2 Chronicles 35:20 After all this that Josiah had prepared for the temple, King Neco of Egypt marched up to fight at Carchemish by the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to confront him. 2 Chronicles 35:21 But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What is the issue between you and me, king of Judah? I have not come against you today, but I am fighting another dynasty. God told me to hurry. Stop opposing God who is with me; don’t make him destroy you!” 2 Chronicles 35:22 But Josiah did not turn away from him; instead, in order to fight with him he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God but went to the Valley of Megiddo to fight. 2 Chronicles 35:23 The archers shot King Josiah, and he said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am severely wounded!” 2 Chronicles 35:24 So his servants took him out of the war chariot, carried him in his second chariot, and brought him to Jerusalem. Then he died, and they buried him in the tomb of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 2 Chronicles 35:25 Jeremiah chanted a dirge over Josiah, and all the male and female singers still speak of Josiah in their dirges today. They established them as a statute for Israel, and indeed they are written in the Dirges. 2 Chronicles 35:26 The rest of the events of Josiah’s reign, along with his deeds of faithful love according to what is written in the law of Yahveh, 2 Chronicles 35:27 and his words, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.
keep listening
We should not be surprised that the great reforming king Josiah would end his life in such an ignominious way. His story is of one who dared to respond to the word of the LORD. His only failure is that he did not recognize that word when it came from the mouth of the king of Egypt. Had Josiah only been listening, as he had before, he would have been able to keep up his reforms, and might have spared his kingdom much misery. May this be a lesson for believers to keep listening. It might be that the next word from our LORD will come from an unexpected mouth.
LORD, keep us willing to hear what you want us to know.
2 Chronicles 35:1 Josiah observed Yahveh’s Passover and slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2 Chronicles 35:2 He appointed the priests to their responsibilities and encouraged them to serve in Yahveh’s temple. 2 Chronicles 35:3 He said to the Levites who taught all Israel the holy things of Yahveh, “Put the holy ark in the temple built by Solomon son of David king of Israel. Since you do not have to carry it on your shoulders, now serve Yahveh your God and his people Israel. 2 Chronicles 35:4 “Organize your ancestral families by your divisions according to the written instruction of King David of Israel and that of his son Solomon. 2 Chronicles 35:5 Serve in the holy place by the groupings of the ancestral families for your brothers, the lay people, and according to the division of the Levites by family. 2 Chronicles 35:6 Slaughter the Passover lambs, consecrate yourselves, and make preparations for your brothers to carry out the word of Yahveh through Moses.” 2 Chronicles 35:7 Then Josiah donated thirty thousand sheep, lambs, and young goats, plus three thousand cattle from his own possessions, for the Passover sacrifices for all the lay people who were present. 2 Chronicles 35:8 His officials also donated willingly for the people, the priests, and the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, chief officials of God’s temple, gave twenty-six hundred Passover sacrifices and three hundred cattle for the priests. 2 Chronicles 35:9 Conaniah and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah, Jeiel, and Jozabad, officers of the Levites, donated five thousand Passover sacrifices for the Levites, plus five hundred cattle. 2 Chronicles 35:10 So the service was established; the priests stood at their posts and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command. 2 Chronicles 35:11 Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs, and while the Levites were skinning the animals, the priests splattered the blood they had been given. 2 Chronicles 35:12 They removed the burnt offerings so that they might be given to the groupings of the ancestral families of the lay people to offer to Yahveh, according to what is written in the book of Moses; they did the same with the cattle. 2 Chronicles 35:13 They roasted the Passover lambs with fire according to regulation. They boiled the holy sacrifices in pots, kettles, and bowls; and they quickly brought them to the lay people. 2 Chronicles 35:14 Afterward, they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, since the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were busy offering up burnt offerings and fat until night. So the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. 2 Chronicles 35:15 The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer. Also, the gatekeepers were at each temple gate. None of them left their tasks because their Levite brothers had prepared for them. 2 Chronicles 35:16 So all the service of Yahveh was established that day for observing the Passover and for offering burnt offerings on the altar of Yahveh, according to the command of King Josiah. 2 Chronicles 35:17 The Israelites who were present in Judah also observed the Passover at that time and the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days. 2 Chronicles 35:18 No Passover had been observed like it in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel. None of the kings of Israel ever observed a Passover like the one that Josiah observed with the priests, the Levites, all Judah, the Israelites who were present in Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 35:19 In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign, this Passover was observed.
the feast, the past and the future
In the same year that Josiah rediscovered the Book of the Law, he reinstituted the Passover, and celebrated it as none had ever done in his lifetime. It was a tremendous celebration of God’s grace, which looked back to the time that the LORD rescued the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, and looked forward to the day when the Messiah would die on a cross to rescue all sinners from death. Christians regularly remind ourselves of that grace when we partake of the LORD’s supper. That feast looks back on our deliverance at the cross, and forward to the day when we celebrate his grace in the renewed earth that grace will make possible.
