Tag Archives: 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 32

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Sometime after re-establishing temple worship, Hezekiah’s faith was tested with the invasion of Sennacherib. Hezekiah encouraged the people by reminding them that “there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.”  As Sennacherib’s campaign continued, Hezekiah “prayed because of this and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors.. of the king of Assyria”.

Hezekiah’s faith strengthened Judah and kept them safe from their enemies. But after a while he became proud with his achievements, “therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem”.  So Hezekiah is a great example of faith and also a warning for us. He shows the importance of turning to God in prayer, of strengthening each other against our enemy King Sin, but also of remaining humble, realising that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

2 Chronicles 29, Acts 9

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Hezekiah was a man of action, doing what was necessary to help the whole nation. “He did right in the eyes of the Lord” by restoring the temple and re-establishing worship in it. At just 25 he went against the actions of their fathers who had been unfaithful and evil, and in the first year of his reign opened the doors of the temple.

Saul too was a man of action, although initially misguided. He went from persecuting the ecclesia, to “proving that Jesus was the Christ” in the synagogues, confounding the Jews.

These two men provide us with a great example of the need to act. Our faith is not a passive one; it requires that we do what we can to help each other and our neighbours around us in this race of life.

2 Chronicles 20

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Jehoshaphat demonstrated great faith in a difficult time. An army, described as a great multitude, was approaching Judah. Jehoshaphat turns to God for help in prayer, acknowledging that “we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” In response, God tells Jehoshaphat that “the battle is not yours but God’s”. God would defeat the army, as long as they followed the instruction to “stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf.”

These ideas are similar to our lives today. Often in life we don’t know what to do, except turn to God in prayer, and trust that He hears us and will help us. Like Jehoshaphat and Judah we can only watch and pray, being unable by ourselves to defeat the enemy we face daily.  So let us be like Jehoshaphat, taking our troubles to God in prayer, believe in His word, and trust.

2 Chronicles 5-6

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Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple reminds us that God is always true to His word. God had promised David that David’s son would build a temple for him, and now that temple was complete, “keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart.” Solomon also requests that God would hear the prayers of His servants, and forgive them for their sins they acknowledge.

This is the same hope that we’ve been offered. Through Christ, we can seek forgiveness. Through Christ, we can be part of God’s promises. So let us build in our own lives a temple dedicated to serving and praising God, and walk before God with all our heart.