The Temple and the Glory of God

 The Temple the Ark the Glory of God

 Book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 5

After seven long years, the Temple and all its furnishings were completed.

 1Ki 6:38 And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it.

Solomon gathered the entire nation and its leaders and its priests to the dedication of the Temple.

 This gathering was no longer to Gibeon the site of the Tabernacle, but to Jerusalem the place God had chosen Himself.

 Even today the Jews are looking forward to the day they can reestablish their worship of the Lord God Jehovah in a Temple dedicated to Him.

 We certainly need a place to worship to honor God.

 Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

 God Himself says it is more important to gather together today than it was back in the day of the dedication of Solomon’s Temple.

 If we do not dedicate our places of worship to be used for the worship of the Lord, then they will be used for anything other than that.

 Dedicate means to set apart for sacred use.

 Sacred means consecrated; dedicated; or devoted to.

 We also need to dedicate ourselves to the Lord for His use!

 Most every nation at this time had a temple dedicated to some false god, and some had many.

 This was the drive that moved King David. He wanted a magnificent temple dedicated to Jehovah the One True God.

 Most people do not realize that God is about worship, and not about buildings!

 Pagans built temples for gods who could not see, who could hear, and who could not speak to them.

 2Co_6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the "temple of the living God"; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 There is only one "Living God"!

 Jhn_6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, "the Son of the living God".

 Psa_84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the "living God".

 How can anyone serve a dead god or a god that does not exist?

 The Living God is the God we need to have reverent fear of, and even actual fear.

 Heb_10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 2 Chronicles Chapter 5 verse 1

 *****2Ch 5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.

 The Temple was King Solomon's greatest work.

 It was the Temple of Solomon that made the greatest impression on the known world at that time.

 People would come far and wide to see this Temple of God.

 The importance of the Temple was to ensure a central place of worship and more important a central place to offer sacrifices for sin.

 The object of the Temple was to bring about a unity of faith and national unity among the people of Israel.

 The object of the Temple was to fulfill the commandment of God to Moses.

 Moses said, when you shall obtain possession of the land and have become established, then you shall have one place in which to appear before the Lord.

 Deu_16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God "in the place which he shall choose"; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

 The Temple did provide a fixed habitation for Jehovah.

 The Temple did provide a central place of worship where all the tribes of Israel might assemble at the three annual feasts.

 It is these things that would preserve the unity of Israel.

 According to the Book of Leviticus, there must be:

 1) A place to meet Jehovah on the throne of "Grace".

2) Sacrifices made for sin.

3) Priests as intermediaries between Jehovah and the people.

4) Times in which they could approach Jehovah with daily, weekly, monthly, and annual offerings.

5) A ritual telling how to approach God.

 The Temple was in fact, a type of the most glorious building which is the individual believer!

 1Co_3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

 King David had not only provided the plunder he had taken for his conquest for the building of the Temple, but he also provided his riches to be dedicated to the upkeep of this Temple and to pay the priests.

 David had also dedicated all the musical instruments he had to the Temple. Some he had made himself.

 These instruments are listed in First Chronicles chapter 15.

 1Ch 15:16 And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

 1Ch 15:24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were doorkeepers for the ark.

 1Ch 15:28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

 So, we know of psalteries, harps, and cymbals, trumpets, and cornets.

 A psaltery is a lyre or another type of harp just as a cornet is another type of trumpet.

 Solomon next brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple according to the instructions of God.

 The Ark was placed in the new Holy of Holies, the Most Holy Place in the Temple.

 *****2Ch 5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

2Ch 5:3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king in the feast which was in the seventh month.

2Ch 5:4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark.

2Ch 5:5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

 Many of these things from the time of Moses and those remade after the destruction of the Tabernacle by the Philistines were no longer usable for the new Temple and were stored at the Temple and preserved as relics.

 Things such as the tent and a great many of the old-time utensils, including the Brazen Serpent.

 The Feast of the Seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles, sometimes called Booths, and also known as the Feast of the Ingathering.

 It was to last seven days but for the dedication of the Temple, it lasted fourteen days.

 1Ki 8:65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.

1Ki 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

 This is the feast that commemorates the forty-year wilderness journey.

