Bible 101 - 2 Chronicles Chapters 8-16

Presented May 16, 2005 by Phyllis Gilbert

Review: Solomon succeeded his father David, and began building the Temple in the 4^th year of his reign. In I Kings, we read of his many palaces and wives, but in keeping with the Chronicler's focus on the Altar and worship (rather than on scandal or the political lives of the kings, all these details are omitted from Solomon's story here. Instead, his carrying out David's plans for the Temple, the people's celebration at its dedication, and God's repeating his covenant with David are instead here. And at the end of chapter 7, God told Solomon that blessings and the peace the country presently enjoyed would disappear should Solomon and the people disobey God and forsake his law.

II Chronicles 8: Solomon's many building projects are summarized briefly, as is his use of foreigners living in Israel conscripted to do the work. And the Chronicler makes clear that Israelites were asked to be commanders and charioteers in the army and palace officials rather than laborers on construction sites. We hear about Pharaoh's daughter, Solomon's wife, installed in a palace built for her, but the emphasis of the chapter is on Solomon's many offerings, regularly made at the Temple on Sabbaths, New Moons and other festivals. And David's organization of the priests and Levites into divisions of service is said to have been put into effect. "They did not deviate from the king's commands." In a few verses at the end of the chapter, we read of Solomon's trading partnership with Hiram. Not only was Tyre a country of forests, and therefore a supply of wood for Solomon's projects, but the men of Tyre were shipbuilders and sailors. The two kings brought in many tons of gold in this way.

II Chronicles 9: We remember the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon (I Kings 10) and discovering that his reputation for wisdom was not exaggerated; in fact, every question she asked received a wise answer from Solomon. We see a bit of his household's size and grandness in that she was "overwhelmed" by his staff and his lifestyle. Much of what we read in the earlier account is repeated here, gifts were exchanged and the Queen of Sheba left. Jesus refers to her in Matthew 12:42 in his denunciation of the Pharisees who'd asked him for a sign. He'd been healing the lame, the blind and the deaf, casting out demons, restoring lepers to their families - and the Pharisees want a sign! Jesus in utter contempt for them said the only sign would they'd be given was that of Jonah (his resurrection at the end of three days and nights in the tomb). He added that the repentance of the people of Ninevah and the faith of the Queen of Sheba, gentiles all, would rise up in judgment against this "wicked and perverse generation" much too wed to their own ways and their back-breaking legalism to even admit the possibility that Jesus could be the promised Messiah.

II Chronicles 9:13: After the visitor returned to her country, and as a footnote to the splendor she'd marveled at, the Chronicler gives us more details about it. Solomon got yearly supplies of gold, silver and ivory through trade and the tribute paid by subservient nations. We see the number of his horses, his wealth symbolized by his huge and ornate throne, and once again we're reminded that the source of all his wealth and wisdom, renowned throughout the world, was God. And then, at the end of chapter 9, Solomon dies and a simple statement that he'd reigned 40 years and then rested with his fathers concludes his reign. Once again, we are not told, as we were in I Kings, of his building altars to pagan gods, his many wives and concubines, nor of his unfaithfulness to God. Those details, the Chronicler hints, are in other accounts.

II Chronicles 10: His son Rehoboam succeeded Solomon as king. But rather than displaying either the faith or wisdom of Solomon, his first decision is to deny the people's request to "lighten up" on taxes and labor. Instead, he promises he'll be tougher. And so the people rebel under the leadership of Jeroboam who'd once been an official in Solomon's court. To enforce his rule, Rehoboam sent Adoniram, the labor supervisor, to get the people back to work; their response was to stone him to death. The kingdom then splits in two: the northern tribes follow Jeroboam and call their nation Israel, and the two southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, are now Judah, and Rehoboam is their king.

II Chronicles 11: Rehoboam is ready to fight to subdue the rebellious northern tribes and force reunification, but God sends word through the prophet Shemaiah that a war was not the way; "do not go up to fight against your brothers," God said. And so they did not. Instead Rehoboam built up fortified cities around Jerusalem His defense system appeared to deter the Israelites from invading and taking Judah. As we know the two kingdoms remained separate until both were defeated.

