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JULY
26
2
Chronicles 17-18
Unlike the writer of 1 & 2
Kings, Ezra is only interested in the kings of the Davidic line. Today we get
far more information on Jehoshaphat than we did in 1 Kings. Again, he was an
amazing man of faith, yet one who destroyed everything good that he had done.
Actually, we will be reading about the fallout of one amazingly blind decision
for the next few days. As you read these two chapters, learn from the good
things he did, and then try to understand what it was that motivated him to
make such grave mistakes.
2 Chronicles 17
Vs. 1-6 Notice that the kings
are "graded" in terms of David, that is, of following Yahweh only. Jehoshaphat
sought the Lord and he was courageous in following the Lord. I’m certain that
one of the reasons many of the commands of the Lord were not followed is that
it was hard, even for a king, to make the people obey and then to put up with
all the resistance. Joe must have had a good way with people. He would have
been reigning with his father Asa during the final years of Asa’s bitterness,
and therefore the people would have been looking more and more to Joe. The fact
that everyone brought him gifts and wealth shows they thought he was a great
administrator. One other note is that because Asa sent so much of his wealth
north to bribe the Syrians, it might have been felt that Jehoshaphat needed it.
It was the Lord who made Joe rich, not his own efforts. Keep this in mind.
Vs. 7-9 This was a very wise
thing that Jehoshaphat did. You don't read about any other king doing this.
Vs. 10-19 Notice that the result
of Jehoshaphat's godliness was that God brought this fear and respect. Notice
again that God was making Joe secure and bringing him wealth. You wonder then
why Jehoshaphat spent so much time building up the "might" of Judah.
Ironically, it wasn't the southern kingdom's might that put them in this
position. God honored Jehoshaphat for honoring Him. I wonder why this was so
important to Joe. This pride and his military might well lead to the next
event. Almost all of the godly kings did something silly when they became
strong.
2 Chronicles 18
Vs. 1-3 Now that Jehoshaphat was
strong and honored, he did something that was totally wrong. Without seeking
the Lord, he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. I think he knew God would have
said no. I think God is trying to tell us something. My only conclusion is that
Joe thought he should work to unite the northern and southern kingdoms. This
might have been motivated out of a good heart, seeing how God had blessed him,
but we know for sure that he never asked God about this. Look ahead at 2 Chronicles
19:1-3. How sad and ironic. Notice that in 2 Chronicles 15:9 it was God’s
blessing that brought people to King Asa and began to unite the country.
Ironically, Ahab probably wanted
Joe’s help because of Joe’s nice shiny army. This is just speculation, but
since Ramoth-gilead had been a Levitical city of refuge, I wonder if Ahab used
that to give the “righteous” Jehoshaphat a religious reason to join together
with him.
Vs. 4-11 This is a sad portion. It
appears that Jehoshaphat was being wise and godly, but Joe had already
committed himself to helping Ahab. These words are condescendingly foolish at
best. If Joe had asked God if he should even be there, God would have said,
"No." Unknown to Joe, he was under the satanic influence that was
bearing down on Ahab. We see this influence in the form of this false prophet
Zedekiah. We find out in the next section what made Zedekiah so believable and
persuasive.
Vs. 12-27 This story is rich
with lessons. These kings had hardened their hearts to the Lord’s will and so
God was giving them up to the lies they wanted to hear. I think this principle
is still one God uses today for those who seriously don’t want to listen to
Him.
V. 15 How funny. Apparently
Micaiah had parroted or imitated the false prophets and Ahab saw the ridicule.
Ahab actually tried to make it look like he was the spiritual man always having
to deal with this foolish prophet.
V. 16 Just the change of tone
should have given people goose bumps. This is an incredible portion of the
Word.
Vs. 20-22 When we set our hearts
to join those who are rebelling against God, we put ourselves under the same
satanic influence that is working on them. In this case, Jehoshaphat was also
falling under the judgment of God on Ahab. Even before they sought the advice
of God, they had already made up their minds. You and I can do this too. You
have to wonder what was going through Joe's mind when he heard this from
Micaiah. He must have known he was wrong, but hardened his heart and still
didn't back down.