 It is also called Sukkot.

 It is a celebration of the fall harvest and a time to build booths which are temporary shelters of branches to remember how the Hebrew people lived under God's care during those forty years in the wilderness.

 These things were repeated when the Hebrews returned from Babylon.

 Neh 8:14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month:

Neh 8:15 And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

Neh 8:16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

Neh 8:17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua (which is Joshua) the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

Neh 8:18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

 This celebration is a reminder of God's faithfulness and protection.

 All Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem to appear before the Lord and their families usually went with them.

 Many Jewish people still celebrate Sukkot today, by building and dwelling in temporary booths for eight days.

 There are four special plants used to cover the booths, and they are the citron, the myrtle, the palm, and the willow.

 Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. 

Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

 Then, the elders came and took up the Ark out of the Tabernacle of David.

 It was necessary to put a new lid on the Ark. It was about five hundred years old and when opened, nothing remained but the two tablets of stone from the time of Moses.

 It originally contained two tablets that contained the Ten Commandments and Aaron's rod that budded and a pot of manna.

 Blame was put on the Philistines for the missing items.

 So, the steps to the dedication included:

 1) Placing in the treasury all the things dedicated by David. Solomon could have kept these riches of his father, and no one would have known but God, but Solomon honored the wishes of His father David.

 2) Placing all the sacred vessels and furniture in their proper position.

 3) The offering of the many sacrifices.

 4) The priests carrying into the Most Holy Place the Ark of the Covenant.

 5) As the priests came from the Most Holy Place and one hundred and twenty other priests standing east of the Altar blew their trumpets, the Levite choir burst into a song of praise and thanksgiving with cymbals and other musical instruments saying "For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.

 6) Then the cloud, a symbol of the Divine Presence and the Glory of God filled the house.

 Let's read the Scriptures.

 *****2Ch 5:6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

2Ch 5:7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims:

2Ch 5:8 For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

2Ch 5:9 And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day.

2Ch 5:10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

 We now know what happened in the dedication of the Temple so, let's look at some other things.

 Many today are concerned about the location of the Ark of the Covenant today.

 We do not know for sure if the Ark remained at the Temple when Nebuchadnezzar plundered the Temple but what we do know when the vessels were brought back from Babylonian captivity the Ark of the Covenant was not mentioned.

 Ezr 1:9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

Ezr 1:10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

Ezr 1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

 The staves of the Ark were at least fifteen feet long, which was about the size of the Most Holy Place.

 The staves were that long to give room for those men who carried the Ark leaving room to stay clear of the Ark.

 The staves were withdrawn as far as they could to the back wall so they would not protrude in sight at the front.

 The Ark had only the tablets of stone written by the finger of God at this time.

 Exo 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

Exo 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Exo 31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

 Remember it was Moses who had broken these two tablets.

 Exo 34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

 Deu_10:2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

 There was something else that was with or in the Ark.

 Deu_31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.

 Probably the very same book, which (after having been some way misplaced) was found in the house of the Lord, in the days of Josiah, and publicly read by the king himself, for a witness against a people, who were then almost ripe for ruin.

 On the side or On the inside, Some say there was a little chest fixed to the Ark for such things but it is not mentioned. Some say that this book was just placed inside the Ark. There was nothing but the stone tablets that were contained in the Ark.

 This book was found later.

 2Ch 34:14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the LORD given by Moses.

2Ch 34:15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan.

2Ch 34:16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they do it.

 The Shekinah Glory of the Lord

 *****2Ch 5:11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course:

2Ch 5:12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)

2Ch 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, "For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever": that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

 Once the Ark was in place God gave His stamp of approval!

 So, it had been when Moses finished the Tabernacle, and so it was at Pentecost after the Lord Jesus began His Church, that the Holy Spirit came down in His mighty power.

 God's glory has to be the most wonderful sight we will ever see!

 Notice all the priests were in white linen robes. Does this not make us think about the white robes in Heaven?

 Rev_7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

 King Solomon now had all things in place and a platform had been erected about seven feet squared somewhat like a pulpit, so he was lifted up above the people to be seen as well as heard and it seems King Solomon acted as King and High Priest.

 We see some typology here.