LORD, teach us to look back at your grace, and forward to its result.
2 Chronicles 34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:2 He did what was right in Yahveh’s sight and walked in the ways of his ancestor David; he did not turn aside to the right or the left. 2 Chronicles 34:3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a youth, Josiah began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and in the twelfth year he began to cleanse Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images. 2 Chronicles 34:4 Then in his presence the altars of the Baals were torn down, and he chopped down the shrines that were above them. He shattered the Asherah poles, the carved images, and the cast images, crushed them to dust, and scattered them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. 2 Chronicles 34:5 He burned the bones of the priests on their altars. So, he cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:6 He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali and on their surrounding mountain shrines. 2 Chronicles 34:7 He tore down the altars, and he smashed the Asherah poles and the carved images to powder. He chopped down all the shrines throughout the land of Israel and returned to Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:8 In the eighteenth year of his reign, in order to cleanse the land and the temple, Josiah sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, along with Maaseiah the governor of the city and the court historian Joah son of Joahaz, to repair the temple of Yahveh his God. 2 Chronicles 34:9 So they went to the high priest Hilkiah and gave him the silver brought into God’s temple. The Levites and the doorkeepers had collected it from Manasseh, Ephraim, and from the entire remnant of Israel, and from all Judah, Benjamin, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:10 They gave it to those doing the work– those who oversaw Yahveh’s temple. They gave it to the workmen who were working in Yahveh’s temple, to repair and restore the temple; 2 Chronicles 34:11 they gave it to the carpenters and builders and also used it to buy quarried stone and timbers– for joining and making beams– for the buildings that Judah’s kings had destroyed. 2 Chronicles 34:12 The men were doing the work with integrity. Their overseers were Jahath and Obadiah, Levites from the Merarites, and Zechariah and Meshullam from the Kohathites as supervisors. The Levites were all skilled with musical instruments. 2 Chronicles 34:13 They were also over the porters and were supervising all those doing the work task by task. Some of the Levites were secretaries, officers, and gatekeepers. 2 Chronicles 34:14 When they brought out the silver that had been deposited in Yahveh’s temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of Yahveh written by the hand of Moses. 2 Chronicles 34:15 Consequently, Hilkiah told the court secretary Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in Yahveh’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan. 2 Chronicles 34:16 Shaphan took the book to the king, and also reported, “Your servants are doing all that was placed in their hands. 2 Chronicles 34:17 They have emptied out the silver that was found in Yahveh’s temple and have given it to the overseers and to those doing the work.” 2 Chronicles 34:18 Then the court secretary Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. 2 Chronicles 34:19 When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. 2 Chronicles 34:20 Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the court secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah, 2 Chronicles 34:21 “Go and inquire of Yahveh for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is Yahveh’s wrath that is poured out on us because our ancestors have not kept the word of Yahveh in order to do everything written in this book.” 2 Chronicles 34:22 So Hilkiah and those the king had designated went to the prophetess Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath, son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. She lived in Jerusalem in the Second District. They spoke with her about this. 2 Chronicles 34:23 She said to them, “This is what Yahveh God of Israel says: Say to the man who sent you to me, 2 Chronicles 34:24 ‘This is what Yahveh says: I am about to bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants, fulfilling all the curses written in the book that they read in the presence of the king of Judah, 2 Chronicles 34:25 because they have abandoned me and burned incense to other gods so as to anger me with all the works of their hands. My wrath will be poured out on this place, and it will not be quenched.’ 2 Chronicles 34:26 Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of Yahveh: ‘This is what Yahveh God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard, 2 Chronicles 34:27 because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before me, and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I myself have heard’– this is Yahveh’s declaration. 2 Chronicles 34:28 ‘I will indeed gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.'” Then they reported to the king. 2 Chronicles 34:29 So the king sent messengers and gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 34:30 The king went up to Yahveh’s temple with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as well as the priests and the Levites– all the people from the oldest to the youngest. He read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in Yahveh’s temple. 2 Chronicles 34:31 Then the king stood at his post and made a covenant in Yahveh’s presence to follow Yahveh and to keep his commands, his decrees, and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul in order to carry out the words of the covenant written in this book. 2 Chronicles 34:32 He had all those present in Jerusalem and Benjamin agree to it. So all the inhabitants of Jerusalem carried out the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 34:33 So Josiah removed everything that was detestable from all the lands belonging to the Israelites, and he required all who were present in Israel to serve Yahveh their God. Throughout his reign they did not turn aside from following Yahveh, the God of their ancestors.
second mission
Josiah was already 18 years into his mission of reforming Judah when his servant found a book among the collected items in the temple. Once he heard its words, he knew that it was the Law of the LORD, and that his people were going to be judged for failing to obey it. He immediately humbled himself, and God assured him that he would not suffer the punishment because he responded correctly to the Law by seeking grace.
