions was the "evil eye", whereby it was believed that some people had an "evil eye" which could bring distress into the eyes of those upon whom they looked in jealousy or anger. This concept is alive and well in many areas to this day. The idea entered Judaism very strongly after the Babylonian captivity; the Babylonian Talmud is full of references to it. The sage Rav attributed many illnesses to the evil eye, and the Talmud even claimed that 99 out of 100 people died prematurely from this (Bava Metzia 107b). The Biblical deconstruction of this is through stressing that God's eye is all powerful in the destiny of His people (<a href='B:50 11:12'>Deu 11:12</a>; <a href='B:230 33:18'>Psa 33:18</a>); and that "an evil eye" refers to an internal attitude of mean spiritedness within people- e:g. an "evil eye" is understood as an ungenerous spirit in <a href='B:50 15:9'>Deu 15:9</a>; <a href='B:470 6:23'>Mat 6:23</a>; <a href='B:470 20:15'>Mat 20:15</a>; or pure selfishness in <a href='B:50 28:54'>Deu 28:54</a>; <a href='B:50 28:56'>Deu 28:56</a>; <a href='B:240 23:6'>Pro 23:6</a>; <a href='B:240 28:22'>Pro 28:22</a>. We must remember that the people of Biblical times understood an "evil eye" as an external ability to look at someone and bring curses upon them. But the Bible redefines an "evil eye" as a purely internal attitude; and cosmic evil, even if it were to exist, need hold no fear for us- seeing the eyes of the only true God are running around the earth for us and not against us (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>).</p><p>Herein you have done foolishly; for from henceforth you shall have wars- </p><p>"Done foolishly" alludes to the failures of Saul (<a href='B:90 13:13'>1Sa 13:13</a>) and David (<a href='B:100 24:10'>2Sa 24:10</a>), both also connected with trust in human rather than Divine strength.</p>


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<p>Then Asa was angry with the seer of visions, and put him in the prison; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time- </p><p>If true guilt is not faced up to, there will be anger, the anger that comes from refusing to acknowledge subconscious guilt. Balaam’s angry striking of his donkey is an obvious Biblical example, and we are surrounded by so many others. Another classic example would be Asa’s “rage” with Hanani the prophet when he rebuked Asa for trusting in the Syrian army rather than in Yahweh. And Asa’s anger was then taken out upon the people- for “Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time” (<a href='B:140 16:10'>2Ch 16:10</a>).</p><p>The harsh treatment of the Ammonites, torturing them under harrows, is indication enough of David’s bad conscience before God being shown in his harsh treatment of others. Likewise Asa oppressed the people when he was guilty in his conscience (<a href='B:140 16:10'>2Ch 16:10</a>). And the wicked Kings of Israel usually died “without being desired” by their people, presumably because their broken relationship with God had led to a broken relationship between them and their brethren (e:g. <a href='B:140 21:20'>2Ch 21:20</a>).</p><p>When Israel played traitor to their brethren, by doing so they broke their marriage covenant with God (<a href='B:460 2:10'>Mal 2:10</a>); their attitude to their brethren was essentially their attitude to their Heavenly Father. Our God and our brethren simply can't be separated. Asa’s broken relationship with God resulted in him ‘crushing’ the people at the same time (<a href='B:140 16:10'>2Ch 16:10</a> Avmg:).</p>


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<p>Behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel- </p><p>This may not necessarily be the book of Kings as we know it.</p>


text:
<p>In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa was diseased in his feet. His disease was exceeding great; yet in his disease he didn’t turn to Yahweh, but to the physicians- </p><p>One meaning of "Asa" is "physician", and he ended his days trusting physicians rather than Yahweh. Perhaps he trained as a physician and ended up therefore having more faith in science than in Yahweh. <a href='B:110 15:11'>1Ki 15:11</a> says that "he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as did David his father". <a href='B:140 14:2'>2Ch 14:2</a> is likewise positive: "Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of Yahweh his God". </p><p>Asa is recorded as serving God just as well as David, when actually this wasn't the case; but God counted him as righteous. The incomplete faith of men like Baruch was counted as full faith by later inspiration (<a href='B:70 4:8-9'>Jdg 4:8-9</a> cp. <a href='B:650 11:32'>Heb 11:32</a>). Asa was not perfect, nor was David; but God's overall judgment was that he "did right", despite doing wrong at specific points in his life. Yet we learn here that Asa died at a low point for him spiritually. But the judgment overall was that he "did right" and that "nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect with Yahweh all his days" (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a>). We must learn therefore not to judge a person too harshly if they die at a weak spiritual point, e:g. through suicide.</p>


text:
<p>Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the forty-first year of his reign- </p><p>The description of death as sleeping with fathers is clear evidence that death is seen as a sleep, unconsciousness, and not as the start of an immortal soul going to heaven or 'hell'. Good and bad, David and Solomon, are gathered together in death. The division between them will only therefore come at the resurrection of the dead, and the granting of immortality at the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus.</p>


text:
<p>They buried him in his own tombs, which he had dug out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer’s art; and they made a very great burning for him-</p><p>"The bed" may refer to that on which he laid at the end of his life (:12). It seems he was buried in his own bed, which recalls the style of burial for the Pharaohs and other Gentile kings. This would be another indication that Asa died spiritually weak, and yet as discussed on :12, he was still reckoned as righteous according to his core heart positions.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place-</p><p>Jehoshaphat means 'whom Jehovah judges'. And this is largely the point of his life. He made major mistakes in his relationships with Israel, incited the wrath of God against him (<a href='B:140 19:2'>2Ch 19:2</a>), died without removing the high places, and yet overall was judged as having a faithful heart before God (<a href='B:110 22:43'>1Ki 22:43</a>; <a href='B:140 19:3'>2Ch 19:3</a>). And so we have a parade example of how indeed 'Jehovah judges', factoring in the various dimensions of a man's life in a way in which we cannot. The lesson is indeed that we cannot judge, nor should we be tempted to judge a person according to the high and low points on their spiritual graph, nor upon the fact they may die with unconquered weaknesses.</p><p>And strengthened himself against Israel- </p><p>Yet <a href='B:110 22:44'>1Ki 22:44</a> commends him that: "Jehoshaphat made peace with the king[s] of Israel". But the way to that peace was by clarifying boundaries.</p>


text:
<p>He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken- </p><p>This building or rebuilding of fortified cities at the start of a reign is a continuity between Asa, Jehoshaphat and Rehoboam. But in each case, those strengthened cities failed to protect them as they intended, but rather God's strength was needed. The later kings were clearly intended to learn from history as recorded, as we are.</p>


text:
<p>Yahweh was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and didn’t seek the Baals- </p><p>Many have struggled to reconcile the statement that David was a man after God’s own heart (<a href='B:90 13:14'>1Sa 13:14</a>) with the fact that his life contains many examples not only of failure, but of anger and a devaluing of human life. He was barred from building the temple because of the amount of blood he had shed (<a href='B:130 22:8'>1Ch 22:8</a>). The figure of ‘shedding blood’ takes us back to the incident with Nabal, where David three times is mentioned as intending to “shed blood” (<a href='B:90 25:26-33'>1Sa 25:26-33</a>), only to be turned away from his sinful course by the wisdom, spirituality and charm of Abigail. David started out as the spiritually minded, humble shepherd, full of faith and zeal for his God. Hence Jehoshaphat is commended for walking “in the first ways of his father David” (<a href='B:140 17:3'>2Ch 17:3</a>). It seems to me that the comment that David was “a man after God’s own heart” refers to how he initially was, at the time God chose him and rejected Saul. But the trauma of his life, the betrayals, jealousies and hatred of others, led him to the kind of bitterness which so often surfaces in the Psalms and is reflected in several historical incidents where he lacks the value of others’ lives which we would otherwise expect from a man who walked so close with his God.</p>


text:
<p>but sought to the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not after the doings of Israel- </p><p>Yet Jehoshaphat allowed his son to marry Ahab's daughter (<a href='B:140 18:1'>2Ch 18:1</a>), and repeatedly failed in being as separate from Israel as he ought to have been. He nearly lost his life as a result of it. Yet God's overall judgment is that for all his social contact with Israel and failure to separate from them, he still did not himself 'walk' in their evil doings.</p>


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<p>Therefore Yahweh established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honour in abundance- </p><p>The tribute may refer to a revival of the taxation system of Solomon described in 1 Kings 4. Or possibly the reference may be to the tithes being brought to Jehoshaphat, as if he were a king-priest; see on :7. Or the reference may simply be to presents, brought to him when he ascended the throne as in <a href='B:90 10:27'>1Sa 10:27</a>. In this case, the entire description of Jehoshaphat in :2-6 would specifically refer to the beginning of his reign.</p>


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<p>His heart was lifted up in the ways of Yahweh- </p><p>The phrase "lifted up" is nearly always used in a negative sense about pride. The idea was that he was proud of Yahweh and His ways.</p><p>Furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherim out of Judah- </p><p>Asa and Jehoshaphat removed the high places, but in a sense they didn't (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a> cp. <a href='B:140 14:5'>2Ch 14:5</a>; <a href='B:140 17:6'>2Ch 17:6</a> cp. 20:33). We read of how the land was purged of Baal, Sodomites etc:; but in a very short time, we read of another purge being necessary. Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah all made major purges within a space of 80 years. Jeremiah therefore condemns the Jews who lived at the time of Josiah's reformation for not knowing God in their hearts. Asa gathered the gold and silver vessels back into the temple- and then went and used them to make a political treaty. He apparently treated them as God's riches, but then in reality he used them as his own (<a href='B:110 15:18'>1Ki 15:18</a>; <a href='B:110 15:15'>1Ki 15:15</a>). Many a Western Christian has this very same tendency. We too must ask ourselves whether our spirituality is really just a product of the crowd mentality; as the crowd shouted one day "Hosanna to the Son of David", a few days later they wanted Jesus to be delivered rather than Barabbas, but within minutes they were persuaded to cry for the crucifixion of the Son of God. Church life, Bible studies, the breaking of bread::. inevitably, there is a crowd mentality developed here. There is a feeling of devotion which wells up within us as a community, as an audience, as we sit there, as we stand in praise and worship together. But the real spirituality is far deeper than this. We must seriously ask whether our spirituality, our feelings of devotion, our true repentance, are only stimulated by these meetings?</p>


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<p>Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah- </p><p>The sending of princes along with Levites (:8) could imply some idea of a joint king-priesthood, which we saw possibly hinted at in :5, if we understand the "tribute" given to Jehoshaphat as king as being the tithes due to the Levites.</p>


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<p>and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests- </p><p>The idea was that the two priests were sent to teach Judah the law (:9), for that was the function of the priests. But in practical terms they were assisted by a group of Levites and princes (:7). We would rather imagine the priests as being listed first, and then those subservient to them coming afterwards. But the priests were true servant leaders and are listed last, as being "with the Levites" [the servants of the priests] rather than the other way around.</p>


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<p>They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Yahweh with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people- </p><p>This is a tacit admission that the local priests were not teaching the people. <a href='B:140 15:3'>2Ch 15:3</a> had reminded Asa of the similarity of his times with those of the judges: "Now for a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law". It seems that sad situation continued. The statements about Judah's faithfulness and loyalty to Yahweh were therefore very generous; for in an illiterate society, they would have been unaware of the majority of details in the Mosaic law if they weren't taught it by the local priests. Although priests from the ten tribes had emigrated to Judah, it seems they were not teaching the people as intended. Their identity with Yahweh religion was therefore more cultural than based upon accurate awareness of His ways. But despite this lack of knowledge, God still counted them as loyal to Him, just as He counted weak kings like Asa as loyal to Him in their hearts. Yahweh's generosity in judgment of His people is one of the themes which comes through in the historical records.</p>


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<p>The fear of Yahweh fell on all the kingdoms of the lands that were around Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat- </p><p>A similar situation repeated itself in <a href='B:140 14:14'>2Ch 14:14</a>. The record constantly stresses that the victory was from God. The fear of Yahweh coming upon Gentiles was the promised reward for obedience (<a href='B:50 11:25'>Deu 11:25</a>), and recalls the terror which fell upon the cities around Jacob at the time of <a href='B:10 35:5'>Gen 35:5</a>, "so that they made no war against" Jacob. But that terror didn't come because Israel were righteous at that time; in fact the opposite. For they had just massacred Shechem. Likewise here, these blessings were by grace, for Judah were not so righteous at this time; and reflected Yahweh's extreme sensitivity to any faith and obedience toward Him. And it was surely the same in Jehoshaphat's time.</p>


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<p>Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute. The Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand seven hundred rams, and seven thousand seven hundred male goats- </p><p>Remember that 'hundred' and 'thousand' are not always to be taken as literal numbers, but can refer to groups. It was these same groups of Philistines and Arabians whose spirit Yahweh stirred up (for He can work directly upon the human mind) to break away from Judah in Jehoram's time (<a href='B:140 21:16'>2Ch 21:16</a>).</p>


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<p>Jehoshaphat grew great exceedingly; and he built in Judah fortified and store cities- </p><p>See on :2. "Store cities" implies he anticipated the possibility of a siege from enemies.</p>


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<p>He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valour, in Jerusalem- </p><p>"Many works" is unclear. GNB for :12,13 offers: "Throughout Judah he built fortifications and cities,&nbsp;where supplies were stored in huge amounts. In Jerusalem he stationed outstanding officers".</p>


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<p>This was the numbering of them according to their fathers’ houses. Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand- </p><p>Remember that 'hundred' and 'thousand' are not always to be taken as literal numbers, but can refer to groups. The "them" could refer specifically to the officers or soldiers quartered in Jerusalem (:13).</p>


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<p>and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand- </p><p>We note that the names of all the captains in this section include God's Name.</p>


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<p>and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to Yahweh; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour- </p><p>His being so willing to offer himself to Yahweh was noted, as in <a href='B:70 5:9'>Jdg 5:9</a>. Human initiative in serving God is indeed valuable to Him; not because He saves according to works, but because He recognizes and values freewill human expressions of love toward Him.</p>


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<p>Of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield- </p><p>There is a significant increase in numbers from his father's time, when the army was exactly half the size of that recorded in this section (<a href='B:140 14:8'>2Ch 14:8</a>). The total then was 580,000; but here in :14-18 it is exactly double (1,160,000), Judah 780,000, Benjamin 380,000. This suggests that again, numbers are not being used in the literal sense which modern readers are accustomed to.</p>


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<p>and next to him Jehozabad; and with him one hundred and eighty thousand prepared for war- </p><p>This group were ready for immediate deployment.</p>


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<p>These were those who waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah- </p><p>This is a very large number to continually serve the king. The same phrase is used in <a href='B:130 27:1'>1Ch 27:1</a>, where they served their king through a rotation system of monthly service.</p>


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<p>Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab-</p><p>The Chronicles record clearly shows that he was too close to Israel. His son married a daughter of Ahab, and his insistence on supporting Ahab was seen as loving those who hated Yahweh, and the wrath of God was upon him because of it&nbsp; (<a href='B:140 19:2'>2Ch 19:2</a>). And yet he is commended for having peace with the kings of Israel (<a href='B:110 22:44'>1Ki 22:44</a>), even though&nbsp; that desire for peace with them led him into major sin. But he was judged as having a heart right with God (<a href='B:140 19:3'>2Ch 19:3</a>). We sense God weighting Jehoshaphat's sins with his relations with Israel against his genuine desire for peace within God's people. And overall, as he was judged on the state of his heart, his desire for unity and peace was judged as his dominant desire. We simply cannot factor in or weight all the dimensions in a man's heart. Only God can. And the reason we are not to judge is because in fact we cannot judge, in that we don't have access to human hearts. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


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<p>After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead-</p><p>Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram had wrongly married Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah; probably under some false mantra of 'unity amongst God's people'. The visit was likely in connection with this. Had Jehoshaphat not fraternized with wicked Ahab, the possibility of the doomed venture which follows wouldn't have arisen. And if Ahab had slain Benhadad as commanded, Ramoth Gilead would have been returned to Israel. And indeed if Benhadad kept his covenant, it should have been returned anyway (<a href='B:110 20:34'>1Ki 20:34</a>).</p><p>"Moved" is 'persuaded'. "Ahab persuaded Jehoshaphat to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead", just as Jezebel persuaded Ahab to do wickedness (<a href='B:110 21:25'>1Ki 21:25</a> Heb:). It is a story of sin leading to sin, and sinful attitudes and behaviour spreading through wrong and unwise associations.</p>


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<p>Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead? He answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in the war-</p><p>We note they both have "horses", which were forbidden for the kings of Israel under the law of Moses. Jehoshaphat likely reasoned that a weak Syria on the east bank of Jordan was good for Judah, but he was also caught up in the false mantra of "unity" which had led his son to marry Ahab's daughter.</p>


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<p>Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh-</p><p>Ahab responded to the request for a word from Yahweh by summoning the group of 400 false prophets (:5). He had so mixed Yahweh worship with paganism that he considered their word to be that of Yahweh. And he gathered such a huge group in order to argue that the majority must surely be right. And the Bible consistently teaches that in these situations, the majority is usually wrong.</p>


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<p>Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I desist? </p><p>Ahab had 400 false prophets earlier in his reign (<a href='B:110 18:19'>1Ki 18:19</a>), who were slain on Carmel. So it seems that he didn't learn his lesson, and raised up another such group. This fits with the common theme of purges and repentances at the time of the kings needing to be repeated. For the purges were only surface level, despite all the evidence for them at the time. "Forbear" means 'to cease'. Ahab, like us at times, had already started the project without asking God's guidance, and his request for guidance in the project was compromised in integrity by the fact he had already begun it.</p><p>They said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king-</p><p>This recalls the instant answer of Nathan when David enquired about building a temple for Yahweh. Too easily we assume we know the will of God, and speak and act as if we have His blessing on our endeavours already.</p>


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<p>But Jehoshaphat said, Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him?-</p><p>Ahab had provided the 400 prophets of Baal in response to the request for a word from Yahweh. Jehoshaphat realized this; and ought to have immediately pulled out of working with someone who was presenting Baal worship as Yahweh worship. He means of course 'an old time, old school prophet of Yahweh who is not also a prophet of Baal and repudiates Baal'.</p>


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<p>The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh-</p><p>The idea is, "one more man". He considered that the 400 prophets of Baal were also in touch with Yahweh (see on :5), and Micaiah was just one more who could do that, although he repudiated Baal worship.</p><p>But I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil-</p><p>Again we sense the pouting, spoilt kid characteristics of Ahab. His characterization in the records is absolutely consistent and credible, as we would expect of a Divinely inspired history. We have here a parade example of how men come to God's word having already decided what they want to hear. Indeed there is a tendency to have "itching ears", heaping up teachers to confirm us in our own desires, lusts and hunches (<a href='B:620 4:3'>2Ti 4:3</a>; maybe a reference to Ahab heaping up 400 such teachers to tell him what he wanted to hear). This is why there are so many different interpretations of the Bible. Because readers / hearers like to hear only what confirms that which they already had a hunch about. To achieve a second naivety as we come to God's word, to be a born again virgin, is hard indeed. Jehoshaphat realized what Ahab was doing, and asked him not to talk like that- but to accept Yahweh's word. The fact Jehoshaphat himself still went into battle shows how he himself perceived the truth of all this, but didn't do accordingly. The "evil" prophesied was presumably of Ahab's condemnation, confirming Elijah's words.</p><p>He is Micaiah the son of Imla. Jehoshaphat said, Don’t let the king say so-</p><p>Again we are introduced to a true prophet of Yahweh who existed at the time of Elijah. His claim to be the only prophet of Yahweh is continually demonstrated to be false. Presumably Elijah knew these other prophets, but considered that they had all gone wrong on this or that point of doctrine or practice. And perhaps they had, but God still counted them as His prophets, and used them as such. And it was Elijah who was removed from the prophetic ministry because of his arrogance in considering none of them genuine, and he alone being the true representative of Yahweh. Micaiah had previously spoken critical things to Ahab in Yahweh's Name, hence Ahab says that this prophet only says "evil" about him and he doesn't want to consult him. Elijah was quite wrong to discount all these brave prophets as somehow not genuine:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


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<p>Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly-</p><p>"Who is like Yah?" was a direct challenge to the idea that Yahweh could be worshipped through Baal worship (see on :4). According to :26, Micaiah was imprisoned at this time. The 'quick' summoning from prison by an officer to speak God's word would have recalled to Micaiah the example of faithful Joseph.</p>


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<p>Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes. They were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them- </p><p>This was an impressive sight, and the area had clearly been especially prepared so that so many prophets could prophesy together. It was designed to sway Jehoshaphat according to the false maxim that the majority must be right, and how could so many be wrong. See on <a href='B:330 10:5'>Eze 10:5</a></p>


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<p>Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron and said, Thus says Yahweh, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed’- </p><p>Zedekiah, like a typical apostate, is mixing the truth of God out of context with wrong ideas. He alludes to Moses'&nbsp; blessing of Joseph in <a href='B:50 33:17'>Deu 33:17</a> to the northern tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh: “Buffalo horns are his (Joseph's) horns, with them he thrusts down nations”. But of course he overlooked the fact that the blessings of Moses were predicated upon obedience to the covenant. He probably made the horns and held them on his forehead. Micaiah's response is to also quote from the law of Moses, but about the judgment for disobedience to the covenant (:16).</p>


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<p>All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king- </p><p>These 400 prophets of Baal [for they were the equivalent of the 400 executed on Mount Carmel] still used the name of Yahweh. Their position was that they conducted Yahweh worship through Baal worship. Perhaps their usage of the Hebrew word for "prosper" alluded to how the word is four times used of the prospering of Abraham's servant on his journey and mission (<a href='B:10 24:21'>Gen 24:21</a>; <a href='B:10 24:40'>Gen 24:40</a>; <a href='B:10 24:42'>Gen 24:42</a>; <a href='B:10 24:56'>Gen 24:56</a>). And this is probably our most common temptation as believers; to mix the flesh and the spirit, to justify sin in the name of serving God. But Ahab had broken the covenant, and would not prosper (s:w. <a href='B:50 28:29'>Deu 28:29</a>). Jehoshaphat later learnt this lesson, for he uses the word in saying that only those who hear Yahweh's prophets will "prosper" (<a href='B:140 20:20'>2Ch 20:20</a>).</p>


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<p>The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak good- </p><p>We sense the build up of pressure upon Micaiah. He was imprisoned for having spoken God's word against Ahab (see on :8,25), and would be under huge pressure from the presence of the 400 prophets and the audience watching (:27 "all you people"). And as the officer led him from prison towards the huge crowd of people gathered before the two kings, he too added his pressure. The request of the officer was perhaps because he actually liked Micaiah and could foresee the death sentence being given if he again "spoke evil" and not "good" to Ahab, and he didn't want to have to carry that out. But he still totally fails to perceive that God's word cannot be changed or controlled by man.</p>


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<p>Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak- </p><p>If Micaiah was at that time imprisoned for prophesying evil against Ahab (see on :8,25), bearing in mind Naboth had been slain for allegedly cursing the king, he would have been sorely tempted to now buy his freedom by saying what Ahab wanted to hear. And despite his determination not to do so, I suggest on :14 that he did temporarily fail. The pressure on him was intense. Micaiah uses the words and ideas of Balaam when pressured to not say Yahweh's word. He was clearly a spiritually minded man who was deeply aware of Biblical precedent for his situation, as we ought to be.</p>


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<p>When he had come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I desist? He said, Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand- </p><p>It could be argued that by repeating the very words of the false prophets, Micaiah was just repeating them sarcastically, with the tone of his voice indicating that. But I prefer to conclude that this faithful man, who had gone to prison for his witness of God's word to Ahab, now faltered under the pressure of the presence of the 400 false prophets. He acted like Nathan when David enquired about building a temple for Yahweh, who gave the answer that his enquirer wanted to hear. Such failure of a moment would be absolutely true to human experience and would be psychologically and spiritually credible. See on :13.</p>


text:
<p>The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?- </p><p>See on :14. We are left to speculate which singular "king" it was who said this, Ahab or Jehoshaphat. The Biblical record is intentionally open ended at some points, to encourage us to think ourselves into the situation. The king sensed that Micaiah was cowed by the situation, and really wanted to know what Yahweh thought. So we sense "the king" in view was Jehoshaphat.</p>


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<p>He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, These have no master. Let them return every man to his house in peace- </p><p>As explained on :10, Zedekiah had quoted Moses' blessings of the tribes as justification for a successful battle- which were conditional upon obedience to the covenant. Micaiah responds by quoting the curses for disobedience to the covenant (<a href='B:40 27:16-17'>Num 27:16-17</a>). The removal of the master / shepherd implies that the shepherd or king of Israel is to be slain, and the sheep would return to their homes once the shepherd was slain. And that is just what happened when it was recognized that Ahab had been slain.</p>


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<p>Micaiah said, Therefore hear the word of Yahweh- </p><p>There does not follow a "Thus says the Lord", but rather a description of the vision Micaiah had seen, a peek into the heavenly throne room, the court of heaven. Discerning the vision was perhaps the essential "word of Yahweh" which the kings were to "hear".</p><p>I saw Yahweh sitting on His throne, and all the army of heaven standing on His right hand and on His left- </p><p>It seems there are two groups of Angels- Angels of evil (<a href='B:230 78:49'>Psa 78:49</a>) and of good. Thus God creates both good and evil- and <a href='B:290 45:5-7'>Isa 45:5-7</a> emphasizes that He makes a distinct creation of both- using these separate groups of Angels. However we stress that the Angels of evil are not sinful Angels. We think of the Angel called "the destroyer" at Passover time, who was restrained by the Passover Angel from destroying the Israelite firstborn. And so one wonders whether "the destroyer" was one of those on the left hand side, and the Passover Angel one of those on the right hand. This division is perhaps hinted at here, where "all the host of Heaven" are seen standing around the throne of God himself "on His right and on His left". The exact way in which these two groups of Angels work is unclear, and this perhaps explains the difficulty all Bible students face in understanding the undefined "power of darkness", hints of which lurk throughout Scripture (e:g. evil spirits, the forces of evil unleashed at the end of Revelation etc:), and also in defining the apparently super-human power of righteousness which the Psalms and New Testament especially speak of. At&nbsp; present&nbsp; these&nbsp; topics seem to defy close definition- until we appreciate the Angelic basis behind them?</p><p>The visions of Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 also show God seated on a throne with Angels before Him, bringing information and requests to Him and departing with commands to obey; the idea of a council in Heaven is clearly hinted at in Job 1; <a href='B:10 1:26'>Gen 1:26</a>; <a href='B:230 89:7'>Psa 89:7</a>. God sitting on a throne implies that each request or piece of information presented is 'judged' and an appropriate decision made. The 'case' of the adversaries to God is presented by a 'satan' Angel in Job.</p><p>We have here perhaps the most detailed picture of the Heavenly council. God told them His desire- for Ahab to die at Ramoth-Gilead. He then asked which Angel wanted to effect this. We thus learn that like us, on hearing God's desire the elohim all have different ways of trying to fulfil it. One "Spirit" (Angel) suggested that He would put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab's prophets, and this was the suggestion chosen and enabled by God. This shows that the Angels do not all automatically know the best way of bringing about God's purpose, and therefore they need to seek His advice and perhaps discuss things amongst themselves first before acting. Note that "all the host of Heaven" were there around the throne of God participating in this decision. And so all the Angels are involved in the decisions God and the Angels make about us. <a href='B:490 15:6'>Luk 15:6</a> implies the same.</p>


text:
<p>Yahweh said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? One spoke saying this way, and another saying that way- </p><p>"Entice" is the word elsewhere translated 'deceive'. Clearly God does deceive; for He confirms men in the mental path in which they themselves wish to go. <a href='B:330 14:9'>Eze 14:9</a> uses the word very clearly in this connection (see commentary there); and the teaching is confirmed in <a href='B:600 2:11'>2Th 2:11</a>.</p><p>In Revelation we see the incense of human prayers arising into Heaven, resulting in Angels coming to earth, pouring out bowls, blowing trumpets, and major events happening on earth (<a href='B:730 5:8'>Rev 5:8</a>; <a href='B:730 8:3'>Rev 8:3</a>). Prayer is noticed; it brings forth quite out of proportion responses. The Angels discuss their plans for us in the court of Heaven, coming up with various possibilities of how to act in our lives, discussing them with God (<a href='B:110 22:20-22'>1Ki 22:20-22</a>). They play some part in the whole process of our prayers. When we read that “Surely the Lord does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” (<a href='B:370 3:7'>Amo 3:7</a>), we might tend to take that as a statement of absolute principle that is obvious to all the Angels. But we find an Angel discussing with others: “Shall I hide from Abraham [who was a prophet] what I am about to do?” (<a href='B:10 18:17'>Gen 18:17</a>). The Angels have more debate, expend more mental and physical energy than we surely realize, in order to operationalize things which we might consider to be standard and automatic in God’s work with men. In our context, what this means is that when men reject the machinations and schemings of God’s love, they reject an awful lot; and it grieves and disappoints Him, and appears tragic to those like the prophets who see things from His viewpoint.</p>


text:
<p>A spirit- </p><p>God makes His Angels "spirits" (<a href='B:230 104:4'>Psa 104:4</a>), and Angels are in view here. But the word 'spirit' has a wide range of meaning. It can refer to power, but also to the thought which is then expressed through the power of action. The Angel is here called a "spirit" because the idea was to place a thought in the mind or spirit of the false prophets, and thereby Ahab.</p><p>Came out- </p><p>This is the same word as in :21 "I will go forth". The Angel was as it were demonstrating how he intended acting.</p><p>Stood before Yahweh and said- </p><p>It was the true prophets who stood before Yahweh (<a href='B:110 17:1'>1Ki 17:1</a>). The connection is to show that the true prophets were represented by the Angels in the court of heaven, and this Angel was as it were on their side.</p><p>I will entice him. Yahweh said to him, How?- </p><p>Ahab had been persuaded or enticed to do evil by Jezebel, and had enticed or persuaded Jehoshaphat to go to battle. But this was because he had himself been persuaded or enticed by God.</p>


text:
<p>He said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. He said, You will entice him, and will prevail also- </p><p>God deceived prophets to speak things in His Name which were actually false (<a href='B:110 22:20-22'>1Ki 22:20-22</a>; <a href='B:330 14:9'>Eze 14:9</a>). He chose Israel's delusions by making their idols answer them (<a href='B:290 66:3-4'>Isa 66:3-4</a>). Jeremiah feared God had deceived him (<a href='B:300 20:7'>Jer 20:7</a>)- showing he knew such a thing was possible. <a href='B:50 13:1-3'>Deu 13:1-3</a> warns Israel not to believe prophets whose prophecies came true although they taught false doctrines, because they may have been raised up to test their obedience. God deceived Israel by telling them about the peace which would come on Jerusalem in the future Kingdom; they didn't consider the other prophecies which were given at the same time concerning their imminent judgment, and therefore they thought that God was pleased with them and was about to establish the Messianic Kingdom; when actually the very opposite was about to happen (<a href='B:300 4:10'>Jer 4:10</a>). This is why the Bible is confusing to those who aren’t humble to God’s word.</p><p>Go forth, and do so- </p><p>This describes the Angels being sent out from the court of Heaven to do God’s word. So when we read of God sending lions (<a href='B:120 17:25-26'>2Ki 17:25-26</a>), sending wild beasts and famine (<a href='B:30 26:22'>Lev 26:22</a>; <a href='B:330 5:17'>Eze 5:17</a>; <a href='B:50 32:24'>Deu 32:24</a>), sending locusts (<a href='B:360 2:25'>Joe 2:25</a>), it would seem that Angels are sent forth from God’s throne in order to command animals to obey God’s word. And moreover, He sends an evil spirit between men (<a href='B:70 9:23'>Jdg 9:23</a>) and stubborn hearts are also sent from God (<a href='B:230 81:13'>Psa 81:13</a>). The same Angels who are sent to control the animals can also therefore work to give men certain attitudes of mind.</p>


text:
<p>Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you- </p><p>This was exactly what Micaiah had said before about Ahab, and Ahab intuitively knew that this was coming.</p>


text:
<p>Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way did the spirit of Yahweh go from me to speak to you?- </p><p>"Cheek" can be "ear". The idea was that Zedekiah implied Micaiah was saying that the spirit had left him and entered Micaiah through his ear. And so he smote that ear. To strike on the cheek was the punishment for a heretic, and was applied to the Lord Jesus (<a href='B:400 5:1'>Mic 5:1</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner room to hide yourself- </p><p>When Ahab was defeated and slain, everyone in Samaria would be looking for the false prophets to kill them. Not least Jezebel. For the defeat would have been blamed upon them. So Zedekiah would have hid from shame and fear of being killed. There is a connection between Benhadad going into an inner room to hide when Ahab was given victory against him (<a href='B:110 20:30'>1Ki 20:30</a>), and the false prophet Zedekiah going into an inner room to hide when Ahab was defeated (<a href='B:110 22:25'>1Ki 22:25</a>). The same Hebrew words are used, and the connection becomes more apparent if we accept that 1 Kings 20, 21 should be placed the other way around, as in LXX. This would mean that the hiding of Benhadad is recorded just a short time before that of Zedekiah. The connection would be to show that the false prophets were in fact bracketed together by God with Israel's enemies; whereas they had claimed that they were nationalists on Israel's side, proclaiming Israel's certain victory against their enemies. God sees not as man sees, and the real spiritual realities are often the very opposite of what appears.</p>


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<p>The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son- </p><p>These men were those who ran the prison, for "carry him back" means Micaiah was already in prison. See on :8. Again we see how wrong Elijah had been to claim that no prophet of Yahweh existed apart from himself. Micaiah had gone to prison for speaking God's word to Ahab. But Elijah presumably considered there was some curious point of theology or matter of legal practice which enabled Elijah to rubbish Micaiah as not sincere and not a true prophet. It reminds us of how truly committed Christians who have gone to jail or even death for their witness::. are trashed by others as somehow not the real Christians. And only they the critics are in fellowship with God. They really need to learn the lesson of Elijah. For he was ejected from his ministry because of those attitudes.</p>


text:
<p>Say, ‘Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace’- </p><p>I suggest on :8,25 that he was already in prison for his faithful witness against Ahab. So the idea here seems to be that he was to be put in the inner prison and given a very tough regime.</p>


text:
<p>Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Listen, you peoples, all of you!-</p><p>If I were Micaiah, I think I would have just shrugged and remained silent, fearing the harsh regime of punishment in :26 could easily be changed into the death sentence. For Naboth had been slain for 'cursing the king'. But Micaiah bravely invites the large audience to listen and take note, because he seeks their conversion.</p>


