Even the Gatekeepers!

I Chronicles 9:22 All these, who were chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were 212. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. David and Samuel the seer established them in their office of trust. 23 So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tent, as guards. 24 The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south. 25 And their kinsmen who were in their villages were obligated to come in every seven days, in turn, to be with these, 26 for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were entrusted to be over the chambers and the treasures of the house of God. 27 And they lodged around the house of God, for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.

After several chapters on the genealogies of all the tribes of Israel, we come to those who were the first to return to Jerusalem after the exile.  They had a heritage that went way back.  Even the gatekeepers of the temple.  They could trace their heritage back through the time of David, and of course, to the house of Levi.  Their job of had not seemed hard or important to many, but when the return from exile came, they were especially important, as opposition to their return was great.  Every person, every responsibility was and is important to God and His people.  David the king had understood that. Do we?

Getting Caught up on History

I Chronicles 1:17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother's name was Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu; 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27 Abram, that is, Abraham.

Often when we get to these lists of genealogies, we cringe, wondering what to do with them all, let alone know how to pronounce them. We wonder why they are there. First, the serve to give us historical perspective, knowing how certain situations - in this, the kings of Jerusalem - fit into the overall plan of God for man.  Secondly, we do find some special details pertinent to history which we might miss in the full story, such as the comment about Peleg, Joktan, and Abraham.  With so many names, it is important to keep them straight (sort of like reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy.) Also, here we find names of kings of surrounding nations not elsewhere in scripture, which become important details for the kingdom years. With all this as background we will be able to comprehend what God was doing and through whom. So don't be intimidated by any part of scripture. We need it.

Making a Terrible Thing Worse

II Kings 25:23 Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. 24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

This chapter begins with the final fall of Jerusalem to Babylon and the exile that followed. As if things were not bad enough, some of those who were allowed the privilege of remaining in the land rebelled against the Babylonians and the Jewish governor they had appointed and chose to flee back to Egypt, where they came from before the Exodus.  In Jeremiah we find he was against this; his counsel had been to live faithfully for God wherever He placed you.  What are some ways you have resisted God's will, making matters worse?

Too Little, Too Late?

II Kings 23:24 Moreover, Josiah put away the mediums and the necromancers and the household gods and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might establish the words of the law that were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the Lord.25 Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him. 26 Still the Lord did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. 27 And the Lord said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.”

Josiah's reign was an exciting time of renewal in Judah, yet it did not right all the wrongs that she had done. The next paragraph tells us that Josiah's rule was cut short when he was killed in battle, and that Judah soon went back to their old ways, with the palace filled with intrigue and rebellion. However, Josiah's reign was not a waste. Even if we cannot undo all that has been done wrong before us, we should seek God with a whole heart and allow Him to do all He will in and through us. 

Holding on for the ride.

II Kings 21:19 Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Meshullemeth the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. 20 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done. 21 He walked in all the way in which his father walked and served the idols that his father served and worshiped them. 22 He abandoned the Lord, the God of his fathers, and did not walk in the way of the Lord. 23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. 24 But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

After some rays of hope during the reign of Hezekiah, things in Judah again began to spiral downward like a scary roller coaster.  By the time we get to Amon, we find it sounds a lot like the northern kingdom: short reign, pagan mother, "did evil", "walked in all the ways of his father , served and worshipped idols, abandoned the Lord and did not walk in His way, faced a violent death.  His reign also left his people divided.  Was there any hope for Judah? Not because of them, but because of God's faithfulness. 

Creating Mistrust

 II Kings 18:26 Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah, said to the Rabshakeh, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it. Do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.” 27 But the Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the men sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine?” 28 Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. 30 Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 

Israel had fallen, and now the southern kingdom of Judah was going down the same bumpy road. Assyria was now laying siege to Jerusalem and demanding terms of "peace."  The envoys sent from the king of Assyria wanted to instill fear into the hearts of the people and create mistrust of both Hezekiah and God. They promised the people peace and prosperity. But they misunderstood how things worked in Judah. Isaiah spoke for God, giving instructions to not trust the Assyrians and continue to trust in God.  Hezekiah and the people repented, and God protected and provided.  Beware envoys of fear and mistrust. Seek God.

Lions in the Land

II Kings 17:24 And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva,
Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. 25 And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord. Therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 So the king of Assyria was told, “The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land. Therefore he has sent lions among them, and behold, they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.” 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, “Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there, and let him go and dwell there and teach them the law of the god of the land.” 28 So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel and taught them how they should fear the Lord. 29 But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived.

We have seen the continual downward spiral of the northern kingdom of Israel away from God. Ultimately, as promised, God took them away into exile. The emperor shuffled people around, and though the sins of Israel were great, their acts were nothing in comparison to the pagan idolatry of other lands. The land was not intended by God to be used that way. Even though they were "taught" the right things, they did not live to worship the Most High God.