2 Chronicles 24-25
2 Chr. 24
Vs. 1-14 Twice in this section there is a curious phrase, "all the days of Jehoiada." This points to another of those "weaknesses" that we are all prone to and have seen in the church. There are believers who look good as long as there are others around them. They are kind of like the seed sown on rocky ground. They pop up and look good, but when left alone, they have no "root in themselves," no genuine relationship with God. Church activities and even working in the harvest provided them with a purpose that was no deeper than the activity, and they never had "their own" relationship with Christ.
Vs. 15-22 If you understand this, Jehoiada was used by God to save the Davidic line. Now there were surely other people roaming around who could trace their lineage back to David. You see this in the genealogies of Joseph and Mary in the NT, showing that Jesus' lineage went back to David two different ways. Still, Jehoiada showed great courage and faith in the promise of God to do what he did. Also, you realize that Jehoiada was no spring chicken. Humanly speaking, his goose should have already been cooked. He was at least in his 90s. As a result of God's use and purpose for him, he will live to be 130. That's older than Moses was when he died.
V. 19 Notice that there were others whom God sent to try to break through to Joash. God gave him lots of chances.
V. 20 This is kind of cool that the Spirit "clothed" Zechariah. The reason why this rebuke went deeper is that it looks like it was public. Growing up, Zechariah would have been like a big brother to Joash.
V. 22 is Ezra's commentary on this "fake" believer.
Vs. 23-27 Notice that this judgment didn't come the next day. God waited. The more you read the Bible, the more you see that "waiting" is almost an attribute of God. His waiting causes His people to grow in faith and it causes the rebellious to think everything's cool and they keep on sinning. The result is that God's people get stronger and write psalms of praise, and the other guys get a rude awakening.
It is interesting and probably just trivia that the two assassins were both descendants of Lot.
2 Chr. 25
This is a very strange story and you only hear of half of it in Kings. This is now the great-great grandson of Jehoshaphat. His sin has now seeped into the 4th generation. Read this and try to figure out what could possibly have been going on in Amaziah's mind. It blows me away, but actually we saw this with some of the kings of the north who lived with Elijah and Elisha and didn't grow in faith or follow God.
Vs. 1-13 As you read this, except for Ezra's note in verse two, this guy looks pretty kosher and shows some genuine faith.
Vs. 14-16 What was going on? How did Amaziah view spirituality? Was it that he had this victory and thought that he did this himself? Were the idols made out of diamond?
V. 16 is a pretty awesome verse. Notice that the prophet stopped arguing with Amaziah.
Vs. 17-24 This is the story we have already read in Kings. Now we understand why Amaziah lost the battle and why he was so arrogant. In fact, his arrogance shows us what must have been going on in his heart when he won the battle with the Edomites. He really thought he had won the battle on his own.
V. 20 Ezra's commentary to the new generation returning to the land.
Vs. 25-28 It is amazing that God punished Amaziah but didn't take him out. Actually, his ungodliness became a test of the godliness of the people, and they took care of him. Maybe this is also Ezra's encouragement to the people and leaders of Israel not to tolerate an ungodly ruler.
V. 28 He was still honored in burial as a descendant of David, the line of promise.
Romans 12
One of the challenges in verse one is to be able to think through all the past 11 chapters and understand the impact of "I appeal to you therefore brethren by the mercies of God..." How would you summarize what Paul and the Spirit have said in such a way as to give you such a spiritual shot of adrenaline that you would live a supernatural life on earth, submitted to Christ and God's purpose of redemption in the world?
The spiritual "awe" of what Paul has been writing is going to be used to convince these people to take command of their lives on earth so that they can work together as a mixed church, proclaiming the testimony of God's glory in a lost world.
V. 3 Do you detect that Paul is addressing a problem here? Verses 1-2, then, are to have the impact of getting them to see their own personal issues as insignificant in comparison to God's redemptive mercy.
Vs. 3-8 How do you think having a mixed "Jew-Gentile" congregation aggravated the problem with gifts? What do you see in these verses that give them a spiritual understanding to help them get along together?
Vs. 9-11 How would you title these verses? If Paul kept referring back to verses 1&2, it would sound something like, on the basis of the past 11 chapters, (insert verses 1&2), and therefore let us…..
Verses 9-11 are definitely referring to those in the church.
Vs. 14-21 To whom are these verses directed? Everyone, or to people outside the church? Do you see that the impact of chapters 1-11and the summary of 12:1-2 are supposed to put these people in the spiritual frame of mind to do this?
What Paul is writing here is very similar to what Jesus told his disciples in the sermon on the mount. If disciples are focused on Christ and the work in the harvest, their perspective on themselves and on life is supposed to lift them above themselves and give them a spiritual perspective on how to live in this harvest.
Psalm 22:19-31
This part of the psalm still seems to be "messianic" in describing the aftermath of Christ's death and resurrection. The words here seem like something reflected from Isaiah 53:10-12.
Vs. 19-21 The deliverance has been from the irrational violence of men. Notice the "wild life." I grew up around these kinds of people.
Vs. 22-26 This seems like David is giving testimony to Israel of deliverance and praising God.
Vs. 27-31 This is the proclamation to the earth that there is deliverance in God. This is what we, as disciples, get to pass on in the harvest.
Proverbs 20:8-10
These all seem a little random. As I read this first one, I think of what Paul said in Corinthians 2:15, "The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one."
This was God's ideal for a king or a person who ruled others. David and Solomon were men like this, and were renowned for their judgments, until their unconfessed sin and its damage ruined them.
We all have sinned, but that doesn't mean we can't judge. Verse 9 is true in that we cannot say we have made our hearts pure, but we can say that God in His Word, through His Spirit, is working on them.
The judgments or the stuff that goes into discerning one thing from another come from true weights and measures. The one who sets these weights and measures morally, and who sees the hearts of men, is God. It is on the basis of God's truth, that we can determine right from wrong and make just judgments, even though we ourselves are needy. God's Word gives us the true "weights and balances."
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
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