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<p>The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle- </p><p>LXX even suggests that Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to wear Ahab's robes. The next verse describes why this was; Ahab was aware of the king of Syria's desire to resolve the issue by capturing or killing Ahab. The incident is a parade example of 'bad friends'. We marvel at Jehoshaphat's stupidity in agreeing. For surely he must have foreseen what could happen. This was the pressure he felt from Ahab and Jezebel, the in-laws of his son. And so often family pressure leads otherwise solid believers into uncharacteristic actions, seriously unwise behaviour and positions which are utterly the opposite of all they stand for. Because quite simply, they do not really commit to following God's word, even if they stand with their backs to the world.</p>


text:
<p>Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots saying, Fight neither with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel- </p><p>Only three years previously (see on <a href='B:110 22:1'>1Ki 22:1</a>), the king of Syria had been foolishly spared by Ahab. Perhaps he couldn't live down that humiliation, and wanted to kill the man who had shown him so much mercy. That again is absolutely true to observed human experience, and the record time and again is absolutely psychologically credible.</p>


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<p>It happened that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel! Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them to depart from him- </p><p>The Hebrew implies that they surrounded him. He was clearly "lucky" to escape with his life. It was only by Divine grace that he did. His 'crying out' was surely to God to save him from his foolishness; "and Yahweh helped him". We note that God's grace was shown through His acting directly upon the hearts of men to "move" them to an otherwise unnatural course of action. And so the grace of His Spirit works upon human hearts today.</p>


text:
<p>It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him- </p><p>This was in response to his crying out to God for salvation in :31. And yet he was strongly rebuked by God in <a href='B:140 19:2'>2Ch 19:2</a>. His actions provoked "the wrath of Yahweh", but God saved a man by grace whilst at the same time having great wrath against him. This is so different to human wrath and attempts to show grace, which seem usually to be displayed without any other pole of feeling in mind. But God had both in perfect balance at the same time. This is the wonder of His Name, which includes all these poles of feeling toward men within His personality.</p>


text:
<p>A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armour. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the army; for I am severely wounded- </p><p>The gaps in armour around vital organs would have been relatively small. This is evidence for all time that there is no such thing as "random". This was so clearly of God.</p>


text:
<p>The battle increased that day. However the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening. About the time of the going down of the sun, he died- </p><p>The weak minded Ahab genuinely wanted to do the best for his troops, and therefore remained in his chariot, propped up. Presumably Israelite soldiers knew where and who he was. It was this policy of not being removed from his chariot which resulted in the blood accumulating within it, which was required for the fulfilment of the prophecies about his blood (see on <a href='B:110 22:38'>1Ki 22:38</a>).</p>


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<p>Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem-</p><p>After the very close shave with death recorded in 2 Chronicles 18, we can assume he returned shaking. But at peace with God.</p>


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<p>Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked, and love those who hate Yahweh? Because of this, wrath is on you from before Yahweh- </p><p>This was major criticism. And yet when he dies, we read that "He walked in all the way of Asa his father; he didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh" (<a href='B:110 22:43'>1Ki 22:43</a>):&nbsp; Again we marvel at God's positive overall opinion of Jehoshaphat. For he rejected Yahweh's word in going to fight at Ramoth Gilead, and was condemned by God for working together with those who hated Him, and "therefore is wrath on you from before Yahweh". A man may fail repeatedly, as Jehoshaphat did in his relations with Ahab and allowing his son to marry Jezebel's daughter, and even experience God's wrath. And yet finally be judged as having done what was right in God's eyes. That doing of right may refer therefore not to a spotless track record of behaviour, but rather to a basic faith in God, repentance and what the New Testament calls "abiding in Him". It is not the dramatic ups and downs on the graph of human spirituality over time which are significant to God. It is the overall state of the heart. And we can take courage from this in our own lives, and be guided therefore not to think too highly of those who at specific points show great commitment, nor to think too lowly of those who fail in specific points of their journey. We also learn that some men die with weaknesses, such as not taking away the high places. But this does not necessarily tip the balance towards their condemnation. This needs to be factored in to our thinking about the spiritual fate of those who die committing suicide.</p><p>He was too close to Israel. His son married a daughter of Ahab (<a href='B:140 18:1'>2Ch 18:1</a>), and his insistence on supporting Ahab was seen as loving those who hated Yahweh, and the wrath of God was upon him because of it. And yet he is commended for having peace with the kings of Israel (<a href='B:110 22:44'>1Ki 22:44</a>), even though&nbsp; that desire for peace with them led him into major sin. But he was judged as having a heart right with God (<a href='B:140 19:3'>2Ch 19:3</a>). We sense God weighting Jehoshaphat's sins with his relations with Israel against his genuine desire for peace within God's people. And overall, as he was judged on the state of his heart, his desire for unity and peace was judged as his dominant desire. We simply cannot factor in or weight all the dimensions in a man's heart. Only God can. And the reason we are not to judge is because in fact we cannot judge, in that we don't have access to human hearts. See on :10.</p>


text:
<p>Nevertheless there are good things found in you, in that you have put away Asheroth out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God- </p><p>This is the basis upon which he was judged positively at the end of his life (<a href='B:110 22:43'>1Ki 22:43</a>). For all the ups and downs of his spiritual graph (see on :3), his heart basically was with God:&nbsp; His "set" or 'prepared' heart could be seen as a fulfilment of Solomon's prayer in <a href='B:130 29:18'>1Ch 29:18</a>, where He asks God to keep the hearts of His people focused upon the temple, keeping it "in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and prepare their heart unto You". We see how God weighs up human hearts and actions. It is not that some "good things" outweigh bad things. That would be too simplistic, and ends up giving undue weight to works. So the emphasis is that good things were "found in you", within him, in his heart; and this is paralleled with setting his heart to seek God. It was this state of heart which more than counterbalanced his external sins of weakness in connection with Ahab.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat lived at Jerusalem. He went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their fathers- </p><p>We recall how not so long ago, the people were rejoicing in giving the death sentence to any who didn't seek Yahweh (<a href='B:140 15:13'>2Ch 15:13</a>). I suggested this was on the cusp of religious extremism, and they were hypocritically uncommitted themselves. We note that he went out personally to appeal to the people, which is the best way of appeal. We note "Mount Ephraim" was the northern border of Judah, with Beersheba forming the southern border. However, Mount Ephraim was in Ephraim, and it could be that Jehoshaphat went there too, appealing even to the ten tribes.</p>


text:
<p>He set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city- </p><p>David had planned for 6000 Levitical "officers and judges" throughout Israel (<a href='B:130 23:4'>1Ch 23:4</a>). But clearly the Levites had failed to be as they should have been, and the system of judges had failed; this is another indication that David's final plans for the new religious system based around the temple never really worked out in practice.</p>


text:
<p>and said to the judges, Consider what you do. You don’t judge for man, but for Yahweh; and He is with you in the judgment- </p><p>This suggests that Jehoshaphat was installing new judges; it's not that there were no judges before this time. Priests were to represent God, and to come before them was to come “before the Lord” (<a href='B:50 19:17'>Deu 19:17</a>). The Lord Jesus was presented as a baby “before the Lord” (<a href='B:490 2:22'>Luk 2:22</a>)- i:e. before the priest. Yahweh was "with" them in the judgment in that their judgments were to be guided by His revealed word, which was a source of His presence amongst them- as it is now.</p>


text:
<p>Now therefore let the fear of Yahweh be upon you. Be careful and do so; for there is no iniquity with Yahweh our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of bribes- </p><p>This had presumably been a problem with the previous judges whom Jehoshaphat was now replacing (see on :6). This setting up of judges may have been in obedience to <a href='B:50 16:18'>Deu 16:18</a>, whereas before this perhaps the judgment was done as in most primitive societies, by the heads of families. But that was bound to be open to "respect of persons" and bribes.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed Levites and priests, and of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of Yahweh, and for controversies-</p><p>The idea was that they judged cases which were handed up to them by the system of local judges described in :5-7. But LXX "And to judge the inhabitants of Jerusalem". "The judgment of Yahweh" may refer to interpretation of the Mosaic law, and "controversies" to interpersonal disputes. We note that "Levites" were to be part of this higher system of judges, and they are here differentiated from the priests. Levites were servants to the priests, but here they are invested with high authority. Those of the servant class were elevated to positions of senior judgment, and Paul has the same spirit in view in <a href='B:530 6:4'>1Co 6:4</a>. See on <a href='B:140 20:14'>2Ch 20:14</a>.</p><p>David (<a href='B:100 14:4'>2Sa 14:4</a>; <a href='B:100 15:3'>2Sa 15:3</a>) and Solomon (<a href='B:110 3:16'>1Ki 3:16</a>) appear to have concentrated all judgment in themselves, setting themselves up effectively as both king and priest, for the "judge" was to be a priest. Jehoshaphat reformed this by placing the power of judgment in the hands of a group of Levites, priests and heads of families as the higher court in Jerusalem (<a href='B:140 19:7'>2Ch 19:7</a>). But still Jehoshaphat didn't appoint a singular senior judge, as required in <a href='B:50 17:9'>Deu 17:9</a>. We note from <a href='B:50 19:17'>Deu 19:17</a> that this singular priestly supreme judge is called "Yahweh", because he was to be Yahweh's supreme representative when it came to judgment. But it seems even the best kings of Judah preferred to keep that office in their own power.</p><p>They returned to Jerusalem- </p><p>LXX "And to judge the inhabitants of Jerusalem". If we follow the AV, then this was after Jehoshaphat's reforming tour of his land which began in :4.</p>


text:
<p>He commanded them saying, Thus you shall do in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart- </p><p>"Perfect heart" may mean as in <a href='B:130 12:38'>1Ch 12:38</a>, a united heart amongst all the judges.</p>


text:
<p>Whenever any controversy shall come to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances- </p><p>Judging between "blood and blood" (<a href='B:50 17:8'>Deu 17:8</a>) may refer to judging whether between murder and manslaughter. Judgment between "law and commandment" may mean deciding which particular Mosaic law was appropriate in a given case.</p><p>You shall warn them, that they not be guilty towards Yahweh, and so wrath come on you and on your brothers- </p><p>We have just read this phrase in :2, where wrath came upon Jehoshaphat for his actions. Perhaps in humility because of this, he now hands over the judiciary to a system of judges rather than continuing to be the personal judge of Israel, as previous kings had been (see on :8).</p><p>Do this, and you shall not be guilty- </p><p>The idea seems to be that the judges would not be guilty if they judged according to information given which was in fact false. But those who made false testimony would have been warned that doing so meant facing Yahweh's judgment.</p>


text:
<p>Behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Yahweh- </p><p>This may refer to Amariah, "Yah has spoken", who was to finally judge over all matters of interpretation of the Mosaic law.</p><p>And Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters. The Levites shall be officers before you. Deal courageously, and may Yahweh be with the good- </p><p>Levites were servants to the priests, but here they are invested with high authority. Those of the servant class were elevated to positions of senior judgment, and Paul has the same spirit in view in <a href='B:530 6:4'>1Co 6:4</a>. Although the idea may be that they were waiting to operationalize the judgments handed down.</p>


text:
<p>It happened after this that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them some of the other Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle-</p><p>For "Ammonites", LXX and some texts read "the Mehunim", of <a href='B:140 26:7'>2Ch 26:7</a>; <a href='B:130 4:41'>1Ch 4:41</a>.</p>


text:
<p>Then some came who told Jehoshaphat saying, A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea from Syria. Behold, they are in Hazazon Tamar (that is, En Gedi)- </p><p>Some manuscripts read "from Edom", called "mount Seir" in :10, which would make better sense of them coming from En Gedi, with "the sea" then referring to the Dead Sea:. G:A. Smith explains that En Gedi was "on the west coast of the Dead Sea at a point where a rugged pass leads up into the hill country of Judah".</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat was alarmed, and set himself to seek to Yahweh. He proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah- </p><p>Fasts were typically proclaimed to call for repentance, as a result of calamity convicting people of sin. Jehoshaphat recognized that his reforms had not touched the soul of most of his people, and saw this invasion as a result of that. See on :10.</p>


text:
<p>Judah gathered themselves together to seek help from Yahweh. They came out of all the cities of Judah to seek Yahweh- </p><p>The people came to "seek help", but as explained on :3, Jehoshaphat realized that what was essentially needed was repentance.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of Yahweh, before the new court- </p><p>Jehoshaphat stood not "in" but "before" this court, so it may refer to the court of the priests which had been rebuilt recently. Hence "new".</p>


text:
<p>and he said, Yahweh, the God of our fathers, aren’t You God in heaven? Aren’t You ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, so that no one is able to stand against You- </p><p>To "stand against" is s:w. "stand with" or "before". Jehoshaphat 'stood' "before" Yahweh (:5). He feels his unworthiness to do this, and yet is aware that all the world likewise stands before Him, and cannot stand against Him. We note that God was king of the Gentile world even then. For them to become His 'kingdom', as today, required a recognition that He is king, and to accept His position as their king and they as His subjects. In other words, to accept what is already potentially the situation. This aspect of the call of the Gospel of the Kingdom is often felt by those who truly respond to it, having previously known nothing of His ways.</p>


text:
<p>Didn’t You, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and give it to the seed of Abraham Your friend forever?- </p><p>"Drive out" is s:w. "inherit" in :11. It is not the usual word for "drive out". If as suggested on :2 the invaders were from Edom, Ammon and Moab (:10), they too were the seed of Abraham. And it is all of them whom Jehoshaphat has in view here. They were called to be part of God's kingdom (see on :6). The idea is not, therefore. 'You drove out the Canaanites, do drive out these invaders now'. For the Canaanites were not the seed of Abraham. But these invaders were. These descendants of Abraham were to be defeated, Jehoshaphat argues, because they were trying to drive Judah out of the land which they too had been given to inherit (:11). So the grounds of their condemnation were not that they were Canaanites, but rather that they were forbidding other members of the seed a place in the inheritance. And there is a lesson for that in the warring members of the true seed of Abraham today.</p>


text:
<p>They lived in it, and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name saying- </p><p>Jehoshaphat has great spirituality and faith at this point. But he retains the misunderstanding of David and Solomon, that the sanctuary or temple built was somehow a guarantee that God would always protect His people. God had explained that He didn't want them to build it, but rather wanted to build them a 'house' or family of humbled hearts, open to the operation of His Spirit. See on :28.</p>


text:
<p>If evil comes on us- the sword, judgment, plague or famine- we will stand before this house and before You, (for Your name is in this house), and cry to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save- </p><p>He is repeating the prayer of Solomon. But he also repeats the same misunderstanding, that the physical temple was some kind of talisman which would nudge God into saving His people from judgment even when they sinned. This was not the case. And the final destruction of the temple and captivity of the people was evidence enough of that.</p>


text:
<p>Now, consider the children of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned aside from them, and didn’t destroy them- </p><p>This is starting to put the blame on God for allowing these people to still exist. But the reason for their invasion was because Judah had sinned, and Jehoshaphat realized that when he called for a fast (see on :3). But like us, he soon drifted away from that initial realization of sin and the need for repentance and salvation by grace. For from that height, he slips down into considering the temple as a physical talisman which would bring help (:8,9), and now he tries to rationalize the situation by even blaming God. Rather than retaining his sense of sin.</p>


text:
<p>See how they reward us, to come to cast us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit- </p><p>As discussed on :7, their behaviour was obnoxious because they too were the seed of Abraham, but refused to allow Judah to have a place in the land promised to Abraham.</p>


text:
<p>Our God, will You not judge them? For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do, but our eyes are toward You- </p><p>As discussed on :10, Jehoshaphat has slipped down from his initial sense that Judah have sinned and must desperately, urgently repent (:3). Now he is saying that those sent to judge Judah are sinners worthy of judgment. And yet he recognizes that he has no might against that judgment. And yet the history of Israel is full of faithful individuals and armies winning victories, with Yahweh's help, against far larger and stronger armies. Yet Jehoshaphat seems to lack that level of faith, and is simply "dismayed", which we will note on :15 seems to imply a lack of faith.</p>


text:
<p>All Judah stood before Yahweh, with their little ones, their wives and their children-</p><p>We see here how "all" in the Bible isn't always to be read literally. Representatives from a community are counted as "all" of it. "Little ones" seems here to mean babies.</p>


text:
<p>Then the Spirit of Yahweh came on Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly- </p><p>"Jahaziel", 'he who sees visions of God', is an example of a person having a name which was acquired due to later life experience, and was likely not the birth name. We note he was a Levite not from the priestly line, continuing the theme we saw developed in <a href='B:140 19:8'>2Ch 19:8</a>; <a href='B:140 19:11'>2Ch 19:11</a> of Levites being chosen for exalted work. Levites were servants to the priests, but here they are invested with high authority.</p>


text:
<p>He said, Listen, all Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, king Jehoshaphat. Thus says Yahweh to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, neither be dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s- </p><p>I noted on :12 that Jehoshaphat's faith was rather weak and he appeared almost fatalistic. "The battle is::. God's" is a quotation of David's words to Goliath in&nbsp; <a href='B:90 17:47'>1Sa 17:47</a>. Being "dismayed and terrified" is the term used of how Israel generally were terrified of Goliath, whereas David by faith wasn't (<a href='B:90 17:11'>1Sa 17:11</a>). David in turn uses to his son Solomon (<a href='B:130 22:13'>1Ch 22:13</a>; <a href='B:130 28:20'>1Ch 28:20</a>). He was thereby urging Solomon not to worry if he was out of step with all Israel; if they were dismayed and terrified, he was still to walk in faith as David had done at the time of the Goliath crisis. It is also used to urge the people toward the spirit of David rather than that of Israel in <a href='B:140 20:15'>2Ch 20:15</a>; <a href='B:140 20:17'>2Ch 20:17</a>. The same phrase is also used in urging the people of Judah in Hezekiah's time to consider the Assyrians to be as a Goliath which they like David could vanquish (<a href='B:140 32:7'>2Ch 32:7</a>). The exiles likewise were urged not to be dismayed and terrified at the reproach of men (<a href='B:290 51:7'>Isa 51:7</a>; <a href='B:300 30:10'>Jer 30:10</a>), very clearly making the history with Goliath relevant to their times.</p>


text:
<p>Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they are coming up by the ascent of Ziz. You shall find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel- </p><p>The valley refers to one of the ravines leading from the Dead Sea; see on :2.</p>


text:
<p>You will not need to fight this battle. Set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Don’t be afraid, nor be dismayed. Go out against them tomorrow, for Yahweh is with you’- </p><p>To "stand still and see" was the language of the invitation to behold the miracle of the salvation at the Red Sea (<a href='B:20 14:13'>Exo 14:13</a>, cp. <a href='B:90 12:16'>1Sa 12:16</a> and see note there). Yahweh was "with you" whilst they were with Him (<a href='B:140 15:2'>2Ch 15:2</a>), and yet it seems the faith of the people was weak, and they had been called to radical repentance in :3. But by grace, Yahweh was with them despite this. Just as they had stood still and seen His salvation at the Red Sea whilst they were still clutching the idols of Egypt (according to Ezekiel 20). And Jehoshaphat grasped that, saying that the victory was to be by grace (:21).</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before Yahweh, worshipping Yahweh- </p><p>This was an act of great faith in the prophetic word. For at that point there was no visible evidence that this victory would happen.</p>


text:
<p>The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise Yahweh, the God of Israel, with an exceeding loud voice- </p><p>This again, as noted on :19, was the joy of deep faith. For there was no evidence that the victory would happen. That had to be taken on absolute faith. They didn't just 'wait and see', they proactively rejoiced.</p>


text:
<p>They rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Listen to me, Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in Yahweh your God, so you shall be established!- </p><p>The word was and is God. <a href='B:50 4:12'>Deu 4:12</a> [Heb:] says that Israel heard God's voice and saw no similitude save a voice. To hear the word is to in that sense see God; for the word was and is God. There are other connections between seeing God and hearing His word in <a href='B:20 20:21'>Exo 20:21</a> and <a href='B:110 19:12-14'>1Ki 19:12-14</a>. Observe the parallelism in <a href='B:140 20:20'>2Ch 20:20</a>: "Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper". Our attitude to God is our attitude to His word. Because the word is so pure, therefore we love it (<a href='B:230 119:140'>Psa 119:140</a>). John Carter rightly observed: "Upon our understanding of what the Bible is, our attitude to it will be determined".</p><p>Believe His prophets, so you shall prosper- </p><p>The false prophets had told Ahab and Jehoshaphat to go up and fight at Ramoth Gilead, "for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king" (<a href='B:110 22:12'>1Ki 22:12</a>). But Jehoshaphat had nearly lost his life, because he had refused to hear the voice of the one true prophet of Yahweh. So the emphasis is upon believing Yahweh's prophets, and not false prophets. By saying this, Jehoshaphat shows he had learned from his mistake.</p>


text:
<p>When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahweh and give praise in holy array, as they went out before the army, and say, Give thanks to Yahweh; for His grace endures forever- </p><p>This is really a parade example of believing that you receive what you ask for, before the answer arrives. And feeling you have received it. It seems they sung Psalms 136, glorying in the victory which was not then theirs. The vanguard were singing Levites, as in the victory over Jericho. Indeed "before the army" appears to allude to <a href='B:60 6:7'>Jos 6:7</a>; <a href='B:60 6:9'>Jos 6:9</a>.</p>


text:
<p>When they began to sing and to praise, Yahweh set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck- </p><p>It was exactly at the moment that they began to praise God for a victory which seemed impossible, that Yahweh began to destroy them. The ambushers could have been Angels appearing as men. Or more likely, the people of Esau / Edom (see on :2) began fighting amongst themselves (:23). It could be however that as in <a href='B:60 8:2'>Jos 8:2</a>, God told Jehoshaphat to set an ambush against the enemy, which resulted in them fighting each other.</p>


text:
<p>For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, utterly to kill and destroy them. When they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, each one helped to destroy another-</p><p>This is typical of how God so often destroyed Israel's enemies (e:g. <a href='B:70 7:22'>Jdg 7:22</a>), and how He will work in the last days. They destroy each other, just as men bring about their own judgment rather than being simply judged by God.</p>


text:
<p>When Judah came to the place overlooking the wilderness, they looked at the multitude which were now dead bodies fallen to the earth, and there were none who escaped- </p><p>As they came to the edge of the cliff, down which they had to descend in full view of the enemy they expected, their faith was at maximum stretch. We wonder whether the singers of confident praise for the promised victory::. just slightly quavered as they approached it. But faith was rewarded. AV "came toward the watchtower" may refer to one of the castles built by Jehoshaphat (<a href='B:140 17:12'>2Ch 17:12</a>).</p>


text:
<p>When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. They were three days in taking the spoil, it was so much- </p><p>The presence of so much wealth amongst the attackers was doubtless a reason they fought each other.</p>


text:
<p>On the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Beracah; for there they blessed Yahweh. Therefore the name of that place is called The valley of Beracah to this day- </p><p>This may be the "valley of Jehoshaphat" which will feature in the latter day destruction of Israel's enemies (<a href='B:360 3:2'>Joe 3:2</a>; <a href='B:360 3:12'>Joe 3:12</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in their forefront, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for Yahweh had made them to rejoice over their enemies- </p><p>God's psychological influencing of people is a parade example of how His Spirit works upon the human spirit. They rejoiced before the battle with the same joy they experienced after it. Truly they believed they had already received what they had asked for (<a href='B:480 11:24'>Mar 11:24</a>).</p>


text:
<p>They came to Jerusalem with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets to the house of Yahweh- </p><p>This returning to Jerusalem recalls how Jehoshaphat had earlier returned to Jerusalem in shame after the conflict at Ramoth Gilead. He ought to have learned that without association with the ten tribes, he would return to Jerusalem with joy. However we note that they came to the temple with their praise. On one hand this was appropriate, but we sense that for all their faith, they had still not learned the lesson that the temple was not in fact the source of their victory. See on :8:9.</p>


text:
<p>The fear of God was on all the kingdoms of the countries, when they heard that Yahweh fought against the enemies of Israel-</p><p>The fear of Yahweh coming upon those cities was the promised reward for obedience (<a href='B:50 11:25'>Deu 11:25</a>), and recalls the terror which fell upon the cities around Jacob at the time of <a href='B:10 35:5'>Gen 35:5</a>. But that terror didn't come because Israel were righteous at that time; in fact the opposite. For they had just massacred Shechem. Likewise here, these blessings were by grace, for Judah were not so righteous at this time (:33); and reflected Yahweh's extreme sensitivity to any faith and obedience toward Him.</p>


text:
<p>So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet; for his God gave him rest all around- </p><p>As in 2 Chron. 15;15, peace with the surrounding nations is seen as a result of spiritual blessing. This also implies that the invasion they had just experienced was indeed due to their serious sins (see on :3).</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi- </p><p>Kings notes that he "began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel", but Chronicles seems to not mention Ahab, nor use the apostate kings of Israel as a time marker for the reigns of the kings of Judah. Perhaps in exile, when Chronicles was written or rewritten, they realized that it was thanks to the influence of the kings of Israel that Judah had fallen away from Yahweh. "Azubah" means 'forsaking' and may mean that although his mother forsook Yahweh, Jehoshaphat in the end was loyal to Him in his heart.</p>


text:
<p>He walked in the way of Asa his father, and didn’t turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh-</p><p>Jehoshaphat did externally turn aside, in his trust in Ahab and association with the apostate ten tribes. His behaviour incited the wrath of God against him- serious language. See on <a href='B:140 19:2'>2Ch 19:2</a>. But God saw that in his heart, he didn't swerve from Him; and He considered those heart positions as being the 'doing' which is all important to Him. This idea is continued in :33, where we learn God's overall judgment upon Judah at this time was that their hearts were not with Him- despite their great faith shown in the conflict earlier in this chapter. Peaks of faith and works are not the same as a core heart position.</p>


text:
<p>However the high places were not taken away; neither as yet had the people set their hearts to the God of their fathers- </p><p>Israel never really wholeheartedly committed themselves to Yahweh, and yet <a href='B:140 20:33'>2Ch 20:33</a> AV positively and hopefully says: "As yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers". They never did. Especially in the preaching of the word of salvation to those who they knew wouldn’t respond, the Father and Son show their hopeful spirit. We therefore conclude that the apparent blessings upon the people for obedience were by grace, or perhaps from Divine respect for Jehoshaphat's faithful heart. For their hearts were not set upon their God.</p><p>Asa and Jehoshaphat removed the high places, but in a sense they didn't (<a href='B:110 15:14'>1Ki 15:14</a> cp. <a href='B:140 14:5'>2Ch 14:5</a>; <a href='B:140 17:6'>2Ch 17:6</a> cp. 20:33). We read of how the land was purged of Baal, Sodomites etc:; but in a very short time, we read of another purge being necessary. Hezekiah, Manasseh and Josiah all made major purges within a space of 80 years. Jeremiah therefore condemns the Jews who lived at the time of Josiah's reformation for not knowing God in their hearts. Asa gathered the gold and silver vessels back into the temple- and then went and used them to make a political treaty. He apparently treated them as God's riches, but then in reality he used them as his own (<a href='B:110 15:18'>1Ki 15:18</a>; <a href='B:110 15:15'>1Ki 15:15</a>). Many a Western Christian has this very same tendency. We too must ask ourselves whether our spirituality is really just a product of the crowd mentality; as the crowd shouted one day "Hosanna to the Son of David", a few days later they wanted Jesus to be delivered rather than Barabbas, but within minutes they were persuaded to cry for the crucifixion of the Son of God. Church life, Bible studies, the breaking of bread::. inevitably, there is a crowd mentality developed here. There is a feeling of devotion which wells up within us as a community, as an audience, as we sit there, as we stand in praise and worship together. But the real spirituality is far deeper than this. We must seriously ask whether our spirituality, our feelings of devotion, our true repentance, are only stimulated by these meetings?</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the history of Jehu the son of Hanani, which is inserted in the book of the kings of Israel- </p><p>The prophet Jehu rebuked Baasha (<a href='B:110 16:1'>1Ki 16:1</a>) and yet he also wrote a history of Jehoshaphat's reign (<a href='B:140 20:34'>2Ch 20:34</a>), implying that he outlived Jehoshaphat. This means that Jehu must have been a young man at the time of his rebuke of Baasha. It's hard to keep on keeping on in ministry over a long lifetime, and those who do should be deeply respected.</p>


text:
<p>After this, Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly- </p><p>He was so slow to learn the lesson that he should not work together with the apostate ten tribe kingdom. He had almost lost his life because of this whilst fighting at Ramoth Gilead. And like us, the situations were repeated, but he was so slow to learn.</p>


text:
<p>He joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish; and they made the ships in Ezion Geber- </p><p><a href='B:110 22:48'>1Ki 22:48</a> "to go to Ophir for gold". Despite the wealth God gave Jehoshaphat, even he was tempted by the desire for more. This has to be a warning to all generations.</p><p>"Ships of Tarshish" is clearly a technical term for a long distance trading vessel. "Tarshish" appears to have been the source of gold, peacocks, silver etc:, which are only found together in southern India. But a ship of Tarshish wasn't necessarily a ship which went to Tarshish. "Tarshish" means 'endurance' and refers to vessels which had a capacity for long distance trading. At that time, India was the end of the earth for someone living in Israel. There is an analogous situation with how 19th century long distance trading vessels were known as "Indiamen", not because they necessarily sailed the routes to India, but because they were long distance vessels of the kind which had sailed to India. This is why 'going to Tarshish' in <a href='B:140 20:36-37'>2Ch 20:36-37</a> is paralleled with 'going to Ophir in ships of Tarshish' in <a href='B:110 22:48'>1Ki 22:48</a>.</p>&nbsp;<p>"Ophir" may have been a generic name for areas to the east, including southern Arabia (famed for gold in <a href='B:230 72:15'>Psa 72:15</a>; <a href='B:330 27:22'>Eze 27:22</a>) and India; Ophir was in Arabia according to <a href='B:10 10:29'>Gen 10:29</a>. Sheba was nearby and was famed for gold, so it was through this trading that the Queen of Sheba heard of the wisdom of Solomon. <a href='B:110 10:1'>1Ki 10:1</a> goes on to speak of her after mentioning gold of Ophir in <a href='B:110 9:28'>1Ki 9:28</a>, connecting her with this gold trade with Ophir. But <a href='B:110 10:11'>1Ki 10:11</a> connects Ophir with "almug trees and precious stones". "Almug" appears to refer to sandalwood, "the Hebraized form of the Deccan word for sandal". This points to "Ophir" as being in the east, possibly as far as the Indian coast where these trees grow.</p>


text:
<p>Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, Yahweh has destroyed your works. The ships were broken, so that they were not able to go to Tarshish- </p><p>"Broken" is literally 'broken forth'. It is used of God as it were lashing out in sudden judgment (<a href='B:130 13:11'>1Ch 13:11</a>). He was so patient with Jehoshaphat regarding his abiding weakness of association with wicked people, even though his core heart position was with Yahweh. <a href='B:110 22:49'>1Ki 22:49</a> suggests that the ships were broken because Jehoshaphat refused Ahaziah's offer of more experienced sailors. So perhaps the ships were destroyed by a storm as soon as they left, which Ahaziah blamed upon inexperienced sailors from Judah. The ships had to be broken by the wind / storm of God's wrath, perhaps in the form of a gale. But according to 1 Kings, when Ahaziah proposes another join venture, Jehoshaphat apparently learns the lesson. I say apparently, because after Ahaziah dies, Jehoshaphat again repeats the same mistake with Ahab's other son Jehoram (<a href='B:120 3:7'>2Ki 3:7</a>). And yet he was finally counted righteous with God because his basic state of heart was for Him. We marvel again at God's patience with men. This means that we are to continue seeking the repentance of men and never cut them off, as is typically done by small minded churches 'disfellowshipping' people.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Jehoram his son reigned in his place- </p><p>The description of death as sleeping with fathers is clear evidence that death is seen as a sleep, unconsciousness, and not as the start of an immortal soul going to heaven or 'hell'. Good and bad, David and Solomon, are gathered together in death. The division between them will only therefore come at the resurrection of the dead, and the granting of immortality at the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus.</p>


text:
<p>He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel- </p><p>They all God's Name in their names, but it seems it was spirituality in name only. Jehoshaphat himself held on in faith, but his wrong association with the ten tribes led to the spiritual destruction of his family.</p>


text:
<p>Their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn- </p><p>We could infer from this that they were perhaps spoilt. Wealth never brought blessing to this family. His careful arrangements to try to split things up fairly were presumably because he thought this would stop them arguing amongst themselves. But it didn't work out at all; Jehoram killed all his brothers (:4).</p>


text:
<p>Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and various also of the princes of Israel-</p><p>See on :3. This continues a theme, of the kings of Judah strengthening or fortifying themselves, often when they first became king; but then having that human strength tested by God or removed. The same word is used repeatedly (<a href='B:130 11:10'>1Ch 11:10</a>; <a href='B:140 11:11'>2Ch 11:11</a>; <a href='B:140 11:17'>2Ch 11:17</a>; <a href='B:140 12:13'>2Ch 12:13</a>; <a href='B:140 13:21'>2Ch 13:21</a>; <a href='B:140 17:1'>2Ch 17:1</a>; <a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a>; <a href='B:140 25:3'>2Ch 25:3</a>; <a href='B:140 25:11'>2Ch 25:11</a>; <a href='B:140 26:8'>2Ch 26:8</a>; <a href='B:140 26:15'>2Ch 26:15</a>; <a href='B:140 29:3'>2Ch 29:3</a>; <a href='B:140 32:5'>2Ch 32:5</a>). The lesson of course was that it is God's Angelic eyes who run to and fro in the land promised to Abraham, "to shew Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him" (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem- </p><p>Putting together <a href='B:120 1:17'>2Ki 1:17</a>; <a href='B:120 3:1'>2Ki 3:1</a>; <a href='B:120 8:3'>2Ki 8:3</a>; <a href='B:120 8:16'>2Ki 8:16</a>; <a href='B:140 21:5'>2Ch 21:5</a>; <a href='B:140 21:20'>2Ch 21:20</a>, it seems Jehoram became king as regent about two years before Jehoshaphat died.</p>


text:
<p>He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab as wife: and he did that which was evil in the eyes of Yahweh- </p><p>His wife was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri (<a href='B:140 22:2'>2Ch 22:2</a>; <a href='B:120 8:26'>2Ki 8:26</a>). "Athaliah", 'Yah has constrained', may mean that she was bitter that Yahweh had as it were limited her; the same groundless complaint as in <a href='B:540 6:12'>2Co 6:12</a>.</p>