Vs. 23-27 It is hard to imagine
a godly man like Joe allowing this to happen. I’ll bet he knew in his heart of
hearts that this was a true prophet of God. And he just sat there and watched
the abuse of Micaiah.
Vs. 28-34 What a bummer. Micaiah
was right even though they tried to “trick” God.
V. 31 We see this formula all
the time. We cry out and He hears us. Notice that Ahab didn’t cry out. He is
the perfect heroic unbeliever, dying in stubbornness for nothing.
We still have two chapters about
Jehoshaphat, but he has shown here the mind and heart attitudes that will bring
about tremendous ruin in his family and in Israel. I’m sure Ezra was hoping the
returnees would take to heart how serious it was to mix in with the ungodly. As
disciples we have this tremendous faith in us to follow Christ; yet, as Paul
says in Romans, we have this deep sin within us that pushes us to ignore God at
crucial points in our lives. We all have personal issues within us that are a
challenge to our obedience and faith. When some idea or project tempts us to go
forward and not seek God or hear Him, we need to stop. These details from the
lives of such great men of faith are recorded here for no other reason than to
warn us to be careful, as we walk before our Lord in His work in the harvest.
Romans
9:22-10:13
The editors who put in the
chapter and verse breaks generally did a great job. Because of the tight logic
of Romans, the editors did an exact job here. The chapters in Romans comprise
complete thoughts, so, in the way we're reading it in The One Year Bible,
it is a bit disjointed. I would recommend paging back or ahead and read the
complete chapters.
Romans 9:22-33
Vs. 22-24 Read this as the
conclusion of Paul's thinking from yesterday.
Paul is slanting the argument
toward those who object to God's "use" of the disobedient. If God
knows before a person is born that they will rebel against Him, why even let
them live? Yet, God allows these people to live and enjoy life and raise heck
and do all sorts of stuff that, if you think about it, is hard for God to
watch. This is that perfect love of the Father who sends His rain on the just
and unjust. Yet, in His divine wisdom and power, He also uses them for His
glory and for the purpose of redemption. When it is all said and done, the lost
will be lost because of their choices and their free will to reject God. God gives
the rebellious chances, shows them love and grace, allows them to live and
enjoy life; but in His wisdom He uses them for His purpose.
What we don't see yet is that
Paul will say that God is using the disobedience of Israel so that the Gentiles
can be saved. This is just "step one" of Paul's argument. In chapter
11 he brings it all together and gets the future nation of Israel saved too!
Vs. 25-29 Saul of Tarsus (Paul)
was an intense student of Scripture. At his conversion, his world was shaken.
Not only had he been wrong, but he had opposed God, cheered for those who
killed the Messiah and had persecuted, beaten, and had part in the murder of
many believers in Christ. After his conversion, Paul disappeared for about
three years during his Damascus adventure. And after he visited Jerusalem, Paul
disappeared again for 10+ years until Barnabas found him up in Turkey. During
those years of silence, Paul must have reexamined the Word, trying to
understand how he and the Jews missed it, and why salvation was now going to
the Gentiles. This passage is evidence (actually all of Romans is evidence) of
how thoroughly Paul searched the Scriptures.
Summing up these passages, Paul
is showing that the Gentiles are now the focus of God’s plan of redemption and
that a remnant of Israel has been saved. The fact that Jews could be saved at
all signifies that they are a remnant saved by grace; but the time is coming
when the nation will turn to God.