His mission grew from that time on. Not only was he to see that all of the vestiges of the old idolatry were destroyed, he added to that mission the new mission of proclaiming the words of the Book of the Covenant, and made his people join in the covenant.
LORD, make us responsive to your word. May proclaiming your word be our mission.
2 Chronicles 33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 33:2 He did what was evil in Yahveh’s sight, imitating the detestable practices of the nations that Yahveh had dispossessed before the Israelites. 2 Chronicles 33:3 He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had torn down and reestablished the altars for the Baals. He made Asherah poles, and he bowed in worship to all the stars in the sky and served them. 2 Chronicles 33:4 He built altars in Yahveh’s temple, where Yahveh had said, “Jerusalem is where my name will remain forever.” 2 Chronicles 33:5 He built altars to all the stars in the sky in both courtyards of Yahveh’s temple. 2 Chronicles 33:6 He passed his sons through the fire in Ben Hinnom Valley. He practiced witchcraft, divination, and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did a huge amount of evil in Yahveh’s sight, angering him. 2 Chronicles 33:7 Manasseh set up a carved image of the idol, which he had made, in God’s temple that God had spoken about to David and his son Solomon: “I will establish my name forever in this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. 2 Chronicles 33:8 I will never again remove the feet of the Israelites from the land where I stationed your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do all I have commanded them through Moses– all the law, statutes, and judgments.” 2 Chronicles 33:9 So Manasseh caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to stray so that they did worse evil than the nations Yahveh had destroyed before the Israelites. 2 Chronicles 33:10 Yahveh spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they didn’t listen. 2 Chronicles 33:11 So he brought against them the military commanders of the king of Assyria. They captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. 2 Chronicles 33:12 When he was in distress, he sought the favor of Yahveh his God and earnestly humbled himself before the God of his ancestors. 2 Chronicles 33:13 He prayed to him, and Yahveh was receptive to his prayer. He granted his request and brought him back to Jerusalem, to his kingdom. So, Manasseh came to know that Yahveh his God. 2 Chronicles 33:14 After this, he built the outer wall of the city of David from west of Gihon in the valley to the entrance of the Fish Gate; he brought it around the Ophel, and he heightened it considerably. He also placed military commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. 2 Chronicles 33:15 He removed the foreign gods and the idol from Yahveh’s temple, along with all the altars that he had built on the mountain of Yahveh’s temple and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 2 Chronicles 33:16 He built the altar of Yahveh and offered fellowship and thank offerings on it. Then he told Judah to serve Yahveh, the God of Israel. 2 Chronicles 33:17 However, the people still sacrificed at the high places, but only to Yahveh their God. 2 Chronicles 33:18 The rest of the events of Manasseh’s reign, along with his prayer to his God and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of Yahveh, the God of Israel, are written in the Events of Israel’s Kings. 2 Chronicles 33:19 His prayer and how God was receptive to his prayer, and all his sin and unfaithfulness and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and carved images before he humbled himself, they are written in the Events of Hozai. 2 Chronicles 33:20 Manasseh rested with his fathers, and he was buried in his own house. His son Amon became king in his place. 2 Chronicles 33:21 Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 33:22 He did what was evil in Yahveh’s sight, just as his father Manasseh had done. Amon sacrificed to all the carved images that his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 2 Chronicles 33:23 But he did not humble himself before Yahveh like his father Manasseh humbled himself; instead, Amon increased his guilt. 2 Chronicles 33:24 So his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 2 Chronicles 33:25 The common people killed all who had conspired against King Amon, and they made his son Josiah king in his place.
Manasseh’s breaking point
The words “what were you thinking?” come to mind when we read about Manasseh. He busied himself undoing all the good that his father, Hezekiah, had done. But even evil Manasseh had his breaking point. Things got so bad that he was carried away into exile himself before he humbled himself, and sought the LORD. Even then, God was in no way obligated to interfere in Manasseh’s self-inflicted judgment. The fact that God did interfere, and bring Manasseh back from exile, is just another example of his great grace – a grace that none of us deserve. That is why it is called grace.
LORD, give us the wisdom to humble ourselves before you are forced to judge us.
