2 Chronicles 30-31
When you
think back on the attempt of Jehoshaphat to unify Israel and the disaster that
was, you look at these two chapters and see that God showed Hezekiah the right
way to call Israel together.
I really
don't have a lot to say about these chapters other than what is obvious. A
godly king or leader leads his people in following God and worshiping God, and he
oversees the organizing to make this possible. Ezra showed that this passion
for organization began with David and was true of every godly king who had the
heart of David.
Vs. 1-9 I’m
sure that they consulted the Lord on changing the date to celebrate the Passover.
Isaiah was a prophet and I'm sure they sought the Lord to get these
concessions. God had already mentioned in Numbers 9:11 that if someone was
unclean, they could celebrate the Passover in the second month.
Vs. 6-9 This
message was very straightforward and truthful. Political correctness and
tolerant persuasion were not given any credence. The offer was very simple and
the reasons to respond would only have been felt and understood by the humble. Notice
that it refers to there only being a remnant of the people left. It was during
the reign of Ahaz, Hezekiah’s father, when the northern kingdom had been taken
into exile. The fact that God had allowed the Assyrians to take the northern
kingdom into captivity should have had an impact on the Jews who had been left
in the land.
Vs. 10-12 What
is interesting about the couriers being laughed to scorn is that God's judgment
had already hit the northern kingdom. Most of the people had been dragged away
into captivity. These were the few people who were left. Talk about blindness
and arrogance. But even at this late date, there were some who saw and understood
and were humbled. God was still extending grace, but many people decided to
ignore this offer. Still, some responded and came to Judah where the hand of the
Lord was blessing. As disciples, we, like our heavenly Father, keep extending
the offer.
Vs. 13-22 As
the people came together to worship God, they noticed the monuments that had
been standing for years, maybe generations, and understood that they were not
just landmarks, they were idols or places of worship. Notice in v. 15 that the
priests and Levites were ashamed. They never believed that so many people would
show up. They hadn’t bothered to consecrate themselves, so they would be ineligible
to make the sacrifices.
V. 17 Again,
God showed His flexibility by not judging the people from the northern kingdom
who came to eat the Passover. What is even more amazing is that Hezekiah and
the leaders knew those people were in trouble and they prayed for them.
V. 20 Hezekiah,
though not a priest, interceded for the people and God “healed” them, by
forgiving them.
Vs. 23-27 There
was such a spiritual atmosphere and blessing from God that they decided to
celebrate for another seven days. This
second week seems to have surpassed the first week. The spirit of sharing and
devotion to God was so great the entire congregation rejoiced in God, and God
blessed them from His holy habitation.
God had made
the feasts a requirement. Obeying Him and celebrating the feasts would have
kept the country unified and focused on Him. Anyway, that had been the original
plan. Notice that nothing like this had happened since Solomon. What is in view
is probably the dedication of the temple. It is very cool to see the people
gathered together like this. At the same time it is kind of sad that this
happened so seldom since God had made the provision for it to happen three
times a year, not once every two hundred years.
2 Chronicles
31
This
chapter shows the result of this great spiritual awakening. Hezekiah organized the
worship of Israel. Ezra again is showing that political leaders do this because
it is the mark of a truly spiritual leader.
V. 1 This
is the response of the people as they made their way home. Cleansing had
already been done, but I think the deeper the people went spiritually, the more
they noticed the objects of pagan worship that had become invisible parts of
their culture.
Vs. 2-10 Notice
that Hezekiah made sure the tithes were brought in to feed the priests and the
Levites. This was an important part of showing that the people understood the
importance of the sacrifices, the worship and the presence of God among them. Later
in Nehemiah, Nehemiah will set up all of this and convince the priests and
Levites to come to Jerusalem. As soon as Nehemiah went back to Persia, the
people stopped giving and the Levites left and went back to their farms. Tithing
is not a matter of economics and return on investment (Why should I work and
pay to have them sit on their hands?); it is a matter of spiritual perspective.
God had commanded the people to support the priests and Levites so His work
could be done, so His people would be cleansed and so that they would be
unified in His love through the feasts. We have seen too that the Levites
taught the people. Men and women of faith saw this and obeyed. Others didn’t
see the importance at all.
Vs. 11-19 Now
that the people were willingly giving tithes, these resources had to be organized
and stored. All of these names would have had meaning to the returned exiles. In
a couple hundred years Nehemiah would be looking at these Scriptures and trying
to do the very same thing in Jerusalem.
Vs. 20-21 This
is a summary of Hezekiah's faithfulness, and the result was that people were
seeking the Lord.