Vs. 30-33 This is Paul's
conclusion to this part of his argument. You say, "What argument? What's
his point?" What is written here is Paul's point. As Isaiah and Jesus
predicted, the Jews stumbled over God’s plan and particularly over Jesus. The
next chapter will support this point. Then chapter 11 will go further and show
that in God's plan of redemption, the complete fulfillment of the promise of
Abraham and the establishment of the believing nation of Israel is still
future. The fulfillment of the promise to Abe is intertwined with the
redemption of the Gentiles. Through Abe’s offspring (Jesus) all nations (Gentiles)
would be blessed. (Gal. 3:8)
Notice in this that the
cornerstone was a person and that those who were to believe in that person
would not be put to shame. The promises to Adam and Eve, Abe, and David all had
to do with a Son, a Person who would win the redemption of man. This reminds me
too of Isaiah’s description of the Christ, a root out of dry ground. Not pretty
or physically appealing, but He was the Messiah all the same and He is mighty
to save.
Romans 10:1-13
This is a famous portion of the
NT because of vs. 9-13. This entire chapter will show that Israel can only be
saved through faith.
Vs. 1-4 The basis of
righteousness was always going to be that promised child. The Jews in Jesus’
day became lost in following the law and becoming righteous in their own
estimation. That’s interesting when you think of the Old Testament, since the
major problem in most of Israel’s history was idolatry and living as if Yahweh
was just one of many gods. The Judaism of Jesus’ day was a zeal for God, but
without truly knowing or loving God.
Vs. 5-8 This is very
interesting. It would mean that Moses’ words in Deuteronomy were really
describing following God in faith in the promise to Abraham. This is one of
those portions that show how Paul worked through the OT, looking for salvation
by faith. This is from Moses' final words to Israel in Deuteronomy 30:11-14.
Look at these OT verses and imagine that the Spirit was really telling the
people that rather than religious routine, from the very beginning the law
could only be followed through faith.
Vs. 9-11 These are very famous
and important verses. Notice, it all has to do with a confession, and the heart
and a Person. It isn’t just faith. It is becoming absorbed in a Person. In the
OT, it was faith in the promise to Adam and Eve regarding her child. It was
faith in the seed or offspring of Abraham. It was faith in the eternal heir of
David. And all of this “faith” wasn’t “faith” until it became confession and
following.
Vs. 12-13 Think of all the
crying out we have read from David. Think of all the mentions of kings who
sought God. This is all the Lord has ever wanted and it is the only way that a
person can be saved. Notice this isn’t belief in a god or a supreme being. It
is calling upon the God of Abraham. It is calling upon the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
The message in the harvest is
very simple. God does the rest.
Psalm
20
You wonder if David wrote this
in his early years as the king of Israel. There were still battles to be
fought, but David was in Zion (v. 2) and he had the assurance that God had
helped him (v. 6).
David might have written this
before a battle with the Philistines or one of the armies hired from the north.
But because of the years he had depended on the Lord during hard and uncertain
times, you know that he was assured now that trusting in the name of the Lord,
not armies (think of Jehoshaphat above), was his strength and salvation.
Vs. 1-5 David understood that
victory had to do with personal integrity and devotion to the Lord. Notice the
blessing that David invokes on those who follow the Lord.
Vs. 6-8 After all of David’s
years of running and waiting, he knew he could trust the Lord,
V. 9 Now David was calling for
help for the immediate challenge before him.
Proverbs
20:2-3
We don't really worry about
"kings," unless we mean bosses, police or teachers. Maybe, it would
be good to think of the Lord here. There is a very healthy fear of the Lord
that keeps us safe, just like being afraid to put your hand on the stove or to
speed past a cop. Sin needs to be kept in check, and fear sometimes does the
trick.
V. 3 Along with this, I think of what Paul tells Timothy in
2 Timothy 2:23-26, Have nothing to do
with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome
but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25correcting his opponents with gentleness.
God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26and
they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after
being captured by him to do his will.
It is good to fear and respect the Lord, and just to obey.
It might feel like fun to be right and win an argument, but Paul tells Timothy
what is really at stake. And above all, as disciples, we are the Lord's
servants. We are not here in this harvest to serve ourselves.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, 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 (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full presentation
of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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