2 Chronicles – Page 2 – Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Baasha, Elah, and Asa

June 26, 2020

Baasha, King of Israel begins 1 Kings 16. Jehu, the prophet, brings the condemnation of the Lord on his entire house. This was the same as he had done to Jeroboam’s family. Remember how David refused to harm Saul and his family even after Saul’s death?

Elah takes over for his father. His rule ends in less than two years when Zimri, a chariot commander murders him while he is drunk. He does as Baasha did and murders all the males in his predecessor’s family. How do you suppose that will affect his lineage?

Asa is still King of Judah as Zimri begins his reign. This reign did not even last a year because the Israelite troops chose Omri king and crowned him the day they heard, they attacked the city where Zimri was and he hid and burned himself to death.

Omri has another opponent in Tibni. He was defeated and Omri later moved the Capital from Tirzah to Samaria that he built for that purpose. Remember the Samaritan’s that Jesus dealt with? Omri does not follow Jehovah any better than any other King of Israel.

Ahab, his son succeeds him. He and his Sidonian wife, Jezebel moved even farther away from Yahweh. A side note is the rebuilding of Jericho and the fulfillment of Joshua’s prophecy.

In 2 Chronicles 17 Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son becomes King of Judah. He continues to strengthen Judah. He follows Yahweh as David had. He stops the worship of the Baals and removes the altars and the Asherah poles. Prophets were sent throughout Judah to teach the Law and to demonstrate proper worship.

Do you want proof that Jehoshaphat was truly following Jehovah? The other nations around it, feared Judah enough that Philistine and Arab leaders sent gifts of tribute to the King. He used this wealth to improve the infrastructure.

Baasha succeeds Nadab in Israel

June 26, 2020

Abijah’s story is told slightly different in 1 Kings 15. David’s faithfulness is given as the reason for Jehovah’s deliverance of Judah from Israel. The struggle between the two Kingdoms of Israel continues through the life of Abijah. When he dies, his son Asa takes the reigns.

We begin the cycle that will continue until Judah is taken into captivity in Babylon. Asa is described as doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. His grandmother is even removed as queen mother because of her idolatry. Another Israelite King, Baasha, is his enemy. Asa forms an alliance between Judah and Damascus to be able to stand against the Northern Kingdom.

Baasha became the Israelite King by killing Nadab who reigned only two years. As was prophesied, he executes all of Jeroboams descendants. He follows the other Israeli leaders in worshiping other gods and rebelling against Yahweh.

The stories of Abijah in Judah are given in 2 Chronicles chapter 13. He took over in the eighteenth year of Jeroboam in the north. In their first battle, Judah is outnumbered two to one. Because of the humility of David’s great grandson, they are victorious. The winner was Jehovah. He fought for His people as He had done for David.

Abijah is succeeded by his son Asa in 2 Chronicles fourteen. He follows his father and David as a worshiper of Yahweh. He had peace for ten years and was able to clean up the country. The land of Cush attacks them, but they are delivered by Jehovah. Plunder was theirs from their enemies.

Azariah is introduced in 2 Chronicles fifteen when he meets King Asa in Judah and prophesied that Jehovah would be with them if they followed His laws. This prophecy is the impetuous that causes his process of destroying idols and restricting the worship of other gods. A new covenant is entered by the entire country.

Baasha of Israel and Asa of Judah are again in 2 Chronicles 16. Baasha fortified Israel to prevent communication between the two Kingdoms. Due to this, Asa joined with Ben-Hadad of Aram to attack Israelite communities.

Hanani, the Seer, proclaims a curse on Asa and Judah. Battle will continue due to his disobedience. As many of us do, when his sin was pointed out, he rebelled even more and never returned to Jehovah. After forty-one years he died.

Rehoboam and Jeroboam

June 25, 2020

Rehoboam & Jeroboam are also the focus of 2 Chronicles 10. The story is the same, but we do not get the story of Jeroboam in this chapter. His story will come in chapter thirteen.

Rehoboam returns to Jerusalem in 2 Chronicles 11 to muster his troops to attack the other nine clans of Israel. The prophet Shemaiah tells the Judeans and the Benjamites not to attack the other Israelites and they returned to their cities. Because Yahweh would not allow an offense, Rehoboam fortified Jerusalem as a defensive strategy.

Jeroboam and the Northern tribes rejected Jehovah and the Levitical priests. They all moved from the Israelite cities to communities in Judah and Benjamin.