2 Chronicles 32:1 After these faithful deeds, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and entered Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities and intended to break into them. 2 Chronicles 32:2 Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he planned war on Jerusalem, 2 Chronicles 32:3 so he consulted with his officials and his warriors about stopping up the water of the springs that were outside the city, and they helped him. 2 Chronicles 32:4 Many people gathered and stopped up all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land; they said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” 2 Chronicles 32:5 Then Hezekiah strengthened his position by rebuilding the entire broken-down wall and heightening the towers and the other outside wall. He repaired the supporting terraces of the city of David and made an abundance of weapons and shields. 2 Chronicles 32:6 He set military commanders over the people and gathered the people in the square of the city gate. Then he encouraged them, saying, 2 Chronicles 32:7 “Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. 2 Chronicles 32:8 He has only human strength, but we have Yahveh our God to help us and to fight our battles.” So, the people relied on the words of King Hezekiah of Judah. 2 Chronicles 32:9 After this, while King Sennacherib of Assyria with all his armed forces besieged Lachish, he sent his servants to Jerusalem against King Hezekiah of Judah and against all those of Judah who were in Jerusalem, saying, 2 Chronicles 32:10 “This is what King Sennacherib of Assyria says: ‘What are you relying on that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? 2 Chronicles 32:11 Isn’t Hezekiah misleading you to give you over to death by famine and thirst when he says, “Yahveh our God will keep us from the grasp of the king of Assyria”? 2 Chronicles 32:12 Didn’t Hezekiah himself remove his high places and his altars and say to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before one altar, and you must burn incense on it”? 2 Chronicles 32:13 ” ‘Don’t you know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Have any of the national gods of the lands been able to rescue their land from my power? 2 Chronicles 32:14 Who among all the gods of these nations that my predecessors completely destroyed was able to rescue his people from my power, that your God should be able to deliver you from my power? 2 Chronicles 32:15 So now, don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, and don’t let him mislead you like this. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to rescue his people from my power or the power of my fathers. How much less will your God rescue you from my power! ‘” 2 Chronicles 32:16 His servants said more against Yahveh God and against his servant Hezekiah. 2 Chronicles 32:17 He also wrote letters to mock Yahveh, the God of Israel, saying against him: Just like the national gods of the lands that did not rescue their people from my power, so Hezekiah’s God will not rescue his people from my power. 2 Chronicles 32:18 Then they called out loudly in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem, who were on the wall, to frighten and discourage them in order that he might capture the city. 2 Chronicles 32:19 They spoke against the God of Jerusalem like they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the land, which were made by human hands. 2 Chronicles 32:20 King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed about this and cried out to heaven, 2 Chronicles 32:21 and Yahveh sent an angel who made every valiant warrior, leader, and commander in the camp of the king of Assyria to disappear. So the king of Assyria returned in disgrace to his land. He went to the temple of his god, and there some of his own children struck him down with the sword. 2 Chronicles 32:22 So Yahveh saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the power of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from the power of all others. He gave them rest on every side. 2 Chronicles 32:23 Many were bringing an offering to Yahveh to Jerusalem and valuable gifts to King Hezekiah of Judah, and he was exalted in the eyes of all the nations after that. 2 Chronicles 32:24 In those days Hezekiah became sick to the point of death, so he prayed to Yahveh, and he spoke to him and gave him a miraculous sign. 2 Chronicles 32:25 However, because his heart was proud, Hezekiah didn’t respond according to the benefit that had come to him. So, there was wrath on him, Judah, and Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 32:26 Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart — he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem — so Yahveh’s wrath didn’t come on them during Hezekiah’s lifetime. 2 Chronicles 32:27 Hezekiah had abundant riches and glory, and he made himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields, and every desirable item. 2 Chronicles 32:28 He made warehouses for the harvest of grain, new wine, and fresh oil, and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and pens for flocks. 2 Chronicles 32:29 He made cities for himself, and he acquired vast numbers of flocks and herds, for God gave him abundant possessions. 2 Chronicles 32:30 This same Hezekiah blocked the outlet of the water of the Upper Gihon and channelled it smoothly downward and westward to the city of David. Hezekiah succeeded in everything he did. 2 Chronicles 32:31 When the ambassadors of Babylon’s rulers were sent to him to inquire about the miraculous sign that happened in the land, God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart. 2 Chronicles 32:32 As for the rest of the events of Hezekiah’s reign and his deeds of faithful love, note that they are written in the Visions of the Prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, and in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 2 Chronicles 32:33 Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried on the ascent to the tombs of David’s descendants. All Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. His son Manasseh became king in his place.
what’s in your heart?
The chronicler has a unique perspective on why Hezekiah made the mistake of showing the Babylonian envoys his treasures. He says that “God left him to test him and discover what was in his heart. ” (31).
We are not to blame for the bad situations we get in, but we are being watched to see how we respond to them. The world needs to see what is in our heart.
LORD, help us to seek your will in every decision we make. We do not want to presume that we are smart enough to make decisions that honor you.