 In reality, only King Jesus can be the true King and High priest when He returns to take us home and then sits upon His throne in Jerusalem.

 Immediately after the priests had performed and withdrawn and the doors of the Temple were closed, the cloud of God's Holy Presence and God's Majestic Glory filled the Temple just as He had done when the Tabernacle of Moses was completed.

 King Solomon was stunned:

 1Ki 8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,

1Ki 8:11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

1Ki 8:12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

 Our true Holy God manifested His presence showing the public that he had accepted their labor of love in building this Temple.

 *****2Ch 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

 A man of God said this beautified this Temple much more than all the gold which it was overlaid and all the precious stones that adorned it. Yet even that glory in comparison does not match the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 God had not allowed King David to build this Temple but told him that his son Solomon would have the honor of building this Temple.

 Then King Solomon began to pray.

2Ch 6:12  And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: 

2Ch 6:13  For Solomon had made a brasen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven, 

2Ch 6:14  And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts: 

2Ch 6:15  Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.

And he continued therefore:

 Amen

God Will Give Us Wisdom

 Solomon Received Wisdom

 Book of 2 Chronicles Chapter 1 verses 7 through 12

 

 As we begin this first lesson in the Book of 2 Chronicles, we know that King David had died after ruling all the tribes of Israel for a total of forty years.

 Seven years over Judah and Benjamin and thirty-three years over all of Israel.

 God had decided that Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, would now lead all of Israel after their marriage.

 The first act of Solomon was to take secure control of the throne of Israel.

 We know that Adonijah another son of David was trying to take control of Israel with the help of some rich and powerful leaders, but he had failed.

 Solomon's second act as the new King of Israel was to seek the Lord, worship Him, and pray for the wisdom to be King. 

 The Tabernacle was now in Gibeon, but the Ark of the Covenant was in Jerusalem because God had chosen Jerusalem to be the place where worship would continue.

 King David had built a special Tabernacle to house the Ark of the Covenant.

 I believe that this tabernacle is mentioned in prophecy.

 Isa_16:5  And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

 Amo_9:11  In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

 Act_15:16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

 Solomon knew where the Tabernacle was located with the Ark of the Covenant, but the Brazen Altar was at Gibeon, and this is the place where sacrifices were to be made according to Levitical Law

 The Brazen Altar was the one place where all sacrifices were to be made, and Gibeon was only six and one-half miles from Jerusalem.

 The Brazen Altar is in fact a type of Mount Calvary where our Lord Jesus was sacrificed for our sins.

 God had said if anyone offers a sacrifice and brings it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, offering it to the Lord then that blood would be applied to that man and he would be cut off.

 Lev 17:3  What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, 

Lev 17:4  And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: 

 King Solomon knew this law applied to him as it did to all the children of Israel.

 King Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings upon this Brazen Altar.

 It is the night after the day that King Solomon did this that the Lord appeared to King Solomon in a dream.

 *****2Ch 1:7  In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee. 

 We first see that God knew Solomon needed some guidance just as we all do.

 We will also see that God will test King Solomon even though God knew what Solomon would ask Him for.

 Solomon had brought all the leadership of Israel and the judges with him to Gibeon.

 This included all the heads of the military.

 It was important for all the leaders of Israel to know that King Solomon would serve the Lord God of Israel.

 What a shame that our leaders will not do this because they reject the God of Truth.

 They claim God and reject His Words, and it does not work like that.

 Now our nation allows so-called scientists who boast of superior insight into the nature of things to direct our nation.

 Many scientists assert that their investigations prove that the teachings of Scripture are false, but real facts show that the Bible has no controversy with real science.

 Because Solomon and those leaders acknowledged their need for the Lord, God accepted their worship through those sacrificial offerings.

 Today God accepts our worship, if we are sincere because the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself, and the veil in the Temple at Jerusalem was torn from top to bottom and we can go directly to the Lord in our time of need or any other time.

It was important that the veil was torn from top to bottom. If it had been torn from bottom to top, it would have meant that man had done it

 God appeared to King Solomon: 1Ki 3:5  In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 

 God appeared to Solomon in a dream that was much more than a dream.

 This was one of the more significant dreams in the Bible.