Rehoboam chose his son Abijah to succeed him because the young man’s mother was his favorite of the eighteen wives and sixty concubines he had.

The siege of Judah by Egypt is told again in 2 Chronicles 12. Rehoboam and his officials are warned by Shemaiah that Yahweh has abandoned them. Their repentance brings forgiveness, but not complete deliverance. As we read in I Kings, the gold is taken from the Temple. We are reminded of the constant struggle between the Southern and Northern Kingdoms of Israel.

Solomon’s reign ends

June 24, 2020

The relationship between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba is told in 1 Kings 10. She comes all the way from her country, which is now known as Ethiopia. She arrived in Jerusalem with a large convoy and much to trade. Solomon gave her a personal interview and answered all her questions. She concluded that what she had heard in her own country was only half of what was told about the Israeli King’s true wisdom.

The wealth and magnificence of Jerusalem and Israel during this time was not to be compared with any other nation at that time. This was in response to what Jehovah had promised Solomon when he had requested wisdom instead of wealth or fame.

We also have the story of the Queen and Solomon in 2 Chronicles 9. The stories are mostly the same. The difference from First Kings and Second Chronicles is that Chronicles story ends with the death of Solomon. The books listed that tell of the other exploits of the third King of Israel are probably combined in all or part for the material in First Kings.

Remember when I said we would read about the reason why Solomon did not receive the same promise that his father, David, did? 1 Kings 11 tells us why Israel splits from Judah. We begin with all the women that became wives of the King. Seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. Imagine having sex with one thousand women.

This alone is a violation of the law of Jehovah. Most Hebrew men of that day would marry as many women as they could afford. The usual excuse is to have children to keep their flocks and maintain their property. Trading daughters to be wives of other rulers is to prevent wars.

The main sin listed here is the accommodation of the religions and gods of all these women. A place to worship Egypt’s deities and all the gods of the nations around them are also created by Israel’s King.

Before the death of Solomon is told, we read about the enemies of Israel including Jeroboam who will lead the ten northern tribes away from Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. This split is the end of the dynasty of King Solomon.

Construction continues

June 16, 2020

The restating of these activities to dedicate the Temple of Solomon continues in 1 Kings 9. The building of God’s house and the palace took twenty years. Forced labor by foreigners was used to create these structures. Gezer was rebuilt after Pharaoh burned it when he took the area and gave it to his daughter for a wedding gift.

The kings of Tyre and Israel continued their cooperation despite a minor disagreement about methods and quality of payment for services rendered. This included building a fleet of ships for trading.

The building of the cities, walls and gates is also covered in 2 Chronicles 8. This version tells that the Israelites were not made slaves by their King. This was reserved for the Canaanites that still resided in the land. In this account the ships were provided by Hiram.

Dedication of the Temple

June 15, 2020

June 12, 2020

We will now begin to look at two different versions of the construction of Solomon’s Temple in 1 Kings 6. Four hundred and eighty years after the Exodus the work begins. We are given a detailed description of this structure.

Once again, however, there is a message from Jehovah that contains an “If” clause. They must obey everything He has commanded if they wanted Him to continue to abide there. No matter how beautiful the building, for God to stay, we must follow his instructions for our lives. Even if we take seven years or more for the construction.

Fire comes down from Yahweh in 2 Chronicles 7. After the Lord consumes the first sacrifice that is offered, many others are presented. This was just the start of the two-week party.

Solomon hears from Jehovah a second time. The blessings and the curses that were given to Moses are given to the King. He is told to follow God’s laws and his throne will be established. It ended at his death. We will look at the transgressions that caused this later.

We thank Jehovah in Psalm 136 for His goodness, creation, mercy, and miracles. His power and glory are great. His love endues forever, and we should thank Him for that.

The Ark goes to the Temple

June 15, 2020

When King David tried to bring the Ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, he encountered problems. In 1 Kings 8 they move it and the tent of meeting to the Temple area. The excitement of the event brought so many animals for sacrifice that they could not be numbered. The cloud of the presence of Jehovah filled the new Temple and the priests had to leave.

Solomon’s speech and prayer emphasized his father’s role in the construction of the building. He also enumerated all the things for which it would be utilized. His charge to the people to follow Yahweh’s commands and decrees ended the prayer. The two-week celebration ended with feasting and sacrifice. Like many of our Christian churches, no celebration is complete without food.