text:
<p>However Yahweh would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and as He promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always- </p><p>That promise was understood by God at this stage as meaning that a descendant of David would continue to reign on David's throne "always", and therefore He did not destroy Judah. However, He did eventually. He reinterpreted and reapplied His words of promise. And He does this often with the various possible futures prophesied. His word is not proven false but He reapplies it, as He continues His purpose with respect for the freewill decisions of man.</p>


text:
<p>Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him. He rose up by night, and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, along with the captains of the chariots- </p><p>We note that horses and chariots were forbidden to Israel's king (<a href='B:50 17:17-18'>Deu 17:17-18</a>). Yet it seems that his chariots and captains prevailed against those of Edom, even when he was surrounded and about to be defeated. Perhaps this was a repeat of the situations of <a href='B:140 13:15'>2Ch 13:15</a>; <a href='B:140 18:31'>2Ch 18:31</a>, where weak believers in their time of need called to God when surrounded by enemies, and were heard. This reflects God's deep sensitivity to faith in Him, even in time of desperation. And yet His final judgment is of the state of a person's heart. <a href='B:120 8:21'>2Ki 8:21</a> locates the battle as being at Zair.</p>


text:
<p>So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Yahweh, the God of his fathers- </p><p>Libnah was a priestly city (<a href='B:130 6:47'>1Ch 6:47</a>), but the tribes seem to have given the Levites towns which were not particularly valuable to them, or which were exposed to attack. Contrary to the spirit of David, they offered to God that which cost them nothing. And we must take a lesson from that. Some manuscripts read “Then did the Edomites who dwelt in Libnah revolt”. So Libnah had been taken over by Edomites and was formerly only technically under Israelite control.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute, and led Judah astray- </p><p>What a contrast with <a href='B:230 125:2'>Psa 125:2</a> "As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so Yahweh surrounds His people from this time forth and forever". The hills around Jerusalem are not huge mountains. They are small hills, and this is the picture of God's protection; not hugely visible, but there. But the mountains around Jerusalem became the "high places" of idolatry (<a href='B:110 11:7'>1Ki 11:7</a>; <a href='B:120 23:13'>2Ki 23:13</a>; <a href='B:140 21:11'>2Ch 21:11</a>); what should have been the symbols of Yahweh's protection became perverted.</p>


text:
<p>A letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus says Yahweh, the God of David your father, ‘You have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah- </p><p>This confirms our position elsewhere that Elijah was dramatically snatched away into the sky as a sign that Elisha had now replaced him as Yahweh's lead prophet. But that didn't mean that he died or was taken to heaven (cp. <a href='B:500 3:13'>Joh 3:13</a>). He returned to earth, as the sons of the prophets expected him to. Now, as an old man, perhaps still living in the ten tribes, he continued his ministry although on a more low key level. He didn't visit Judah but rather sent the Divine message as a letter. The style of the words recorded here is absolutely that of Elijah the Tishbite, although it is conceivable that this could refer to another prophet called Elijah.</p>


text:
<p>but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the prostitute like the house of Ahab did, and also have slain your brothers of your father’s house, who were better than yourself- </p><p>Clearly enough, we can make others sin. Even though their sin is their responsibility before God, those who lead people into sin are particularly culpable before Him. This is a very common Biblical theme, and we need to analyze our behaviour very carefully in this respect.</p>


text:
<p>Therefore, Yahweh will strike with a great plague your people and your children and your wives, and all your substance- </p><p>This continues the theme of :13, that human actions have huge impact upon others. This is a repeated Biblical teaching, and the fact God has structured human experience like this is in order that we should be highly sensitive in our actions towards others. We all have far more influence over others than we might imagine, and will be accountable for it.</p>


text:
<p>and you shall have great sickness by disease of your bowels, until your bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day’- </p><p>This description of his sickness, although not medically correct, implied that what was within his innermost being ["bowels" is at times used by metonymy for the heart] will come out, resulting in death. And consistently in these biographies of the kings, it is their hearts which are the basis of their judgment.</p>


text:
<p>Yahweh stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians who are beside the Ethiopians- </p><p>This is the nature of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers today, and it was and will be seen in the revival of the dead bones of Israel. Not visible miracles, but internal mental working. And that Spirit can be resisted, as it was by many of the exiles; for we are not mere puppets in God's hand. Yet grace means that God takes the initiative; "He first loved us". That initiative is seen through His working on the human heart in calling us to action (s:w. <a href='B:140 21:16'>2Ch 21:16</a>; <a href='B:290 13:17'>Isa 13:17</a>; <a href='B:300 50:41'>Jer 50:41</a>; <a href='B:360 3:9'>Joe 3:9</a>) and Cyrus was a parade example of this (<a href='B:290 41:2'>Isa 41:2</a>; <a href='B:290 41:25'>Isa 41:25</a>; <a href='B:290 45:13'>Isa 45:13</a>). The hearts of the returnees were likewise stirred up. But this was not some irresistible manipulation of the human person; Zion was called to be stirred up ["awake"], but she refused to be stirred up (<a href='B:290 51:17'>Isa 51:17</a>; <a href='B:290 52:1'>Isa 52:1</a> cp. <a href='B:290 64:7'>Isa 64:7</a>). Zerubbabel had his mind or "spirit" stirred up to be the king-priest Messianic figure (<a href='B:440 1:14'>Hag 1:14</a>); but he let the baton drop.</p>


text:
<p>They came up against Judah and broke into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also and his wives; so that there was no son left him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons- </p><p>Ahaziah is Jehoahaz (<a href='B:140 21:17'>2Ch 21:17</a>), Azariah (<a href='B:140 22:6'>2Ch 22:6</a>) and Ahaziah (<a href='B:130 3:11'>1Ch 3:11</a>); a reminder that people carried multiple names, which explains many of the so called contradictions in the genealogies.</p>


text:
<p>After all this Yahweh struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease- </p><p>The great "plague" of :14. The claim of Solomon that prayer to or in the temple would cure such plagues (<a href='B:140 6:28-29'>2Ch 6:28-29</a>) is therefore again proven to be wrong. His idea that the temple was a kind of talisman was so wrong.</p>


text:
<p>It happened, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of severe diseases. His people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers- </p><p>See on :15. Perhaps those two years of sickness were in order to give him the opportunity to repent. For God makes a statement of judgment, but in the gap between that and its fulfilment, there is the possibility of repentance. And then the outcome will be changed. We could take the lesson that God by all means works to try to elicit repentance in the most apparently hopeless of cases. For the good shepherd searches until he finds the lost. We likewise are never to give up with people.</p>


text:
<p>Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings- </p><p>"But not in the tombs of the kings" (<a href='B:140 21:20'>2Ch 21:20</a>) contrasts with the Kings record that he “was buried with his fathers”. But this shows that to be 'buried with ones fathers' was an idiom for death, and not a literal statement that a person was buried near the remains of their ancestors.</p>


text:
<p>The inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his place; for the band of men who came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the older ones. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned- </p><p>It could be that this band of men had preserved Ahaziah and were seeking for him to be a puppet king for them. LXX "the Arabians of Mazin". The usual rubric "and X his son was king in his place” is not quite followed here. It seems the succession was somehow questionable. And the fact his mother immediately took the throne after his death hints again at this.</p>


text:
<p>Forty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri- </p><p>In fact the granddaughter of Omri. "Athaliah", 'Yah has constrained', may mean that she was bitter that Yahweh had as it were limited her; the same groundless complaint as in <a href='B:540 6:12'>2Co 6:12</a>. Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign (<a href='B:120 8:26'>2Ki 8:26</a>), but 42 in <a href='B:140 22:2'>2Ch 22:2</a>. LXX has 20. But in Biblical Hebrew, numbers were expressed by single letters, and mem, forty, is very similar in orthography to caph, twenty. And that difference is even more probable in ancient Hebrew or 'Samaritan'. So this appears to be a case of where there were indeed slight errors in copying the Divinely inspired text.</p>


text:
<p>He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab; for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly- </p><p>His father had done the same (<a href='B:140 21:6'>2Ch 21:6</a>). So much sin and spiritual failure is due to a refusal to individuate from parental influence and be an independent person before God. "Counsellor" suggests she specifically instructed him in the ways of idolatry; and it was by listening to the wrong counsel that Rehoboam went wrong when the kingdom of Judah first began (s:w. <a href='B:140 10:8-9'>2Ch 10:8-9</a>).</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was evil in the eyes of Yahweh, as did the house of Ahab; for they were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction- </p><p>The word for "counsellor" is associated with rulership and kingship; a king's counsellors were effectively the kings (<a href='B:290 1:26'>Isa 1:26</a>; <a href='B:290 9:6'>Isa 9:6</a>; <a href='B:150 7:28'>Ezr 7:28</a>; <a href='B:150 8:25'>Ezr 8:25</a>; <a href='B:220 3:14'>Job 3:14</a>), and often in the Bible, the counsel of men is contrasted with that of God. We feel this tension too; for the counsel of God is so often different and opposed to the counsel of the majority of those looked up to for secular advice and counsel. See on <a href='B:140 25:16'>2Ch 25:16</a>.</p>


text:
<p>He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram- </p><p>Ahaziah was clearly intended to have learned from the experience of Jehoshaphat, who also went to war with Syria at Ramoth Gilead and was nearly slain there. He was only saved by grace, and afterwards experienced God's wrath for going there (<a href='B:140 16:2'>2Ch 16:2</a>). Circumstances and similarities repeat within our lives, and between our lives and those of people in the Biblical histories, in order that we might learn. Jehoram is called "Joram" within this same verse, perhaps because the name of God was no longer part of his name in practice.</p>


text:
<p>He returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick- </p><p>As noted on :5, Ahaziah failed to perceive the similarities with the situation of Jehoshaphat.</p>


text:
<p>Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went to Joram; for when he had come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom Yahweh had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab- </p><p>There are a number of other passages which mention how "it was of the Lord" that certain attitudes were adopted by men, resulting in the sequence of events which He desired (<a href='B:60 11:20'>Jos 11:20</a>; <a href='B:90 2:25'>1Sa 2:25</a>; <a href='B:110 12:15'>1Ki 12:15</a>; <a href='B:140 10:15'>2Ch 10:15</a>; <a href='B:140 22:7'>2Ch 22:7</a>; <a href='B:140 25:20'>2Ch 25:20</a>). It is tempting to read <a href='B:70 14:4'>Jdg 14:4</a> in this context, meaning that God somehow made Samson desire that woman in order to bring about His purpose of freeing Israel from Philistine domination. God through His Spirit works to confirm men in the path they wish to go. And this is the huge significance of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives today.</p><p>Ahaziah was Ahab's grandson because of the intermarriage between the rulers of Israel and Judah. So Jehu did have a commission to kill him. But it would seem that Ahaziah could have avoided this had he not shown unity with Joram by visiting him when he was sick. Such is the flexibility of God's purpose, with so many potentials built into it, ever respecting the possibility of human repentance.</p>


text:
<p>It happened, when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brothers of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and killed them- </p><p>These were the very men who gave Ahaziah the wrong counsel to go and fight at Ramoth Gilead, and to worship the idols of Israel. There is no guilt by association taught in the Bible, but there is the fairly obvious teaching that we must be separate from the ways of those who are under Divine judgment. We are to come out of Babylon lest we be consumed in the judgment for her sins, we are to be separate from those whose bad company will corrupt us (<a href='B:530 15:33'>1Co 15:33</a>).</p>


text:
<p>He sought Ahaziah, and they caught him (now he was hiding in Samaria), and they brought him to Jehu, and killed him- </p><p>Putting the records together, it seems that Ahaziah fled in his chariot through the garden house road (<a href='B:120 9:27'>2Ki 9:27</a>), avoiding Jehu's call to slay him in his chariot. He got to Samaria and hid somewhere, Jehu's men searched for him and found him (<a href='B:140 22:9'>2Ch 22:9</a>), brought him to Jehu who was then "by Ibleam" (<a href='B:120 9:27'>2Ki 9:27</a>), who struck him so hard that he eventually died of it, but he managed to again escape in his chariot to Megiddo, where he died of the wounds inflicted by Jehu.</p><p>They buried him, for they said, He is the descendant of Jehoshaphat, who sought Yahweh with all his heart. The house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom-</p><p>They perceived the truth of God's overall judgment of Jehoshaphat, that his heart was with Yahweh, but it was his wrong associations with Israel which led to all this judgment upon his descendants.</p>


text:
<p>Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal seed of the house of Judah- </p><p>So obsessed was she with personal power that she killed her own relatives, perhaps her own children, in order to establish herself as the only living heir to David's throne. The royal family had already been depleted because of the murders of <a href='B:120 10:14'>2Ki 10:14</a>; <a href='B:140 21:4'>2Ch 21:4</a>; <a href='B:140 21:17'>2Ch 21:17</a>. She saw the significance of the promises to David, but twisted them into mere religion. For she was an idolater, Jezebel's daughter.</p>


text:
<p>But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn’t kill him- </p><p>In a sense, God's entire purpose through the line and seed of David depended upon the quick thinking of a young woman, and was concentrated in this small baby. For "all the royal seed" had been slain (:10). Her name means 'sworn to Jehovah', and this likely represents her later character rather than her birth name. She came from a bad background, but was married to the high priest (although we note Jehoiada is not listed in the list of high priests in 1 Chronicles 6). "The bedroom" is better "the chamber of the beds", perhaps a room in the temple (:12) used for the storage of old beds and furniture. Or maybe this was where he was temporarily hidden, before being moved to somewhere in the temple (:12). We marvel at how Jehoiada kept his own faith in Yahweh strong (<a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a>), although surely he must have been somewhat of an underground believer at this time.</p>


text:
<p>He was with them hidden in God’s house six years; and Athaliah reigned over the land-</p><p>The temple was likely relatively disused, as Athaliah was such a strong worshipper of Baal. Therefore Joash later had to majorly repair it. However in <a href='B:140 23:1-8'>2Ch 23:1-8</a> we do read of its usage, but perhaps not as it was before. It could be inferred from <a href='B:140 23:18'>2Ch 23:18</a> that the burnt offerings were not offered during Athaliah's dictatorship. And <a href='B:140 24:7'>2Ch 24:7</a> is clear: "For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up God’s house". See on <a href='B:140 24:13'>2Ch 24:13</a> for the extent of the damage done. So they hid the child in one of the disused chambers for the priests of Yahweh, who likely were not regularly officiating any more at that time. We note how Jehoshabeath and her husband Jehoiada the priest (<a href='B:140 22:11'>2Ch 22:11</a>) would have had access to both the palace and the temple because of their positions. And although they must have been underground believers to some extent, they used their connections well, to keep alive the line of David. Joash became king at seven, so he was a one year old baby when saved from Athaliah.</p>


text:
<p>In the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him- </p><p>The five men and their followers of <a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a> match the description of three "third parts" and another "two parts" in <a href='B:120 11:5-7'>2Ki 11:5-7</a>. The corroboration between the records, clearly written by different hands, reflects the Divine inspiration of the record. The names of all these men include the name of God. To overthrow Athaliah was a risky undertaking and their faith and commitment to the Davidic line was very strong. <a href='B:120 11:4'>2Ki 11:4</a> says Jehoiada was supported by the "Carites", the Cherethites of <a href='B:100 20:23'>2Sa 20:23</a>.</p>


text:
<p>They went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem-</p><p>This must have all been arranged secretly and without Athaliah's knowledge. The use of both terms "Judah" and "Israel" would suggest there was support for this spiritual revival even amongst the ten tribes. Although Jehoiada and his wife Jehoshabeath (<a href='B:140 22:11'>2Ch 22:11</a>) would have been underground believers to some extent, they used their connections well to create a wide groundswell of support for the putsch, even amongst the ten tribes. For Jehoshabeath was related to the house of Ahab and had connections there. And so many believers in otherwise very worldly situations have quietly used their connections likewise to forward God's true way upon earth.</p>


text:
<p>All the assembly made a covenant with the king in God’s house. He said to them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the sons of David- </p><p>The promise that David would not want a man to sit upon his throne (<a href='B:140 6:16'>2Ch 6:16</a>; <a href='B:140 7:18'>2Ch 7:18</a> etc:) was understood as requiring human faith and action to fulfil. Jehoiada could have reasoned that God would fulfil His promise in His own way, without the help of man. But His purpose is not deterministic, nor is it imposed upon man. The promise that Abraham's seed should eternally inherit the earth requires individual faith and the exercise of freewill from the members of that seed. Paul likewise understood the promise that Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles as requiring him to take that light to the Gentiles.</p>


text:
<p>This is the thing that you shall do. A third part of you, who come in on the Sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters at the thresholds- </p><p>Chronicles stresses the role of the Levites (<a href='B:140 23:2'>2Ch 23:2</a>; <a href='B:140 23:4'>2Ch 23:4</a>) whereas Kings hardly mentions them in the record. Clearly Chronicles is largely a history of the priesthood and Levites, written up in captivity to encourage the Levites to return to Judah and revive Yahweh worship there. Comparing with :8, the idea is that the Levites had a changeover of shifts that Sabbath. Those who were going off shift were to remain, so that there would be a larger number of them present.</p><p>It seems that the Kings records speaks of three battalions of royal guards, one of which was on duty, and the others later brought into the temple by Jehoiada (<a href='B:140 23:7'>2Ch 23:7</a>). Whereas Chronicles has three battalions of Levitical temple guards / doorkeepers. They could be the same groups, but it seems easier to read them as separate. This would mean that somehow Jehoiada had persuaded even Athaliah's own bodyguards to betray her.</p>


text:
<p>A third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation. All the people shall be in the courts of Yahweh’s house-</p><p>"The king's house" isn't the royal palace; for in any case, Athaliah was a queen and not a king. It refers to the place where the king Joash was hiding. The Gate of the Foundation was apparently near the valley separating Moriah from the hill opposite it, literally "the gate of Sur", mentioned in <a href='B:120 11:6'>2Ki 11:6</a>. But "Svr" may be "Svs", the horse gate, which is that of <a href='B:140 23:15'>2Ch 23:15</a>; <a href='B:120 11:16'>2Ki 11:16</a>.</p>


text:
<p>But let no one come into the house of Yahweh, except the priests, and those who minister of the Levites. They shall come in, for they are holy, but all the people shall follow Yahweh’s instructions- </p><p>It would have been tempting to plan this putsch through all the people being within the temple, but Jehoiada refused to allow military and political expediency to take away from the need to "follow Yahweh's instructions" and respect His holiness. And that is a lesson for us. See on :9. yet Kings says that the royal guards, apparently non Levites, did enter the temple. This would be one reason for considering the three groups of royal guards to be the same as the three groups of Levitical guards.</p>


text:
<p>The Levites shall surround the king, every man with his weapons in his hand. Whoever comes into the house, let him be slain. Be with the king when he comes in, and when he goes out- </p><p>The whole putsch was a risky undertaking, and Jehoiada was aware of the possibility of armed opposition from Athaliah's loyalists. The Levites were armed, presumably with weapons like knives or whatever they could get hold of. Perhaps this command foresaw how Athaliah would come running into the temple (:12) and should therefore be slain.</p>


text:
<p>So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. They took every man his men, those who were to come in on the Sabbath, with those who were to go out on the Sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest didn’t dismiss the shift- </p><p>Comparing with :4, the idea is that the Levites had a changeover of shifts that Sabbath. Those who were going off shift were to remain, so that there would be a larger number of them present. "All Judah" refers to the representatives of all Judah who were present (:2). "All" in the Bible often refers not to literally everybody but to representatives of the "all". The taking of the Gospel to "all the world" must surely be understood in that way. "The Levites and all Judah" is therefore matched in 2 Kings 11 by “the captains over the hundreds".</p>


text:
<p>Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, large shields and shields that had been king David’s, which were in God’s house- </p><p>Possibly the shields of gold David had taken and dedicated at the time of <a href='B:100 8:7'>2Sa 8:7</a>; <a href='B:100 8:11'>2Sa 8:11</a>. Gold represents faith, and they were probably not very functional for combat. But this whole putsch was on the basis of faith and not secular strength and wisdom. See on :6.</p>


text:
<p>He set all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, surrounding the king- </p><p>This would be the altar of burnt offering in the outer court. "All the people" refers to those other than the priests and Levites who had agreed to help in the putsch.</p>


text:
<p>Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, Long live the king!-</p><p>"The testimony" was a copy of the law the king was supposed to write out when he became king, but it had presumably been written out for him (<a href='B:50 17:18-20'>Deu 17:18-20</a>).</p>


text:
<p>When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the house of Yahweh- </p><p>See on :7. Any who came into the temple were to be slain, and it seems Jehoiada set her up to do just what she did. That this was all pulled off right under her nose was quite an achievement.</p>


text:
<p>She looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance- </p><p>Heb. 'pedestal', a kind of podium, considering he was only seven years old and small.</p><p>And the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew trumpets. The singers also played musical instruments, and led the singing of praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes, and said, Treason! Treason!- </p><p>"Treason" is literally "conspiracy". She realized all too late that a huge conspiracy had been going on under her nose.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were set over the army and said to them, Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, let him be slain with the sword. For the priest said, Don’t kill her in Yahweh’s house- </p><p>This confirms the suggestion that the command in :7 to slay whoever entered Yahweh's house was planned with Athaliah in view. "The ranks" would likely refer to the ranks of soldiers; or possibly to the temple precincts.</p>


text:
<p>So they made way for her. She went to the entrance of the horse gate to the king’s house; and they killed her there-</p><p>Making way for her suggests they all restrained themselves from touching her, the unclean, until she was outside the temple. It would have been an awful last walk to her death. I suggested on <a href='B:140 23:5'>2Ch 23:5</a> that "the horse gate" is the same as the "gate of the foundation".</p>


text:
<p>Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people, and the king, that they should be Yahweh’s people- </p><p>"Between himself" (<a href='B:140 23:16'>2Ch 23:16</a>) suggests Jehoiada was absolutely representing Yahweh; 2 Kings says the covenant was between Yahweh and the people. The Bible is full of examples of where men function as God and functionally represent Him to man. But this didn't make them God Himself in person. And it is within this context that we must read the passages which likewise speak of the Lord Jesus as functioning as God- without being God Himself.</p>


text:
<p>All the people went to the house of Baal and broke it down, and broke his altars and his images in pieces, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars- </p><p>The allusion is to how "all the people" were to put to death those who incited others to idolatry (<a href='B:50 13:9'>Deu 13:9</a>). It seems that the temple of Baal had been built near the temple, just as Solomon had built such idol temples near to the temple.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoiada appointed the officers of the house of Yahweh under the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of Yahweh, to offer the burnt offerings of Yahweh, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David- </p><p>This was really a case of reappointing officers to fulfil the original intentions of David for the temple. It could be inferred that the burnt offerings had not been offered during Athaliah's dictatorship.</p>


text:
<p>He set the porters at the gates of the house of Yahweh, that no one who was unclean in any matter should enter in- </p><p>The porters would refer to the arrangements David made in 1 Chronicles 16. The word can mean porters or gatekeepers. ecclesia is the temple of God. In the past, gatekeepers checked who came in. Yet as time went by, the gatekeepers let Gentiles in, people who were not in God's covenant: and this was the basis of their condemnation (<a href='B:330 44:7-8'>Eze 44:7-8</a>). Probably they did so in a misguided conception of "love" towards the surrounding world.</p>


text:
<p>He took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Yahweh. They came through the upper gate to the king’s house, and set the king on the throne of the kingdom- </p><p>"The upper gate" of <a href='B:140 23:20'>2Ch 23:20</a> is in Kings "the gate of the guard".</p>


text:
<p>So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet. Athaliah they had slain with the sword- </p><p>Quietness or peace is often associated with obedience. We read of this at least twice during Jehoshaphat's reign. Going God's way is the only way to true peace; although that peace is juxtaposed against the violent slaying of Athaliah which had been necessary to bring it about.</p>


text:
<p>Joash was seven years old when he began to reign; and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba- </p><p>He had been hidden six years in the temple (<a href='B:140 22:12'>2Ch 22:12</a>), and so it follows that he was grabbed to safety when he was a one year old baby. That was how frail was the line of descent from David, for the rest of the male line had been slain by Athaliah (<a href='B:140 22:10'>2Ch 22:10</a>). The royal family had already been depleted because of the murders of <a href='B:120 10:14'>2Ki 10:14</a>; <a href='B:140 21:4'>2Ch 21:4</a>; <a href='B:140 21:17'>2Ch 21:17</a>. Beersheba was famed for idolatry at this time (<a href='B:370 5:5'>Amo 5:5</a>; <a href='B:370 8:14'>Amo 8:14</a>), and the mother's name, meaning 'gazelle', has no mention of God's Name in it:&nbsp;</p>


text:
<p>Joash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all the days of Jehoiada the priest- </p><p>Joash did right before God whilst the priest Jehoiada was alive, and then apostatized; Uzziah did likewise, with Zechariah the priest (<a href='B:140 24:2'>2Ch 24:2</a>; <a href='B:140 26:5'>2Ch 26:5</a>). He didn’t reflect upon the personal implications of Divine history. And we too must appreciate that there are Bible characters whose experiences are framed in terms directly relevant to us- for our learning. Interestingly, straight after Jehoiada died, the princes of the land came to Joash with a request, which he wrongly listened to. This has great similarities with the tragic mistake made by Rehoboam after Solomon died (<a href='B:140 10:3-4'>2Ch 10:3-4</a> cp. 24:17). So Joash was given chance after chance to be directed back to previous examples and be instructed by them- but he went on in his own way.</p><p>But when Jehoiada died, Joash listened to, and was influenced by, the wicked princes of Judah (:17). It is clear that for all his apparent strength of character and zeal for God, Joash was simply a product of those he was with. And so it can be that our generation especially, can tend to be people with no real character, their very personalities influenced by others rather than being real, credible people. Insofar as we can break free from all these moulding influences, we will be real, credible persons. And our independence, our realness, is what will attract others to the message of Divine influence which we preach. Those raised in Christian homes need to pay especial attention to the possibility that they are where they are spiritually because of the good influence of others upon them. There is no harm in this; but we need to strive to have a faith that is not merely the faith of our fathers, but a real and personal response to the love of God which we have for ourselves perceived in the man Christ.</p>


text:
<p>Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he fathered sons and daughters- </p><p>We wonder why Jehoiada led Joash into polygamy; even though it was not outlawed, it was clearly against God's ideal standards. Perhaps Jehoiada was desperate to see the line of David continue, and given high infant mortality rates and the possibility that the first wife was barren, he took Joash a second wife. Instead of having faith that that the promised seed would come, as Isaac did during the twenty years of Rebekah's barrenness. <a href='B:120 12:3'>2Ki 12:3</a> adds that the high places were not taken away, so we get the hint that despite all this initial zeal, things were not spiritually solid with Joash even from the start.</p>


text:
<p>It happened after this that Joash intended to restore the house of Yahweh- </p><p>Joash started to take his own initiative in serving God once he was old enough. He had a personal emotional attachment to the temple, seeing that he had grown up hiding in one of its disused side rooms (<a href='B:140 22:12'>2Ch 22:12</a>). The temple was in a serious state of disrepair at Athaliah's time; she was an idolater, and the daily sacrifices weren't offered (<a href='B:140 23:18'>2Ch 23:18</a>). The way Joash later desecrates the temple with idolatry is therefore a tragic example of turning away from the faith. No amount of devotion to the things of God's house, or emotional, sentimental feelings towards them, is a guarantee that true faith will be retained in the long term. This restoration of the temple would have been programmatic for the exiles, for whose benefits these historical records were originally written.</p>


text:
<p>He gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, Go out to the cities of Judah, and gather money to repair the house of your God from all Israel from year to year. See that you hasten this matter. However the Levites didn’t do it right away- </p><p>This presumably meant that the half shekel temple tax had not been paid for some time. So Joash urged that it be paid, although unsurprisingly there was reluctance. Plague was threatened for not paying it, but there is no record that this happened.</p>


text:
<p>The king called for Jehoiada the chief and said to him, Why haven’t you required of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, out of Judah and out of Jerusalem, for the tent of the testimony?- </p><p>God had never wanted a temple to be built, and had stressed instead that He preferred to live in a tent on the move, rather than in a house of bricks. Such was Jehoiada's spirituality that he had perceived this, and taught Joash to refer to the temple as a tent. And likewise the essence of the ark, Jehoiada had taught him, was the "testimony" within it. For at that time "there was nothing in the ark except the two tables" of stone (<a href='B:140 5:10'>2Ch 5:10</a>). And it was "the testimony" which Joash had been given by Jehoiada at seven years old when crowned king. Joash was given the best spiritual upbringing imaginable by Jehoiada; and yet he turned away from it. It is mythical to imagine that parents can in some ways eternally save their children by diligently raising them. All they can do is give their children the basis upon which they must themselves build. Another possibility is that the ark itself had been removed, and within the "tent" of the most holy place there was simply the stones of the covenant. For in :8 Joash commands an ark to be made.</p>


text:
<p>For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up God’s house; and they also gave all the dedicated things of the house of Yahweh to the Baals- </p><p>And yet it was through the temple being in such a state of disrepair, that Joash could be hidden in it for six years, living as if the child of some homeless woman squatting in one of the disused side rooms (see on <a href='B:140 22:11'>2Ch 22:11</a>).</p>


text:
<p>So the king commanded, and they made a chest, and set it outside at the gate of the house of Yahweh- </p><p>"Chest" is the Hebrew word usually used for "ark". I suggested on :6 that the ark may have gone missing or even been destroyed by Athaliah, resulting in the rather strange term "tent of the testimony" [the tables of stone] being used for the most holy place. Kings says it was in the court opposite the porch, by the side of the altar of burnt offering. But "outside" may also mean outside of the most holy place. It could be that the chest was stored by the altar, but in the day time was taken to the gate of the temple to receive contributions (see on <a href='B:140 24:11'>2Ch 24:11</a>).</p>


text:
<p>They made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in for Yahweh the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness- </p><p>GNB "the tax which Moses, God's servant, had first collected in the wilderness". The idea may be that that was the only time they ever really obeyed the law of giving the half shekel. Israel's collective disobedience to the law is quite stunning.</p>


text:
<p>All the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in, and cast into the chest, until they had made an end- </p><p>"An end" may mean that whenever the chest was full, it was emptied (see on :11).</p>


text:
<p>It was so, that whenever the chest was brought to the king’s officers by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king’s scribe and the chief priests’ officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance- </p><p>"Day by day" can mean 'from time to time', suggesting it was done whenever the chest was full. Thus <a href='B:120 12:10'>2Ki 12:10</a> "It was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest::.".</p>


text:
<p>The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of Yahweh. They hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of Yahweh, and also those who worked iron and brass, so as to repair the house of Yahweh- </p><p>The language is rather similar to that used of building the tabernacle, as if this rebuilding was really major, seeing Athaliah had consciously "broken up" the temple (:7):&nbsp; <a href='B:120 12:15'>2Ki 12:15</a> adds: "Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully".</p>


text:
<p>So the workmen worked, and the work of repairing advanced in their hands, and they restored God’s house to its proper condition and strengthened it- </p><p>Heb. "the work was perfected", a phrase used mainly in the context of the restoration of Zion (<a href='B:160 4:7'>Neh 4:7</a>; <a href='B:300 30:17'>Jer 30:17</a>; <a href='B:300 33:6'>Jer 33:6</a>). The Chronicles record was written or rewritten in exile to inspire the exiles with historical precedents for their work. "Proper condition" suggests 'proper size'. The breaking up of the temple by Athaliah had apparently involved the demolition of major parts of the temple, to the point of it needing to be rebuilt to return it to its original size.</p>


text:
<p>When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which were made vessels for the house of Yahweh, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, and spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in the house of Yahweh continually all the days of Jehoiada- </p><p>Athaliah's destruction had involved taking away the vessels, probably giving them to the Baal sanctuaries (:7). We note a theme in Israel's history; that whenever there was an appeal for money for the temple, they were always more generous than was needed. And yet they were far from God in their hearts. Generous donation towards religious buildings are not the same as true spirituality.</p>


text:
<p>But Jehoiada grew old and was full of days, and he died. He was one hundred and thirty years old when he died- </p><p>Numbers are often not used literally in the Hebrew Bible. The language here is similar to that used of the death of Jacob, who died at the same age (<a href='B:10 47:9'>Gen 47:9</a>). The idea may be that Jehoiada too had potentially begun a new Israel. Although Joash must go down in history as a man who wasted huge potential and abused such a good spiritual upbringing. Jehoiada was buried as a king (:16).</p>


text:
<p>They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and His house-</p><p>Despite the apostacy of the people, they recognized the good he had done. I noted on :15 the similarities between himself and Jacob, as if he had potentially enabled the founding of a new Israel.</p>


text:
<p>Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king listened to them- </p><p>The impression given is that Joash was swayed by their obeisance to him. The requests he granted them were related to forsaking the temple and instead serving idols (:18). Joash was easily flattered, and that reflects deeply upon how his earlier apparent zeal for the temple had been but a living out of the expectations of his spiritual father [and uncle] Jehoiada.</p>


text:
<p>They forsook the house of Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. Wrath came on Judah and Jerusalem for this their guiltiness-</p><p>Joash had grown up hidden until age seven in a disused storage room in the temple, at the very time that Athaliah was breaking up the building; as noted on :7,13. Jehoiada and his wife, who were his aunty and uncle, had saved his life and cared for him there. And he had followed Jehoiada's example in rebuilding it after what Athaliah had done there. And now, after the flattery of the princes (:17), he desecrates it:&nbsp; The very building which we would have thought had at least sentimental value to him. And this is how fickle human beings can be, and how surface level human faith can be. It could be that the dishonesty of the priests regarding Joash's appeal for the temple tax to be paid led him to skepticism about the priesthood and religious system based around the temple. And that was a more powerful influence upon him than the Godly example of his uncle Jehoiada.</p>


text:
<p>Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahweh; and they testified against them. But they would not listen-</p><p>There were a number of prophets around, Elijah was likely still alive, as Elisha and Micah; there was also Jehu, Jahaziel (<a href='B:140 20:14'>2Ch 20:14</a>) and Eliezer (<a href='B:140 20:37'>2Ch 20:37</a>). The apostacy of the people was not a sudden change of heart. The reality was that great reformers and spiritual people like Jehoiada were in reality lonely people, who at times managed to get reforms passed. But the hearts of the people didn't change. That is the point. And that is why as soon as the reformer is off the scene, the people openly "return" to idolatry. But their hearts were always with the idols. The impression we get is that there was only a very small minority amongst the people of God who were truly spiritually minded. This is likely the same today, no matter how we define the "people of God". Whether we take them as all baptized into Jesus, all the Christian movement, our own denomination, our own local church::. it is likely the same today. For Paul reasons that we dare not say that we are spiritually better than natural Israel.</p>