Romans 15:1-22
Paul is
continuing his teaching about what to do when you have people in the
congregation who are weak in conscience because of their past life in paganism
or in legalism. The answer will be to imitate the love of Christ and to focus
on why we are left here, that is, to proclaim together the glory of God to a
lost world.
Vs. 1-3 Notice
that Jesus is the example. We were (are) all weak and Christ bore with us. He
is our example. So, who do you suppose reproaches sinful worthless humanity?
Vs. 4-7 Verse 4 sounds very much like 1 Corinthians 10:11, Now
these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our
instruction, on whom the end of the age has come.
Notice that the focus of all of this is to
have the unity to proclaim together the glory of God. Jesus again becomes the
one we imitate. He didn't save us to be alike, but to give glory to God
together. Regardless of our differences, we should all be able to welcome one
another into the company of the redeemed and work together in the harvest. Right?
Vs. 8-13 How
Paul and the Spirit state this is very interesting. The promise to Abe and to
this nation is always being respected. Christ came one way, as a servant to the
Jews (Jesus the deacon), for two purposes. First, He confirmed the promises to
the Jews. He didn't fulfill them. He showed by His coming that they would one
day be fulfilled. Second, in fulfillment to the promise to Abraham and using
the blessing to the Jews, Jesus started a fire under the Gentiles so that
because of receiving God's mercy, the Gentiles would proclaim God's glory in
all the earth. That's why we were left here, to proclaim God’s glory. It is
another way of expressing the Great Commission.
Notice how
Paul goes to the OT to show that God's plan of redemption always included the
Gentiles and how reaching the Gentiles was always the mission of the Messiah.
Vs. 14-16 This
is a very clear expression of Paul's commission by God. Notice that one of
Paul’s criteria is that they not only knew the Word, but that they were able to
teach one another. That would be important if disciple-making was functioning
in that church. When Jesus called the disciples as apostles, there were three
things that stood out: they were to be with Him, they were to preach and they
were to have authority. All of these are seen in Paul. Here Paul expresses his
“authority” as his service to the Lord and to other disciples in the harvest.
Vs. 17-21 I think this is our commission also
as disciples working in the harvest. This portion is worth memorizing. When I
read this I think of Paul’s words in 1
Corinthians 4:7 For who sees anything
different in you? What do you have
that you did not receive? If then you
received it, why do you boast as
if you did not receive it?
Paul
understood the grace and commission given to him. It was all a gift and there
was never room to boast in anything but Jesus. I’m sure Paul was amazed and
humbled by what God had done through him. Paul and the Spirit said in 1 Corinthians
15 that Paul worked harder than any other apostle, but it was the grace of God.
Only Jesus could have designed a guy like Paul, and it came at a price to Paul
and to many other believers for Paul to be the grateful, driven man he was. Unknown
to Paul, shortly after this writing, God was going to give him at least four
years of R&R in jail, with some adventures in between.
V. 22, in
my thinking, should have gone with tomorrow's reading.
Psalm 25:1-15
I get the
feeling that David wrote this while he was still in distress, either before
Ziklag or afterward in Hebron. It's interesting to me that when we are in
distress, we also think back on our own sins. I guess we can't help thinking
there might be a connection. Subconsciously we are always under the weight of
our sin and our failures. Isn't it great to know that Christ has lifted that weight,
and we are totally whole, loved and accepted in the Beloved?
The parts
that speak to me are the desire to know the way of the Lord (4-5), the
remembrance of, and pleading for, God's steadfast
love (6-7), the confidence that when the Lord leads us we realize His steadfast love (10), and finally,
David's desire for God's friendship
(14).
Vs. 1-3 David
knew he was being judged and ridiculed for waiting on the Lord. David also knew
that God respected that kind of faith.
Vs. 4-5 In
spite of all the criticism directed at David, David knew he was following the
Lord. David wanted to know the Lord more and more. What a guy.
Vs. 6-10 This
is something David learned from God. What a thing to learn. God gives love and
that love is the basis for forgiveness.
Vs. 11-15 On
the basis of all of this, David became a witness to the nations, glorifying the
Lord for His love and greatness.
Proverbs 20:13-15
This seems like
another random smattering of wisdom. I guess if I were putting them together to
make sense of them, I would say that diligence (13) and craftiness (14) can get
you what you need, because there is an abundance of gold and costly stones to
be had (15); but lips of knowledge (of the Lord) are rarer, more valuable, and
you only get them one way. We have to seek the Lord and stay alert for His
leading (13). The people in the ruined northern kingdom figured this out when
they received Hezekiah's offer to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem. They
humbled themselves, saw the opportunity, sought the Lord and went to Jerusalem.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/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 complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
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.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