2 Chronicles 31:1 When all this was completed, all Israel who had attended went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and altars throughout Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, to the last one. Then all the Israelites returned to their cities, each to his own possession. 2 Chronicles 31:2 Hezekiah reestablished the divisions of the priests and Levites for the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, for ministry, for giving thanks, and for praise in the gates of the camp of Yahveh, each division corresponding to his service among the priests and Levites. 2 Chronicles 31:3 The king contributed from his own possessions for the regular morning and evening burnt offerings, the burnt offerings of the Sabbaths, of the New Moons, and of the appointed feasts, as written in the law of Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 31:4 He told the people who lived in Jerusalem to give a contribution for the priests and Levites so that they could devote their energy to the law of Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 31:5 When the word spread, the Israelites gave liberally of the first of the grain, new wine, fresh oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field, and they brought in an abundance, a tenth of everything. 2 Chronicles 31:6 As for the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tenth of the herds and flocks, and a tenth of the dedicated things that were consecrated to Yahveh their God. They gathered them into large piles. 2 Chronicles 31:7 In the third month they began building up the piles, and they finished in the seventh month. 2 Chronicles 31:8 When Hezekiah and his officials came and viewed the piles, they blessed Yahveh and his people Israel. 2 Chronicles 31:9 Hezekiah asked the priests and Levites about the piles. 2 Chronicles 31:10 The chief priest Azariah, of the household of Zadok, answered him, “Since they began bringing the offering to Yahveh’s temple, we eat and are satisfied and there is plenty left over because Yahveh has blessed his people; this abundance is what is left over.” 2 Chronicles 31:11 Hezekiah told them to prepare chambers in Yahveh’s temple, and they prepared them. 2 Chronicles 31:12 The offering, the tenth, and the dedicated things were brought faithfully. Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them, and his brother Shimei was second. 2 Chronicles 31:13 Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were deputies under the authority of Conaniah and his brother Shimei by appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief official of God’s temple. 2 Chronicles 31:14 Kore son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the East Gate, was over the freewill offerings to God to distribute the contribution to Yahveh and the consecrated things. 2 Chronicles 31:15 Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests were to distribute it faithfully under his authority to their brothers by divisions, whether large or small. 2 Chronicles 31:16 In addition, they distributed it to males registered by genealogy three years old and above; to all who would enter Yahveh’s temple for their daily duty, for their service in their responsibilities according to their divisions. 2 Chronicles 31:17 They distributed also to those recorded by genealogy of the priests by their ancestral families and the Levites twenty years old and above, by their responsibilities in their divisions; 2 Chronicles 31:18 to those registered by genealogy — with all their dependents, wives, sons, and daughters — of the whole assembly (for they had faithfully consecrated themselves as holy); 2 Chronicles 31:19 and to the descendants of Aaron, the priests, in the common fields of their cities, in each and every city. There were men who were registered by name to distribute a portion to every male among the priests and to every Levite recorded by genealogy. 2 Chronicles 31:20 Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah. He did what was good and upright and true before Yahveh his God. 2 Chronicles 31:21 He was diligent in every deed that he began in the service of God’s temple, in the instruction and the commands, in order to seek his God, and he prospered.
open the floodgates
Those who have been involved in ministry management know how disheartening it is to always be checked by the bottom line. When we get in our minds that something should be done, it hurts to learn that there is no budget for it. For once, the priests and Levites did not have that problem. They gathered contributions for four months, and the result was that the resources were in such heaps that chambers had to be guilt within the temple courts to hold it all. What a joy it is to not have to worry about where the funds are coming from.
LORD, open the floodgates of blessing for those ministries hampered by lack of funds. Open the hearts of those whom you have chosen to bless by giving.