text:
<p>The spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, Thus says God, ‘Why do you disobey the commandments of Yahweh, so that you can’t prosper? Because you have forsaken Yahweh, He has also forsaken you’- </p><p>Standing above the people was because he was in the&nbsp; "higher court" of <a href='B:300 36:10'>Jer 36:10</a>. This was the inner court of the temple, above the outer court where the ordinary people were gathered. <a href='B:160 8:4'>Neh 8:4</a> has a similar scene. Such major judgment was not because of the failure of a moment. As explained on :19, the people were far from God even whilst Jehoiada was effectively leading them.</p>


text:
<p>They conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of Yahweh- </p><p>The conspiracy was likely of the same kind used to give Naboth the death penalty (<a href='B:110 21:9-10'>1Ki 21:9-10</a>), claiming he had committed blasphemy and apostacy, which merited being stoned to death. They did so "in the court". Possibly the priests and Levites did this, in the same higher court in view of the people from which he had spoken (:20). Or perhaps the ordinary people stoned him in the outer court. See on :25.</p>


text:
<p>Thus Joash the king didn’t remember the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but killed his son- </p><p>The Jews murdered Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, according to Jewish tradition; Ahab and Jezebel slew Yahweh's prophets (<a href='B:110 18:4'>1Ki 18:4</a>); Joah murdered Zechariah (<a href='B:140 24:22'>2Ch 24:22</a>). And the Lord alludes to this in <a href='B:470 23:37'>Mat 23:37</a> and <a href='B:490 11:47'>Luk 11:47</a>. The idea is that despite being given the blessings of obedience to the covenant when they were disobedient to that covenant, they abused that grace and rebelled against Yahweh just as they had done in the wilderness, when they lived under the same grace. And Nehemiah in <a href='B:160 9:26'>Neh 9:26</a> is accusing the people of his time of despising and abusing Divine grace in just the same way. Chronicles was written for the exiles, and they failed to learn this lesson.</p><p>This is a parade example of the human tendency towards ingratitude, in this case, toward the family who had saved him as a fragile one year old baby from the murderous idol worshipper Athaliah.</p><p>When he died, he said, May Yahweh witness it, and require it-</p><p>This contrasts with the last words of the Lord Jesus and of Stephen, who wished for forgiveness of their murderers rather than judgment. Zechariah will surely be saved, but he attained a lower level of spirituality and appreciation of grace than that of the Lord and Stephen (<a href='B:510 7:60'>Act 7:60</a>). The parable of the sower shows that the good ground brings forth various degrees of fruitfulness. Some will make more of God's truth than others. The trading of talents leads to more increase in the hands of some believers than others. But they are all saved. This recognition of differing degrees of response is critical to being able to live together in the body of believers. All will not achieve the same levels. And that is implicitly recognized within Bible teaching.</p>


text:
<p>It happened at the end of the year, that the army of the Syrians came up against him. They came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus- </p><p>The princes were those who had encouraged Joash to idolatry. We wonder why they spared Joash. Perhaps his extra bit of life was in order to give him the chance of repentance. But he turned it down.</p>


text:
<p>For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men; and Yahweh delivered a very great army into their hand, because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers. So they executed judgment on Joash- </p><p>This is expressed in the terms of what would happen to Israel if they were disobedient to the covenant. <a href='B:120 12:17-18'>2Ki 12:17-18</a> says that Joash bought off the Syrians with all the hallowed things of the temple. It could be that this effectively means that he saved his life by paying them off, after they had already entered Jerusalem and slain the princes (:23).</p>


text:
<p>When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they didn’t bury him in the tombs of the kings- </p><p>We wonder whether his servants were so loyal to Yahweh that they killed him for what he had done to the sons of Jehoiada. "Sons" means that he murdered more than just Zechariah. Although these servants were apparently secular Gentiles (:25), perhaps even they were disgusted at his deep ingratitude. Or it could mean that their conspiracy against Joash was meant by God as punishment for his conspiracy against Zechariah (:21). Joash was killed on his bed, probably his sick bed, "at the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla” (<a href='B:120 12:20'>2Ki 12:20</a>). This may have been the equivalent of a hospital.</p>


text:
<p>These are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess- </p><p>We wonder whether these servants were in fact his sons by Gentile wives. If so, then even before the death of Jehoiada he had shown his unspirituality by marrying Gentiles, for all his avowed devotion to the rebuilding of the temple. This is why there was specific commentary written about "his sons" (:27).</p>


text:
<p>Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid on him, and the rebuilding of God’s house, behold, they are written in the commentary of the book of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place- </p><p>This "commentary" may not necessarily be the same as the books of Kings which we have in our Bibles. "The burdens" refer to the prophecies made against him in :19. Hence RVmg. "the burdens uttered against him".</p>


text:
<p>Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem-</p><p>Amaziah's father Joash died at 47, so Joash would have been 22 when Amaziah was born. His mother, 'pleasing to Jehovah', was one of the wives chosen for Joash by his Godly uncle Jehoiada. He would have lived under the Godly influence of Jehoiada for some time, and witnessed his father's apostacy and gross ingratitude to Jehoiada shown by murdering his sons.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, but not with a complete heart- </p><p>There is a common phrase in the record of the Kings of Judah which I admit to being unable to conclusively interpret: "He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord". Many of the men of whom this was said were not very righteous, and some were punished for their later apostasy. Possible explanations are that they repented at the end, although unrecorded; or that they were initially righteous; or that God counted them as righteous although they did wrong things. I find problems with each of these alternatives. So I am left with the possibility that a man can do (and perhaps this is the word that needs emphasis) what is right in God's eyes, but still ultimately be condemned because his heart is far from God; which is the teaching of 1 Corinthians 13; <a href='B:480 7:6-9'>Mar 7:6-9</a> and many other Scriptures. Amaziah "did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like (i:e. he didn't do his works like) David his father" (<a href='B:120 14:3'>2Ki 14:3</a>) must be paralleled with <a href='B:140 25:2'>2Ch 25:2</a>: "he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart". Working for God as David did, therefore involved doing the works with a perfect heart, the open conscience which David so often displayed in the Psalms. But Amaziah was deceived by the fact he was doing good works, and the real essence of his relationship with God was thereby overlooked. And we too can project a shadow-self to others, an image of spirituality, which eventually we come to believe ourselves; when our heart is far from God. This feature of human nature explains why a man or woman can reach such heights of devotion and then turn round and walk away from it all, out into the darkness of the world.</p>


text:
<p>Now it happened that when the kingdom was established to him, he killed his servants who had killed the king his father- </p><p>This continues a theme, of the kings of Judah strengthening or establishing themselves, often when they first became king; but then having that human strength tested by God or removed. The same word is used repeatedly (<a href='B:130 11:10'>1Ch 11:10</a>; <a href='B:140 11:11'>2Ch 11:11</a>; <a href='B:140 11:17'>2Ch 11:17</a>; <a href='B:140 12:13'>2Ch 12:13</a>; <a href='B:140 13:21'>2Ch 13:21</a>; <a href='B:140 17:1'>2Ch 17:1</a>; <a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a>; <a href='B:140 25:3'>2Ch 25:3</a>; <a href='B:140 25:11'>2Ch 25:11</a>; <a href='B:140 26:8'>2Ch 26:8</a>; <a href='B:140 26:15'>2Ch 26:15</a>; <a href='B:140 29:3'>2Ch 29:3</a>; <a href='B:140 32:5'>2Ch 32:5</a>). The lesson of course was that it is God's Angelic eyes who run to and fro in the land promised to Abraham, "to shew Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him" (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>).</p>


text:
<p>But he didn’t put their children to death, but did according to that which is written in the law in the book of Moses, as Yahweh commanded saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers; but every man shall die for his own sin-</p><p>Overall this man appears to have spiritually failed. But he as it were grabs hold of one commandment and religiously obeys it. We see this kind of thing all the time in 'religious' approaches to Christianity. But it is the heart which God is looking at, and it was in this that Amaziah failed, ultimately. Chronicles was written for the exiles, and perhaps they needed reminding of this principle (as in <a href='B:330 18:20'>Eze 18:20</a>) because of their wrong idea that they were being unjustly punished for the sins of their fathers.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and ordered them according to their fathers houses, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, even all Judah and Benjamin. He numbered them from twenty years old and upward, and found them three hundred thousand chosen men, able to go forth to war, who could handle spear and shield- </p><p>After the humiliating defeat by a small army of Syrians, which led to his father's sickness and death, Amaziah wished to strengthen the military might of Judah. But he rather misses the point; his father had more soldiers than Syria, but a small Syrian army defeated Judah's military might because they were not devoted to Yahweh (<a href='B:140 24:24'>2Ch 24:24</a>). He failed to appreciate that an Israel obedient to the covenant would win victories against far superior forces. His strength numerically was that in Asa's time (<a href='B:140 14:8'>2Ch 14:8</a>):&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


text:
<p>He hired also one hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for one hundred talents of silver- </p><p>"Thousand" often means a kind of military division, and not literally 1000. He failed to recognize that faith in Yahweh rather than numbers was significant (see on :5). He failed to learn the lessons of Biblical history, that military cooperation with the ten tribes had never brought anything but disaster.</p>


text:
<p>A man of God came to him, saying, O king, don’t let the army of Israel go with you; for Yahweh is not with Israel, with all the children of Ephraim- </p><p>The implication was that Yahweh was "with" Judah, but would be with them if Israelite forces were with them. Yet this being "with" Judah was by grace alone, for all the evidence is that the mass of the people were not at all with Him but had forsaken Him. But God perhaps wished to give them just this simple test of obedience regarding not taking the Israelite forces with them, without tackling the myriad other spiritual issues they had. We marvel that He did not turn away from them, seeing they had forsaken Him, but instead worked so patiently to reform them, one baby step at a time. See on :11.</p>


text:
<p>But if you will go, go and take action, be strong for the battle. God will overthrow you before the enemy; for God has power to help, and to overthrow- </p><p>There are times when God has influenced men not to respond to the evidently wise words of other men, in order to fulfill His purpose (e:g. <a href='B:110 12:15'>1Ki 12:15</a>; <a href='B:140 25:20'>2Ch 25:20</a>). God was willing to confirm and even encourage Amaziah in a wrong way- if this was Amaziah’s choice. Therefore God has the power to influence the minds of men in this way, and He uses it. "He takes away the heart of the chief of the people, and causes them to wander" (<a href='B:220 12:24'>Job 12:24</a> cp. 42:7). And God uses this ability to make men refuse to respond to the evident Truth of His word (e:g. <a href='B:90 2:25'>1Sa 2:25</a>). Yet in all this, God is only confirming men in the path they choose to tread.</p>


text:
<p>Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? The man of God answered, Yahweh is able to give you much more than this- </p><p>I suggest on :17 that this test was repeated when these mercenaries sacked some cities of Judah, and Amaziah then demands compensation from Israel for this. This abiding desire for compensation reflects his lack of faith in the prophetic words to him. We may apparently respond rightly to a test, but not from the heart. And so it is repeated, and we fail. The situation also repeated at the time of <a href='B:140 28:13-14'>2Ch 28:13-14</a>, where the victorious Israelites were told to release the captives they had apparently legitimately taken in war.</p>


text:
<p>Then Amaziah separated them, the army that had come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again. Therefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in fierce anger- </p><p>This was on one&nbsp; hand great obedience to the prophetic word. And yet their anger may reflect the fact that Amaziah actually demanded the payment be returned. For that would explain why they pillaged Judah in revenge (:13). His obedience was therefore partial, and so he was tested again in this matter (see on :17) and failed.</p>


text:
<p>Amaziah took courage, and led forth his people, and went to the Valley of Salt, and struck ten thousand of the children of Seir- </p><p>This was where David had won a great victory (<a href='B:130 18:12'>1Ch 18:12</a>). Amaziah was being guided to follow in David's footsteps. This, as noted on :7, was another baby step taken to try to reform him.</p>


text:
<p>The children of Judah carried away ten thousand alive, and brought them to the top of the rock, and threw them down from the top of the rock, so that they all were broken in pieces- </p><p>Comparing with the Kings record, we learn that these people were from the fortress garrison of Sela, which Amaziah captured after the victory of :11. Sela may well be Petra, the apparently impregnable rock top of <a href='B:300 49:16'>Jer 49:16</a>.</p>


text:
<p>But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah, from Samaria even to Beth Horon, and struck of them three thousand, and took much spoil-</p><p>Samaria and Beth Horon may instead be read as the border cities of Zemaraim (<a href='B:140 13:4'>2Ch 13:4</a>; <a href='B:60 18:22'>Jos 18:22</a>) or Ephrain / Ephron (<a href='B:140 13:19'>2Ch 13:19</a> cp. <a href='B:60 15:9'>Jos 15:9</a>). I suggested on :10 that they did this because perhaps Amaziah didn't in fact pay them or demanded his payment be returned.</p>


text:
<p>Now it happened, after that Amaziah had come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense to them- </p><p>The imperfect tense suggests he continued this bowing down to them. This is a common Biblical theme; that men worship the very gods which have been proven powerless, and which God has demonstrated to them to be so, through observed experience. But we have the same human nature. For example, we all learn by observed experience that wealth doesn't bring happiness, and we lament families ruined by the possession of wealth. But many still eagerly worship the idol of wealth.</p>


text:
<p>Therefore the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Amaziah, and He sent to him a prophet who said to him, Why have you sought after the gods of the people, which have not delivered their own people out of your hand?- </p><p>GNB "from your power". "Amaziah" means 'power of Yah'. The word play is intentional. The prophet is saying that Amaziah has denied his own name, the personality and character which was potentially to be his. There is likewise a personal path mapped out for each of us, which we can deny by our lack of faith and apostacy.</p>


text:
<p>It happened, as he talked with him, that the king said to him, Have we made you one of the king’s counsellors? Stop! Why should you be struck down? Then the prophet stopped, and said, I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this, and have not listened to my counsel-</p><p>"Counsellors" is the same Hebrew word translated "determined". It occurs again in :17 ("consulted"). The word for "counsellor" is associated with rulership and kingship; a king's counsellors were effectively the kings (<a href='B:290 1:26'>Isa 1:26</a>; <a href='B:290 9:6'>Isa 9:6</a>; <a href='B:150 7:28'>Ezr 7:28</a>; <a href='B:150 8:25'>Ezr 8:25</a>; <a href='B:220 3:14'>Job 3:14</a>), and often in the Bible, the counsel of men is contrasted with that of God. We feel this tension too; for the counsel of God is so often different and opposed to the counsel of the majority of those looked up to for secular advice and counsel. Amaziah wanted a prophet who counselled as he wished it to be (as did Ahab before him). He was not humble to God's word. We too need to somehow clear ourselves of all preconceptions and come to God's word with a second naiveté, willing to be counselled by it; rather than wanting to appoint our own counsel.</p>


text:
<p>Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us face off against each other- </p><p>The soldiers he had hired were apparently mercenaries. They had been paid, but not used in the battle. And so they had gotten offended and sacked cities of Judah (:13). And Amaziah was demanding compensation for this. By so doing he demonstrated that his apparent willingness to lose the money paid for them was not a decision taken from the heart. He was still after compensation for his losses, rather than believing that God could give him all riches (see on :9).</p>


text:
<p>Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon saying, Give your daughter to my son as his wife. Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle- </p><p>This is similar to the parable of the trees in <a href='B:70 9:7-15'>Jdg 9:7-15</a>, which also talks of the land of Israel as "Lebanon" (<a href='B:70 9:15'>Jdg 9:15</a>). The king of Israel presents himself and Amaziah as both living in the same land, and considered himself to be the glorious cedar and Amaziah merely a thistle. It was quite inappropriate, he felt, for Amaziah to provoke him over the fact mercenaries from his country had ransacked towns in Judah over an argument about money and payment. He is saying that it as inappropriate as a poor man asking a wealthy man to give him his daughter to marry the poor man's son. And he threatens to act not just as an elegant cedar, but to morph into a wild beast who would trample down Amaziah. Perhaps Amaziah had indeed provoked Joash by making a marriage proposal which he knew Joash would turn down.</p>


text:
<p>You say to yourself that you have struck Edom; and your heart lifts you up to boast. Now stay at home. Why should you meddle with trouble, that you should fall, even you, and Judah with you?-</p><p>Literally, "You say", but he meant as interpreted by NEV, "to yourself". The importance of self talk is repeatedly emphasized in the Bible. For this is the basis of true spirituality. The victory against Edom was from God, but by accepting the vanquished gods of Edom, Amaziah shows that he trusted in his own strength rather than that of Yahweh. So often the victories God gives, be it passing an exam or military victory, lead to pride and boasting.</p>


text:
<p>But Amaziah would not listen; for it was of God, that He might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought after the gods of Edom- </p><p>See on :8. There are a number of other passages which mention how "it was of the Lord" that certain attitudes were adopted by men, resulting in the sequence of events which He desired (<a href='B:60 11:20'>Jos 11:20</a>; <a href='B:90 2:25'>1Sa 2:25</a>; <a href='B:110 12:15'>1Ki 12:15</a>; <a href='B:140 10:15'>2Ch 10:15</a>; <a href='B:140 22:7'>2Ch 22:7</a>; <a href='B:140 25:20'>2Ch 25:20</a>). It is tempting to read <a href='B:70 14:4'>Jdg 14:4</a> in this context, meaning that God somehow made Samson desire that woman in order to bring about His purpose of freeing Israel from Philistine domination. The fact a man does something "of the Lord" doesn't mean that he is guiltless. In the same context of God's deliverance of Israel from the Philistines, men who did things "of the Lord" were punished for what they did (<a href='B:50 2:30'>Deu 2:30</a>; <a href='B:90 2:25'>1Sa 2:25</a>; <a href='B:140 22:7'>2Ch 22:7</a>; <a href='B:140 25:20'>2Ch 25:20</a>). God through His Spirit works to confirm men in the path they wish to go. And this is the huge significance of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives today.</p>


text:
<p>So Joash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah confronted each other at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah- </p><p>This was on the border of Judah and Dan, the frontier of Judah. The pagan name, "house of the sun", had not been changed; and reflects Judah's abiding penchant for idolatry.</p>


text:
<p>Judah was defeated by Israel; and they fled every man to his tent- </p><p>This was not because Israel were more spiritual or faithful, but because God has a special interest in judging pride. Victories of secular people must be understood in this context. The giving of victory by God (in whatever context) is multi factorial and is not simply a reflection of His pleasure with the victor.</p>


text:
<p>Joash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash the son of Jehoahaz- </p><p>"Jehoahaz" is also called Ahaziah (<a href='B:140 21:17'>2Ch 21:17</a>).</p><p>At Beth Shemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits- </p><p>This is s:w. <a href='B:160 1:3'>Neh 1:3</a>; <a href='B:160 4:7'>Neh 4:7</a>, and would have helped remind the exiles how the walls of Jerusalem had come to be so broken down. It would seem by the implication of <a href='B:300 31:38'>Jer 31:38</a>; <a href='B:450 14:10'>Zec 14:10</a> that this gate was on the north of Jerusalem. Depending how we define a cubit, this would have been between 600 and 700 feet.</p>


text:
<p>He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in God’s house with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria- </p><p>This faithful family who had cared for the ark had been entrusted with caring for the gold and silver in the temple. But Joash had given much of this to the Syrians previously.</p>


text:
<p>Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years- </p><p>The implication may be that he was given ample opportunity to repent; and we have noticed that in the lives of other kings.</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren’t they written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?-</p><p>This may not necessarily be the same books of Kings which we have in our Bible.</p>


text:
<p>Now from the time that Amaziah turned away from following Yahweh, they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem- </p><p>Athaliah, Joash and Amaziah each died due to a conspiracy. Surely Amaziah was intended to learn from the deaths of his predecessors, but the great theme of Biblical history is that so few learn from it. And that is the challenge to us. The planning of the conspiracy apparently took at least 15 years (:25).</p><p>He fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there- </p><p>Perhaps he was trying to flee to Egypt, ever representative of human strength which fails. For Lachish was on the road there.</p>


text:
<p>They brought him on horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of David- </p><p>Horses were forbidden to the kings of Israel (<a href='B:50 17:16'>Deu 17:16</a>) so this is an appropriate end for an unfaithful man who trusted in human strength.</p>


text:
<p>All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah- </p><p>Those who conspired against Amaziah were apparently stopped by the people from taking power. And they insisted upon the line of David continuing, through Uzziah. Despite their general unspirituality. "Uzziah", 'strength of Jehovah', has a very similar meaning to the name of his father Amaziah, 'power of Jehovah'. Yet Amaziah had not lived up to that (see on <a href='B:140 25:15'>2Ch 25:15</a>. He may have named his son similarly in a hope that he would succeed where he failed.</p>


text:
<p>He built Eloth and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers- </p><p>Amaziah his father had defeated Edom, and Eloth was in Edom. This explains the comment that Uzziah did this after his father died. But in doing so he was really living out the ghost of his father and fulfilling parental expectation; for he repeated the works for Yahweh which his father had done (:4). Those raised in believing families must ever probe the degree to which their faith and works are possibly just living out parental expectation.</p>


text:
<p>Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem- </p><p>This means that he was born about the time that his father Amaziah turned away from Yahweh (<a href='B:140 25:25-27'>2Ch 25:25-27</a>). His spirituality may therefore have been due to his mother, 'Yah will enable'.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done- </p><p>God's judgment of Amaziah was that he did what was right, but his heart was not consistently with God. So the meaning of this may be that Uzziah likewise did what was right, he did something which were right, as Amaziah did. But there is no comment at this point about the all important judgment of God about his state of heart. And I suggested on :2 that be began by simply living out parental expectation. See on :16. We note from <a href='B:120 15:4'>2Ki 15:4</a> that "the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places". "Taken away" is the same word as 'depart from' in <a href='B:120 15:9'>2Ki 15:9</a>. The way of Jeroboam was not departed from, and so the high places were not departed from. The suggestion is that they were associated with the calf worship.</p>


text:
<p>He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God. As long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper- </p><p>This Zechariah may be the anonymous prophet who had rebuked his father Amaziah. Joash did right before God whilst the priest Jehoiada was alive, and then apostatized; Uzziah did likewise, with Zechariah the priest (<a href='B:140 24:2'>2Ch 24:2</a>; <a href='B:140 26:5'>2Ch 26:5</a>). He didn’t reflect upon the personal implications of Divine history. And we too must appreciate that there are Bible characters whose experiences are framed in terms directly relevant to us- for our learning. Interestingly, straight after Jehoiada died, the princes of the land came to Joash with a request, which he wrongly listened to. This has great similarities with the tragic mistake made by Rehoboam after Solomon died (<a href='B:140 10:3-4'>2Ch 10:3-4</a> cp. 24:17). So Joash was given chance after chance to be directed back to previous examples and be instructed by them- but he went on in his own way. And Uzziah failed in a similar way.</p>


text:
<p>He went forth and warred against the Philistines, and broke down the walls of Gath, Jabneh and Ashdod; and he built cities in the country of Ashdod and among the Philistines- </p><p>In Amaziah's time, the walls of Jerusalem had been broken down, and Uzziah would have remembered growing up with this shameful reminder every day of his youth, as he surveyed the broken down walls which represented his father's humiliation (<a href='B:140 25:23'>2Ch 25:23</a>). His apparent zeal against the Philistines and breaking down of their walls must surely be read in this light. And we must ask to what degree our works for the Lord are merely psychological reactions and responses to our experiences, and to what degree they are purely motivated by faith.</p>


text:
<p>God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians who lived in Gur Baal and the Meunim- </p><p>Gur Baal is 'the abode of Baal' and we wonder whether this reflected Uzziah's zeal for Yahweh as opposed to Baal. The Angelic elohim “helped” Uzziah in his battles; and yet within the same context we read that his human armies “helped” him (<a href='B:140 26:7'>2Ch 26:7</a>; <a href='B:140 26:13'>2Ch 26:13</a>). The Angelic armies in Heaven are seen reflected in the human armies of Israel upon earth. The human armies are described as helping Uzziah with “mighty power”, a phrase elsewhere used about the mighty power which God alone gives (the same two words occur in this context in <a href='B:50 8:18'>Deu 8:18</a>; <a href='B:450 4:6'>Zec 4:6</a>). The allusion is to the meaning of Uzziah's name, 'strength of Yah'. And David learnt all this in practice, when he reflected how human armies alone lack this ‘mighty power’- all human strength is not strength at all unless it’s operating in tandem with God’s Angelic strength: “There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: A mighty man is not delivered by great strength” (<a href='B:230 33:16'>Psa 33:16</a>).</p>


text:
<p>The Ammonites gave tribute to Uzziah. His name spread abroad even to the entrance of Egypt; for he grew extremely strong- </p><p>Ammon was far east of Jordan, and to control them as far as Egypt was very considerable influence and power.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate and the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them- </p><p>This would have been to try to permanently reverse the shameful breaking down of the walls of Jerusalem which he had grown up beholding (<a href='B:140 25:23'>2Ch 25:23</a>; see on :6). But as discussed on :6, we wonder whether his apparent zeal in doing this was true zeal for God, or rather merely psychological reaction and response to his earlier shame based experiences. And we must enquire of our own motives in the same way.</p>


text:
<p>He built towers in the wilderness, and dug out many cisterns, for he had much livestock; in the lowland also, and in the plain. He had farmers and vineyard keepers in the mountains and in the fruitful fields; for he loved farming- </p><p>We see similarities with Solomon's descriptions of all the things he tried doing in Ecclesiastes. But like Solomon, Uzziah did all these things because he loved doing them, serving God in so far as it reinforced his own personality type and interests. And again we must enquire of the motives for our works, and to what extent we are truly carrying a cross for the Lord Jesus rather than serving Him in ways convenient to us.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover Uzziah had an army of fighting men, who went out to war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the officer, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king’s captains-</p><p>All these men had God's Name in their names, but there was a total lack of understanding that an Israel obedient to the covenant would defeat far greater forces despite their small numbers. And again, they had failed to learn the lesson from David's numbering of Israel's fighting men.</p>


text:
<p>The whole number of the heads of fathers’ households, even the mighty men of valour, was two thousand six hundred- </p><p>We get the impression of a highly organized army with wonderful military technology. But all this was to be revealed as ultimately the opposite of true spirituality.</p>


text:
<p>Under their hand was an army, three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, who made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy-</p><p>Uzziah was forgetting the meaning of his name, 'power of Yah'. Be aware that 'thousand' often refers to a military division rather than a literal 1000.</p>


text:
<p>Uzziah prepared for them, even for all the army, shields, spears, helmets, coats of armour, bows and stones for slinging- </p><p>Here and in :15 we get the impression that Uzziah loved technology and science, and perhaps invented new weaponry which was previously unknown in the area. But this was all&nbsp; revelling in human strength. It was a denial of his name which reflected his intended spiritual achievement, 'power of 'Yah'.</p>


text:
<p>He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skilful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, until he was strong-</p><p>This continues a theme, of the kings of Judah strengthening or fortifying themselves, often when they first became king; but then having that human strength tested by God or removed. The same word is used repeatedly (<a href='B:130 11:10'>1Ch 11:10</a>; <a href='B:140 11:11'>2Ch 11:11</a>; <a href='B:140 11:17'>2Ch 11:17</a>; <a href='B:140 12:13'>2Ch 12:13</a>; <a href='B:140 13:21'>2Ch 13:21</a>; <a href='B:140 17:1'>2Ch 17:1</a>; <a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a>; <a href='B:140 25:3'>2Ch 25:3</a>; <a href='B:140 25:11'>2Ch 25:11</a>; <a href='B:140 26:8'>2Ch 26:8</a>; <a href='B:140 26:15'>2Ch 26:15</a>; <a href='B:140 29:3'>2Ch 29:3</a>; <a href='B:140 32:5'>2Ch 32:5</a>). The lesson of course was that it is God's Angelic eyes who run to and fro in the land promised to Abraham, "to shew Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him" (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>).</p>


text:
<p>But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into Yahweh’s temple to burn incense on the altar of incense-</p><p>After several verses describing his strength, we come to this intended anticlimax. Although he did right things (:4), it is faith and the state of a man's inner heart which are the critical issues in God's judgments of a person. And pride in the heart is a sin which no number of good works can somehow compensate for.</p>


text:
<p>Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men- </p><p>To resist a proud and very powerful king was a brave act. It is perhaps because of this that they are called "valiant". They "resisted Uzziah" (18), literally they withstood him, physically barring his access to the incense altar.</p>


text:
<p>They resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honour from Yahweh God- </p><p>We observe that David acted as a priest, and was blessed for it. He saw beyond the veil of mere legislation, to the spirit of things. But Uzziah's motives were pride, self glorification rather than glorifying God. And so the same external actions were judged so differently by God. And we are not to judge because we cannot judge, seeing we see only the outward actions and not the heart. It seems as noted on :17 that Uzziah didn't actually get to the incense altar, although he had the censer in his hand (:19). But he was still counted as having committed the sin. Because intentions are counted as the sin, as the Lord makes clear in Matthew 5-7.</p>


text:
<p>Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense-</p><p>The idea of him being beside the altar but before the priests confirms the suggestion on :17 that they literally blocked his access to the altar. The leprosy in his forehead represented the disease of his mind. It broke forth as his anger broke forth. This was the anger of hurt pride, and revealed that he had no spiritual sincerity at all. If he had truly wanted God's glory through offering incense, if he truly saw in it a symbol of acceptable prayer to Him, then it would have made no difference who placed the censer on the altar.</p>


text:
<p>Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there. Yes, he himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh had struck him- </p><p>Death was the prescribed penalty for a non priest coming to the altar (<a href='B:40 18:7'>Num 18:7</a>). And he was refusing to give any weight to the Biblical precedent of the destruction of the rebels who offered incense (<a href='B:40 16:35'>Num 16:35</a>). We wonder whether there was also an earthquake at this time. Isaiah was contemporary with him (<a href='B:290 1:1'>Isa 1:1</a>), and we wonder whether this earthquake is the scene of <a href='B:290 6:1'>Isa 6:1</a>.</p>


text:
<p>Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of Yahweh; and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land-</p><p>This living in a separate house indicates obedience to God's law. For Naaman was a leper and yet had an active place in Syrian society, and Uzziah and Judah might have adopted their attitude to leprosy. The fact Uzziah didn't seek to get around this could perhaps indicate that he accepted his judgment and may have repented. But see on :23.</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, wrote- </p><p>We wonder why the record of such a book is retained in the inspired text, when we don't have access to the book. We can conclude that this was written for the exiles, who maybe did have access to this book.</p>


text:
<p>So Uzziah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the field of burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper. Jotham his son reigned in his place- </p><p>They were hyper sensitive to the Mosaic legislation about leprosy (see on :21), and yet Isaiah says that Judah at that time were spiritually so leprous, and they didn't even realize it. They focused upon external obedience to the law when it concerned others, but failed to see that they in essence were just as bad as those whom they were carefully separate from. And this again is an abiding lesson for us. We note that sleeping with fathers doesn't have to mean being buried next to them.</p>


text:
<p>Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok-</p><p>Zadok, righteousness, is a typical priestly name; so we wonder whether this was another example of the kingly and priestly lines uniting.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Uzziah had done. However he didn’t enter into Yahweh’s temple. The people still did corruptly-</p><p>Isaiah prophesied at this time (<a href='B:290 1:1'>Isa 1:1</a>), and condemns the people and their leadership as being deeply corrupt and spiritually leprous. The same word is used of the corruption of the land in the lead up to the flood (<a href='B:10 6:11-12'>Gen 6:11-12</a>), so we are being set up to expect the coming of judgment. The same word is that used for 'destruction' (<a href='B:140 26:16'>2Ch 26:16</a>). Corruption was its own judgment, it was self destruction. And this is the nature of human sin; it is its own judgment. Jotham did good works as his father did, but there is no commentary about God's judgment of the state of his heart. And this is the all important factor.</p>


text:
<p>He built the upper gate of the house of Yahweh, and on the wall of Ophel he built much- </p><p>This was the gate which led from the king's palace to the temple. The fact the king rebuilt it would reflect his desire for access to the temple and a wish to show solidarity with the temple. "Ophel" is "the swelling ground", referring to the land between the Kidron and the Tyropean valley.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers- </p><p>Many of the kings are described as opening their reigns by doing similar things to those done by their fathers. In this case, replicating the building passion of his father. We are therefore invited to ponder whether this was simply a function of psychological response to his father, or from a motive of personally wanting to serve God. We note the absence of any Divine comment upon the state of his heart (:2). This is to make us ponder, but not judge, what it might have been.</p>


text:
<p>He fought also with the king of the children of Ammon, and prevailed against them. The children of Ammon gave him the same year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand measures of wheat and ten thousand of barley. The children of Ammon gave that much to him in the second year also, and in the third- </p><p>His father Uzziah had also fought with Ammon and got tribute out of them (<a href='B:140 26:8'>2Ch 26:8</a>). And Jotham surely seeks to replicate the actions of his father, as discussed on :4. We notice he did these things immediately after his father died, which is the usual psychological response of a son after a father dies. But this raises the question as to whether our motivations for Divine service are simply psychological reactions, or motivated by personal devotion toward God.</p>


text:
<p>So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before Yahweh his God- </p><p>If a man prepares his way after God’s principles (<a href='B:140 27:6'>2Ch 27:6</a>; <a href='B:240 4:26'>Pro 4:26</a>), then God will ‘prepare’ that man’s way too (<a href='B:230 37:23'>Psa 37:23</a>; <a href='B:230 119:5'>Psa 119:5</a>), confirming him in the way chosen. His power might appear to have been because of bravery in military action and hard work, but it was rather from preparing his paths before God. We read this word for preparing or establishing in the context of the heart. Perhaps his "ways" refer to the ways of his heart. Or it could be that reference to the heart is purposefully omitted, and instead we are told that he prepared his ways before Yahweh, aware of His presence and observation in absolutely all he planned.</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah- </p><p>This may not necessarily refer to the books of Kings which we now have in our Bibles.</p>