 God revealed Himself in various ways in the Old Testament.

 There are many places where God spoke audibly to people.

 To Abraham: Gen 18:13  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

 Gen 18:17  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

 To Moses: Exo 19:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever. And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD. 

 To Isaiah: Isa 6:8  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. 

 God also revealed Himself through dreams as we see here with King Solomon.

 Whether it was more like a dream or a vision it was interactive and it was real and it honored God.

 God spoke to Solomon and Solomon spoke to God and prophecy was fulfilled.

 When this is mentioned in the Book of 1 Kings we can see that it is not Jehovah who responded to Solomon but it was Elohim.

 Jehovah appeared but Elohim spoke.

When we hear from the Lord Jesus Christ, He is speaking the words of His Father.

 In this passage here we see that Elohim appeared to Solomon.

 So, even though the Ark was not at Gibeon, God still met with Solomon and talked to him.

 We see that even in the times of the Old Testament, God made it clear that He was not restricted to the Holy of Holies or the Ark of the Covenant.

The Holy of Holies was a place where God met the High Priest of Israel.

 God said: "Ask what I shall give thee".

 We can take this to mean that Solomon could have asked for anything.

 We can just imagine how we would respond if the Almighty God asked us this same question.

 We know that we can ask for anything that is in the will of God for our lives, and He will give those things to us.

 What did Jesus say?

 Mat_7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 Mat_21:22  And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

 Jhn_16:23  And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

 Now it does not really say that God would have given Solomon anything he asked for, because God knew before Solomon asked, what he was going to ask for.

 We can be sure that God's response had nothing to do with those one thousand animals that were sacrificed.

 It was because Solomon's heart was surrendered to God at this time!

 This is the key to answered prayer! Having our hearts surrendered to the Lord.

 Joh 15:7  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

 *****2Ch 1:8  And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead. 

2Ch 1:9  Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude. 

 It should be very clear that God knows what is in our hearts before we ask of Him!

 When we ask of God, we must have faith that He can supply what we ask for or we will never receive gifts from God.

 God is not only able, but He is also willing to give us anything, but it must be in His will for us.

 God had shown more than great mercy to David, God had also made David a rich man.

 Why might we ask?

 1Ki 3:6  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 

1Ki 3:7  And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. 

 David had left all those riches to be used to build a Temple for God in Jerusalem.

 At this time Solomon was certainly not a child according to our standards.

 He was probably between the ages of seventeen to twenty-two.

 The one thing Solomon knew was that he was personally inadequate to fulfill God's promises to his father David.

 The nation of Israel was too great.

There were too many people for him to govern effectively.

The task that was lying before him was just too overwhelming.

 Solomon felt helpless.

 Solomon likened himself to be a small child.

 Solomon knew he lacked the wisdom to be King of Israel.

 The laws of Moses stated that Israel had to have a king who was humble and who would remain humble.

 A king was required to read the law of God daily and follow it.

 Deu 17:18  And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 

Deu 17:19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 

Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel. 

 No king was to feel he was superior to his fellow citizens.

 We know that this is a problem in the last few governments that we have.

 Those ultra-liberal Senators and Congressmen men and women treated us as inferiors!

 Solomon knew he needed God's help.

 This is exactly where God wants each of us.

 The Lord Jesus put it this way: Jhn_15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 We have found this to be very true!

 What was God's promise to David?

 2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 

2Sa 7:13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 

2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 

2Sa 7:15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 

2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 

 We know this prophecy did not only concern Solomon but more importantly our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only one who could fulfill this prophecy.

 What did Solomon need?

 *****2Ch 1:10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great? 

 What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?

 **By knowledge Solomon meant the ability to gather and understand facts.

 By definition knowledge is a clear and certain perception of things that exist.

 We have no knowledge of things that do not exist, but God has perfect knowledge of all His creation so human knowledge is very limited.

 Knowing these things then keep in mind that ignorance is the curse of God.

 We know that Jesus Christ alone possesses all the knowledge of God.

 **Wisdom is the ability to apply the facts that are learned.

 By definition, wisdom is the right use of knowledge.

