If They Don't Know... Teach Them

 

Ezra 7:25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. 26 Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.” 27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, 28 and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

After the Exile, it is amazing how the Persian leaders gave such freedom and authority for the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, the city, and a life there. They provided them with everything they needed. Ezra was able to see that this was much bigger than himself or even those Persian leaders; it was the steadfast love of the Lord.  With this privilege came great responsibility: to teach and reteach the people the ways of the Lord.  As God gives us opportunity to build and rebuild, may we respond with the same kind of appreciation and action Ezra did.

What One Bad Choice Can Do

 

II Chronicles 35:22 Nevertheless, Josiah did not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to fight in the plain of Megiddo. 23 And the archers shot King Josiah. And the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.” 24 So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariot and brought him to Jerusalem. And he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25 Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments. 26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his good deeds according to what is written in the Law of the Lord, 27 and his acts, first and last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

Josiah, like Hezekiah, had made a lot of good choices in restoring worship, the Passover, and obedience to God and His Word. For whatever reason, when Neco came through the region (as Egypt often did in going to battle with their enemies, Josiah decided to try to stop him.  There was no need. There was no seeking God for direction. Notice the effect on the nation: long-lasting laments. People looked back on this decision as a turning point: the revival under Josiah ended abruptly and Judah was never the same again. May we take heed.

Humility Makes the Difference

II Chronicles 34:23 And she said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 24 Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. 25 Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. 26 But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, 27 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 28 Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.’”

As we saw yesterday, when Hezekiah ruled over Judah, there was a lot of positive renewal in the land, but eventually his pride settled in. Then next two kings thrived on that pride, and the kingdom took a nosedive. In this chapter, we find another bright spot in the reign of Josiah. Under his rule the Law of God was found, read, and responded to.  This postponed the eventual disaster and proper respond of God to carry out the covenant curses agree upon by the people with God. But Josiah would not see this disaster. Why? His humility. God was also going to be faithful to keep His covenant promises toward true humility. He is the same God today.

Hezekiah: AKA Solomon II

 

II Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death, and he prayed to the Lord, and he answered him and gave him a sign. 25 But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. 26 But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

As we have seen, great things happened in Judah during the days of Hezekiah. The temple was restored; worship was revitalized; Passover was reinstated; Jerusalem prospered; the Assyrians were repelled. Life was safe, comfortable, and good. Things had never been better than the days of Solomon. Including pride. When success permeates, the temptation to pride is great. We can see in some of the wisdom literature of Solomon his struggle with it, and it led to problems after his death. The same would be true of Hezekiah. Pride does lead to that fall; it just might not be in our lifetime. Hezekiah's rule was good, but not perfect. May we never be deluded to think our lives are either. May we avoid at all costs the temptations to pride.

Brought Back Together

 II Chronicles 30:23 Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the feast for another seven days. So they kept it for another seven days with gladness. 24 For Hezekiah king of Judah gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep for offerings, and the princes gave the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. And the priests consecrated themselves in great numbers. 25 The whole assembly of Judah, and the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the sojourners who came out of the land of Israel, and the sojourners who lived in Judah, rejoiced. 26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. 27 Then the priests and the Levites arose and blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came to his holy habitation in heaven.

We have seen how far downward Judah had spiraled spiritually, having been influenced by the idolatry of the surrounding nations, including Israel. The reign of Hezekiah not only halted that but brought about the restoration of worship in the temple, including the long-lost feast of Passover, which had not been held for generations. It was a glorious celebration. Once phrase which might go unnoticed is extremely significant: and the whole assembly that came out of Israel. Some from the northern kingdom left their false worship to rejoin the spiritual fold of true Israel, just like when it had been one united kingdom. That was monumental. God took notice and heard their voice and prayer. One day all believers of all times will worship that way. What a day that will be!

Worship Restored!

II Chronicles 29:25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king's seer and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the Lord through his prophets. 26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27 Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the Lord began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29 When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 

We saw yesterday how King Ahaz had brought things in Judah to a new low. Not only did he promote idol worship in the land; he also shut down worship of the True and Living God in the temple and left it in ruins, allowing pagan worship there. Hezekiah was a breath of fresh air, coming in and cleansing the temple, repairing it, restoring the work of the Levites, and consecrating it and the people to the worship of the Lord. What a great day it would be to get back to worshipping Him! Lay aside anything you have put in way of doing so. Worship Him.

A New Low

 

II Kings 28:22 In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. 23 For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and he shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. 25 In every city of Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the Lord, the God of his fathers. 26 Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

This chapter begins with a description of Ahaz's approach to worship: he chose to worship the Baals and to practice child sacrifice. Because of this, God allowed Syria to defeat him. Rather than call out to God in repentance, Ahaz tried calling on other pagan nations to help him. Rather than aid him, they defeated and plundered Judah even more. Rather than repent, he chose to totally abandon the worship of the worship of the Lord and add other idols to his menu. Once again, this earned him a place outside the cemetery of the kings and the list of good Kings in Jerusalem. How do you respond to discipline? Do you just go lower and farther away from God?