text:
<p>He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem- </p><p>He died at 41, which is a number which repeats at least three other times in the history of the kings (<a href='B:110 14:21'>1Ki 14:21</a>; <a href='B:110 15:10'>1Ki 15:10</a>; <a href='B:120 14:23'>2Ki 14:23</a>). We can only ponder whether this is all some kind of Divinely arranged program, the exact function of which we cannot understand although we perceive it as existent.</p>


text:
<p>Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David; and Ahaz his son reigned in his place-</p><p>The description of death as sleeping with fathers is clear evidence that death is seen as a sleep, unconsciousness, and not as the start of an immortal soul going to heaven or 'hell'. Good and bad, David and Solomon, are gathered together in death. The division between them will only therefore come at the resurrection of the dead, and the granting of immortality at the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus.</p>


text:
<p>Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: and he didn’t do that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, as David his father did- </p><p>Isaiah, Hosea and Micah all prophesied during his evil reign and provide more details about the awful nature of his sins.</p>


text:
<p>but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and additionally made molten images for the Baals- </p><p>Although Israel is often described as the source of Judah's apostacy, we must give due weight to Ezekiel's word that Judah was in fact more wicked than Israel. This could have been because Judah fell further, from greater spiritual potential. Or maybe because sinners can provoke people to sin worse than they do.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel- </p><p>Hezekiah his son somehow survived this, but may have reacted to his father's murder of his brothers by turning right against such idolatry. This means that his apparent zeal for Yahweh [remembering that he turned away from Him in the end and raised Manasseh] was partly due to a psychological reaction against his father and traumatic childhood experiences. For he would have lived in constant fear that he would also be offered, at the whim of the gods of his father. It was common to make children pass through fire as a kind of dedication ceremony; but he actually burnt his children in the fire, such was his obsession.</p><p>The valley of Hinnom, Ge Hinnom, was to later be known as Gehenna, and became a symbol used by the Lord for complete destruction (<a href='B:470 5:22'>Mat 5:22</a>). As they burnt their children there, to destruction, so sinners would be burnt to destruction in that same place.</p>


text:
<p>He sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places and on the hills, and under every green tree-</p><p>Large, flourishing green trees weren't so common in the landscape, and they therefore came to be seen as the presence of fertility gods. This is the huge significance of the old covenant promising fertility from Yahweh- for most of the pagan gods were seen as fertility gods, and this is why they were worshipped by largely agricultural people.</p>


text:
<p>Therefore Yahweh his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they struck him, and carried away from him a great multitude of captives, and brought them to Damascus. He was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who struck him with a great slaughter- </p><p><a href='B:650 11:16'>Heb 11:16</a> says that God was not ashamed to be called the God of His faithful people. The implication is that He has been ashamed of some who call Him their God, and Ahaz would be a parade example. The problem with Israelite idolatry was that they still considered Yahweh as their God. But Yahweh wanted his reformation, and repeated situations twice in this area- He "delivered" him to his enemies, who "struck" him. But still he didn't learn. "He", Ahaz, was "struck with a great slaughter". But he didn't die himself; other people did. Lots of them. We see here the nature of sin; that it brings suffering to others. Although in this case it is confirmed that "they" who were struck in this great slaughter had themselves forsaken Yahweh (:6). This would explain why R:V. has the correct but otherwise strange rendering: "carried away of his a great multitude of captives". If we enquire why Ahaz himself wasn't struck down, the answer surely is that God wanted him to repent; but he didn't. See on :7. Kings adds that the Syrians took Elath, and also shut up Ahaz in Jerusalem, presumably by siege.</p>


text:
<p>For Pekah the son of Remaliah killed in Judah one hundred and twenty thousand in one day, all of them valiant men; because they had forsaken Yahweh, the God of their fathers- </p><p>The large numbers we read of are nearly all in the context of military men being slain. This is because a "thousand" was not a literal 1000, but a name for some kind of military unit, even quite a small one, perhaps the size of a modern 'fire team' of up to five men.</p>


text:
<p>Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, killed Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the ruler of the house, and Elkanah who was next to the king- </p><p>As pondered on :5, we wonder why Ahaz somehow escaped. The reason ultimately was that through this salvation by grace, when he was not at all believing, Ahaz was being appealed to. Just as Manasseh was. It worked with him, eventually, but not with Ahaz. Truly God took the initiative with that man, time and again, over many years.</p>


text:
<p>The children of Israel carried away captive of their brothers two hundred thousand, women, sons and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria- </p><p>Again, "thousand" may mean something like 'families' or some group definition, and not literally 1000. This was in studied disobedience to <a href='B:140 11:4'>2Ch 11:4</a>: “You shall not… fight against your brothers”. Yet God empowered them to defeat Judah, because that was part of His agenda. We see here just something of the amazingly multi factorial manner in which God operates in human affairs.</p>


text:
<p>But a prophet of Yahweh was there, whose name was Oded. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, Behold, because Yahweh, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He has delivered them into your hand, and you have slain them in a rage which has reached up to heaven- </p><p>The allusion is how the blood of Abel, slain by his brother, was a vice which reached to heaven (<a href='B:10 4:10'>Gen 4:10</a>). As noted on :8, God works in a very complex manner with people. He empowered Israel to defeat Judah, but then He was angry with them for murdering their brothers and now abusing their families as slaves. Just as Assyria was used by God to punish Judah but was then punished for doing so. It would be a willfully simplistic person who accuses God of injustice here. This kind of multi factorial judgment and action is going to be typical of a Divine being, and it is obvious that tiny man, seeing only some fragments of His operations on earth, is not going to get the full picture nor completely understand. Those who vent against the supposed injustice of God are really guilty of arrogance before the court of Heaven.</p>


text:
<p>Now you purpose to oppress the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondservants and bondmaids for yourselves. Aren’t there even with you trespasses of your own against Yahweh your God?- </p><p>The implication was that they were justifying oppression of their brethren because those brethren had sinned against Yahweh. But they had themselves done so, indeed it is Israel who are represented as having led Judah into sin. All oppression and abuse of brethren arises from this failure to realize that we are all sinners. "Oppress" is s:w. "bring into bondage" in <a href='B:160 5:5'>Neh 5:5</a>. Chronicles was written from the exiles, and they had failed to learn from this historical example that they were not to "oppress" their brethren.</p>


text:
<p>Now hear me therefore, and send back the captives, that you have taken captive from your brothers; for the fierce wrath of Yahweh is on you-</p><p>As discussed on :8,9, Israel were used by God to punish Judah, but they went too far, as did Assyria. And the fierce wrath of God is upon all those who abuse people. The idea of taking the families captive "from your brothers" could be arguing that they were effectively breaking up families; although it could be pointing out the inappropriacy of having our brother in captivity to us in any sense.</p>


text:
<p>Then some of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against those who came back from the war- </p><p>They were brave and humble to do this, because in their culture, killing the men and taking the families captive was the done thing. And so they had to 'stand up against' men returning from the battlefield in triumph. When they who withstood them had not been on the front line. But this is the kind of bravery we have to show in standing up against abuse of brethren.</p>


text:
<p>They said to them, You shall not bring in the captives here; for you purpose that which will bring on us a trespass against Yahweh, to add to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel- </p><p>The basis of the appeal was that, as Oded had told them, they were serious sinners. And there would be fierce wrath, indeed that wrath was already against them, unless they immediately dropped their plans. The situation recalls how Amaziah paid money for Israelite mercenaries, but was told not to use them, and lose his money (<a href='B:140 25:9'>2Ch 25:9</a>). So often, spiritual argument means apparent loss of what is legitimately ours, in secular terms. We notice that sin can be 'added to'. There are degrees of sin, and God is sensitive to every sin, even in the lives of those who appear far gone in sin.</p>


text:
<p>So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the assembly- </p><p>"The armed men" are mentioned because it would have been so difficult for all concerned, to just allow the loss of war booty won in armed combat. The soldiers were being told by those who had not fought at the front to now resign their booty; and the soldiers agreed. Even though Israel were idolatrous, there was a conscience within them about their own sins. And this should encourage us in our witness to apparently conscienceless people. In fact, somewhere, everyone has a conscience which we can appeal to.</p>


text:
<p>The men mentioned by name rose up and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them, gave them sandals, and gave them something to eat and to drink, anointed them, carried all the feeble of them on donkeys, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria- </p><p>Jericho was apparently a border town between Israel and Judah. The war booty which was to be resigned was not just the captives, but the clothes they had taken. And clothing was valuable in those times, being a form of wealth (<a href='B:120 5:5'>2Ki 5:5</a>; <a href='B:120 5:22'>2Ki 5:22</a>). The giving of food to captives and sending them back is exactly what happened in <a href='B:120 6:23'>2Ki 6:23</a>. The Israelites of <a href='B:140 28:15'>2Ch 28:15</a> were intended to learn from the grace which had been shown to the Syrian captives. This is a great theme of the historical books; that situations in essence repeated, because God's people are expected to learn from Biblical history. And that is the relevance of these records for us today.</p>


text:
<p>At that time king Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria to help him- </p><p>To Tiglath-pileser III (<a href='B:120 16:7'>2Ki 16:7</a>). "Kings" therefore may be an intensive plural for 'the one great king'. <a href='B:120 16:7-9'>2Ki 16:7-9</a> says that he paid Assyria with the gold stripped from the temple. <a href='B:120 16:7'>2Ki 16:7</a> "Syria" is LXX "Edom". Although Kings then records the Assyrian attack upon Syria. So perhaps the idea is that the Edomites of :17 were in fact under the control of Syria.</p>


text:
<p>For again the Edomites had come and struck Judah, and carried away captives- </p><p>As explained on :16, it seems Edom was under the control of Syria. And so Ahaz paid Assyria to attack Syria. Or it could be [putting the Kings record together with this] that Ahaz paid Assyria to help him against Edom, but Assyria instead attacked Syria, claiming that was good enough work done for the money. Even though Assyria had their own agenda for attacking Syria (Aram).</p>


text:
<p>The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the lowland, and of the South of Judah, and had taken Beth Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its towns, Timnah with its towns, Gimzo also and its towns; and settled there- </p><p>The continual experience of attack and loss of people and territory was surely intended to teach Ahaz something. It kept on happening, and he kept on in his sins, stubbornly refusing to accept these things as God's knocking on his personal door. The achievements of others in subjugating Edom (<a href='B:140 25:11'>2Ch 25:11</a>; <a href='B:140 25:14'>2Ch 25:14</a>) and the Philistines (<a href='B:140 26:6-7'>2Ch 26:6-7</a>) was all undone due to the stubbornness of Ahaz. One man brought so much suffering to so many. And yet God allowed him to continue, because He was so intent on searching for the lost sheep until He found him. Which He did not, in the end.</p>


text:
<p>For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel; for he had dealt wantonly in Judah, and trespassed severely against Yahweh- </p><p>Ahaz king of Judah is called king of Israel, perhaps because he followed their idolatry. And yet the term is also used of Jehoshaphat (<a href='B:140 21:2'>2Ch 21:2</a>), and may reflect how God ultimately did not recognize the division of His people into Judah and Israel; just as He doesn't recognize the artificial divisions of His true people today, thanks to the sin of denominationalism.</p><p>Flesh must be humbled- either we do it now, we humble ourselves that we may be exalted in due time; or it will have to be done to us through the terror of rejection. Time and again ‘bringing low’ or ‘humiliation’ is the result of condemnation (<a href='B:50 28:43'>Deu 28:43</a>; <a href='B:140 28:19'>2Ch 28:19</a>; <a href='B:220 40:12'>Job 40:12</a>; <a href='B:230 106:43'>Psa 106:43</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Tilgath Pilneser king of Assyria came to him and distressed him, but didn’t strengthen him- </p><p>Giving God's money to Gentile powers never achieved anything but only ever made matters worse (<a href='B:140 16:2'>2Ch 16:2</a>; <a href='B:120 12:18'>2Ki 12:18</a>; <a href='B:120 18:15'>2Ki 18:15</a>). But even Hezekiah refused to learn this clearly taught theme in the history of God's people.</p>


text:
<p>For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of Yahweh, and out of the house of the king and of the princes, and gave it to the king of Assyria: but it didn’t help him- </p><p>"It didn't help him" was to be Judah's later experience in seeking help from Egypt against Babylon (s:w. <a href='B:290 31:1'>Isa 31:1</a>; <a href='B:310 4:17'>Lam 4:17</a>). Again, they failed to learn the lessons from history, unwilling to see that these historical situations spoke directly to their own situations and lives. We too can fail to perceive this. In fact the choice of histories and biographies we have in the Bible have been carefully selected in order that man need never feel alone; in essence, every life situation has been met at some point and time in the past.</p>


text:
<p>In the time of his distress, he trespassed yet more against Yahweh, this same king Ahaz- </p><p>The "time of distress" is the phrase used in <a href='B:160 9:27'>Neh 9:27</a>; but there the point is made that in the time of distress, a sinful Judah had called to God and He had answered them. So the even worse trespass of Ahaz was that in his distress he did not repent and turn to Yahweh, but rather devoted himself even more to idolatry (:23).</p>


text:
<p>For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which struck him. He said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, so I will sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel- </p><p>As discussed on :22, the increasing distress upon Ahaz was intended to elicit his repentance and turning to Yahweh. But instead he turned even more to idolatry. This mad obsession with idolatry is described in Ezekiel and Hosea as like a kind of sexual addiction, whereby the more partners a sex addict has, the more they require. Most nations had a set of national gods, and they only changed them if they were conquered by other nations and forced to accept their gods. But God's people had an obsession with every kind of god, until the Jerusalem temple was filled with all manner of shrines to various gods at the time of its destruction. And the bizarre thing was that Syria was to fall at this time to Assyria (<a href='B:120 16:9'>2Ki 16:9</a>); their gods didn't ultimately help them, and in fact Ahaz had paid money to Assyria to attack the Syrians.</p><p>"And of all Israel" may be an example of where God calls Judah "Israel" because He never recognized the division amongst His people, as He doesn't today. Or the idea could be that Ahaz of Judah did what Israel had done, and worshipped the gods of Syria.</p>


text:
<p>Ahaz gathered together the vessels of God’s house, cut in pieces the vessels of God’s house, and shut up the doors of the house of Yahweh; and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem- </p><p>The destruction of the vessels was not complete as some were retained, perhaps for worshipping Yahweh in the name of the idols (<a href='B:140 29:18-19'>2Ch 29:18-19</a>). The cutting in pieces perhaps solely referred to the cutting off of the bases of the laver (<a href='B:120 16:17'>2Ki 16:17</a>). This closure of the temple was presumably because he thought that the other gods wouldn't like the idea of a huge temple devoted to another god. But perhaps <a href='B:120 16:18'>2Ki 16:18</a> helps understand this as meaning that he shut up one door or gate of the temple and devoted it to the idols of Assyria; without meaning that all the doors or gates of the temple were closed. It's doubtful Ahaz resigned all belief in Yahweh, but rather wanted to treat all his gods equally. Lest he offend any of them. The fundamental teaching that Yahweh is one, the one and only God, was ignored. The 'gathering together' of the vessels may mean he melted them down. However <a href='B:120 16:17'>2Ki 16:17</a> implies this was only done to the huge supports of the laver. I suggest Ahaz retained some level of belief in Yahweh, for the temple services continued on some level (<a href='B:120 16:13'>2Ki 16:13</a>; <a href='B:120 16:15'>2Ki 16:15</a>), although Ahaz had brought idols into the holy place of the temple (<a href='B:140 29:5'>2Ch 29:5</a>). He had mixed Yahweh worship with idolatry, which in essence is the temptation we all have. Scientific atheism, a total rejection of our God, is likely not our biggest temptation; rather is it to mix His ways with those of the flesh and the secular world.</p>


text:
<p>In every city of Judah he made high places to burn incense to other gods, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of his fathers- </p><p>This was the situation which continued until <a href='B:300 2:28'>Jer 2:28</a>, and led to their final destruction. God can be grieved [s:w. 'provoke to anger']. He has emotions, and His potential foreknowledge doesn't mean that these feelings are not legitimate. They are presented as occurring in human time, as responses to human behaviour. This is the degree to which He has accommodated Himself to human time-space limits, in order to fully enter relationship and experience with us. As He can limit His omnipotence, so God can limit His omniscience, in order to feel and respond along with us.</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of his acts, and all his ways, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel- </p><p>His "last" ways were so significant, for God had set him up to repent- but he didn't. Manasseh is an example of a similarly evil man, who at the end of his life did repent. Clearly it had been God's hope that Ahaz would be a similar case.</p>


text:
<p>Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; for they didn’t bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel; and Hezekiah his son reigned in his place- </p><p>Kings says Ahaz was "buried with his fathers", but <a href='B:140 28:27'>2Ch 28:27</a> says he was not brought into the tombs of the kings of Israel. This suggests that sleeping or being buried with ones' fathers was therefore an idiom for death, which should not be taken literally.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah- </p><p>Hezekiah reigned 29 years, and the sickness after which he was given 15 years therefore happened in the 14th year or his reign- the very same time that Assyria invaded (<a href='B:290 38:1'>Isa 38:1</a>). Trials so often come together, in such an intense and extreme way that the situation can only be of God rather than mere bad luck or coincidence.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that David his father had done-</p><p>Hezekiah fell away from Yahweh in the last 15 years of his life. This rubric about doing what was right as David had done is used in the records about men who were ultimately evil. For the righteous kings, there is usually a comment that he held to Yahweh in his heart. But there is no such comment at this point, when we would expect it. All we learn from this is that he did some things which were right, as David. But the emphasis is upon his doing deeds; there is no comment at this point upon his overall heart and faith, which is the critical issue as far as God's ultimate judgment is concerned.</p>


text:
<p>In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of Yahweh, and repaired them- </p><p>"Repaired" is "strengthened". This continues a theme, of the kings of Judah strengthening or fortifying themselves, often when they first became king; but then having that human strength tested by God or removed. The same word is used repeatedly (<a href='B:130 11:10'>1Ch 11:10</a>; <a href='B:140 11:11'>2Ch 11:11</a>; <a href='B:140 11:17'>2Ch 11:17</a>; <a href='B:140 12:13'>2Ch 12:13</a>; <a href='B:140 13:21'>2Ch 13:21</a>; <a href='B:140 17:1'>2Ch 17:1</a>; <a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a>; <a href='B:140 25:3'>2Ch 25:3</a>; <a href='B:140 25:11'>2Ch 25:11</a>; <a href='B:140 26:8'>2Ch 26:8</a>; <a href='B:140 26:15'>2Ch 26:15</a>; <a href='B:140 29:3'>2Ch 29:3</a>; <a href='B:140 32:5'>2Ch 32:5</a>). The lesson of course was that it is God's Angelic eyes who run to and fro in the land promised to Abraham, "to shew Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him" (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>).</p>


text:
<p>He brought in the priests and the Levites and gathered them together into the broad place on the east- </p><p>The same large space near the entrance to the temple of <a href='B:140 32:6'>2Ch 32:6</a>.</p>


text:
<p>and said to them, Listen to me, you Levites! Now sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and carry all the abominations out of the holy place- </p><p>It seems that Ahaz had set up idols even within the holy place of the temple. Ahaz didn't totally reject Yahweh worship(see on <a href='B:140 28:24'>2Ch 28:24</a>). He had mixed Yahweh worship with idolatry, which in essence is the temptation we all have. Scientific atheism, a total rejection of our God, is likely not our biggest temptation; rather is it to mix His ways with those of the flesh and the secular world.</p>


text:
<p>For our fathers have trespassed and done that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh our God, and have forsaken Him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of Yahweh, and turned their backs- </p><p>"Our fathers::." suggests Hezekiah admits that what he is doing is in reaction to how deeply he detested his own father, who had burnt his own siblings to his idols. See on :17. Ezekiel was to soon see the men of Judah in the sanctuary likewise with their backs towards the sanctuary, worshipping the sun. All this zealous reformation was to be very short-lived, and that fact confirms the suggestion on :17 that an element of the motivation in it may have been a psychological reaction to the way their fathers had sacrificed their siblings to idols. Rather than a deep, core heart devotion to Yahweh. For that never comes overnight, or "suddenly" (:36).</p>


text:
<p>Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel-</p><p>I suggest that offerings were offered there, but to Yahweh through the pagan gods. But this was not therefore offering to the God of Israel, who demands totally devotion to Himself as the only true God. For the temple services continued on some level (<a href='B:120 16:14-16'>2Ki 16:14-16</a>), although Ahaz had brought idols into the holy place of the temple (<a href='B:140 29:5'>2Ch 29:5</a>):&nbsp; <a href='B:120 16:18'>2Ki 16:18</a> helps understand this shutting the porch doors as meaning that he shut up one door or gate of the temple and devoted it to the idols of Assyria; without meaning that all the doors or gates of the temple were closed.</p>


text:
<p>Therefore the wrath of Yahweh was on Judah and Jerusalem, and He has delivered them to be tossed back and forth, to be an astonishment and a hissing, as you see with your eyes- </p><p>I suggest that <a href='B:140 32:25'>2Ch 32:25</a> refers to the reason why wrath came upon Judah, Jerusalem and Hezekiah himself. That wrath wasn't just threatened, it actually "came"(AV), there "was wrath" (NEV). For wrath to 'come' means that it was experienced- not just threatened. And we are specifically told there, with the same Hebrew phrase used, that the Assyrians came up against Hezekiah, Judah and Jerusalem because "God's wrath" was upon them, and Hezekiah's generations were seeing that "with your eyes" (<a href='B:140 29:8'>2Ch 29:8</a>). And there in <a href='B:140 32:25'>2Ch 32:25</a> we are told that this happened because of Hezekiah's pride and not returning to God what had been given him. That pride, therefore, doesn't apply to the time of the Babylonian ambassadors.</p><p>The idea of deferral of fulfilment is common enough in Scripture once you look for it. “The wrath of the Lord was upon Judah” in Hezekiah’s time; but he made a covenant with God and cleansed the temple “that his fierce wrath may turn away from us” (<a href='B:140 29:8'>2Ch 29:8</a>; <a href='B:140 29:10'>2Ch 29:10</a>). But this day of the Lord’s wrath was in fact not removed entirely, as Hezekiah fell away; but it was deferred until 90 years later (<a href='B:430 1:18'>Zep 1:18</a>; <a href='B:430 2:2'>Zep 2:2</a>).</p>


text:
<p>For, behold, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this- </p><p>We have read in 2 Chronicles 28 of a series of captivities, by Israel, Edom, the Philistines and Assyria. Clearly this verse would have rung a bell with the exiles, who were likewise in captivity for these same reasons.</p>


text:
<p>Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with Yahweh, the God of Israel, that His fierce anger may turn away from us- </p><p><a href='B:230 78:38'>Psa 78:38</a>; <a href='B:230 85:3'>Psa 85:3</a> seem to suggest God Himself controlled His anger, Himself turning that anger away, rather than being like a pagan deity whose anger was appeased by blood sacrifice. God turned from His anger due to Moses' intercession (<a href='B:20 32:12'>Exo 32:12</a> s:w:), but this is not to say that He cannot in any case turn away His anger, simply by His grace. Just as we may control our anger from within ourselves, or at other times we may do this because of the appeal of another to us, or because there is repentance from the one who provoked us. And there were times when this was the case with God (s:w. <a href='B:40 25:4'>Num 25:4</a>; <a href='B:60 7:26'>Jos 7:26</a>; <a href='B:140 12:12'>2Ch 12:12</a>; <a href='B:140 29:10'>2Ch 29:10</a>; <a href='B:140 30:8'>2Ch 30:8</a>). For we are made in His image.</p>


text:
<p>My sons, don’t be negligent now; for Yahweh has chosen you to stand before Him to minister to Him, and that you should be His ministers, and burn incense- </p><p>Although only 25 (:1), Hezekiah addresses the Levites and priests as if he is their elder. They had been lacking in fatherly spiritual guidance and so he attempts to fill that role, as many young people have been forced to. For the need is the call. The emphasis may be upon "His" ministers; for the priests of Yahweh had been used to burn incense to false gods, under the program of mixing Yahweh worship with paganism practiced by Ahaz.</p>


text:
<p>Then the Levites arose, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah- </p><p>The 14 Levites now to be mentioned represent the complete family of Levites; two from each of the three sons of Levi; two from the Kohathite family of Elizaphan; and two from each of the three divisions of the singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (<a href='B:130 25:1'>1Ch 25:1</a>).</p>


text:
<p>and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah- </p><p>This may be the Elizaphan of <a href='B:20 6:22'>Exo 6:22</a>. As with "Asaph", we are reading of their descendants, rather than any statement that men called Asaph and Elizaphan existed at Hezekiah's time.</p>


text:
<p>and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel- </p><p>These were the chiefs of the singers and musicians. They were not so taken up with the eclectic wonder of music that they were not also practical.</p>


text:
<p>They gathered their brothers and sanctified themselves, and went in, according to the commandment of the king by the words of Yahweh, to cleanse the house of Yahweh- </p><p>"By the words of Yahweh" could mean the implications of His previously recorded words, or some special revelation from a prophet. Hezekiah’s zealous cleansing of the temple (<a href='B:140 29:12-16'>2Ch 29:12-16</a>) would have been a conscious attempt <a href='B:230 69:9'>Psa 69:9</a> “The zeal of Your house has eaten me up”- and yet these words are applied to the Lord’s cleansing of the temple and His death in the first century. Hezekiah failed to be the Messianic figure he potentially could have been, and so they became true of the Lord Jesus. Could it not be that He cleansed the temple fully understanding these things, and seeking like Hezekiah to defer God’s wrath upon Judah, to give them a chance to repent? And it was delayed- in that there was no immediate wrath from Heaven against the Jews for murdering the Son of God. And yet the days were shortened as well as deferred for the elect’s sake. An amazing Father somehow builds all these various factors into His time periods. Truly everything happens in our lives at the ‘right’ time!</p>


text:
<p>The priests went in to the inner part of the house of Yahweh to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in Yahweh’s temple into the court of the house of Yahweh. The Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron- </p><p>"The inner part" could refer to the most holy place where Ahaz had placed idols. Perhaps the extent of the blasphemy was so great the record prefers not to state it was the most holy place, but rather refers to the "inner part of the house". The Levites weren't allowed in to the most holy place, but were allowed into the court. Hence the priests carried these idols from the most holy place to the court, and their servants the Levites carried them from there to the Kidron. This shows that despite the desecration of the most holy place by Ahaz, they still considered that spot to be holy, and the laws of sanctity concerning it were still to be obeyed by them so far as they could.</p>


text:
<p>Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify, and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of Yahweh. They sanctified the house of Yahweh in eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they made an end- </p><p>Eight days were spent sanctifying the court, and eight days the temple itself. LXX has "on the thirteenth day of the first month". If that is correct, then this was done in time for Passover, and the cleansing was done in the spirit of searching the home for leaven before keeping the Passover:&nbsp;See on :20.</p><p>We may well enquire as to Hezekiah's motives in this outburst of sudden zeal the moment his father died. Bearing in mind that he was to turn away from Yahweh in the end. Hezekiah&nbsp; had somehow survived Ahaz burning his children to idols (<a href='B:140 28:3'>2Ch 28:3</a>). So he may have reacted to his father's murder of his brothers by turning right against such idolatry. This means that his apparent zeal for Yahweh [remembering that he turned away from Him in the end and raised Manasseh] was partly due to a psychological reaction against his father and traumatic childhood experiences. For he would have lived in constant fear that he would also be offered, at the whim of the gods of his father.</p>


text:
<p>Then they went in to Hezekiah the king within the palace and said, We have cleansed all the house of Yahweh, and the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and the table of showbread, with all its vessels- </p><p>The destruction of the vessels by Ahaz (<a href='B:140 28:24'>2Ch 28:24</a>) was not complete as some were retained, perhaps for worshipping Yahweh in the name of the idols. For this mixture of true and false worship was his characteristic failure, as it has always been for God's people. The cleansing may have been through sprinkling of water (from the reestablished laver, see on :19), and a prayer rededicating them to Yahweh's service. For they had apparently been used in worshipping idols through adapting Yahweh's rituals to those of idolatry. We must learn the lesson; that we cannot serve God through doing our own sinful thing, which is essentially idolatry.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover all the vessels which king Ahaz in his reign threw away when he trespassed, have we prepared and sanctified; and behold, they are before the altar of Yahweh-</p><p>"Prepared" is literally 'set up', perhaps referring to how Ahaz had cut off the bases of the laver (<a href='B:120 16:17'>2Ki 16:17</a>). Some of the vessels were thrown away, others cut up or melted down (<a href='B:140 28:24'>2Ch 28:24</a>), and others, it seems, were used for the worship of idols and needed to therefore be cleansed. The specific desecration of the laver by Ahaz shows how he despised the whole idea of having to be cleansed in order to come before Yahweh; and perhaps that is why now there was so much emphasis upon cleansing. Perhaps the reestablished laver was used to cleanse the items desecrated by Ahaz.</p>


text:
<p>Then Hezekiah the king arose early, and gathered the princes of the city, and went up to the house of Yahweh- </p><p>This particular day when he rose early may have been the 14th day of the first month, Passover. See on :17.</p><p>There is a much repeated characteristic of God's servants: that they 'rose up early in the morning' and did God's work. In each of the following passages, this phrase is clearly not an idiom; rather does it have an evidently literal meaning: Abraham (<a href='B:10 19:27'>Gen 19:27</a>; <a href='B:10 21:14'>Gen 21:14</a>; <a href='B:10 22:3'>Gen 22:3</a>); Jacob (<a href='B:10 28:18'>Gen 28:18</a>); Job (1:5); Moses (<a href='B:20 8:20'>Exo 8:20</a>; <a href='B:20 9:13'>Exo 9:13</a>; <a href='B:20 24:4'>Exo 24:4</a>; <a href='B:20 34:4'>Exo 34:4</a>); Joshua (<a href='B:60 3:1'>Jos 3:1</a>; <a href='B:60 6:12'>Jos 6:12</a>; <a href='B:60 7:16'>Jos 7:16</a>; <a href='B:60 8:10'>Jos 8:10</a>); Gideon (<a href='B:70 6:38'>Jdg 6:38</a>; <a href='B:70 7:1'>Jdg 7:1</a>); Samuel (<a href='B:90 15:12'>1Sa 15:12</a>); David (<a href='B:90 17:20'>1Sa 17:20</a>; <a href='B:90 29:11'>1Sa 29:11</a>); Hezekiah (<a href='B:120 19:35'>2Ki 19:35</a>; <a href='B:140 29:20'>2Ch 29:20</a>). This is quite an impressive list, numerically. This can be a figure for being zealous (<a href='B:230 127:2'>Psa 127:2</a>; <a href='B:240 27:14'>Pro 27:14</a>; <a href='B:260 7:12'>Son 7:12</a>; <a href='B:290 5:11'>Isa 5:11</a>; <a href='B:430 3:7'>Zep 3:7</a>). God Himself rises up early in His zeal to save and bring back His wayward people (<a href='B:140 36:15'>2Ch 36:15</a>; <a href='B:300 7:13'>Jer 7:13</a>; <a href='B:300 7:25'>Jer 7:25</a>; <a href='B:300 11:7'>Jer 11:7</a>; <a href='B:300 25:3-4'>Jer 25:3-4</a>; <a href='B:300 26:5'>Jer 26:5</a>; <a href='B:300 29:19'>Jer 29:19</a>; <a href='B:300 32:33'>Jer 32:33</a>; <a href='B:300 35:14-15'>Jer 35:14-15</a>; <a href='B:300 44:4'>Jer 44:4</a>). Yet the above examples all show that men literally rose up early in their service to God; this was an expression of their zeal for God, in response to His zeal for us. I'm not suggesting that zeal for God is reflected by rising early rather than staying up late; but it wouldn't be too much to suggest that if we are men of mission, we won't waste our hours in bed. Get up when you wake up.</p>


text:
<p>They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. He commanded the priests the sons of Aaron to offer them- </p><p>I suggested on :17 that this may have been the time of Passover. But Hezekiah alters the rituals, although retaining the offering of lambs, because of the deep sense of sin which was felt. The offering "for the kingdom" refers to the royal family.</p><p>On the altar of Yahweh- </p><p>Rather than on the new idol altar of Ahaz (<a href='B:120 16:11'>2Ki 16:11</a>).</p>


text:
<p>So they killed the bulls, and the priests received the blood, and sprinkled it on the altar. They killed the rams, and sprinkled the blood on the altar: they killed also the lambs, and sprinkled the blood on the altar- </p><p>I suggested on :17 that this may have been the time of Passover. And this would explain why the Hebrew word translated "sprinkled" doesn't mean that; it is the word for "dashed", as the blood of the Passover lamb was to be dashed upon the door posts on Passover night. Clearly Hezekiah was adapting the Passover rituals to the situation before him at the time. There is indeed a spirit of the law which is far more important than the letter.</p>


text:
<p>They brought near the male goats for the sin offering before the king and the assembly; and they laid their hands on them-</p><p>The "they" who laid hands on the animals were the representatives of the people, the princes of :20. They were identifying the people with the sin offerings, placing the sins of the people upon them. This was all a modification of Mosaic ritual, and a big modification of the Passover rituals. But the spirit of it was absolutely correct. For the Passover could hardly be kept, celebrating deliverance from pagan Egypt, with such a weight of sin hanging over the people.</p>


text:
<p>and the priests killed them, and they made a sin offering with their blood on the altar, to make atonement for all Israel; for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel- </p><p>Literally, "they made a reconciliation". This collective forgiveness of a whole people, some of whom may not have been at all repentant, raises questions as to what degree we can attain forgiveness for others. Within invisible limits, there is a sense in which this is possible even today (<a href='B:480 2:5'>Mar 2:5</a>; <a href='B:660 5:15'>Jas 5:15</a>). But there is to be individual response to this experience of group forgiveness; see on :31.</p>


text:
<p>He set the Levites in the house of Yahweh with cymbals, with stringed instruments, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; for the commandment was of Yahweh by His prophets- </p><p>I discussed on <a href='B:130 28:19'>1Ch 28:19</a> the possibility that not all that David claimed to have received by Divine commandment in relation to the temple ordinances was in fact from God. Some of it was of his own device and design. This is the first we hear of Gad and Nathan giving prophecies about these things. But there is the possibility that the commandments of David, and apparently Gad and Nathan, were just that- their commandments. Not inspired by God. But now the commandment to "set the Levites in the house of Yahweh" was given by Yahweh through His prophets at the time of Hezekiah. We noted on :15 the possibility that there were such prophets in operation at this time, guiding Hezekiah in the cleansing process.</p>