2 Chronicles 30:1 Then Hezekiah sent word throughout all Israel and Judah, and he also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh to come to Yahveh’s temple in Jerusalem to observe the Passover of Yahveh, the God of Israel. 2 Chronicles 30:2 For the king and his officials and the entire congregation in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover of Yahveh in the second month, 2 Chronicles 30:3 because they were not able to observe it at the appropriate time. Not enough of the priests had consecrated themselves, and the people hadn’t been gathered in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 30:4 The proposal pleased the king and the congregation, 2 Chronicles 30:5 so they affirmed the proposal and spread the message throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, to come to observe the Passover of Yahveh, the God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they hadn’t observed it often, as prescribed. 2 Chronicles 30:6 So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying, “Israelites, return to Yahveh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that he may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria. 2 Chronicles 30:7 Don’t be like your fathers and your brothers who were unfaithful to Yahveh, the God of their ancestors so that he made them an object of horror as you yourselves see. 2 Chronicles 30:8 Don’t become obstinate now like your fathers did. Give your allegiance to Yahveh and come to his sanctuary that he has consecrated forever. Serve Yahveh your God so that he may turn his burning anger away from you, 2 Chronicles 30:9 for when you return to Yahveh, your brothers and your sons will receive mercy in the presence of their captors and will return to this land. For Yahveh your God is gracious and merciful; he will not turn his face away from you if you return to him.” 2 Chronicles 30:10 The couriers traveled from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but the inhabitants laughed at them and mocked them. 2 Chronicles 30:11 But some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 30:12 Also, the power of God was at work in Judah to unite them to carry out the command of the king and his officials by the word of Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 30:13 A very large assembly of people was gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 2 Chronicles 30:14 They proceeded to take away the altars that were in Jerusalem, and they took away the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. 2 Chronicles 30:15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to Yahveh’s temple. 2 Chronicles 30:16 They stood at their prescribed posts, according to the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests splattered the blood received from the Levites, 2 Chronicles 30:17 for there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves, and so the Levites were in charge of slaughtering the Passover lambs for every unclean person to consecrate the lambs to Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 30:18 A large number of the people– many from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun– were ritually unclean, yet they had eaten the Passover contrary to what was written. But Hezekiah had interceded for them, saying, “May the good Lord provide atonement on behalf of 2 Chronicles 30:19 whoever sets his whole heart on seeking God, Yahveh, the God of his ancestors, even though not according to the purification rules of the sanctuary.” 2 Chronicles 30:20 So Yahveh heard Hezekiah and healed the people. 2 Chronicles 30:21 The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem observed the Festival of Unleavened Bread seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised Yahveh day after day with loud instruments. 2 Chronicles 30:22 Then Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skilfully before Yahveh. They ate at the appointed festival for seven days, sacrificing fellowship offerings and giving thanks to Yahveh, the God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 30:23 The whole congregation decided to observe seven more days, so they observed seven days with joy, 2 Chronicles 30:24 for King Hezekiah of Judah contributed one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for the congregation. Also, the officials contributed one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep for the congregation, and many priests consecrated themselves. 2 Chronicles 30:25 Then the whole assembly of Judah with the priests and Levites, the whole assembly that came from Israel, the resident aliens who came from the land of Israel, and those who were living in Judah, rejoiced. 2 Chronicles 30:26 There was great rejoicing in Jerusalem, for nothing like this was known since the days of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel. 2 Chronicles 30:27 Then the priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, and their prayer came into his holy dwelling place in heaven.
grace again
Getting the Passover celebration reinstituted took some adjustment. Hezekiah prayed that the LORD would look beyond the bending of a few of the rules, so that those who wanted to reconnect with God would not be punished for skipping steps. The result was that the God of grace blessed them. He is not a reluctant judge, ready to pounce on us for the least infringement of decorum. He is the father who waits for the prodigal to return.
LORD, we come to you. We don’t know all the steps. We only know that you are drawing us to you again.