Another version of the Ark being transferred to the new Temple of the Lord is in 2 Chronicles 5. It was placed in the Most Holy Place where it would remain until to destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Do you remember the Psalms of Asaph? He was present at this event. He, Heman, and others provided the music. As before we are told the presence of The Lord in a cloud forced the priests out.

Furnishing the Temple

June 14, 2020

Seven years for Jehovah’s Temple and Thirteen for the King’s palace according to 1 Kings 7. Does this sound lopsided? Not when you look at the size of the structures. If you build a house, you need furniture.

Let’s look at what was made for the Temple of the Lord. The massive sea that was used for ceremonial cleansing. Ten wheeled stands, bronze basins, pots, shovels, and sprinkling bowls were also created by Huram. Many other items are also listed. Tomorrow we look at 2 Chronicles.

2 Chronicles 4 begins with the bronze altar, and then lists the items from yesterday. Included in the list are the ten lampstands and the ten tables. Here we read of some gold wick trimmers, tongs, lampstands, lamps, wick trimmers, dishes, and censers. Each item had their specific purpose in the Temple.

Building the Temple starts

June 14, 2020

Hiram who was the King of Tyre sends word to Solomon after he becomes king of Israel in David’s place. In 1 Kings 5 he is willing to provide all the cedar and other wood needed for the Temple when the new king of Israel asks him. The quantity needed is very large and the craftsmen of Israel work with his men to float the logs to Solomon and prepare them for the work. The cost of everything needed is covered by taxes from the Israelites just like in our time. The stones had to be cut and made ready to be put in place at the building site.

Preparations for building the temple that was planned by David is given in 2 Chronicles chapter 2. Building materials included wood, stone, gold, and silver. The materials are not the only things needed to build such a magnificent structure.

Craftsmen were required. Carpenters, stone masons, gold and silver smiths are just the start. A trade is made. The work would need unskilled laborers. For this he chose those who were not Israelites but lived in the country. There were 153,600 foreigners who were drafted to cut stone and carry it to the site. This may have been a violation of the law to treat outsiders as the Jewish people themselves.

Our second account of the Temple being built is in the book of Second Chronicles in the third chapter. Here we are informed that the location Is on Mount Moriah at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. This is the location of the sacrifice that David made to stop the destruction of the people because he had violated God’s word and conducted a census.

The description of the structure is the same, but we are told the names of the pillars that were on the north and the south. Jakin means “He establishes” and Boaz is interpreted as “In Him is the strength.” Interesting names for posts, don’t you think?

Solomon chooses wisdom

May 31, 2020

To have the alliances necessary to remain in peace, Solomon formed treaties with other nations. In 1 Kings 3 we are told of his marriage to the daughter of the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

After sacrificing at Gibeon, Jehovah appears to him in a dream and asks what he could give to the new King. Discernment or wisdom to govern the people is the request. There is a requirement included. He must walk in obedience as David had.

The chapter ends with a story about two prostitutes that lived together, and both had babies. We know how the King solved this dilemma and it proves his wisdom. Tomorrow we will read another version of these events.

First Kings chapter four starts with all the officials of Solomon’s kingdom. The amount of provisions needed for feeding his court is also included. It ends with a description of his wisdom and knowledge. I have always had a problem with the third King of Israel being classifies as the wisest man in the Bible. While God gave him insight that made him a great ruler, I believe a man of true wisdom from Yahweh would have not allowed his wives to continue to worship idols. Many Christians have their idols. We call this king wise when his tolerance of idolatry was foolish. When we reach Proverbs, we will see how he contrasts the wise and the fool. We’ll compare what he said with his actions.

We will look at the differences recorded in 2 Chronicles 1 from how it was told in 1 Kings three. Solomon goes to sacrifice to Yahweh and is asked what he would like most. The answer is the same. He asked for wisdom to rule the Israelites. This version includes no reference to Pharaoh’s daughter or the tale of the prostitutes and their babies.

The emphasis in both accounts is on Jehovah giving The King more wisdom than anyone ever had or would have. No mention is made here about the requirement to obey His laws. More time is given to the collection of wealth and possessions.

Solomon is the author of the 72nd Psalm. It is almost like a prayer that he voices to God for his kingdom. Righteousness, prosperity, endurance, expansion, and tribute are things he requests of Jehovah. Some of these aspirations almost sound selfish. Nothing is said about wisdom.

Charles (Chuck) Kensinger

Walk With a Servant

Tag: 2 Chronicles