II Chronicles 11:13: Here we return to the matter of worship: the Levites and priests remained loyal to God, and because the Temple was in Jerusalem, to Rehoboam. And so this is the beginning of the apostasy which marked the entire 200 year history of Israel. Jeroboam, to encourage the people to stay in Israel and not to return to the Temple in Jerusalem, makes golden calves and sets up worship centers in Dan and Bethel. Further he appointed his own priests. And the Chronicler tells us that those Israelites who wanted to remain faithful to God, returned to Jerusalem with the priests and Levites. A faithful remnant is alive and well.

II Chronicles 11:18: The camera shifts back to Rehoboam, and we read that he has a large number of wives, concubines, sons and daughters. He appoints officials including his own sons as governors in districts, and makes clear that his son Abijah will be his successor.

II Chronicles 12: "After Rehoboam's position as king was established" is a statement we'll read of many of his successors, as we read of Solomon (II Chron. 1:1) before him. It is the Chronicler's way of saying that the king has disposed of any rivals and has secured the loyalty of the tribal leaders. And then we read of his disobedience: "he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord," and because of their unfaithfulness, God allowed the king of Egypt to attack Jerusalem in Rehoboam's 5th year (925 B.C.) after Shishak had taken several fortified cities on the way. The king and his officials assembled in Jerusalem, fearful of defeat, and Shemaiah explained that God was punishing their disobedience. The king and the nation's leaders "humbled themselves" and God saw that they meant it, and while Shishak attacked and took much of the gold from the king's palace, he left Rehoboam as king but put the nation under subjection. God saved Jerusalem from destruction because "there was some good in Judah." Rehoboam reigned for 17 years in Jerusalem, and we're told "he did evil because he did not set his heart on seeking the Lord." Rehoboam died and his son Abijah succeeded him as king.

II Chronicles 13: Abijah had a short reign of 3 years, but it was eventful. Under threat from Israel, Abijah spoke to Israel's assembled armies, telling them that Judah was God's nation and that God protected it. So when Jeroboam's troops surrounded Judah's fighting men, they cried out to God, and he delivered Judah from the imminent attack. Instead, Abijah and his army were victorious because God fought for them. When he died, his son Asa succeeded him.

II Chronicles 14: Finally, a good king, one faithful to God and interested in reform takes the throne of Judah. Asa "did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God," removing pagan altars and high places, cutting down idols and symbols of idol worship. "He commanded Judah to seek the Lord," and set an example as their leader. He reigned for 41 years and God gave him rest. He rebuilt the cities' fortifications which Shishak and his allies had destroyed, and had a vast standing army of 300,000 men. They were challenged by Zerah the Cushite but Asa "called to the Lord his God" and God struck down the enemy on Judah's behalf. Asa's men returned to Jerusalem with plunder and booty for their efforts.

II Chronicles 15: Asa hears from a prophet named Azariah that God is with him as king and as a nation if both the leaders and the people remain faithful to God. The prophet says "The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you." What a great and wonderful promise. There's a clich$eacute; these days which you've heard: "If you don't feel close to God, guess who moved?" And this promise helps us see that. God will be found by us when we seek him, but if we leave him, he leaves us to our own strength - and when we depend on our resources, human and finite, we fail. The prophet tells Asa that teaching the law has been neglected, and he encourages Asa to be strong and courageous in his fight against idolatry. And so Asa takes God's words to heart and once again destroys high places and pagan altars. He repaired the temple altar and he assembled all the people in Jerusalem for a renewal of the covenant. "They sought God eagerly and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side." God responds when we truly submit to him, surrendering our will and our agendas, our failures to live by his Word, and we are welcomed back. Jesus said there's great rejoicing in heaven when a sinner repents. Asa even fired his grandmother as Queen Mother, because she'd been idolatrous. As for Asa, "his heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life."

II Chronicles 16: Just five years before the end of his reign, Baasha, then king of Israel, attacked Judah. Asa therefore sent gold and silver to Ben Hadad, king of Aram (the northern neighbor to Israel) and asked for his help. And so Ben Hadad attacked Israel's northern cities, forcing Baasha to give up his attack on Judah to return home and defend his own cities. Then a prophet tells Asa "because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God," you've missed a chance to defeat a large enemy. Asa, feeling guilty no doubt, took out his anger on the prophet and put him in prison, and he oppressed some of his own people. We just read that his heart was committed to God, but here we see a slipping away. God's punishment was to afflict him with diseased feet, and instead of seeking forgiveness and healing, he relied on physicians who could do nothing, and he died. He was honored with a huge funeral and mourning. But a reign which could have been even more successful came to a bad end.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.