 Wisdom in fact is one of the names of Jesus Christ: 1Co_1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

 We should know that Solomon became king because God was rewarding his father, King David.

 What Solomon needed the most was the 'Grace" of God.

 We see that Solomon did not have a clue on how to rule a kingdom.

 When we admit what we are, dumb sheep, then God has something to work with.

 *****2Ch 1:11  And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 

 And God speaks.

 What did God tell the Prophet Samuel before this all began?

 1Sa 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. 

The word heart is used 833 times in the KJV Bible.

The heart is the center of the physical, mental, and spiritual life of all humans!

It is the heart that is at the center of our physical life.

Act 14:17  Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. 

The heart and our mind are closely connected.

It is thought that our heart is the seat of our intelligence.

Pro_8:5  O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.

Sometimes we think with our heart.

Pro 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. 

We ponder things in our hearts.

Luk 2:19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 

We see the heart and mind connected.

Our emotions are tied to our hearts.

God can see into our hearts, and He knows who his children are and those who are not and never will be.

Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 

Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 

Now we cannot read our own thoughts into this. 

This is something God knows, and we cannot know!

The heart is the center of our spiritual life!

Job said: Job 27:6  My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. 

It is our heart that will condemn us, but it is also in our heart where we feel the power of God.

1Jn 3:19  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. 

1Jn 3:20  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 

1Jn 3:21  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. 

It is because our heart is at the root of all our problems this is the place where God does His greatest work!

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 

Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 

It is the heart where God sows His seed (the Word of God).

Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 

Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Rom 10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 

It is in the heart where God will make His home within us.

2Co 1:21  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 

2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

This is why if God wants to know us, all He has to do is look into our hearts.

This is why we can witness for the Lord.

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

This is what God saw in the heart of Solomon.

*****2Ch 1:12  Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 

There is a principle in the Bible that we have trouble understanding and the Lord Jesus uses it: Mat_25:29  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

We see that King Solomon had enough wisdom to offer up a wise prayer, so God increased his wisdom as the answer to his prayer.

We see that all those who make this world their end will come up short in the gifts of God.

Those who make it to the "Glory World" will not only obtain a mansion in God's home, but God will give us enough in this world that we live and take care of our families.

Yes, God gave Solomon riches and wealth and honor, but these things had another purpose.

The truth is, if we put the Lord and His ways first in our lives then, good things can happen.

It means following God's will for our lives, then blessings will come our way!

God freely gives His wisdom if we will just ask Him.

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 

Amen`

King Uzziah, Transgressed Against The Lord

Uzziah: Transgression Against The Lord

Book of 2 Chronicles 26


When the word "transgression" is used in the Old Testament, it most always speaks of treachery, revolt, and rebellion.

It is sin in any case, but when it is specifically against the Lord or the Word of God, "it is terrible sin".

God says that all evil men always seek transgression and open rebellion.

Pro 17:11  An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him.

In our lesson today we will see where another King of Judah who was helped in every way by the Lord allowed his own self-pride to come between himself and the Lord and it cost him dearly.

The name Uzziah is a form of the name Azariah and we see both names for this king used in the Word of God.

Uzziah was the son of King Amaziah who we studied about recently.

In his younger years Uzziah was guided by the Prophet Zechariah and under Zechariah's influence, Uzziah did what was right in the sight of God but never more than his own father Amaziah had done before him.

Uzziah prospered while he was seeking the Lord and in the end his prospering led to self-pride and we will see again that pride can change any man.

We will see that Uzziah even attempted to be King and High Priest but that position is reserved for Jesus Christ!

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Heb 5:4  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
Heb 5:5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

Uzziah brought on his own downfall, just as Lucifer did!

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16  They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
Isa 14:17  That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

So let's see how Uzziah failed as a King of Judah.

*****2Ch 26:3  Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jecoliah of Jerusalem.
2Ch 26:4  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did.
2Ch 26:5  And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.

After the assassination of his father Amaziah, Uzziah was immediately made King of Judah and he began by restoring the commerce of Judah.

It is possible the reason Uzziah had such a long reign was that while his father was in captivity in Samaria, he was made co-regent and ruled in his fathers place but he did reign for 52 years.