2 Chronicles 29:1 Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 2 Chronicles 29:2 He did what was right in Yahveh’s sight just as his ancestor David had done. 2 Chronicles 29:3 In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of Yahveh’s temple and repaired them. 2 Chronicles 29:4 Then he brought in the priests and Levites and gathered them in the eastern public square. 2 Chronicles 29:5 He said to them, “Hear me, Levites. Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of Yahveh, the God of your ancestors. Remove everything impure from the holy place. 2 Chronicles 29:6 For our fathers were unfaithful and did what is evil in the sight of Yahveh our God. They abandoned him, turned their faces away from Yahveh’s dwelling place, and turned their backs on him. 2 Chronicles 29:7 They also closed the doors of the portico, extinguished the lamps, did not burn incense, and did not offer burnt offerings in the holy place of the God of Israel. 2 Chronicles 29:8 Therefore, the wrath of Yahveh was on Judah and Jerusalem, and he made them an object of terror, horror, and mockery, as you see with your own eyes. 2 Chronicles 29:9 Our fathers fell by the sword, and our sons, our daughters, and our wives are in captivity because of this. 2 Chronicles 29:10 It is in my heart now to make a covenant with Yahveh, the God of Israel so that his burning anger may turn away from us. 2 Chronicles 29:11 My sons, don’t be negligent now, for Yahveh has chosen you to stand in his presence, to serve him, and to be his ministers and burners of incense.” 2 Chronicles 29:12 Then the Levites stood up: Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah from the Kohathites; Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel from the Merarites; Joah son of Zimmah and Eden son of Joah from the Gershonites; 2 Chronicles 29:13 Shimri and Jeuel from the Elizaphanites; Zechariah and Mattaniah from the Asaphites; 2 Chronicles 29:14 Jehiel and Shimei from the Hemanites; Shemaiah and Uzziel from the Jeduthunites. 2 Chronicles 29:15 They gathered their brothers together, consecrated themselves, and went according to the king’s command by the words of Yahvehto cleanse Yahveh’s temple. 2 Chronicles 29:16 The priests went to the entrance of Yahveh’s temple to cleanse it. They took all the unclean things they found in Yahveh’s sanctuary to the courtyard of Yahveh’s temple. Then the Levites received them and took them outside to the Kidron Valley. 2 Chronicles 29:17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the portico of Yahveh’s temple. They consecrated Yahveh’s temple for eight days, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. 2 Chronicles 29:18 Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, “We have cleansed the whole temple of Yahveh, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows of the Bread of the Presence and all its utensils. 2 Chronicles 29:19 We have set up and consecrated all the utensils that King Ahaz rejected during his reign when he became unfaithful. They are in front of the altar of Yahveh.” 2 Chronicles 29:20 King Hezekiah got up early, gathered the city officials, and went to Yahveh’s temple. 2 Chronicles 29:21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the sanctuary, and for Judah. Then he told the descendants of Aaron, the priests, to offer them on the altar of Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 29:22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and splattered it on the altar. They slaughtered the rams and splattered the blood on the altar. They slaughtered the lambs and splattered the blood on the altar. 2 Chronicles 29:23 Then they brought the goats for the sin offering right into the presence of the king and the congregation, who laid their hands on them. 2 Chronicles 29:24 The priests slaughtered the goats and put their blood on the altar for a sin offering, to make atonement for all Israel, for the king said that the burnt offering and sin offering were for all Israel. 2 Chronicles 29:25 Hezekiah stationed the Levites in Yahveh’s temple with cymbals, harps, and lyres according to the command of David, Gad the king’s seer, and the prophet Nathan. For the command was from Yahveh through his prophets. 2 Chronicles 29:26 The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 2 Chronicles 29:27 Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt offerings began, the song of Yahveh and the trumpets began, accompanied by the instruments of King David of Israel. 2 Chronicles 29:28 The whole assembly was worshiping, singing the song, and blowing the trumpets– all this continued until the burnt offering was completed. 2 Chronicles 29:29 When the burnt offerings were completed, the king and all those present with him bowed down and worshiped. 2 Chronicles 29:30 Then King Hezekiah and the officials told the Levites to sing praise to Yahveh in the words of David and of the seer Asaph. So, they sang praises with rejoicing and knelt low and worshiped. 2 Chronicles 29:31 Hezekiah concluded, “Now you are consecrated to Yahveh. Come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings to Yahveh’s temple.” So, the congregation brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all those with willing hearts brought burnt offerings. 2 Chronicles 29:32 The number of burnt offerings the congregation brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt offering to Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 29:33 Six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats were consecrated. 2 Chronicles 29:34 However, since there were not enough priests, they weren’t able to skin all the burnt offerings, so their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests were. 2 Chronicles 29:35 Furthermore, the burnt offerings were abundant, along with the fat of the fellowship offerings and with the drink offerings for the burnt offering. So the service of Yahveh’s temple was established. 2 Chronicles 29:36 Then Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced over how God had prepared the people, for it had come about suddenly.
a change in worship
The temple had been a barometer of the people’s spiritual condition, so it was only logical that Hezekiah began his reforms by cleansing the temple. Let us not forget that another Jewish prophet would speak out symbolically to his brothers by doing the same thing. Revival and reform has often been sparked by a change in worship. Thank the LORD for worship leaders who sense the urge to lead us in worship which connects to our God of grace and justice.
LORD, revive us, that we might reform your world around us.
