Feasting on God's Word (One Year Bible)

The reign of Jehoshaphat was a good reign. He was the “king of Judah” (2 Chronicles 20:31). He was very different from “King Ahab of Israel” (2 Chronicles 18:3). Good kings, bad kings - Each has his influence on the people: a good influence, a bad influence. Reading about these things makes us think about ourselves and the influence we have on other people. Is it good or bad? What about our own commitment to the Lord? Is it real? Is it changing us - and others?

The glory of Israel was a fading glory. We should read the closing chapters of 2 Chronicles in the light of 2 Corinthians 3:7 - The glory was fading. God, however, has revealed His glory in greater fullness - “what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory” ( 2 Corinthians 3:10 ). The renewal of God’s glory comes through the Spirit ( Psalm 104:30 ).

Covenant - This is vitally important in both the Old Testament and the New Testament ( 2 Chronicles 34:29-32 ; 2 Corinthians 3:6 ). There is the Word of God ( 2 Chronicles 34:30 ) and the Spirit of God ( 2 Corinthians 3:6 ). There is the human response ( 2 Chronicles 34:31-32 ) and renewal by the Spirit ( 2 Corinthians 3:6 ). Psalm 104 speaks much of “the waters.” This makes one think of Jesus’ words concerning “rivers of living water” ( John 7:37-39 ) - the power of the Spirit being poured into our hearts ( Psalm 104:10 ; Romans 5:5 ), satisfying our spiritual thirst ( Psalm 104:11 , 13 ) and bringing fruitfulness into our lives ( Psalm 104:14 ) with a sufficiency that comes from the Lord ( Psalm 104:16 ).

“With us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles” ( 2 Chronicles 32:8 ). The battle will not be easy. “Satan” is seeking to “outwit us” ( 2 Corinthians 2:11 ). Nevertheless, “we are not unaware of his schemes” ( 2 Corinthians 2:11 ). In our spiritual battle for God and against Satan, we need to know both our enemy and our God who helps us and fights for us. “The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked and brings the wicked to ruin” ( Proverbs 21:12 ). This is what Christ has done for us. This is what we are to do in Him.

A revival of worship does not come from the worshippers. It comes from the God whom they worship - “what God had brought about for His people” ( 2 Chronicles 29:35b-36 ). “It is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ” ( 2 Corinthians 1:22 ). If we are live in obedience to God’s Word, we must give ourselves wholeheartedly to praising Him. This will involve more than paying lip-service to Him. We must do His will ( Psalm 103:20-21 ).

“In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord” ( 2 Chronicles 28:22 ). Times of trouble can lead people towards bitterness and further rebellion against the Lord. On the other hand, times of trouble can be precisely the times when God’s purpose is most powerfully fulfilled - “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles” ( 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ). Ahaz’ rebellion against the Lord had negative effects on the whole of Israel . Scripture speaks of both “his downfall and the downfall of Israel ” ( 2 Chronicles 28:23 ). We receive comfort from the Lord so that we may have a positive effect on others - “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” ( 2 Corinthians 1:4 ). As we consider what God is seeking, even in our troubles, to do in us and for us, we must learn to say, with the Psalmist, ...

2 Chronicles “Give me wisdom and knowledge so that I may lead these people ... This great people of Yours” (2 Chronicles 1:10). Wisdom is not given to us for our own benefit, It is given to us for the benefit of others - so that we might lead them to the Lord. We are to follow in the footsteps of our Lord. He “came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). “I want to build the Temple for the Lord my God. I want to dedicate it to Him” (2 Chronicles 2:4). Everything that we do is to be done for God. Everything that we do is to be dedicated to Him. This is the lesson that we learn from Solomon and the building of the Temple. We are to do all things for the glory of God. He alone is worthy of our praise. We are not only to worship Him in the place of worship and at the time set aside for worship. We are to worship Him all of the time, wherever we are. We are to praise Him in His House. We are to continue to praise Him, as we go out from His House to the world. The bui...

2 Chronicles 7:12-22 The gathering together of God’s people - “I ... have chosen this place for Myself” (2 Chronicles 7:12). Note also 2 Chronicles 7:15-16 - “... this place... this temple.” The key verse is 2 Chronicles 7:14. Taking this verse together with Acts 1:12-14, we may say, ‘This is the kind of prayer that leads to Pentecost.’ What we have here is humility, prayer, longing for God and repentance. When we say, “Pray”, we must ask, ‘How are we to pray?’  * We are to pray with humility. Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the publican (Luke 18:9-14).  * We are to pray with longing for God. Prayer is more than just words. There is to be intensity and persistence. The parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8): She kept on praying until she received an answer. We are to “cry out to God day and night” (Luke 18:7).  * We are to pray with repentance. Our words are to be backed up by our life.   When God hears this kind of prayer...

2 Chronicles 7:1-22 Lord, You’re calling us to pray – and You’re giving us Your promise of blessing (2 Chronicles 7:14). We ask, “Where is the blessing?” You turn our question around. You say to us, “Where is the prayer?” This is challenging, Lord. Help us to keep on praying – and to keep on believing that there will be blessing, Your blessing – the forgiveness of our sin and the healing of our land (2 Chronicles 7:14).