Uzziah also had a Jewish mother and in in his young years he was placed under the care of Zachariah and we can see that this is Zechariah the prophet because he had understanding in the visions of the Lord.

Uzziah was instructed in the Word of God.
Uzziah was taught the commandments of God.
Uzziah was taught the duties of King according to the Word of God.

The truth of Uzziah is that as long as he sought the will of the Lord, he was a successful King of Judah!

God made him to prosper.

Uzziah accomplished many necessary things for his nation but we see it was only by the "Grace" of God.

*****2Ch 26:6  And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod, and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.
2Ch 26:7  And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.
2Ch 26:8  And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself exceedingly.

Uzziah immediately repaired the damage to Jerusalem brought on by the invasion of the army of the Northern Kingdom.

Uzziah not only restored the wall that was broken down but he installed towers on top of those walls.

Uzziah then brought the Philistines back under control.

Uzziah established fortresses throughout the land to hinder access by any invading army such as happened to his father Amaziah.

Uzziah brought all the borders of the Southern Kingdom under his direct control.

It seems that our own president does not think this is such a big deal but as national protection we need to control all our borders.

Open borders work only for honest people!

Uzziah was even able to control the Ammonites who then paid taxes to Uzziah for his protection.

We never hear of nations paying any tax for the protection that America offers to them. We only hear of America offering free protection and then paying those nations for being allowed to protect them.

Makes no sense at all!

These achievements made the name of Uzziah a king to be honored and feared throughout the known world of that day.

Even Egypt respected the strength of this king.

Uzziah built one the strongest and most well trained armies since the time of David and Solomon.

Uzziah also developed war machines and machines used in defense of his nation

Uzziah restored the Southern Kingdom to a prosperous place of commerce and restored the economy to the Southern Kingdom.

These are all things that a good leader can do who is following in the will of God!

It is obvious that when a good leader seeks the will of God and then follows up on that will, they can do great things for the people of any nation.

What is one of the most over looked Scriptures in the Bible that we read and then ignore?

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Add to that:

Mat 7:7  Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

When are doing things according to the will of God, He will then provide the things that we need to accomplish that will!

Psa 61:2  From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

BUT, we soon see what happens when we take the credit for ourselves and forget it was God that provided all these things.

In our world today "pride" is seen only as a positive thing and it is true that we need a healthy self-esteem and a positive image of ourselves to be successful in today's world.

If we stay focused on our weaknesses we will not accomplish very much and we tend to be this way as we get older.

We should take pride in the abilities God has given to each of us!

Pride becomes sin when we feel like we are better than others. When we use our abilities or our appearance to shame and humiliate others or to dominate or enslave others, it has become sin.

So let's see Uzziah's slide to sin.

*****2Ch 26:16  But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

Uzziah became so full of self-pride and self-exaltation, it brought his destruction!

When God has done great things in your life and then you take all the credit without giving God the glory you have committed a grievous sin that will bring the "judgment" of God!

Many national leaders are guilty of sexual immorality, or murder, or of oppressing their people, or of persecuting the people, and even the worship of idols but you will not find that Uzziah was guilty of any of these things.

The Scripture says it plainly, when God had made Uzziah a great king, his own heart was lifted up to his own destruction!

Uzziah then tried to make himself High Priest.

The truth of the Scriptures is that Uzziah knew this was a grievous sin because he had been trained in the Books of Moses which explained these things.

Num 18:1  And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
Num 18:2  And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
Num 18:3  And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
Num 18:4  And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
Num 18:5  And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
Num 18:6  And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 18:7  Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

Uzziah exalted himself to be the God appointed priest and he entered into the Temple to burn incense to the Lord.

Azariah was High Priests at that time and he caught Uzziah as he entered into the Temple.

*****2Ch 26:17  And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men:
2Ch 26:18  And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God.

Notice Azariah was not alone but there were 80 priests of the Lord with him.

Azariah was God's appointed intercessor and no one approached God in that day without going through God's intercessor, not even the King!

We also know that this position was eliminated on Mount Calvary by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

The part that an earthly priest played in the Old Testament was eliminated at the cross and we can now go directly into the throne room of God with our request.

It took a dying Savior to take away all things that block our access to the One True God, our Heavenly Father!