text:
<p>The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets- </p><p>This could refer to the instruments David had ordered to be used, or to actual musical instruments made by him (<a href='B:130 23:5'>1Ch 23:5</a>; <a href='B:370 6:5'>Amo 6:5</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering on the altar. When the burnt offering began, the song of Yahweh began also, and the trumpets, together with the instruments of David king of Israel- </p><p>Praise and sacrifice are often connected. The noise of the songs would have risen up as the smoke of the offerings did. They began at the same time. True praise is not merely musical performance enjoyed and indulged in for its own eclectic sake, but a form of "the sacrifice of praise" (Psalms 54; Psalms 6; <a href='B:300 33:11'>Jer 33:11</a>; <a href='B:650 13:15'>Heb 13:15</a>). And we are asked to offer this sacrifice (<a href='B:650 13:15'>Heb 13:15</a>). The allusion must surely be to this dramatic time when sacrifice and praise were so visibly connected together.</p>


text:
<p>All the assembly worshipped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished- </p><p>The praise was exactly timed to start and finish with the burning of the animals. It started when the animals first began to burn, and ended precisely when the carcass was pronounced consumed. See on :27.</p>


text:
<p>When they had made an end of offering, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshipped- </p><p>The musical accompaniment ended as soon as the offering was consumed (:28). And now came the real worship. People with bowed heads, suggesting confession of sin, worshipping God through that contrite repentance. For that is the essence of worship.</p>


text:
<p>Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praises to Yahweh with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped- </p><p>After the musical presentation which coincided with the offering (see on :27,28), there was the time of bowed heads in personal confession of sin which was also the true worship (:29). And now the singers sing joyful praise in the words of David and Asaph. And with the gladness which can only come from true contrition and confession of sin. Joy in worship cannot just be switched on and off at will. It must have a basis, and ultimately that basis is in the experience of repentance and forgiveness.</p>


text:
<p>Then Hezekiah answered, Now you have consecrated yourselves to Yahweh; come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of Yahweh. The assembly brought in sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a willing heart brought burnt offerings- </p><p>Although forgiveness and reconciliation were achieved on a group basis (see on :24), there was to be individual response.</p><p><a href='B:230 51:11-12'>Psa 51:11-12</a> speaks of God's "free spirit" [or 'willing spirit' ASV], paralleling it with God's Spirit, His "presence", the "joy of thy salvation". All those terms are parallel. The spirit of God is His presence, His salvation, joy, freedom. The Hebrew translated "free" really means 'generous'- the generosity of God's Spirit / mind / ways is shown in His forgiveness and saving of us. If God's spirit is His character, then, it is free, joyous, generous etc. Human beings can also have a "free heart" - the same Hebrew word appears translated like this in <a href='B:140 29:31'>2Ch 29:31</a> etc:- i:e. a spirit of generosity. When we have this, we are reflecting the "free spirit" / attitude of God. Whenever we are generous, His Spirit, with all its generosity, dwells in us and becomes our spirit. It is in this sense that I see a window into understanding the gift of God's spirit into the heart / mind / attitude of the believer. If God's spirit is free / generous, then so is ours to be; if His Spirit is joyous, just, true etc:, then so is ours to be. In this sense we receive of His Spirit by reflecting His free and generous mind to others.</p><p>Realizing that what we appear to own in life is not actually ours but God’s brings with it a great sense of freedom. No longer is there the endless anxiety about what is ‘ours’, and the need to keep it for ourselves. As noted above, the Hebrew word translated “free” is also that translated “liberal” or “generous”. Hence in <a href='B:140 29:31'>2Ch 29:31</a> we find that “as many as were of a free heart [offered] burnt offerings”. Actually that Hebrew word is usually translated “prince”, the idea being that princes were wealthy enough to be ‘free’ and therefore generous if they wished. But any of us can have this noble / free heart, we can act like wealthy people whatever our poverty, in that we are free from the ties of materialism which bind so tightly.</p>


text:
<p>The number of the burnt offerings which the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs. All these were for a burnt offering to Yahweh- </p><p>I will suggest on :32 that in addition to these, there were then afterwards a larger number of animals offered as peace offerings. For the usual order is sin offering, burnt offering [a promise of dedication] and then the peace offerings which celebrated the peace with God achieved through following the path of forgiveness and dedication leading to peace and fellowship with God. It could be argued that this was not a large number, although if :33 is the tithe of the peace offerings, then the total number of sacrifices was significant.</p>


text:
<p>The consecrated things were six hundred head of cattle and three thousand sheep- </p><p>This could refer to the sacrifices which were to be given to the priests to eat (<a href='B:30 21:22'>Lev 21:22</a>; <a href='B:30 22:2-3'>Lev 22:2-3</a>; <a href='B:30 22:15'>Lev 22:15</a>); but their number is far greater than the number of cattle offered in :32. Perhaps there were additional offerings in addition to those of :32, and this was the tithe of them. It could be that these were the tithe of the thank offerings / peace offerings which were offered separately to the burnt offerings of :32. In which case there was far more celebration of peace with God than there was attention to dedication to Him. In this case, we have a warning against celebrating peace with God in worship without due attention to the dedication required to get to that point. Much modern worship is severely lacking in this.</p>


text:
<p>But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all the burnt offerings. Therefore their brothers the Levites helped them, until the work was ended, and until the priests had sanctified themselves; for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctify themselves than the priests- </p><p>As noted several times already in this chapter, the letter of the law had to be broken by the spirit of the whole situation. The implication is that "the priests were too few" in that too few of them had sanctified themselves, whereas the servant Levites had more amongst them who had sanctified themselves.</p>


text:
<p>Also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of the peace offerings, and with the drink offerings for every burnt offering. So the service of the house of Yahweh was set in order- </p><p>This would have required a large amount of wine (<a href='B:40 15:5-10'>Num 15:5-10</a>). There is no mention of this being offered when Solomon offered his huge numbers of burnt offerings. "So the service::. was set in order" is a phrase used only of the time of Hezekiah's reformation (<a href='B:140 29:35'>2Ch 29:35</a>) and of that of Josiah (<a href='B:140 35:10'>2Ch 35:10</a>; <a href='B:140 35:15-16'>2Ch 35:15-16</a>). It seems Josiah was inspired by the record of Hezekiah's reformation, and sought to follow it. Just as we too in our own contexts are to be inspired by the spirit of these reformers.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, because of that which God had prepared for the people; for this was done suddenly- </p><p>I suggested on :17 that this very sudden outburst of devotion to Yahweh was partly a psychological reaction of Hezekiah to the death of his father. And it was not necessarily a sign of a heart devoted to Yahweh. We need to consider to what extent our apparent devotion to the Lord is the outworking of psychological factors in our earlier lives or childhood.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of Yahweh at Jerusalem, to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel- </p><p>I suggested on <a href='B:140 29:17-18'>2Ch 29:17-18</a> that in fact Hezekiah did keep a kind of Passover on the 14th day of the first month, but majorly modified. The weight of sin hanging over everything needed to be dealt with before they could all rejoice in remembering God's great deliverance of them from pagan Egypt. We note Hezekiah's vision of uniting Judah and Israel in this Passover. He had no fear of guilt by association or contamination by communion. For the ten tribes were deeply apostate, and had influenced Judah into apostacy. He makes no attempt to apply some test of doctrinal or practical purity, but simply offered an open table welcome. And those who accepted it showed thereby their basic commitment to what the Passover represented. And that is the basis upon which I advocate an open table at the Lord's supper. Acceptance of the invitation to partake is the only requirement.</p>


text:
<p>For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the assembly in Jerusalem, to keep the Passover in the second month-</p><p>"The assembly in Jerusalem" presumably refers to the group in 2 Chronicles 29 who had assembled at the time of the Passover in the first month.</p>


text:
<p>For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Jerusalem- </p><p>The implication of <a href='B:140 29:34'>2Ch 29:34</a> is that "the priests were too few" in that too few of them had sanctified themselves, whereas the servant Levites had more amongst them who had sanctified themselves. The priesthood had been used by Ahaz to combine the worship of Yahweh with that of idols, and so they perhaps didn't immediately change to a sole commitment to Yahweh. It was not the constraint of either time nor numbers which meant they were not of "sufficient number". See on :15.</p>


text:
<p>The thing was right in the eyes of the king and of all the assembly- </p><p>This "assembly" may refer to the assembled elders, but likely it specifically refers to the group in 2 Chronicles 29 who had assembled at the time of the Passover in the first month.</p>


text:
<p>So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the Passover to Yahweh, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in great numbers in the manner that is written- </p><p>Israel's general lack of obedience to the Mosaic law is quite stunning. This verse seems to imply that they had never actually kept the Passover "in great numbers", neither "in the manner that is written". And yet God still fellowshipped with them and sought their reformation. To disfellowship people for "long continued absence from the Lord's table" was obviously not something God practiced nor approved of. He remained actively seeking relationship with Israel.</p>


text:
<p>So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king saying, You children of Israel, turn again to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to the remnant that have escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria- </p><p>This implies that the majority had gone into captivity. The "remnant" were intended to become the spiritual remnant through whom the Kingdom could be reestablished on earth. "Return" is the word for "repent". Their repentance, or returning, would lead to God's returning to them. Again we note that Hezekiah had no parochial interest in merely reforming Judah, but his vision was of a reunited people of God, unified through the common experience of repentance and forgiveness. And in practice, that is the only true basis for unity amongst God's people, rather than any written statement of theological propositions and positions.</p>


text:
<p>Don’t be like your fathers, and like your brothers, who trespassed against Yahweh, the God of their fathers, so that He gave them up to destruction, as you see- </p><p>It was critical in their culture to defend the tradition of the male relatives, fathers and brothers. To break with them was some kind of social suicide. But the call to repentance demanded just that from them, as it does today. The phrase 'given up to destruction' has just been used about Judah specifically (<a href='B:140 29:8'>2Ch 29:8</a>). And this is what God would finally do to Judah (s:w. <a href='B:300 25:18'>Jer 25:18</a>; <a href='B:300 29:18'>Jer 29:18</a>). The exiles for whom Chronicles was written were intended to realize that the tragedy which had happened to them had been so avoidable:&nbsp;</p>


text:
<p>Now don’t be stiff-necked, as your fathers were- </p><p>Hebrew thought and language tends not to use abstract terms but rather uses language which alludes to physical body parts- e:g. 'look' becomes 'to lift up the eyes' (<a href='B:10 22:4'>Gen 22:4</a>), anger is 'to burn in the nostrils' (<a href='B:20 4:14'>Exo 4:14</a>), to reveal something is to 'unstop someone's ears' (<a href='B:80 4:4'>Rth 4:4</a>), to be without compassion is to be 'hard hearted' (<a href='B:90 6:6'>1Sa 6:6</a>), stubbornness is to be 'stiff necked' (<a href='B:140 30:8'>2Ch 30:8</a>), to prepare oneself is to 'gird up the loins' (<a href='B:300 1:17'>Jer 1:17</a>), to determine to go somewhere is 'to set one's face' (<a href='B:300 42:15'>Jer 42:15</a>; <a href='B:490 9:51'>Luk 9:51</a>).</p><p>But yield yourselves to Yahweh, and enter into His sanctuary which He has sanctified forever-</p><p>"Yield yourselves" is literally 'give your hand to'. And the same phrase is used in :12 of how God's hand gave them a heart to obey His commandments. This was in response to their giving their hands to Him.</p><p>Serve Yahweh your God, that His fierce anger may turn away from you- </p><p><a href='B:230 78:38'>Psa 78:38</a>; <a href='B:230 85:3'>Psa 85:3</a> seem to suggest God Himself controlled His anger, Himself turning that anger away, rather than being like a pagan deity whose anger was appeased by blood sacrifice. God turned from His anger due to Moses' intercession (<a href='B:20 32:12'>Exo 32:12</a> s:w:), but this is not to say that He cannot in any case turn away His anger, simply by His grace. Just as we may control our anger from within ourselves, or at other times we may do this because of the appeal of another to us, or because there is repentance from the one who provoked us. And there were times when this was the case with God (s:w. <a href='B:40 25:4'>Num 25:4</a>; <a href='B:60 7:26'>Jos 7:26</a>; <a href='B:140 12:12'>2Ch 12:12</a>; <a href='B:140 29:10'>2Ch 29:10</a>; <a href='B:140 30:8'>2Ch 30:8</a>).</p>


text:
<p>For if you turn again to Yahweh, your brothers and your children shall find compassion before those who led them captive, and shall come again into this land: for Yahweh your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away His face from you if you return to Him- </p><p>Will some be in the Kingdom only due to the efforts of a third party? The husband can save his wife… Noah saved his family. The spirituality of those in the land could affect the fate of the others in captivity (<a href='B:140 30:9'>2Ch 30:9</a> - and these words are applied to us in <a href='B:660 4:8'>Jas 4:8</a>). Indeed, if Judah had turned back to the Lord fully, then the 10 tribes who about 10 years previously had been taken into captivity in Assyria, they would have found “compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land” (<a href='B:140 30:9'>2Ch 30:9</a>). But they became ‘the lost 10 tribes’ because Judah didn’t respond as fully to Hezekiah’s reformation as they should have done.</p><p>The exiles particularly were shown "pity" by the powers of their day, allowing them to return to Zion and rebuild it (s:w. <a href='B:160 1:11'>Neh 1:11</a> "mercy"). This "pity" or "mercy before them that lead you captive" was specifically predicated upon their repentance (s:w. <a href='B:140 30:9'>2Ch 30:9</a>). But they didn't repent; and yet they were shown this mercy / pity. That was the grace of it all. This "pity" was the pity of God who would according to that pity / mercy regather them (s:w. <a href='B:290 54:7'>Isa 54:7</a>; <a href='B:450 1:16'>Zec 1:16</a>). He showed them that pity despite their impenitence; and yet most of them preferred to spurn it by remaining in exile.</p>


text:
<p>So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, even to Zebulun; but there they were ridiculed and despised- </p><p>The Lord uses this idea in His parable of the vineyard, where God's servants the prophets are ridiculed when they come asking for fruit from the vineyard (<a href='B:470 21:34-36'>Mat 21:34-36</a>). Zebulun was now effectively the northern border because north of there had been desolated by the Assyrians.</p>


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<p>Nevertheless certain men of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled themselves, and came to Jerusalem- </p><p>These "certain men" are the "many" of :18. Perhaps the idea is that only a few came, relative to the population invited. But they were "many" to God. It's the same paradox with the path and gate to eternity being found by "few", with "many" not finding it; and yet those "few" are as many as the stars of the sky, such is the wonder of salvation.</p>


text:
<p>Also on Judah came the hand of God to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by the word of Yahweh- </p><p>"Yield yourselves" in :8 is literally 'give your hand to'. And the same phrase is used here of how God's hand gave them a heart to obey His commandments. This was in response to their giving their hands to Him. This experience of an acceptive mutuality between God and man is surely at the very core of our spirituality; it should be part of an inner spiritual shell that nothing, nothing can shake: aggression from our brethren, disillusion with other Christians, persecution from the world, painful personal relationships::. Israel were to give their hand to God, and His hand in turn would give them a heart to follow Him further.</p><p>Those who turn from Him and put His word into second place in their lives are confirmed in this, until they are progressively caught up in a downward spiral of declension. On the other hand, those who try to be lead by God's word are progressively lead ever higher in an upward spiral of spirituality, whereby God eases the way to obedience, shields them from temptation, and opens their minds to the Truth of His word (e:g. <a href='B:140 30:12'>2Ch 30:12</a>; <a href='B:230 119:173'>Psa 119:173</a>; <a href='B:240 16:3'>Pro 16:3</a>; <a href='B:600 2:17'>2Th 2:17</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Many people assembled at Jerusalem to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great assembly- </p><p>As discussed on :13,18, they were "many" compared to the wonder of what they were doing. But "few" relative to the overall population.</p>


text:
<p>They arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the brook Kidron- </p><p>The large mass of people (:13) inspired each other to further purge the results of Ahaz's apostacy. The temple had been cleansed, but the crowd now purged the city of Jerusalem of the altars which were apparently everywhere. And yet we have to note that this was done under the influence of a group psychology, for it was only once the great crowd formed to keep the Passover that this was done. And relatively soon afterwards, the people of Jerusalem were to return to their idolatry. For true spiritual reformation must be in individual hearts, and not the result of a group psychology. This may have inspired Josiah, who likewise destroyed idolatry in the Kidron and then called for the Passover to be celebrated.</p>


text:
<p>Then they killed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought burnt offerings into the house of Yahweh- </p><p>The implication of <a href='B:140 29:34'>2Ch 29:34</a> is that "the priests were too few" in that too few of them had sanctified themselves. See on :3. We wonder why they were only now ashamed and sanctified themselves, whereas a month previously they had not done so. I suggest it was the presence of the large crowd of people who had come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover (:13,14) which made them ashamed that they could not help them because they were not cleansed. And so it was the presence of the crowd of apparently zealous worshippers who shamed them into sanctifying themselves. I read it this way because we know that very soon, both priesthood and people were to return to idolatry. And so I see in this revival and reformation a large element of group psychology, getting caught up in the spirit of the crowd, rather than on an individual level, heart by heart, each person repenting and remaining changed.</p>


text:
<p>They stood in their place after their order, according to the law of Moses the man of God, and the priests sprinkled the blood which they received of the hand of the Levites-</p><p>The sprinkling of blood at Passover was upon the door posts, and was a reminder of their salvation from death at the exodus. But the ritual was modified here, just as the date of Passover had been modified. The blood was sprinkled upon the people to symbolize their cleansing.</p>


text:
<p>There were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves: therefore the Levites were in charge of killing the Passovers for everyone who was not clean, to sanctify them to Yahweh- </p><p>The unclean nature of the people may be a reference to their not having observed the commands about avoiding leaven or contact with unclean things (<a href='B:40 9:6'>Num 9:6</a>). They perhaps were ignorant of the Passover regulations. Or the uncleanness may refer to idolatry; hence the note that they were now to be sanctified "to Yahweh". And so they were cleansed by the sprinkling of blood in :16. This looked forward to how the blood of Christ saves from both wilful and ignorant disobedience to the letter of the law.</p><p>Although it was God's original intention that each family leader sanctified themselves and slew the Passover lamb personally, they came to delegate this to their priests (so <a href='B:140 30:17'>2Ch 30:17</a> implies). Israel totally failed to live up to God's desire that they should be a Kingdom of priests. They left it all to their priests. They didn't teach every man his neighbour and his brother, saying, Know the Lord (<a href='B:650 8:11'>Heb 8:11</a>; even though when He re-accepts them, God will count them as if they did).</p>


text:
<p>For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun- </p><p>They were many compared to the wonder of God's acceptance of them, but relatively few in another sense; see on :11.</p><p>Had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than it is written. For Hezekiah had prayed for them saying, May the good Yahweh pardon everyone- </p><p>See on :17. Their being unclean may not only refer to a lack of obedience to the commands about yeast, but to the uncleanness of the immediate context at this time- which was idolatry. The people who attended would have been idolaters as well as worshippers of Yahweh. Hezekiah obtained forgiveness and acceptance for those who kept the Passover “otherwise than it was written”- thanks to his prayer. The spirituality of third parties can save people who wish to be saved, within invisible limits (<a href='B:480 2:5'>Mar 2:5</a>; <a href='B:660 5:15'>Jas 5:15</a>). All Israel had to repent to avert total destruction- but even though they didn’t, the prayer of Hezekiah saved the nation (<a href='B:300 26:13'>Jer 26:13</a>; <a href='B:300 26:19'>Jer 26:19</a>). And later, all of Jerusalem would have been forgiven if there was even one that truly executed judgment, after the pattern of Phinehas (<a href='B:300 5:1'>Jer 5:1</a> - or is this a reference to Messiah?).</p><p>"The good Yahweh" may be better rendered "The Lord pardon the good" (as in <a href='B:140 19:11'>2Ch 19:11</a>), and this then leads on smoothly in thought to the next verse which defines 'goodness'.</p>


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<p>who sets his heart to seek God, Yahweh, the God of his fathers, even if they aren’t clean according to the purification of the sanctuary- </p><p>The 'goodness' of :18 (Heb. "Yahweh pardon the good") is defined as a matter of having a heart set upon God. And the state of the heart trumped ritual, legalistic purity.</p>


text:
<p>Yahweh listened to Hezekiah, and healed the people- </p><p>The reference may be to the threat of destruction, perhaps by plague, for those who defiled the sanctuary by their uncleanness (<a href='B:30 15:31'>Lev 15:31</a>). As discussed on :18, the prayer and spirituality of one person can affect outcomes for others. This is a huge inspiration to continue earnestly in prayer, knowing that prayer makes a real difference for those prayed for. The language of healing could imply that plague began to break out. Although so much had been done within the spirit of the law, the danger was that there would be the impression given that God was simply not serious about His law. And so perhaps plague did begin, but was halted by Hezekiah's prayer. See on :27.</p>


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<p>The children of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised Yahweh day by day, singing with loud instruments to Yahweh- </p><p>We note how the Levites [servants of the priests] are mentioned before the priests. This may be because they were more truly committed to Yahweh (see on <a href='B:140 29:34'>2Ch 29:34</a>), or to show that in God's service, all are equal and the servant is as significant as his master.</p>


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<p>Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites who had good understanding in the service of Yahweh. So they ate throughout the feast for the seven days, offering sacrifices of peace offerings, and making confession to Yahweh, the God of their fathers- </p><p>We note the continued emphasis upon the work of the Levites, rather than the priests. It could be that many priests were still not willing to separate from their old roles of being priests to the idols as well as Yahweh (see on <a href='B:140 29:34'>2Ch 29:34</a>).</p>


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<p>The whole assembly took counsel to keep another seven days; and they kept another seven days with gladness- </p><p>This is of course commendable, but given how soon the people reverted to idolatry, we have to consider that there was a large factor of group psychology in all this. We are wired as social creatures, taking energy and direction from each other, and therefore like sheep going astray; and also being led to better ways if that is where the group is headed. So we get the sense here that they were on a huge roll, and were feeding off each other.</p>


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<p>For Hezekiah king of Judah gave to the assembly for offerings one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep- </p><p>These huge numbers of sacrifices seem intended to imitate Solomon's dedication of the temple. But this was not a good example to follow. For God did not want rivers of blood and thousands of sacrifices, but rather, broken and contrite hearts. There were no bulls offered as part of the Passover, and yet 2000 were now offered. It all seems to have tended towards the pole of religious mania rather than spirituality.</p><p>And a great number of priests sanctified themselves- </p><p>As noted on :3,15, the priests were slow to sanctify themselves, to dedicate themselves slowly to Yahweh; although their servants the Levites were quicker to do so. It seems that now we have another group of priests who did this, swept along in the group psychology of the situation. But that is not to say that their sanctification to Yahweh alone was insincere or unacceptable. For this phrase is quoted in <a href='B:510 6:7'>Act 6:7</a> "a great number of priests were obedient to the faith" in Christ. They too were likely caught up in&nbsp; group psychology, as are Sunday School students and others when they accept baptism as a group, seeing their friends and relations all doing it. But this doesn't make their conversion of itself invalid. But it is the long run which decides who is sincere, and that was to be the case with this fervour for Yahweh which was progressively engulfing the priests at this time.</p>


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<p>All the assembly of Judah, with the priests and the Levites, and all the assembly who came out of Israel, and the foreigners who came out of the land of Israel, and who lived in Judah, rejoiced- </p><p>"Foreigners" could refer to Gentiles. Although it seems the majority of the ten tribes refused the invitation to come to Jerusalem and keep the Passover, maybe some of the other nations whom the Assyrians had transplanted to Israel now responded, as it were instead of Israel. This would be unsurprising, and would be looking ahead to the Gentiles accepting the crumbs of the Messianic feast which the Jews rejected at the Lord's time. But "foreigners" may also be a technical term which Judah had come to apply to the ten tribes.</p>


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<p>So there was great joy in Jerusalem; for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in Jerusalem- </p><p>There is no reference to Solomon keeping Passover, but rather to his offering huge numbers of animals at the dedication of the temple. This itself was not what God wanted; He wanted broken hearts rather than thousands of animals. But the religious verve caught up everybody, and they rejoiced together. Although given their later apostacy, we must enquire how well motivated was this "great joy", and whether it was not partly the result of a psychological reaction against the misery of Ahaz's reign.</p>


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<p>Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to His holy habitation, even to heaven- </p><p>The temple and ark are sometimes referred to as the heavens (<a href='B:100 15:25'>2Sa 15:25</a> cp. <a href='B:110 8:30'>1Ki 8:30</a>; <a href='B:230 20:2'>Psa 20:2</a>; <a href='B:230 20:6'>Psa 20:6</a>; <a href='B:230 11:4'>Psa 11:4</a>; <a href='B:650 7:26'>Heb 7:26</a>). The church is the new temple, and is therefore at times referred to as the heavenlies in the New Testament. However this continues the theme discussed on :18,20- that the prayer of one party can save and bring eternal blessing upon other parties. This is a wonderful feature of God's system of working with men; for it inspires us to true prayer and deep pastoral effort for others, knowing that we can make an eternal difference.</p>


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<p>Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, and broke in pieces the pillars, and cut down the Asherim, and broke down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned each man to his possession, into their own cities- </p><p>we see the progression. Firstly the temple had been cleansed and the idols taken out of it and broken. Then, the crowd of fired up worshippers at Passover had done the same to the idols in the streets of Jerusalem. And now the people went out into the cities of the provinces and did the same. We note the usage of the phrase "all Israel", celebrating the fact that some from the ten tribes had attended the Passover and were united with Judah in a revulsion at Ahaz's idolatry. But the language is exaggerated. For only a few from the ten tribes had attended, with the majority mocking the invitation to keep a Passover to Yahweh (<a href='B:140 30:10-11'>2Ch 30:10-11</a>). And it is unlikely that all the altars in "Ephraim and Manasseh" as well as Judah were destroyed. We don't get the impression king Hoshea of Israel joined in with this For idolatry returned to Judah very soon after this. Judah reached a new low of idolatry at the time of their next king Manasseh. The impression that "all" Israel did this is the same usage of language noted on <a href='B:140 30:11'>2Ch 30:11</a>; <a href='B:140 30:18'>2Ch 30:18</a>, whereby only a few came from Israel to the Passover, but they are called "many", relative to the wonder and significance of their coming. And likewise here, the wonder of what was done by some in breaking down the high places and idols is talked up as if it was larger than it was. But in understanding the nature of how Semitic language functions, we see no unethical exaggeration nor factual error.</p><p>Israel were told to "throw down", "break in pieces" and "utterly destroy" the idols and altars of Canaan. There were times during their history when they obeyed this command by purging themselves from their apostasy in this. The Hebrew words used scarcely occur elsewhere, except very frequently in the context of how God "broke down", "threw down" and "destroyed" Israel at the hands of their Babylonian and Assyrian invaders as a result of their not 'breaking down' (etc:) the idols. "Throw down" in <a href='B:20 34:13'>Exo 34:13</a>; <a href='B:50 7:5'>Deu 7:5</a>; <a href='B:50 12:3'>Deu 12:3</a>; <a href='B:140 31:1'>2Ch 31:1</a> is the same word in <a href='B:140 36:19'>2Ch 36:19</a>; <a href='B:300 4:26'>Jer 4:26</a>; <a href='B:300 31:28'>Jer 31:28</a>; <a href='B:300 33:4'>Jer 33:4</a>; <a href='B:300 39:8'>Jer 39:8</a>; <a href='B:300 52:14'>Jer 52:14</a>; <a href='B:330 16:39'>Eze 16:39</a>; <a href='B:410 1:6'>Nah 1:6</a>. "Cut down" in <a href='B:50 7:5'>Deu 7:5</a>; <a href='B:50 12:3'>Deu 12:3</a>; <a href='B:140 31:1'>2Ch 31:1</a> later occurs in <a href='B:290 10:33'>Isa 10:33</a>; Jeremiah 48; Jeremiah 25; <a href='B:310 2:3'>Lam 2:3</a>. So Israel faced the choice: either cut down your idols, or you will be cut down. The stone will either fall on us and destroy us, or we must fall on it and become broken men and women (<a href='B:470 21:44'>Mat 21:44</a>). For the man untouched by the concept of living for God's glory, it's a hard choice. God will conquer sin, ultimately.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites after their divisions, each man according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of Yahweh- </p><p>This speaks of Jerusalem and especially the temple as the city of the hosts or military camp of Yahweh- as if the Angelic hosts were especially present in the temple. See on <a href='B:230 78:60'>Psa 78:60</a>.</p>


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<p>He appointed also the king’s portion of his substance for the burnt offerings, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the Sabbaths, and for the new moons, and for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of Yahweh- </p><p>Hezekiah was keen to lead by example, with a public, visible offering of sacrifices specifically in his name.</p>


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<p>Moreover he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might give themselves to the law of Yahweh- </p><p>We note this was just in Jerusalem, and we wonder whether in fact there was not so much commitment in the rest of the land. Or perhaps Hezekiah wanted the literate priests in Jerusalem to specifically make a study of the law, and to not have to worry about where their food was coming from.</p>


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<p>As soon as the commandment was published, the children of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly- </p><p>See on :10. The idea is that they generously interpreted the tithe and brought all they could for the priests and Levites, far beyond the requirements of <a href='B:40 18:8-9'>Num 18:8-9</a>. A theme of the Hezekiah narrative is that of living by the spirit and not the letter of the law. And this was something helpful for the exiles, whose situation precluded them from keeping the letter of the law.</p>