2 Chronicles 28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in Yahveh’s sight like his ancestor David, 2 Chronicles 28:2 for he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and made cast images of the Baals. 2 Chronicles 28:3 He burned incense in Ben Hinnom Valley and burned his children in the fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations Yahveh had dispossessed before the Israelites. 2 Chronicles 28:4 He sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree. 2 Chronicles 28:5 So Yahveh his God handed Ahaz over to the king of Aram. He attacked him and took many captives to Damascus. Ahaz was also handed over to the king of Israel, who struck him with great force: 2 Chronicles 28:6 Pekah son of Remaliah killed one hundred twenty thousand in Judah in one day– all brave men– because they had abandoned Yahveh God of their ancestors. 2 Chronicles 28:7 An Ephraimite warrior named Zichri killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam governor of the palace, and Elkanah who was second to the king. 2 Chronicles 28:8 Then the Israelites took two hundred thousand captives from their brothers– women, sons, and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder from them and brought it to Samaria. 2 Chronicles 28:9 A prophet of Yahveh named Oded was there. He went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, “Look, Yahveh God of your ancestors handed them over to you because of his wrath against Judah, but you slaughtered them in a rage that has reached heaven. 2 Chronicles 28:10 Now you plan to reduce the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, to slavery. Are you not also guilty before Yahveh your God? 2 Chronicles 28:11 Listen to me and return the captives you took from your brothers, for Yahveh’s burning anger is on you.” 2 Chronicles 28:12 So some men who were leaders of the Ephraimites — Azariah son of Jehohanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai– stood in opposition to those coming from the war. 2 Chronicles 28:13 They said to them, “You must not bring the captives here, for you plan to bring guilt on us from Yahveh to add to our sins and our guilt. For we have much guilt, and burning anger is on Israel.” 2 Chronicles 28:14 The army left the captives and the plunder in the presence of the officers and the congregation. 2 Chronicles 28:15 Then the men who were designated by name took charge of the captives and provided clothes for their naked ones from the plunder. They clothed them, gave them sandals, food, and drink, dressed their wounds, and provided donkeys for all the feeble. The Israelites brought them to Jericho, the City of Palms, among their brothers. Then they returned to Samaria. 2 Chronicles 28:16 At that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help. 2 Chronicles 28:17 The Edomites came again, attacked Judah, and took captives. 2 Chronicles 28:18 The Philistines also raided the cities of the Judean foothills and the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, and Gederoth, as well as Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo with their surrounding villages. 2 Chronicles 28:19 For Yahveh humbled Judah because of King Ahaz of Judah, who threw off restraint in Judah and was unfaithful to Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 28:20 Then King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came against Ahaz; he oppressed him and did not give him support. 2 Chronicles 28:21 Although Ahaz plundered Yahveh’s temple and the palace of the king and of the rulers and gave the plunder to the king of Assyria, it did not help him. 2 Chronicles 28:22 At the time of his distress, King Ahaz himself became more unfaithful to Yahveh. 2 Chronicles 28:23 He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him; he said, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.” But they were the downfall of him and of all Israel. 2 Chronicles 28:24 Then Ahaz gathered up the utensils of God’s temple, cut them into pieces, shut the doors of Yahveh’s temple, and made himself altars on every street corner in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 28:25 He made high places in every city of Judah to offer incense to other gods, and he angered Yahveh, the God of his ancestors. 2 Chronicles 28:26 As for the rest of his deeds and all his ways, from beginning to end, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 2 Chronicles 28:27 Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city, in Jerusalem, but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah became king in his place.
even more unfaithful
The Chronicler mentions three prominent leaders of the tribe of Ephraim who had the courage to stand up against the army of Israel. The horrible king Ahaz had sent his army against his own kinsmen of Judah. They had ravaged the kingdom to the south and were bringing 200,000 of their distant relatives to Israel as slaves. But these three men stood up and said that enough is enough. They said “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.” The army backed down, and the captives were returned.
Ahaz was so determined to reject the LORD that when things got worse for him and his kingdom, he became yet more faithless. He had reasoned that the victors in the battles of the day must have the stronger gods, so he appealed to those gods. He probably figured that he had already cut ties with the LORD, so he would get no help there. It was foolish to utterly turn from following God.
LORD, give us wisdom to turn to you. May we realize that you will not give up on us, even if we have rebelled against you.
2 Chronicles 27:1 Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. 2 Chronicles 27:2 He did what was right in Yahveh’s sight just as his father Uzziah had done. In addition, he didn’t enter Yahveh’s sanctuary, but the people still behaved corruptly. 2 Chronicles 27:3 Jotham built the Upper Gate of Yahveh’s temple, and he built extensively on the wall of Ophel. 2 Chronicles 27:4 He also built cities in the hill country of Judah and fortresses and towers in the forests. 2 Chronicles 27:5 He waged war against the king of the Ammonites. He overpowered the Ammonites, and that year they gave him 7,500 pounds of silver, 50,000 bushels of wheat, and 50,000 bushels of barley. They paid him the same in the second and third years. 2 Chronicles 27:6 So Jotham strengthened his position because he did not waver in obeying Yahveh his God. 2 Chronicles 27:7 As for the rest of the events of Jotham’s reign, along with all his wars and his ways, note that they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. 2 Chronicles 27:8 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. 2 Chronicles 27:9 Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaz became king in his place.
in his shadow
Jotham spends ten of his 16 years as king with his father as a leper king, in his shadow. Those ten years were a constant reminder and warning for him not to presume upon his own authority, as his father did. Many have family that have made mistakes, and have had to face the consequences of those mistakes. The members of their family serve as warnings from God. Jotham heeded the warning that he saw looking at his father in his own shadow. He was faithful, and God made him mighty. But he did not enter the temple in any attempt to act as a priest, as his father had. His father was his lesson, and he learned it well.
LORD, help us to see the lessons you have given us within our own families.
Devotions 