The truth even today is, that when we try to have our own way in this world, we are going against the Word of God.

Jesus Christ did not die on Mount Calvary just so we can have our own way!

God did not raise up King Uzziah to his position just so he could have his own way!

When the priest burned the incense, the priests were symbolizing the need for an intercessor to stand between the Lord and His people.

Today we have that Perfect Intercessor, our own Perfect Mediator.

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

It was very important before the time of Christ, that the Books of  Moses be followed to the letter in the acts of the priesthood.

It is just as important today that we allow the will of God to rule in our hearts!

Luk 11:2  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

King Uzziah was confronted by the priesthood to stop him from committing this terrible act.

When they ask him to leave the Temple, Uzziah became very angry and broke out in a verbal rage against God's called men.

Up to this point in his life Uzziah had been successful in all that he had done.

The truth about prosperity is "that it is dangerous"!

Prosperity will seldom draw men to God, in fact is is just the opposite, as most will make themselves to be gods of their own realms.

Wealth can be a terrible affliction to the body and mind of any person!

Psa 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

If Uzziah had left peaceably nothing else would have been done that day but he did not.

*****2Ch 26:19  Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar

There will never be a time when we can approach God other then in a reverent fashion!

We simply will never be able to make demands of God!

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1Pe 5:7  Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

It does not matter how rich or how powerful you are in this world, to go against the Word of God can bring your death.

Had Uzziah completed what he set out to do, he would have certainly died but he was then punished with the living death, leprosy.

Sin in high places must be rebuked and treated harshly!

Had this High Priest yielded to this king, he would have certainly been punished.

To be honest this is where the Church is failing today.

The world is always ready to try to tell us how to worship!

One of our presidential candidates has even said all Christians need to lay aside the Word of God and listen to what the government is saying and as Christians we cannot allow this to happen!

We are always being told what doctrines can be preached, what the duties of the church are, and what sins are to be rebuked and the Church is folding under this pressure through fear.

The world simply cannot dictate how we are to worship our God and we cannot approach God without going through the Lord Jesus Christ and that is just the facts!

Anything less than this is being lukewarm toward God!

Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

God has already said that a lukewarm church and a lukewarm Christians makes Him sick!

There is another thing that I will mention.

When we were in the Book of Amos we read of an earthquake.

Amo 1:1  The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

At the moment King Uzziah lifted that censer, God struck Uzziah with Leprosy and according to the history as written by Josephus, this is the exact time of that earthquake mentioned in the Book of Amos.

Amos was saying it was 2 years before Uzziah became a leper that he was called of God.

*****2Ch 26:20  And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

SO, We see that sometimes God will bring "discipline" immediately for our sin!

There are many things that God just will not tolerate and this was one of those things.

Uzziah may have stood up the those priests but rage and threats do not work with God!

Uzziah had not transgressed against those priests, Uzziah had transgressed against the Word of God.

As those priests looked on, the leprosy first appeared on the forehead of the king.

Leprosy was a symbol of defilement and it did not matter if it costs the priests there job, they were required by the Word of God to remove this defilement from the Temple grounds.

Lev 22:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 22:2  Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.
Lev 22:3  Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.
Lev 22:4  What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;
Lev 22:5  Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;
Lev 22:6  The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

The truth is, King Uzziah could not retaliate against the priests because he knew this thing came from God.

AND, King Uzziah was forced to live in isolation the rest of his life.

Uzziah could no longer sit in public to judge his nation.
Uzziah could no longer worship in the Temple.
Uzziah had to put his son in charge of the government.
Uzziah could no longer live with his family.
Uzziah was an outcast not only from his own family but also the family of God!

*****2Ch 26:21  And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.

A "several house" is what would be called today a hospital or an infirmary and Uzziah was separated from all others even in this place.

In that day leprosy was incurable and for the most part it remains incurable even today.

One could say, why was God so harsh and unforgiving.

One: Uzziah was King of Judah.
Two: Uzziah defied the Word of God, he had swore to uphold.
Three: the position of King-Priest was reserved for the Lord.

Zec 6:12  And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:
Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

There was only one other in the Scriptures that was mentioned and we must notice his qualifications.   