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<p>The children of Israel and Judah, who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of dedicated things which were consecrated to Yahweh their God, and laid them by heaps- </p><p>The command for tithes to be brought had been specifically made in the context of supporting the Jerusalem priesthood (:4). This is why the people from other towns now brought their tithes to Jerusalem. We note that people from "Israel and Judah::. lived in the cities of Judah". Continually in the Hezekiah narrative we get the impression of unity between the faithful in both Israel and Judah, based around a common experience of repentance, forgiveness and restoration. This was to be the pattern for the exiles. There was likewise a prophetic vision of a new people of God being formed, from both Israel and Judah, as well as repentant Gentiles. Chronicles was written for the exiles, and so it is being stressed that something like this did [briefly] happen in Hezekiah's time. It was not unthinkable nor impossible:&nbsp;</p>


text:
<p>In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month- </p><p>The idea may be that these piles of food grew over those four months. But we wonder why they stopped after that; and we naturally wonder whether the enthusiasm for tithing waned. Although it may be that after that they began tithing to their local priests and Levites in their own provincial areas. But it should be noted that the grain harvest was in the third month (Pentecost), and harvest continued until the end of the fruit harvest in the seventh month (Tabernacles / ingathering). So the idea may be that they had a good harvest that year and generously tithed it to the Levites.</p>


text:
<p>When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Yahweh and His people Israel- </p><p>The praise of Israel for their generosity is understandable; note how again the united faithful of Israel and Judah are called "Israel", even though most of the donors were likely from Judah. A new, united Israel was being potentially formed. But why praise Yahweh for the generosity of His people? I conclude that this was because He through His Spirit had given them this desire to be generous and obedient. So again we see God's direct action upon the human heart, leading us to spirituality- if we are open to it.</p>


text:
<p>Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps- </p><p>The size of the heaps was such that Hezekiah wondered why the Levites and priests hadn't used them (:10); and the answer was that they had well eaten, but there was far too much food donated. The exiles were to have a different experience with "heaps" (s:w. <a href='B:440 2:16'>Hag 2:16</a>), and to be rebuked for not being generous with tithes and offerings.</p>


text:
<p>Azariah the chief priest, of the house of Zadok, answered him and said, Since people began to bring the offerings into the house of Yahweh, we have eaten and had enough, and have left plenty; for Yahweh has blessed His people. That which is left is this great store- </p><p>Whenever Israel were specifically asked for contributions, they always responded very generously. But their hearts were often very far from God. Ezekiel 20 says that Israel took the idols of Egypt with them through the Red Sea; and yet when asked to donate towards the building of the tabernacle, they responded with stellar generosity. We simply learn that generous giving is not necessarily the same as spirituality.</p>


text:
<p>Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of Yahweh; and they prepared them- </p><p>These chambers around the temple court were where the holy vessels and tithes were stored (<a href='B:130 28:12'>1Ch 28:12</a>; <a href='B:140 31:5'>2Ch 31:5</a>; <a href='B:140 31:11-12'>2Ch 31:11-12</a>; <a href='B:160 13:4-9'>Neh 13:4-9</a>). It could be to these rooms which the Lord Jesus alludes when He says that in God's house / temple, there are many such rooms and He will go to die on the cross to prepare them for our use, as Hezekiah prepared them here (<a href='B:500 14:1-3'>Joh 14:1-3</a>). He clearly has in view the temple as a spiritual house, comprised of people not bricks. The idea is that His death achieved for us not only salvation, but eternal service as priests within God's "house", being about God's work and business for the sake of others' salvation and implementing their relationship with God. This is what eternity will be about. And it is in this life which we develop our desire to do these things, so that the Kingdom will be a time when all the frustrations and barriers to such service are removed.</p>


text:
<p>They brought in the offerings, the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was ruler over them, and Shimei his brother was second- </p><p>Again we see the prominence of a Levite; for rather than a priest, a Levite was the manager of this work. Not only were the servant class exalted in God's eyes, but it seems the Levites were more committed than the priests (<a href='B:140 29:34'>2Ch 29:34</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers under the hand of Conaniah and Shimei his brother, by the appointment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of God’s house- </p><p>Most of these names have God's name in them or have some spiritual meaning. Yet they would all have been born in the time of Ahaz. Perhaps these are not their birth names, but names they came to have in reflection of their faith and hope in Yahweh subsequently. In total, there were 12 such overseers- again hinting at the desire to unite all 12 tribes of Israel in this new, reformed and revived kingdom.</p>


text:
<p>Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter at the east gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the offerings of Yahweh and the most holy things- </p><p>The freewill offerings were tithed to the Levites, but the question was always as to who got what. And so a Levite, not a priest, a humble porter or gatekeeper (<a href='B:230 84:10'>Psa 84:10</a>), was chosen to oversee this. And the spirit of it continues in the charge to appoint the least esteemed to judge in the church (<a href='B:530 6:4'>1Co 6:4</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Under him were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their office of trust, to give to their brothers by divisions, both to the great and small- </p><p>We too have been entrusted with the Gospel, Paul says. The Father and Son have turned over the mission of saving men to the church; and they have truly turned it over. This means that if men and women reject Him because we are the face of Jesus to them, and they don’t think much of it…then this is solely our fault. There is no indication that God will rush in and save us from the mess we have made of His work. He has delegated to us genuine authority and meaningful independence, just as the Levites were given a “trust” to do the Lord’s work (<a href='B:140 31:15'>2Ch 31:15</a>; <a href='B:140 31:18'>2Ch 31:18</a> RVmg:). He is prepared to work with us in assistance, but we are entrusted with the work (<a href='B:550 2:7'>Gal 2:7</a> RV)- just as a naughty pupil may be given a responsible job to do by a teacher, and the sheer wonder of having been thus entrusted makes him perform the duty reliably. This is a thought so demanding and unnerving; for we would all prefer to think that we are just insignificant pawns in a game that is being played out by God against this world, whether or not we chose to participate.</p>


text:
<p>Also under him were those who were reckoned by genealogy of males, from three years old and upward, even each one who entered into the house of Yahweh, as the duty of every day required, for their service in their offices according to their divisions- </p><p>It seems another record of the priests was made, along with the schedule according to which they went up to the temple to serve; so that there would be a just distribution of the tithes amongst them all.</p>


text:
<p>and those who were reckoned by genealogy of the priests by their fathers’ houses; and the Levites from twenty years old and upward, in their offices by their divisions- </p><p>See on :16. Some of the tithes could only be eaten by the priests in the holy place, so it seems this was factored in to the distribution of the tithes amongst the Levites.</p>


text:
<p>and those who were reckoned by genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, their sons and their daughters, through all the congregation. In their office of trust they sanctified themselves in holiness- </p><p>As noted on :16, a list of all Levites and their children was drawn up, to ensure the fair distribution of the tithes amongst them according to the sizes of their families. We could infer that unjust distribution of tithes was a reason why the priesthood had become so dysfunctional.</p>


text:
<p>Also for the sons of Aaron the priests, who were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in every city, there were men who were mentioned by name, to give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all who were reckoned by genealogy among the Levites- </p><p>The arrangements for justly sharing out the tithes, considering the number of people in each family, how many of them ate tithes in the holy place when on duty in Jerusalem etc:, is described here somewhat repetitively (:16-19). It is a major emphasis. And yet after some centuries of supposed obedience to the Mosaic law, this seems the first time that this question of equal distribution of tithes amongst the Levites had been considered. It is another indication that the people were so very far from obedience to God's law, although that was the basis of their covenant relationship with Yahweh. And yet despite that disobedience, He patiently remained their God. Such was and is His earnest desire to build covenant relationship even with a people who didn't really want to respond to it.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah did so throughout all Judah; and he worked that which was good and right and faithful before Yahweh his God- </p><p>He did 'truth' (Heb:). To commit violence to others' persons is to live a lie (<a href='B:350 12:1'>Hos 12:1</a>). Truth is not therefore merely a set of doctrines; it refers to an obedient life, and covenant relationship with God. The LXX uses the phrase 'to do truth', which John uses in the NT, in passages like <a href='B:140 31:20'>2Ch 31:20</a> (about Hezekiah's obedience to commandments), or in <a href='B:10 47:29'>Gen 47:29</a>; <a href='B:290 26:10'>Isa 26:10</a> to describe simply doing and living what is right. The fact truth must be done indicates it is not merely correct academic interpretation of doctrine.</p>


text:
<p>In every work that he began in the service of God’s house, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered- </p><p>Again, the state of the heart is the basis of God's judgment of him. The reference to the work "that he began" could hint that all this was just at the beginning of his reign; for it seems in his last 15 years he turned away from God.</p>


text:
<p>After these things, and this faithfulness- </p><p>A parade example of how faithfulness to God doesn't necessarily result in an easy, problem free life- contrary to Pentecostal teaching.</p><p>Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fortified cities, and thought to win them for himself- </p><p>He succeeded in taking all of Judah apart from Jerusalem. Isaiah describes the invasion as a flood of waters which engulfed Judah "up to the neck", the surviving head referring to Jerusalem and Hezekiah.</p>


text:
<p>When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come, and that he was set to fight against Jerusalem- </p><p>The fall of Jerusalem at this time in judgment for Judah's sins at the time had been clearly foretold (<a href='B:290 22:14-19'>Isa 22:14-19</a>; <a href='B:290 29:2-4'>Isa 29:2-4</a>). That this didn't happen was only because of God's willingness to change His timetable of judgment in response to human faith and repentance, as happened with Nineveh. Hezekiah had tried to buy off the Assyrians with money, even cutting off the gold of the temple to give them (<a href='B:120 18:14-16'>2Ki 18:14-16</a>). But now he sees / realizes that this had all been in vain. Sennacherib intended to take Jerusalem.</p>


text:
<p>he took counsel with his princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the springs which were outside of the city- </p><p>Hezekiah's attempts to resist the fall of Jerusalem which had been prophesied (:2) were surely taken in faith that God would ammend those prophecies of judgment. Or we could read this as one more attempt by Hezekiah to bring about salvation by human strength and wit. He is mocked for trusting in such "counsel and strength" (<a href='B:120 18:20'>2Ki 18:20</a>). Isaiah had earlier warned against trust in human "counsel" (s:w. <a href='B:290 5:19'>Isa 5:19</a>; <a href='B:290 19:3'>Isa 19:3</a>). Woe was pronounced upon those (like Hezekiah?) who took counsel from men rather than God (<a href='B:290 30:1'>Isa 30:1</a> s:w:). <a href='B:240 25:28'>Pro 25:28</a> LXX advises doing things with "counsel". As explained on <a href='B:240 25:1'>Pro 25:1</a>, this may be a justification of Hezekiah, who dealt with the Assyrian crisis by saying he trusted in God's counsel to overcome the Assyrians (<a href='B:120 18:20'>2Ki 18:20</a> AV). Like Solomon, Hezekiah's Proverbs are all Divinely inspired and true, but he seems to insert into them a subtext of self justification.</p><p>And they helped him- </p><p>But Hezekiah's name means strengthened / helped by Yah. So we may get the impression that he was still trying to achieve salvation in his own strength rather than Yahweh's.</p>


text:
<p>So many people gathered together, and they stopped all the springs, and the brook that flowed through the midst of the land saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?- </p><p>LXX "Through the midst of the city". These attempts to defend Jerusalem in his own strength, by the work of "many people", are condemned in <a href='B:290 22:9-11'>Isa 22:9-11</a> as a lack of faith in Yahweh. There appears now to be no such stream, the topography having changed over the centuries.</p>


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<p>He took courage- </p><p>AV "strengthened himself", rather than living out the truth of his own name 'Hezekiah', 'Yah will strengthen'. This continues a theme, of the kings of Judah strengthening or fortifying themselves, often when they first became king; but then having that human strength tested by God or removed. The same word is used repeatedly (<a href='B:130 11:10'>1Ch 11:10</a>; <a href='B:140 11:11'>2Ch 11:11</a>; <a href='B:140 11:17'>2Ch 11:17</a>; <a href='B:140 12:13'>2Ch 12:13</a>; <a href='B:140 13:21'>2Ch 13:21</a>; <a href='B:140 17:1'>2Ch 17:1</a>; <a href='B:140 23:1'>2Ch 23:1</a>; <a href='B:140 25:3'>2Ch 25:3</a>; <a href='B:140 25:11'>2Ch 25:11</a>; <a href='B:140 26:8'>2Ch 26:8</a>; <a href='B:140 26:15'>2Ch 26:15</a>; <a href='B:140 29:3'>2Ch 29:3</a>; <a href='B:140 32:5'>2Ch 32:5</a>). The lesson of course was that it is God's Angelic eyes who run to and fro in the land promised to Abraham, "to shew Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward him" (<a href='B:140 16:9'>2Ch 16:9</a>).</p><p>And built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in the city of David- </p><p><a href='B:290 22:9-11'>Isa 22:9-11</a> specifically condemns this work for being done without looking to Yahweh in faith. The RV of that passage says that two walls were built up [here "the wall that was broken down::. and the other wall outside"] with a reservoir for water in between them.</p><p>And made weapons and shields in abundance- </p><p><a href='B:290 22:8'>Isa 22:8</a> says that the people "looked to the armour in the house of the forest" [of Lebanon], but not Yahweh; and when called [by Isaiah?] to repent and fast, instead they feasted (<a href='B:290 22:9-14'>Isa 22:9-14</a>).</p>


text:
<p>He set captains of war over the people, and gathered them together to him in the broad place at the gate of the city, and spoke to their hearts saying- </p><p>Presumably the reference is to the gate facing the Assyrian army, perhaps "the gate of Ephraim" or maybe "the comer gate".</p>


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<p>Be strong and courageous, don’t be afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater One with us than with him- </p><p>There is a marked contrast between this call to faith in Yahweh (and the people trusting Hezekiah's words, :8) and the condemnation of the people for their lack of faith at this time (<a href='B:290 22:9-14'>Isa 22:9-14</a>). But this is no contradiction. For faith and unbelief can all too easily be present in the human mind. Being "dismayed and terrified" is the term used of how Israel generally were terrified of Goliath, whereas David by faith wasn't (<a href='B:90 17:11'>1Sa 17:11</a>). The same phrase is also used in urging the people of Judah in Hezekiah's time to consider the Assyrians to be as a Goliath which they like David could vanquish (<a href='B:140 32:7'>2Ch 32:7</a>). The exiles likewise were urged not to be dismayed and terrified at the reproach of men (<a href='B:290 51:7'>Isa 51:7</a>; <a href='B:300 30:10'>Jer 30:10</a>), very clearly making the history with Goliath relevant to their times.</p>


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<p>With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is Yahweh our God to help us, and to fight our battles. The people rested themselves on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah-</p><p>As discussed on :7, this was said when the people generally were not at all really believing in Yahweh but rather in their own strength (<a href='B:290 22:9-14'>Isa 22:9-14</a>). Perhaps having finished all the defensive work, Hezekiah's conscience smote him for not having done it in faith, and now he openly appeals to the people to simply believe in Yahweh to save them.</p>


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<p>After this, Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem, (now he was before Lachish, and all his power with him), to Hezekiah king of Judah, and to all Judah who were at Jerusalem saying- </p><p>"All his power" sets us up for the conflict between human strength and Divine power. We have just read and discussed how Hezekiah had matched this with his human strength, although perhaps observing the superior strength of Assyria, he has just urged the people to throw themselves in faith upon Yahweh alone.</p>


text:
<p>Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, In whom do you trust, that you remain under siege in Jerusalem?- </p><p>Sennacherib knew full well the very difficult living conditions they were enduring under siege. <a href='B:290 36:5'>Isa 36:5</a> adds: "Now in whom do you trust, that you have rebelled against me?". That Hezekiah was trusting in someone or something else apart from his own strength was so obvious; and there may have been a genuine element of curiosity in the question, as well as it being a rhetorical question. Hezekiah's rebellion against Assyria was because of his trust in Yahweh; Zedekiah rebelled later against Babylon and yet Jerusalem fell (s:w. <a href='B:300 52:3'>Jer 52:3</a>). Zedekiah attempted to copy the external behaviour of Hezekiah but without trust in Yahweh, and so it didn't work out. And so there abides a lesson for all of us who are tempted to imitate the external faith and action of others without having the same internal faith and trust.</p>


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<p>Doesn’t Hezekiah persuade you- </p><p>It seems Hezekiah was singlehandedly seeking to persuade the people to totally trust in Yahweh.</p><p>To give you over to die by famine and by thirst by saying, ‘Yahweh our God will deliver us out of the hand of the king of Assyria?’- </p><p><a href='B:120 18:26-27'>2Ki 18:26-27</a> explain how this appeal was made directly to the ordinary people. Rabshakeh spoke in Hebrew and appears to have been an apostate Jew, for he was well aware of the situation within Jerusalem, and the words of Hezekiah about Yahweh. The Assyrian invasion is used as a basis upon which Jerusalem's latter day invasion will happen, and perhaps Rabshakeh will have his equivalent in the last days.</p><p>Hezekiah's faith that the city wouldn't fall was presumably based upon Isaiah's prophetic words; and yet Isaiah also speaks as if the city would fall, unless there was repentance in Judah. Perhaps Hezekiah really believed that the repentance of a minority would be counted by God as enough, and that their prayers would ensure the salvation of Zion. And this huge faith in Divine grace was rewarded.</p><p><a href='B:290 36:14'>Isa 36:14</a> adds: "Thus says the king, ‘Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you; for he will not be able to deliver you". This was part of his narrative, that the gods of the nations were "not able to deliver" them from the Assyrians (s:w. <a href='B:140 32:15'>2Ch 32:15</a>). He encouraged them to see the one true God as just another god, another source of secular strength as good as anything else. Yahweh the one true God is not, however, just another religious system. There is something awesomely and radically different. Rabshakeh's words recognize that Hezekiah alone was seeking to lead the people to totally trust in Yahweh. His influence was considered hugely significant. As we noted on <a href='B:290 1:1'>Isa 1:1</a>, the reforms of Hezekiah were largely ineffective in encouraging the general populace towards spirituality. In accordance with that, Rabshakeh perceived Hezekiah as effectively seeking alone to persuade the people to trust Yahweh.</p>


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<p>Hasn’t the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense?- </p><p>Rabshakeh argues as if the high places and altars to the idols were actually used for Yahweh worship. And that was true. Judah justified their idol worship by claiming it was a form of Yahweh worship; and that is an abiding temptation for God's people of all ages. Rabshakeh mocked at the idea of a religion which had only one altar and high place; although that was indeed appropriate to the worship of the one true God who had given one specific way of approach to Him.</p>


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<p>Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?- </p><p>The historical account emphasizes that Rabshakeh continually reminded them of the strength of the hand of the Assyrians; the phrase occurs six times in <a href='B:140 32:13-15'>2Ch 32:13-15</a> alone. The hand of Yahweh is an Angelic title; as if he was really mocking the Angel of Israel:&nbsp; There are also many references in Isaiah to the arm of the Lord delivering Israel at this time, which is again an Angelic title. Similarly, the latter day Assyrian will be destroyed by the arm of the Lord, as manifest in Christ and the Angels with Him.</p>


text:
<p>Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of my hand?-</p><p>The point of course was made: Who or what indeed were any of those gods compared to Yahweh. And the true Israel of God were unlike any other nation.</p>


text:
<p>Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this way, neither believe him; for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of my hand, and out of the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you out of my hand?- </p><p><a href='B:290 36:19'>Isa 36:19</a> gives more detail: "Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?". Rabshakeh, knowing the prophecies of Isaiah, may be alluding to the common prophetic theme that Judah were in fact no better than Israel, and would face the same judgment. And he knew that Samaria, the ten tribes, had trusted in the gods of the surrounding nations. Hamath and Arpad were in Syria, and so probably Sepharvaim was likewise. Isaiah 8 and <a href='B:290 10:9-11'>Isa 10:9-11</a> had condemned Israel for their trust in Syria against Assyria, and clearly their covenant with Syria had involved taking on the worship of their gods.</p>


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<p>His servants spoke yet more against Yahweh God, and against His servant Hezekiah- </p><p>Hezekiah as Yahweh's servant is contrasted with Rabshakeh and his gang who were Sennacherib's servants. The whole scene is a showdown between Yahweh and Sennacherib, who was playing God.</p>


text:
<p>He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, the God of Israel, and to speak against Him saying, As the gods of the nations of the lands, which have not delivered their people out of my hand, so shall the God of Hezekiah not deliver His people out of my hand- </p><p>Goliath's defiance of Israel is a major theme (s:w. <a href='B:90 17:10'>1Sa 17:10</a>; <a href='B:90 17:25-26'>1Sa 17:25-26</a>; <a href='B:90 17:36'>1Sa 17:36</a>; <a href='B:90 17:45'>1Sa 17:45</a>). David's victory over Goliath was inspirational to other Israelites, just as the Lord's triumph on the cross should be to us. The history of Goliath would have been inspirational when the Assyrians likewise insulted or defied the living God, and again this is a theme of the record (<a href='B:120 19:4'>2Ki 19:4</a>; <a href='B:120 19:16'>2Ki 19:16</a>; <a href='B:120 19:22-23'>2Ki 19:22-23</a>; <a href='B:140 32:17'>2Ch 32:17</a> s:w:). But I suggest the equivalent to David in all this was not Hezekiah but Isaiah. It was his faith and prayers which won the day.</p>


text:
<p>They cried with a loud voice in the Jews’ language to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten them, and to trouble them; that they might take the city- </p><p>This very loud voice becomes the prototype for the great voice of Babylon (<a href='B:300 51:55'>Jer 51:55</a>), akin to the great voice of Goliath the Philistine / Palestinian, which is to be answered by the far greater voice of Yahweh in the last days commanding the Angels to unleash judgment upon the latter day Assyrian confederacy (<a href='B:360 2:11'>Joe 2:11</a>; <a href='B:730 16:1'>Rev 16:1</a>; <a href='B:730 18:2'>Rev 18:2</a>). But in the immediate context, this "loud voice" is that of <a href='B:290 29:6'>Isa 29:6</a> bringing destruction and judgment upon Jerusalem; they were condemned, but were saved by grace and God's respect of the prayers and repentance of a small minority. The loud voice of the "great king" of Assyria (<a href='B:290 36:13'>Isa 36:13</a>) is being set up as a parody of that of Yahweh, who is the supreme "great king" (s:w. <a href='B:230 47:2'>Psa 47:2</a>; <a href='B:230 95:3'>Psa 95:3</a>; <a href='B:460 1:14'>Mal 1:14</a>):&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>


text:
<p>They spoke of the God of Jerusalem, as of the gods of the peoples of the earth- </p><p>This is the classic challenge to faith; no other god achieved anything, therefore, the one true God can't either. But the point is that the gods of this world didn't achieve anything precisely because they are not God. The 'utter destruction' of conquered lands by Assyria is historically well attested. But the word has the sense of 'sanctified' in a religious sense; like the latter day "king of the north", the invader thought that they were serving their God by destroying people, and the barbarity of the destruction was a sign of how far they had devoted people and lands to their God. Jihadist Islam exactly fits this scenario.</p><p>Which are the work of men’s hands-</p><p>Passages like this almost define God by reason of His being uncreate. Whatever is created, is not God. And it follows that if we think that we have truly created anything, or that we are anything that God didn’t create, then we are in fact playing God. Understanding God as creator, in its true, deep and thought-through sense, leads to an understanding of grace. That all we have, are, were, shall ever be, is purely His gift. Likewise, to take for ourselves what is God’s is to play God. Materialism and selfishness are in this sense playing God.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah the king, and Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, prayed because of this, and cried to heaven- </p><p>Isaiah 37 records the prayer in more detail; see notes there.</p>


text:
<p>Yahweh sent an angel- </p><p><a href='B:290 37:36'>Isa 37:36</a> "The angel of Yahweh went out". He went out from the throne room of heaven, where the case had been as it were considered; see on <a href='B:290 37:4'>Isa 37:4</a>. Isaiah 37 is shot through with allusions to the Angel cherubim destroying the Assyrian host. The Angel went out- perhaps referring to Him physically going forth out of the temple where He dwelt to slay the Assyrians outside the walls of Jerusalem. This phrase 'went out' is nearly always used about literal physical movement, which we have seen is what&nbsp; Angels literally do. Thus in the Ezekiel visions of the cherubim, they and the lightnings "went forth", physically and literally, in performing God's work. "Let my sentence come forth from Thy presence (Angelic language); let Thine eyes (Angels) behold the things that are equal", seeing they are involved with the 'coming forth', according to the parallelism of this verse. Similarly Job's satan Angel "went forth" from the presence of the Lord (<a href='B:220 1:12'>Job 1:12</a>). And so it happened that there were Angels on earth, as it were. <a href='B:450 2:3'>Zec 2:3</a> also has an Angel going forth to answer the prayers concerning&nbsp; restoring the fortunes of Jerusalem (see <a href='B:450 5:5'>Zec 5:5</a> too). <a href='B:230 81:5'>Psa 81:5</a> describes the Angel going out through the land of Egypt in order to "remove (Israel's) shoulder from the burden". Psalms 81 is 'Angelic', following Psalms 80, which is another such Psalm. <a href='B:650 1:14'>Heb 1:14</a> also offers support: the Angels are "sent forth" to minister to us- by answering prayers offered in the spirit of Hezekiah's prayer here?</p><p>Who cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains, in the camp of the king of Assyria- </p><p>Not all were destroyed. The bodies of those who were, were spoiled by the Jerusalem Jews (<a href='B:290 33:4'>Isa 33:4</a>). The agent of destruction appears to have been fire and hail (<a href='B:290 29:6'>Isa 29:6</a>; <a href='B:290 30:30'>Isa 30:30</a>), both of which may be used in the last days too.</p><p>So he returned with shame of face to his own land- </p><p>This was because "I will put a spirit in him" (<a href='B:290 37:7'>Isa 37:7</a>). Sennacherib retreated because God “put a spirit in him”. The AV has: “I will send a blast / spirit upon him”. Was it not that the Angel who later destroyed his army came upon him and put a spirit / disposition of mind within him that made him want to retreat? We see how God can directly affect the human spirit / mind. He can give a holy spirit, or an evil spirit. The Old Testament sets us up to understand that God can work directly on the human spirit, and then the New Testament says that He can give us a holy spirit, working again directly on the human mind and perception.</p><p><a href='B:290 37:7'>Isa 37:7</a> says that "He will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land". The "news" could have been of the destruction of Rabshakeh's army; or of the approach of Tirhakah, or some other threat to his empire. The situation points ahead to how the latter day "king of the north" will likewise hear "news" (s:w. <a href='B:340 11:44'>Dan 11:44</a> "tidings"). The Lord 'caused' Sennacherib to fall by the sword in that He put a spirit of jealousy in his sons, resulting in his murder.</p><p>When he had come into the house of his god, those who came forth from his own bowels killed him there with the sword- </p><p>He was killed as he was worshipping (<a href='B:290 37:38'>Isa 37:38</a>), about 20 years later; worshipping a god who had spectacularly failed him. We see here the terrible power of religion in blinding men to spiritual reality.</p>


text:
<p>Thus Yahweh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side- </p><p>LXX "gave them rest" from all the surrounding nations (as in <a href='B:140 20:30'>2Ch 20:30</a>). Assyria had not been Hezekiah's only enemy (<a href='B:120 18:7-8'>2Ki 18:7-8</a>). The idea is of the "rest" of the Kingdom of God. There was perhaps the potential possibility for Isaiah's kingdom prophecies to have had fulfilment, just as the destruction of the latter day Assyrian will presage the establishment of the Kingdom of God. But this didn't happen, because Hezekiah turned away from faith to pride.</p>


text:
<p>Many brought gifts to Yahweh to Jerusalem, and precious things to Hezekiah king of Judah; so that He was exalted in the sight of all nations from thenceforth-</p><p>The Kingdom prophecies of <a href='B:230 68:29'>Psa 68:29</a>; <a href='B:290 18:7'>Isa 18:7</a>; <a href='B:440 2:7-8'>Hag 2:7-8</a> could now have had their fulfilment; but Hezekiah became lifted up in pride and precluded it, leaving them to have their major fulfilment in the last days.</p>


text:
<p>In those days Hezekiah was sick even to death. He prayed to Yahweh; and He spoke to him, and gave him a sign- </p><p>This was in the same year as the invasion, but not necessarily at the same time. In this section we are reading a Divine summary of His take on Hezekiah. See on :25,56. It seems that unlike his father Ahaz, Hezekiah had asked for this sign (<a href='B:120 20:8'>2Ki 20:8</a>). It is apparent that the experiences of believers are often suggestive of those of other believers. Insofar as we appreciate this, we will find strength to go the right way. Consider how Hezekiah was intended to see the similarities between himself and the earlier king Ahaz his father, and learn the lessons. They were both threatened by invasion and tempted to turn to human help (<a href='B:290 7:2'>Isa 7:2</a>; <a href='B:290 37:1'>Isa 37:1</a>); Visited by Isaiah and told to not fear (<a href='B:290 7:4-9'>Isa 7:4-9</a>; <a href='B:290 37:6-7'>Isa 37:6-7</a>). Ahaz was unfaithful by “the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the fuller’s field” (<a href='B:290 7:3'>Isa 7:3</a>); and in just the same place Hezekiah’s faith was tested and he learnt the lessons of Ahaz’ failure (<a href='B:290 36:2'>Isa 36:2</a>). Both were given a sign by God and promised deliverance (<a href='B:290 7:14'>Isa 7:14</a>; <a href='B:290 37:30'>Isa 37:30</a>). Ahaz refused to ask for a sign when offered one (<a href='B:290 7:11'>Isa 7:11</a>); whereas Hezekiah learnt, and asked for a sign (<a href='B:290 38:7'>Isa 38:7</a>; <a href='B:290 38:22'>Isa 38:22</a>). Thus his asking for a sign was not a sign of faithlessness but rather his seeking to not be like Ahaz. “The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform it” was spoken to both Ahaz (<a href='B:290 9:6'>Isa 9:6</a>) and Hezekiah (<a href='B:290 37:32'>Isa 37:32</a>).</p>


text:
<p>But Hezekiah didn’t render again according to the grace done to him. His heart was lifted up; therefore there was wrath on him, and on Judah and Jerusalem- </p><p>This is a similar idea to <a href='B:230 40:5'>Psa 40:5</a>: "Many, Yahweh my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts which are toward us. They can’t be declared back to You. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered". Yet through the Bathsheba Psalms, David is indeed declaring God's grace to him (see on <a href='B:230 40:10'>Psa 40:10</a>). But he says he does so with a great sense of inadequacy; for he cannot render back to God according to the grace shown him. Hezekiah is criticized for this here. And yet David admits this is how man is, faced with the extent of God's grace to him. We have here another example of how two men may do the same thing [here, not rendering back according to God's grace], and yet be judged differently according to their attitude of mind.</p><p>The standard approach in interpretation is to assume that this lifting up with pride was the situation which occurred after the Babylonian ambassadors visited Hezekiah (Isaiah 39). Hezekiah was threatened with God's wrath, but humbled himself, and so it was delayed until the next generation. <a href='B:290 39:8'>Isa 39:8</a> is then meant to mean that Hezekiah accepted the truth of God's word of judgment upon him as "good", but rejoiced that there would be peace and truth in his own days: "Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, Yahweh’s word which you have spoken is good. He said moreover, For there will be peace and truth in my days".</p><p>But I suggest that a bit of deeper thought will find this unsatisfactory, and I have suggested throughout Isaiah 39 that Hezekiah 'lost it' spiritually at the time of the visit of the ambassadors. The awful apostasy of his own son Manasseh would then corroborate that. The "But::." with which the verse opens is not in the Hebrew. Translators added it in a mistaken effort to connect with the previous verse. The material here in these concluding thoughts about Hezekiah isn't chronological. Thus <a href='B:140 32:24'>2Ch 32:24</a> is clearly about a time before that of <a href='B:140 32:23'>2Ch 32:23</a>. So I suggest that :25 refers to the reason why wrath came upon Judah, Jerusalem and himself. That wrath wasn't just threatened, it actually "came"(AV), there "was wrath" (NEV). For wrath to 'come' means that it was experienced- not just threatened. And we are specifically told, with the same Hebrew phrase used, that the Assyrians came up against Hezekiah, Judah and Jerusalem because "God's wrath" was upon them, and Hezekiah's generations were seeing that "with your own eyes" (<a href='B:140 29:8'>2Ch 29:8</a>). And here in <a href='B:140 32:25'>2Ch 32:25</a> we are told that this happened because of Hezekiah's pride and not returning to God what had been given him. That pride, therefore, doesn't apply to the time of the Babylonian ambassadors, but rather his pride in his own strength and devices to defend Jerusalem, as commented upon on :3-6. See on :26. The grace done to Hezekiah was his healing, for the sickness was in the same year as the invasion, but not necessarily at the same time. Because of his lack of adequate response to it, he had to be humbled by the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. And this elicited the appropriate humility. But when the ambassadors came afterwards, his heart was again lifted up in pride.</p>


text:
<p>Notwithstanding, Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of Yahweh didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah- </p><p>As discussed on :25, I suggest that this pride of heart was before the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. Therefore Jerusalem was surrounded, but Hezekiah's repentance, along with that of "the inhabitants of Jerusalem", meant that the intended "wrath" was deferred. This approach also explains why it was specifically "the inhabitants of Jerusalem" who repented along with Hezekiah. If the reference is to proud attitudes towards the Babylonian ambassadors, then we would rather expect Hezekiah personally to be the one who needed to repent. And if the people needed to repent, then we would expect to read of all Judah repenting, rather than specifically "the inhabitants of Jerusalem".</p>


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<p>Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour and he set up treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones, and for spices, and for shields, and for all kinds of goodly vessels- </p><p>The same terms "spices::. gold::. precious stones" is used of what the queen of Sheba brought to Solomon, and what was brought to Hezekiah after his healing (<a href='B:140 32:27'>2Ch 32:27</a>). Perhaps the conversion of the queen of Sheba to Israel's God meant that her people continued to be sympathetic to Judah even in Hezekiah's time, and they were the source of these things in his time. But the similarity sets us up to expect that Hezekiah like Solomon would then turn away from God, disallowing the potential of being the king of God's gloriously established kingdom in Israel; and this is what happened.</p>


text:
<p>storehouses also for the increase of grain and new wine and oil; and stalls for all kinds of animals, and flocks in folds- </p><p>This recalls the language of Solomon's building store cities for his wealth (see on :27 for another allusion to Solomon). But the connection with Solomon is not a good one; for all this wealth of his was not associated with his spirituality, but rather with his apostacy. And so it was to be with Hezekiah.</p>


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<p>Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very much substance- </p><p>This continues the allusion to Solomon, who likewise built store cities for his wealth; but see on :28.</p>


text:
<p>This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works- </p><p>Some manuscripts read "the east side". The current Pool of Siloam is to the South East of modern Jerusalem, but it could have been south west of the old "city of David". "Prospered" is yet another allusion to Solomon's prospering (s:w. <a href='B:130 29:23'>1Ch 29:23</a>; <a href='B:140 7:11'>2Ch 7:11</a>); but see on :28.</p>


text:
<p>However concerning the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land- </p><p>Hezekiah's positive comment in his Proverbs (see on <a href='B:240 25:1'>Pro 25:1</a>) about faithful ambassadors must be read in the context of the fact that <a href='B:240 25:13'>Pro 25:13</a> was one of the Proverbs rewritten in Hezekiah's time. He sinned with regard to the ambassadors of Babylon (<a href='B:140 32:31'>2Ch 32:31</a>), but perhaps he was led into this by willfully misreading this Proverb of Solomon, or at least getting it rewritten with the subtext of justifying what he did.</p><p>God left him- </p><p>This is the word for 'forsaking', and is used about God forsaking those who turn away from Him (<a href='B:50 31:17'>Deu 31:17</a>). We are left to wonder whether this was in response to Hezekiah forsaking Him. Or perhaps it makes him a type of the Lord Jesus, who was also apparently forsaken by God in order to reveal what was in His heart (<a href='B:470 27:46'>Mat 27:46</a>). There are times when God's presence does apparently leave us, and He no longer holds us back from sin as He does at other times- in order to reveal to ourselves what is truly in our deepest hearts.</p><p>To try him, that He might know all that was in his heart- </p><p>Hezekiah asks for a sign “to prove” [s:w. test / try] that God’s predicted cure of him was going to happen. And when given the option of the shadow of the sun jumping forward by ten degrees, he almost mocks that as too ‘easy’. Yet this is the man with the accolade that no King believed in God like he did. Perhaps he reached his heights of faith through having these low moments. ‘Putting God to the test’ as it seems Hezekiah did is seen in Scripture as not fully believing in Him (<a href='B:40 14:20-24'>Num 14:20-24</a>; <a href='B:50 6:16'>Deu 6:16</a>; <a href='B:290 7:12'>Isa 7:12</a>; <a href='B:490 11:33-36'>Luk 11:33-36</a>). Maybe God left Hezekiah to test him in the matter of the ambassadors from Babylon as a kind of response- ‘You put me to the test, I’ll put you to the test’.</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel- </p><p>This may refer to some writing of Isaiah which we don't have, and the "book of the kings" may not refer to the books of Kings we have in our Bibles. Or it could mean that the historical record of Isaiah in Isaiah 36-39 is incorporated in the record we have in 2 Kings.</p>


text:
<p>Hezekiah slept with his fathers- </p><p>This repeated phrase indicates death is unconsciousness, like sleep; and the idiom surely requires a resurrection of the body to judgment at some future date, which we know to be the time of the Lord's return to earth. If the Bible taught reward at death or an immortal soul [which it doesn't], then this idiom would not be used.</p><p>And they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. Manasseh his son reigned in his place- </p><p>That Hezekiah raised such an evil son in the last 15 years of his life is another hint that he would have been better dying when he was intended to, without a descendant, rather than getting more life with which he turned away from God and raised an evil son.</p>


text:
<p>Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem- </p><p>"Causing to forget" is a strange name for a child unless the father [like Joseph] had a previous life he wanted to forget. Manasseh was born three years into Hezekiah's final 15 years of life in which he turned away from God. So I suggest that his name reflects Hezekiah's desire to 'forget all that God stuff' and get on with 'enjoying' his last 15 years without God. And this was naturally reflected in the way he raised a son who was one of Israel's most evil rulers.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, after the abominations of the nations whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel- </p><p>We may wonder why God let such an evil man live and reign for 55 years (:1), the longest reigning of any king. Surely if he had been slain for his wickedness, as other men were, then he would have led fewer people astray? I suggest the answer is that God worked for decades towards this evil man's repentance- and it paid off. He did repent in the end. And we can look forward to eternity together with him. We see in this the huge meaning and value God places upon the individual person, and how He will not give up searching for the lost until He finds them. Manasseh would be the parade example of that.</p>


text:
<p>For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; and he reared up altars for the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the army of the sky, and served them- </p><p>This revival of idolatry would not have been possible unless the people generally were eager and willing for it. I suggested previously that Hezekiah's reforms were largely on the cusp of his becoming king. They were partly a psychological reaction against the misery of Ahaz's reign, and the reforms of 2 Chronicles 31 were often a result of group psychology rather than personal reformation of the heart. They were all too sudden and spontaneous, at the same moment, to have been the outcome of all the concerned individuals having the same heart response. There was a group psychology there, a going with the crowd. And so it is unsurprising that they all turned away relatively soon afterwards.</p>