2 Chronicles 10:1-11:23 Lord, we see division among Your people: "Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day" (2 Chronicles 10:19). You are not pleased. You say, "Do not go up to fight against your brothers" (2 Chronicles 11:4). This is not just ancient history. It's our problem. It's a big problem. We still need to hear the words of Jesus - "a house ... divided against itself cannot stand" (Mark 3:25). There are to be "no divisions" among us (1 Corinthians 1:10). We are "all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). Lord, help us, in our praying and our living, to echo the prayer of Jesus: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me" (John 17:21,23).

2 Chronicles 14:1-16:14   Lord, we see so much of ourselves in Asa. He started well - "Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God" (2 Chronicles 14:2). He ended badly - "He did not rely on the Lord his God ... even in his disease he did not seek the Lord" (2 Chronicles 16:7-9,12). Help us, Lord, to hear and heed the words of Jesus: "No-one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God" (Luke 9:62); "He who endures to the end will be saved" (Mark 13:13). Help us to "go on" with You and for You (Hebrews 6:1).

2 Chronicles 1:1-2:18 Lord, we need Your wisdom (2 Chronicles 1:10). We need Jesus - He is Your wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:30). Without Jesus, we're fools. We may think that we're wise - but we're not. Jesus makes us wise. True wisdom comes from Him. When we build our lives on Jesus, we are truly wise (Matthew 7:24-27). Lord, give us Your wisdom - the wisdom that knows the most important thing: Jesus is our Saviour. 2 Chronicles 3:1-5:1 Lord, You call us to work for You, to "work in the Temple of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 4:11; 2 Chronicles 5:1). This is no ordinary work. It's spiritual work. It is "most holy" (2 Chronicles 3:8,10; 2 Chronicles 4:22). Real work come for You emerges from true worship of You. Before we can be Your workers, we must be your worshippers. Teach us, Lord, to worship You. As we worship You, may we receive from You the strength that we need to work for You. 2 Chronicles 5:2-6:42 Without Your blessing, Lord...

2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37 Lord, we see two sides of Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 19:2-3) – two sides of ourselves! There is the godly side – “O Lord … our eyes are upon You” (2 Chronicles 20:12). There is the sinful side – “Jehoshaphat … made an alliance with Ahaziah … who was guilty of wickedness” (2 Chronicles 20:35). Lord, You know our weakness. Help us to come to You, in our weakness. Help us to receive new strength, Your strength, the strength that we need to live a more godly life, a life that brings glory to You and blessing to us.

2 Chronicles 29:1-36  Lord, You're calling us to be holy (2 Chronicles 29:5) - and You're calling us to be joyful (2 Chronicles 29:30). It's not to be holiness without joy. It's not to be joy without holiness. It's to be holiness and joy. Lord, make us holy - and make us joyful.

2 Chronicles 33:1-34:13   Very quickly, Lord, good work can be undone (2 Chronicles 33:1-3). Bad work can be undone - if we will make a new beginning with You (2 Chronicles 34:1-4). Help us, Lord, to make a new beginning with You - and a new beginning for You.

In the history of Israel, there were low points - “all Israel abandoned the Lord’s teaching” (2 Chronicles 12:1) - as well as high points - “Asa did what the Lord his God considered right and good” (2 Chronicles 14:2). Even Asa was not consistently faithful to the Lord. Despite the statement, “Asa remained committed to the Lord his entire life” (2 Chronicles 15:17), there are signs that, at the end of his life, his faith was not as strong as it should have been. God is calling us to move forward in faith and obedience. He is calling us to walk in His ways all the days of our life.

The grandeur of Solomon was most impressive. After reading about all of his glory, we come to the point where he dies. This is a reminder that we cannot take our riches with us. It’s a reminder of Jesus’ words: “Do not lay up treasures on earth.Lay up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:19-20). We must never lose sight of the eternal dimension of our life.

The continuation of God’s blessing is conditional on the continuation of Israel’s obedience. The Temple does not guarantee the continuation of God’s blessing: “If you and your descendants turn away from Me ... I will reject this Temple that I declared holy for My Name. I will make it an example and an object of ridicule for all the people of the world” (2 Chronicles 7:19-20). These are God’s words of warning. He also gives His promise of blessing to those who turn to Him - “If My people ...” (2 Chronicles 7:14-16).

“The Lord’s glory filled the Lord’s Temple” (2 Chronicles 5:14), The emphasis is not on Solomon. It is the Lord who must be the focus of our attention. It is the Lord who is to receive glory. Solomon emphasizes this: “I’ve built the Temple for the Name of the Lord God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 6:11). In his prayer (2 Chronicles 6:14-42), Solomon prays for “salvation” (2 Chronicles 6:41). He does not only pray for himself. He prays for others. He prays that they will come to God, praying for “salvation”. He asks God to hear and answer these prayers.

The building of the Temple - It was “the Lord’s Temple” (2 Chronicles 3:1). It was being built “for the Lord’s Name” (2 Chronicles 2:1). The glory of the Lord - This must never be forgotten. There is nothing more important than this. God is to be glorified. This was the reason for the building of the Temple.This must be the driving force in our lives - in everything we do. Let God be glorified in all things. Blessing will only come to us when we give the glory to God. We must not seek glory for ourselves.