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<p>He built altars in the house of Yahweh, of which Yahweh said, My name shall be in Jerusalem forever- </p><p>This was precisely the behaviour of his grandfather Ahaz. I suggest that this was only done by persuading themselves that these altars were in fact a form of Yahweh worship. For there is never any specific statement that Judah formally renounced Yahweh. And this continues to be the abiding weakness of God's people; to justify wrongdoing by claiming it is part of worshipping God. Such as justifying luxury homes and goods in the name of needing them to serve God with.</p>


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<p>He built altars for all the army of the sky in the two courts of the house of Yahweh- </p><p>These were the court of the priests, and the court of the common people (<a href='B:140 4:9'>2Ch 4:9</a>). The priesthood were surely complicit in this. For when Uzziah had tried to offer incense himself, 80 faithful priests resisted him. But there is no record of any such resistance to Manasseh. The priests in Hezekiah's time had been reticent to devote themselves solely to Yahweh . I suggested that this was because they were accustomed to being priests both of Yahweh and of the pagan gods. This means that they took a cut from all the offerings to all the gods.</p>


text:
<p>He also made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom- </p><p>This would have meant that his surviving children would have hated him for slaying their siblings; although passing through the fire may have been a dedication ceremony rather than actually burning them to death. <a href='B:120 21:6'>2Ki 21:6</a> has "his son", <a href='B:140 33:6'>2Ch 33:6</a> has "his children". As he had more than one son, we are to infer surely that this focus upon "his son" meant that one of his sons in particular passed through the fire, and that could imply that he sacrificed his son [maybe his firstborn]. Israel should have removed from amongst them a man who did this (<a href='B:50 18:10'>Deu 18:10</a>), and the fact they didn't suggests they therefore passively supported him in his apostacy.</p><p>The valley of Hinnom, Ge Hinnom, was to later be known as Gehenna, and became a symbol used by the Lord for complete destruction (<a href='B:470 5:22'>Mat 5:22</a>). As they burnt their children there, to destruction, so sinners would be burnt to destruction in that same place.</p><p>And he practised sorcery and used enchantments, and practised witchcraft and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards- </p><p>AV "a familiar spirit" is misleading, and many of the modern versions give something like "witch" or [ESV, GNB] "a medium". LXX has "a divining spirit". It doesn't mean she did actually have any such spirit; but that she was considered as having this. Such people were thought to be able to be possessed by the spirit of dead people, and to therefore speak in their name. But the Bible clearly teaches that the "spirit returns to God" (<a href='B:230 146:4'>Psa 146:4</a>; <a href='B:250 12:7'>Ecc 12:7</a>), and that death is unconsciousness. The spirit of dead persons don't enter other people. I would go so far as to say that the record of the witch at Endor, who supposedly had a "familiar spirit", is deconstructing this belief. For Samuel himself appears, and speaks directly to Saul, and not through the "medium". The woman therefore screamed in shock when Samuel actually appeared. He was resurrected, briefly, in order to give God's final message to Saul. The people claiming to have "familiar spirits" lay on the ground and mumbled hard to understand words in a voice seeking to imitate the dead person (<a href='B:290 29:4'>Isa 29:4</a>) but Samuel appeared in person and spoke clearly to Saul, directly. We also note that Samuel appeared to Saul standing upright, because Saul bowed before him: "Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and showed respect" (<a href='B:90 28:14'>1Sa 28:14</a>). This was quite different to how the mediums lay on the ground and mumbled words into the dust.</p><p>He worked much evil in the sight of Yahweh, to provoke Him to anger- </p><p>God can be grieved [s:w. 'provoke to anger']. He has emotions, and His potential foreknowledge doesn't mean that these feelings are not legitimate. They are presented as occurring in human time, as responses to human behaviour. This is the degree to which He has accommodated Himself to human time-space limits, in order to fully enter relationship and experience with us. As He can limit His omnipotence, so God can limit His omniscience, in order to feel and respond along with us.</p>


text:
<p>He set the engraved image of the idol, which he had made, in God’s house, of which God said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, will I put My name forever- </p><p>Manasseh is criticized for placing an idol in the very place where God's Name of Yahweh was meant to dwell, “the graven image of Asherah” (<a href='B:120 21:7'>2Ki 21:7</a> RV). He replaced the invisible things- the more abstract things of the characteristics of God which the Name speaks of- by something material and visible. We make the same mistake when we turn away from true spirituality and become lost in physical works. If Judah had not forgotten the Name [and this must refer to their lack of appreciation of it rather than forgetting the letters JHVH], then they wouldn’t have served Baal and other gods (<a href='B:300 23:27'>Jer 23:27</a>). It is this particular idol which it seems was returned to the temple just prior to the destruction of the temple (<a href='B:330 8:3'>Eze 8:3</a>), despite Manasseh himself removing it on his repentance.</p>


text:
<p>neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from off the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them, even all the law and the statutes and the ordinances given by Moses- </p><p>This is apparently (:7) a quotation from what God said to David and Solomon. But it appears to be an adaptation about the promises to the singular seed, that he must continue in obedience if the promises were to be fulfilled through him. But just as Abraham's seed is both the Lord Jesus and all those in Him, the true Israel of God, so the promises about David's seed also have a collective dimension.</p>


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<p>Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations did whom Yahweh had destroyed before the children of Israel-</p><p>God's tolerance of Judah in His land was therefore by grace, and in hope of their repentance. Their doing "more evil" than the Gentiles could refer to the fact that as in covenant relationship with God, they were the more responsible for their sins. Or the idea may be that most Gentiles were faithful to their set of gods, only changing them if that was enforced upon them by the military dominance of a neighbour. But Judah went running madly to every god they could, described by Hosea under the figure of sexual addiction.</p>


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<p>Yahweh spoke to Manasseh, and to his people; but they gave no heed- </p><p>"They gave no heed", or 'did not listen', is a phrase used in the later prophets as they appeal to the exiles (<a href='B:160 9:34'>Neh 9:34</a>; <a href='B:450 1:4'>Zec 1:4</a>). The sins of Manasseh in 'not listening' to God's word are cited as the main reason for the exile. We note that refusing to listen to God's word is the essence of all the sins of idolatry etc. It is the spurning of relationship with God which appears to hurt Him even more than the list of sins which Manasseh was also guilty of.</p>


text:
<p>Therefore Yahweh brought on them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh in chains, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon-</p><p>Literally, "in thorns", but the idea is of rings or hooks, probably in his nose. For it was like this that Assyria was to be treated by God, and the latter day Assyrian led by Gog will likewise effectively be Yahweh's captive servant with rings in his nose (<a href='B:120 19:28'>2Ki 19:28</a>; <a href='B:330 38:4'>Eze 38:4</a>). Or it could be that Manasseh was taken "in the thorns", hiding in a thorn bush.</p><p>Albert Barnes notes: "Esarhaddon mentions Manasseh among his tributaries; and he was the only king of Assyria who, from time to time, held his court at Babylon".</p>


text:
<p>When he was in distress, he begged Yahweh his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers- </p><p>There is no lack of evidence that later Bible characters found inspiration in Samson, especially in their weakness. Manasseh is an example (<a href='B:140 33:12-13'>2Ch 33:12-13</a> = <a href='B:70 16:19'>Jdg 16:19</a>; <a href='B:70 16:28'>Jdg 16:28</a>). The intensity of Samson's repentance was quite something. It must have inspired Manasseh (<a href='B:140 33:11'>2Ch 33:11</a>), who like Samson was bound (<a href='B:70 16:21'>Jdg 16:21</a>) and humbled (<a href='B:70 16:5'>Jdg 16:5</a>; <a href='B:70 16:16'>Jdg 16:16</a>; <a href='B:70 16:19'>Jdg 16:19</a> AVmg:)- and then repented with a like intensity. And Zedekiah went through the same basic experience, of capture by his enemies, having his eyes put out, his capture attributed to false gods; and he likewise repented (<a href='B:120 25:7'>2Ki 25:7</a>).</p>


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<p>He prayed to Him; and He was entreated by him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God- </p><p>Manasseh's repentance and forgiveness was associated with his knowing Yahweh. He prayed to Yahweh, but only on experiencing forgiveness did he come to know Him (<a href='B:140 33:13'>2Ch 33:13</a>). To really know the Name elicits forgiveness, and the experience of that forgiveness leads to knowing the Name yet further. Job went through the same; when he truly saw / perceived God, he repented and 'loathed his words' (<a href='B:220 42:6'>Job 42:6</a> RVmg:).</p><p>Humanly speaking, the return of Manasseh to Judah would have been because Assyria wanted to turn Judah into a vassal, buffer state between them and the mighty power of Egypt, which they feared. But this coincided with Manasseh's repentance.</p>


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<p>Now after this he built an outer wall to the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate; and he encircled Ophel with it, and raised it up to a very great height; and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah- </p><p>This wall seems to have been on the north east of the city, from the modern Damascus gate across the Gihon valley to the “fish gate” at the north east of the “city of David”. These defensive actions suggest he started to break away from servitude to Assyria, even though that was probably the basis of his return from exile (see on :13). Building projects like these were typically recorded as being done at the beginning of the reigns of kings of Judah, and so it's as if he was born again, and was trying to start out afresh.</p>


text:
<p>He took away the foreign gods, and the idol out of the house of Yahweh, and all the altars that he had built in the mountain of the house of Yahweh, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city- </p><p>This seems largely to have been his personal repentance, because the people continued their idolatry (:17) and were clearly devoted to idols in their hearts. The idols were apparently not destroyed, for in Josiah's time they had to be destroyed. To undo damage caused is a key feature of repentance, and truly Manasseh had fruits appropriate for repentance. He is really a stellar example of repentance. For his sin is repeatedly stated as being of leading Judah to idolatry. To so openly admit he had been wrong was truly a sign of abiding humility:&nbsp;</p>


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<p>He built up the altar of Yahweh, and offered thereon sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and commanded Judah to serve Yahweh, the God of Israel- </p><p>This would imply he had at least partially destroyed the altar of Yahweh, in favour of altars to other gods. There are a number of other Old Testament examples of preaching the word after becoming aware of the depth of one's own sins. Consider Jonah preaching the second time, with the marks in his body after three days in the whale, admitting his rebellion against Yahweh, pleading with them to respond to His word. Reflect how when his head was wrapped around with seaweed, at the bottom of the sea at the absolute end of mortal life, he made a vow to God, which he then fulfilled, presumably in going back to preach to Nineveh (<a href='B:390 2:9'>Jon 2:9</a>). His response to having confessed his sins and daring to believe in God’s forgiveness, turning again towards His temple even from underwater, was to resolve to preach to others if he was spared his life. And this he did, although as with so many of us, the pureness of his initial evangelical zeal soon flaked. Or consider Jehoshaphat, <a href='B:140 19:3'>2Ch 19:3</a> cp. 18:31; 19:2; Josiah, <a href='B:140 34:29'>2Ch 34:29</a>; <a href='B:140 34:32'>2Ch 34:32</a>; Nebuchadnezzar, <a href='B:340 3:29'>Dan 3:29</a>; <a href='B:340 4:2'>Dan 4:2</a>.</p>


text:
<p>Nevertheless the people sacrificed still in the high places, but only to Yahweh their God- </p><p>The essence of Judah's apostacy, then and now, was to combine service of Yahweh with that of idols. And so this is not a good comment. For sacrifice should have been made in the temple, and not in the idol shrines. We need to constantly ask ourselves whether we are serving our own idolatry in the name of serving God. This mixture of truth and error is seen not only in practical ways but also in the way so many Christian doctrines such as the trinity are in fact a mixture of paganism with truth.</p>


text:
<p>Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel, behold, they are written among the acts of the kings of Israel- </p><p>Manasseh's prayer is recorded in various uninspired writings. But it is not in the volumes we know as 1 and 2 Kings. I have therefore cautioned that the common concluding statement that the deeds of a king are "written in the book of the kings" should not be taken as necessarily referring to the books of Kings in our Bibles.</p><p>The words of the prophets who appealed to him are recorded in <a href='B:120 21:11-15'>2Ki 21:11-15</a>.</p>


text:
<p>His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin and his trespass, and the places in which he built high places, and set up the Asherim and the engraved images, before he humbled himself: they are written in the history of Hozai- </p><p>This history, presumably written by a prophet called Hozai, isn't preserved. The LXX stresses that this included a geographical inventory of "the spots on which he built the high places, and set there groves and graven images". This list was presumably produced by Manasseh as part of his repentance, and would have been the basis of his practical attempt to put right what he had done wrong. Writing an inventory of people we've hurt or the ways in which others have suffered from our sins is something used in counseling alcoholics in the 12 step program, and it has value for all repentance:&nbsp;</p>


text:
<p>So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house; and Amon his son reigned in his place-</p><p>LXX "in the garden of his house".</p>


text:
<p>Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned two years in Jerusalem- </p><p>He had been raised in the spirit of his father's apostacy, and was apparently unimpressed by Manasseh's amazing repentance.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as did Manasseh his father; and Amon sacrificed to all the engraved images which Manasseh his father had made, and served them- </p><p>Manasseh had removed the images, but not apparently destroyed them. The history of the kings abounds with such references to idolatry being reformed, and then so quickly revived. The speed of its revival reflects the fact that the heart of the people generally was with the idols. And we must assess our own episodes of apparent repentance in this light. Manasseh had repaired the temple (:16), but by Josiah's time it needed repairing again; so it could be that Amon also desecrated and damaged the temple yet further.</p>


text:
<p>He didn’t humble himself before Yahweh, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself; but this same Amon trespassed more and more- </p><p>Manasseh goes down in the record as the parade example of a man who manages to put the brakes on as he slides downhill to destruction. For the antithesis to Manasseh's humility and repentance is that Amon sinned "more and more". "Humble himself" is parallel with 'repentance' (LXX uses the term 'repentance' here). This is the essence of repentance- self humbling.</p>


text:
<p>His servants conspired against him, and put him to death in his own house- </p><p>There seems a special stigma and shame attached to being murdered in ones' own home, rather than on a battlefield or dying from old age.</p>


text:
<p>But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place-</p><p>Josiah means 'foundation of Yah'. It's unlikely this was the name Amon gave him, although a repentant Manasseh may have influenced it. However, at no point did even kings like Amon and Manasseh formally deny Yahweh. They worshipped Him, so they thought, through worshipping idols. So it is not impossible that indeed this was Josiah's birth name. And from that we can take yet another warning, to serve Yahweh with our whole hearts; and not assume that our service of the flesh is serving Him.</p>


text:
<p>Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign; and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem-</p><p>Josiah means 'foundation of Yah'. It's unlikely this was the name Amon gave him, although a repentant Manasseh may have influenced it. However, at no point did even kings like Amon and Manasseh formally deny Yahweh. They worshipped Him, so they thought, through worshipping idols. So it is not impossible that indeed this was Josiah's birth name. And from that we can take yet another warning, to serve Yahweh with our whole hearts; and not assume that our service of the flesh is serving Him.</p>


text:
<p>He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, and walked in the ways of David his father, and didn’t turn aside to the right hand or to the left- </p><p>And yet Josiah died in spiritual weakness and at a point of disobedience to God's word (<a href='B:140 35:20-24'>2Ch 35:20-24</a>). The rubric 'He did what was right:::' is found even of kings who clearly departed from Yahweh. The truly righteous ones such as Jehoshaphat have a clause added to their summary, saying that they had followed Yahweh in their hearts. But this is lacking in the case of Josiah. We note too that he raised evil sons. And so we wonder whether the record is acknowledging the good works which he did at some points in his life, and it concludes with this too (<a href='B:140 35:26'>2Ch 35:26</a>). But there is a notable absence of any statement to the intent that he was judged as having a heart right with God. And the state of the heart was and is the critical indicator in God's final judgment of men.</p>


text:
<p>For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father. In the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images- </p><p>Kings places this reformation after the repair of the temple, whereas Chronicles puts it before that. However, Manasseh had repaired the temple just a few years earlier (<a href='B:140 33:16'>2Ch 33:16</a>) and that may be what Kings has in mind. Or the temple may have been repaired in stages. However the chronological problems are avoided if we accept a confusion in copying between "eighth" and "eighteenth" (<a href='B:120 22:3'>2Ki 22:3</a>).</p><p>We note that Amon had revived Manasseh's images in the two years of his reign, and it seems the people worshipped them for the first 12 years of Josiah's reign. Again we have the impression that the removal of idolatry was something done by the reformist kings, but the hearts of the people were generally with the idols. And this was why they were condemned relatively soon after Josiah's time. The timing of Josiah's reformation (<a href='B:140 34:3'>2Ch 34:3</a>) coincides with the prophecies of Jeremiah 2, 3; he heard them, and responded. Hence Jeremiah wept when Josiah died, remembering how as a teenager, Josiah had heard his prophecies and immediately responded to them.</p>


text:
<p>They broke down the altars of the Baals in his presence. He cut down the incense altars that were on high above them. He broke in pieces the Asherim, and the engraved images, and the molten images, and made dust of them, and strewed it on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them- </p><p>We note the contrast between altars being cut down "in his presence", and he himself cutting others down. We get the impression of total personal involvement and commitment, just at the age of 20. He put their dust on the graves of their worshippers who were buried near to the idols, referring maybe to the children offered to them, or to the fact that some were so devoted to idols that they gave their lives to them and were willing human sacrifices.</p>


text:
<p>He burnt the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem-</p><p>It was done specifically at Bethel (<a href='B:120 23:15-16'>2Ki 23:15-16</a>). This implies he murdered the priests and burnt their hones on the altars, or it could refer to the exhuming of their bodies buried near the altars (:4) and burning their bones. This would have been seen as permanently desecrating the altars. This was done because God said that He would do this if His people broke covenant (<a href='B:30 26:30'>Lev 26:30</a>), and Josiah is recognizing that indeed they had broken covenant and were worthy of such things. However, it would seem from :15 that Josiah was ignorant of those curses for disobedience; so it may be that he intuitively did what was written in them without specifically being aware of them. This is the spirit of <a href='B:520 2:14'>Rom 2:14</a>.</p>


text:
<p>He did this in the cities of Manasseh and Ephraim and Simeon, even to Naphtali, in their surrounding ruins- </p><p>Simeonites lived in Judah (<a href='B:130 4:28'>1Ch 4:28</a>). But even in the ruined northern tribes, ruined because of the Assyrians, they were still worshipping idols and had not been led to repentance. Like Hezekiah, Josiah had a sense of responsibility towards the separated, spiritually weak brethren of the ten tribes. And he also knew that idolatry there would easily seep into Judah, as it had done previously. This sense of responsibility even for separated brethren is another abiding lesson for us. Assyrian power was declining, which is why Josiah was able to enter Israel and do this. It seems Josiah had a vision of a reunited kingdom, centered around Yahweh worship. This was indeed the prophetic potential, but the idolatrous hearts of the people precluded it from coming about.</p>


text:
<p>He broke down the altars, and beat the Asherim and the engraved images into powder, and cut down all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel, and returned to Jerusalem-</p><p>"All the land of Israel" need not mean that every altar in all Israel was broken down, but that he went throughout "all Israel" on this mission; see on :6.</p>


text:
<p>Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of Yahweh his God- </p><p>"His God" could imply that he was not widely supported by the people. For as ever, their hearts soon returned to idolatry after this. For the chronological issue on when this repair occurred, see on :3. The "scribe" or historian was a senior advisor in the Hebrew court (<a href='B:100 8:17'>2Sa 8:17</a>; <a href='B:120 18:18'>2Ki 18:18</a>; <a href='B:120 18:37'>2Ki 18:37</a>; <a href='B:140 34:8'>2Ch 34:8</a>) because of the huge value attached to history in the Hebrew mind, and as reflected in the Bible being largely history. Advice on how to act was to be based upon historical, or as we would now say, "Biblical", precedent.</p>


text:
<p>They came to Hilkiah the high priest, and delivered the money that was brought into God’s house, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem- </p><p>AV "And they returned to Jerusalem". We note the generosity of the people even in the northern tribes, as well as the Israelites living in Judah ["the remnant of Israel"]. The way the various sources of income are described suggests a detailed record was made, indeed Kings says that Hilkiah took the sum. The half shekel temple tax was to be paid when a census was taken, and it seems this is what he did.</p>


text:
<p>They delivered it into the hand of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh. The workmen who laboured in the house of Yahweh gave it to mend and repair the house- </p><p>Chronicles was written for the encouragement of the exiles to likewise mend and repair the temple, and so they were intended to take encouragement from these men.</p>


text:
<p>even to the carpenters and to the builders they gave it, to buy cut stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed- </p><p>The destruction of the temple by these kings may not have been because they totally rejected Yahweh. The essence of their apostacy, as ours, was to use the things of Yahweh for idolatry, to mix paganism and the way of the flesh with Yahweh worship. So it is likely that when we read of men like Manasseh building other temples or shrines to idols in the vicinity of the temple, what happened was that they took the materials from the temple structure and used them for the idol temples. For materials like cut stone and timber were expensive and hard to source; Solomon had spent huge effort in bringing them from far away to build Yahweh's temple.</p>


text:
<p>The men did the work faithfully; and their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it forward; and others of the Levites, all who were skilful with instruments of music- </p><p>This could mean that the builders worked to the accompaniment of spiritual music. Or that musicians, not used to manual labour, worked in the rebuilding; just as apothecaries and others unused to such work laboured in rebuilding the wall in Nehemiah's time. And Chronicles was written for their encouragement.</p>


text:
<p>Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and set forward all who did the work in every kind of service. Of the Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters-</p><p>This is the first time we read of the "scribes" as a distinct body. Although possibly they began in the time of Hezekiah (<a href='B:240 25:1'>Pro 25:1</a>). Whilst this was the class which so persecuted the Lord Jesus generations later, the original intention was that they would be responsible for "the writings" and perhaps interpretation of them. But for now, they were to be concerned not with academic study, but in making the word flesh through actually labour in the rebuilding work. </p>


text:
<p>When they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Yahweh given by Moses- </p><p>All spiritual endeavour leads to the Lord inviting us deeper into that endeavour; thus it was as Barnabas and Paul went about their ministering to the Lord that they were invited to go on a missionary journey (<a href='B:510 13:2'>Act 13:2</a>). Likewise it was as the Levites were in process of collecting funds for repairing the temple, that they found the book of the law- perhaps because they needed more space in which to store the donations, and whilst making space they found the scroll. In the process of being a deacon, faith is developed (<a href='B:610 3:13'>1Ti 3:13</a>). The very process of service and obedience leads to greater faith in practice.</p><p>There is an apparent parallel between money being found in the temple, and the book of the law being found (<a href='B:120 22:8-9'>2Ki 22:8-9</a>). The idea is that as David often says in Psalms 119, Yahweh's law was the greatest treasure. So much so that the Chronicles record focuses so much on the book of the law being found that no direct mention is made of the money also "found"along with it until :17. Even in Kings, the discovery of the money is only mentioned in passing, as if the greatest discovery was not wealth, but God's law. And that is an abiding principle.</p>


text:
<p>Hilkiah answered Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of Yahweh. Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan- </p><p>This book was probably not the entire Pentateuch, but the curses for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28, for Josiah's response is appropriate to someone who had just heard them read. But see on :5. <a href='B:300 15:16'>Jer 15:16</a> refers to this: "Your words were found, and I did eat them::. [they] were to me the joy and the delight of my heart: for I am called by Your name, Yahweh". Jeremiah rejoiced in those words of judgment. And as a result, “I am called by Your name”- the language of a woman marrying and taking her husband’s name (<a href='B:290 4:1'>Isa 4:1</a>). The word of God was his “joy [and] delight”- two words used four times elsewhere in Jeremiah, and always in the context of the joy of a wedding (<a href='B:300 7:34'>Jer 7:34</a>; <a href='B:300 16:9'>Jer 16:9</a>; <a href='B:300 25:10'>Jer 25:10</a>; <a href='B:300 33:11'>Jer 33:11</a>). Jeremiah saw his prophetic task as actually a marriage to God, an inbreathing of His word and being, to the point that he could say that he personally was “full of the wrath / passion of God” (<a href='B:300 6:11'>Jer 6:11</a>). Jeremiah's lament that the people had no joy or delight in God's word (<a href='B:300 6:10'>Jer 6:10</a>) is the basis for this comment that when he found God's words, they were his joy.</p>


text:
<p>Shaphan carried the book to the king, and moreover brought back word to the king, saying, All that was committed to your servants, they are doing- </p><p>There appears an intentional contrast here. The book of the law contained a list of curses for disobedience, and the people had not being doing according to God's word. But the message of Shaphan is that the servants are doing all they have been commanded to do. The idea is that Josiah perceived this, and realized that all this rebuilding of the temple was not going to save them of itself. They needed to make a from the heart repentance amongst all the people, in order to truly avoid Divine judgment. And this was so relevant to the exiles, for whom Chronicles was written. Rebuilding the temple alone was not in fact what God primarily wanted. He desired their hearts.</p>


text:
<p>They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of Yahweh, and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers, and into the hand of the workmen- </p><p>The implication is that all was being done honestly. Whenever there was an appeal for materials, money or labour to build the tabernacle or rebuild the temple, God's people were always very responsive. But the lesson of Judah's history is that material generosity is not the same as true spirituality.</p>


text:
<p>Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest has delivered me a book. Shaphan read therein before the king- </p><p>What was read were the curses for disobedience. The harder side of the Father and the Lord Jesus should actually serve as an attraction to the serious believer. Peter knew that if it really was the Lord Jesus out there on the water, then He would bid him walk on the water to Him. Peter knew his Lord, and the sort of things He would ask men to do- the very hardest things for them in their situation. He knew how Jesus could be a demanding Lord. Jeremiah “knew that this was the word of the Lord” when he was asked to do something so humanly senseless- to buy property when he was in prison, when the land was clearly about to be overrun by the Babylonians (<a href='B:300 31:8'>Jer 31:8</a>):&nbsp; When Jeremiah had earlier found the curses for disobedience recorded in the book of the Law which had been lost, He 'ate them', those words of cursings were "the joy and rejoicing of my heart" - they so motivated him (<a href='B:300 15:16'>Jer 15:16</a> = <a href='B:140 34:18-21'>2Ch 34:18-21</a>). When Ananias and Sapphira were slain by the Lord, fear came upon "as many as heard these things" .</p>


text:
<p>It happened, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he tore his clothes- </p><p>Although Josiah was personally innocent, he felt so passionately for God's people. We too need to have hearts that bleed for others, and not be solely concerned with our own standing before God. For our standing before Him involves our attitudes to others and our concern for their salvation, if we truly seek God's glory and not our own.</p>


text:
<p>The king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant saying- </p><p>This is the Ahikam of <a href='B:300 26:24'>Jer 26:24</a>; <a href='B:300 40:5'>Jer 40:5</a>. His son Gedaliah appears to have been faithful and to also have cared for Jeremiah after Jerusalem fell (<a href='B:300 40:6'>Jer 40:6</a>).</p>


text:
<p>Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found. Great is the wrath of Yahweh that is poured out on us, because our fathers have not kept the word of Yahweh, to do according to all that is written in this book-</p><p>"Poured out" is "kindled" in 2 Kings; the sense was that he realized the wrath of God was kindled and was literally about to burn against them, and so repentance must be immediate with no time to lose.</p>


text:
<p>So Hilkiah, and they whom the king had commanded, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she lived in Jerusalem in the second quarter), and they spoke to her to that effect- </p><p>"The second quarter" may refer to a newer area of Jerusalem (<a href='B:430 1:10'>Zep 1:10</a> RV), or as AV "the college", implying as a prophetess she had a kind of Bible study centre. "Keeper of the wardrobe" may refer to the priestly garments (cp. <a href='B:120 10:22'>2Ki 10:22</a>).</p>


text:
<p>She said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me- </p><p>We see here and in :26 how Josiah had no direct vision from God. He was dealing all the time through the prophetic word relayed to him, and his obedience to it is the more commendable. Because it reflects his humility to God's revealed word, in a way more impressive than if these words had come directly to him. We are in his position, and should learn from him.</p>


text:
<p>Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah- </p><p>The reference to curses suggests that the scrolls discovered contained at least Deuteronomy 28 and <a href='B:50 27:15-26'>Deu 27:15-26</a>. See on :5.</p>


text:
<p>Because they have forsaken Me, and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke Me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore is My wrath poured out on this place, and it shall not be quenched’- </p><p>God can be grieved [s:w. 'provoke to anger']. He has emotions, and His potential foreknowledge doesn't mean that these feelings are not legitimate. They are presented as occurring in human time, as responses to human behaviour. This is the degree to which He has accommodated Himself to human time-space limits, in order to fully enter relationship and experience with us. As He can limit His omnipotence, so God can limit His omniscience, in order to feel and respond along with us.</p><p>Idolatrous Israel never consciously&nbsp; tried to provoke Yahweh to anger with their apostasy; the words of the prophets must have seemed to them a gross exaggeration. But this was really how God saw it (<a href='B:140 34:25'>2Ch 34:25</a>).</p><p>Although "it shall not be quenched", Josiah knew God well enough to try to quench it, by getting all His people to make a from the heart commitment to Him. &nbsp;Even though God had told Josiah that His wrath with His people would not be quenched, it would seem that there was still some possibility of "remedy", had the people accepted God's word in their hearts (<a href='B:140 36:16'>2Ch 36:16</a>). We see here His absolute eagerness for their repentance, and unwillingness that any of His people should have to perish. And that is the same God with whom we have to do.</p>


text:
<p>But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, thus you shall tell him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: ‘As touching the words which you have heard- </p><p>See on :23 for the significance of Josiah not receiving these words directly.</p>


text:
<p>because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place, and against its inhabitants, and have humbled yourself before Me and have torn your clothes, and wept before Me; I also have heard you, says Yahweh- </p><p>We see here the mutuality between God and man; He hears the man who hears Him. We see the root of humility as being in having a heart / mind sensitive to Him. But "tender heart" is the same phrase used for being "faint hearted" in time of battle (<a href='B:50 20:3'>Deu 20:3</a>; <a href='B:290 7:4'>Isa 7:4</a>; <a href='B:300 51:46'>Jer 51:46</a>). It was as if Josiah saw the judgment of God coming, as if it had come, and was faint hearted before the soldiers he saw coming against him. And yet even such a tender heart can be given by God (s:w. <a href='B:220 23:16'>Job 23:16</a>), for He can also give attitudes of mind by His sovereign operation&nbsp; .</p>


text:
<p>Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring on this place, and on its inhabitants’. They brought back word to the king- </p><p>This is a similar situation to the promise to Hezekiah and Ahab (<a href='B:110 21:29'>1Ki 21:29</a>). It is as if God judged the entire weight of sin to be such that even Josiah's reformation could only delay and not remove the judgment for it. However, if the people had all repented in their hearts, rather than passively allowing a reformer like Josiah to remove the external evidence of idolatry, then surely the outcome could have been different. See on :31.</p><p>The reality was that Josiah died in battle, not in peace (<a href='B:140 35:22-24'>2Ch 35:22-24</a>). Yet he had been promised to be gathered to his grave in peace (<a href='B:140 34:28'>2Ch 34:28</a>). Here we have an example of God making a statement about the future which is conditional upon human behaviour. Thus He stated that Nineveh would be destroyed in 40 days; but it wasn't, because they repented. There is a gap between the pronouncement and its fulfilment, and in that gap our behaviour can change the outcome. We too must waste so many potential futures.</p>


text:
<p>Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem- </p><p>Josiah's idea was to bring about a reformation of the ordinary people, as in :30 we read of the people small and great being gathered. So presumably his gathering of the leaders was in order for them to bring their people with them.</p>


text:
<p>The king went up to the house of Yahweh, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, both great and small; and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of Yahweh- </p><p>2 Kings has "prophets" for "Levites". There were clearly prophets actively operating at this time. As noted on :31, Josiah saw the only way to change the threatened judgments as getting the ordinary people to repent in their hearts. Unlike Hezekiah, he was not satisfied with simply avoiding seeing judgment come in his days. Indeed he learned from Hezekiah's mistake in that matter. See on <a href='B:140 35:7'>2Ch 35:7</a>.</p>


text:
<p>The king stood in his place, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to walk after Yahweh- </p><p>Maybe a reference to <a href='B:50 10:12-13'>Deu 10:12-13</a>, which perhaps was in this scroll.</p><p>And to keep His commandments, His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart, and with all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book- </p><p>Josiah recognizes that Judah have broken covenant with God and must be judged appropriately (see on :5,28). God was unwilling to ultimately avert the judgment upon the people because of their state of heart. And yet Josiah throws himself into trying to persuade the people to totally give themselves to covenant relationship. He realized that in the gap between the pronunciation of judgment, and it being carried out, there was the possibility of repentance and the judgment not being performed. His mentor Jeremiah had made this point in Jeremiah 18, and was also appealing to the people to change their hearts so that the threatened judgment wouldn't happen. This is how open God's purpose is, and Josiah and Jeremiah perceived that.</p>


text:
<p>He caused all who were found in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. The inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers- </p><p>There are a number of Old Testament examples of preaching the word after becoming aware of the depth of one's own sins. Consider Jonah preaching the second time, with the marks in his body after three days in the whale, admitting his rebellion against Yahweh, pleading with them to respond to His word. Reflect how when his head was wrapped around with seaweed, at the bottom of the sea at the absolute end of mortal life, he made a vow to God, which he then fulfilled, presumably in going back to preach to Nineveh (<a href='B:390 2:9'>Jon 2:9</a>). His response to having confessed his sins and daring to believe in God’s forgiveness, turning again towards His temple even from underwater, was to resolve to preach to others if he was spared his life. And this he did, although as with so many of us, the pureness of his initial evangelical zeal soon flaked. Or consider Manasseh, <a href='B:140 33:16'>2Ch 33:16</a>; Jehoshaphat, <a href='B:140 19:3'>2Ch 19:3</a> cp. 18:31; 19:2; Josiah, <a href='B:140 34:29'>2Ch 34:29</a>; <a href='B:140 34:32'>2Ch 34:32</a>; Nebuchadnezzar, <a href='B:340 3:29'>Dan 3:29</a>; <a href='B:340 4:2'>Dan 4:2</a>::.</p><p>We note the specific reference to the people of Jerusalem. It seems that Josiah tried to gather together literally all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, all "found" there. And yet Jerusalem particularly was to suffer in the judgments to come, and Jeremiah's prophesies at this time tend to single out Jerusalem for particular judgment for the unspirituality of the population. So again we perceive that this was all the enthusiasm of Josiah; the people's hearts weren't affected. This is the trouble with mass meetings for "revival". Reformation is essentially personal and of the heart.</p>