Heb 7:1  For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2  To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
**Heb 7:3  Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

This is a whole other lesson for some other time, but Melchisedec was a type of Christ, if not the person of Christ in the Old Testament.

*****2Ch 26:22  Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.
2Ch 26:23  So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

In the Book of Isaiah we can find no record of the acts of Uzziah.

It is believed that it was the prophets that recorded the acts of the Kings in the 2 Books of the Kings and it is believed that Isaiah was that prophet in his day.

It is believed it was the priests that recorded the Chronicles of the Kings in the 2 Books of Chronicles and we can see how accurate both books are and how close they are in comparison. It is believed that Ezra wrote the Books of Chronicles.

Our lesson is the fact that pride and exalting ourselves instead of giving God the glory, can bring our downfall.

When we exalt ourselves we are saying that we are better than all others and that makes them lesser humans in our own eyes.

Pride says "I am the best"! More worthy of attention, more worthy of recognition, more worthy of honor, than all others.

BUT, Our skills are the gift of God.
Our talents are the gift of God.
AND, There are those who have been given great beauty but it to came from God.

None of these things should we glory over but we should give God the glory.

In fact not one blessing from God should ever be used to degrade others!

God says those with the most talent, beauty, and skills may lack in the most important thing.

Pro 11:2  When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.

And we know that wisdom comes only from the Lord.

It pays more to be wise than to be full of pride!

Pro 3:34  Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.
Pro 3:35  The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of fools.

It is only those who are wise that will inherit the "Glory World"!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

It Takes A Perfect Heart To Serve The Lord

Amaziah, The King With An Imperfect Heart

2 Chronicles 25


We have been in the New Testament Book of Luke for several months now so let's spend some time in the Old Testament and look at some kings other than David and Solomon and some others we do not hear much about.

According to the Bible, our heart is not only the center of our spiritual activity but also the center operations of the human life.

Mar 12:30  And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mar 12:31  And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

So the heart is then the home of our personal life!

Psa 24:4  He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Psa 24:5  He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

The heart is also the seat of our conscience.

Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

All these things are true but the greatest truth of our heart is that since the sin of Adam, we each carry within our selves a wicked heart that has to be over come daily.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

So the process of salvation that leads to discipleship of all others must begin in the heart!

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
Psa 51:13  Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Today we will see a King of Judah who had an imperfect heart.

The bottom line is that when our heart is not right with God we will loose the opportunity to serve Him and this is the greatest purpose we have in this life!

But there are terrible things that happen when are hearts are not right with God and right with each other!

There is also a secondary thing we will see in these Scriptures and that is as a nation grows weak the opportunity to have to defend itself against an enemy increases and war is most likely!

All these things lead to an increase in wicked behavior and this is evident in our own nation today!

*****2Ch 25:1  Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2Ch 25:2  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.

Amaziah was 25 years old which even today seems too young to be a national ruler but his father King Joash had been assassinated.

In reality Amaziah had already ruled the last year of his father's reign because Joash was deathly sick and unable to rule and there may be an actual reason that he was killed.

2Ch 24:24  For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash.
2Ch 24:25  And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of the kings.

To me this seems like these Syrians used some king of biological warfare substance to kill Joash and his family all except Amaziah, maybe just poison but it's the same thing.

Amaziah's mother was Jewish and the better kings of Judah all had Jewish mothers.

There should be little doubt that Amaziah had made a commitment to the Lord early in life but it will be also obvious that he had not committed with his whole heart. Without a total commitment to the Lord our life will never be as it could have been.

This describes the modern day church of today!

The modern day church is not totally devoted to the Lord and getting farther away all the time!

In 2 Kings we can see that Amaziah failed to remove the places of false worship from Judah and even allowed people to continue to build worship centers to pagan gods.

No matter how our constitution is viewed today, America was established on the principles of the Bible and it was never intended to allow the places of worship to false gods that we see today.

When these things take place there will always be those who will allow some practices of false worship to seep into the worship of the true God and this is an abomination to God!

Psa 81:9  There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.

1Co 8:5  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

The early settlers to America used this truth as their guiding principle!

This is called compromising and we simply cannot compromise in the things of the Lord nor on the Word of God.

To allow worldly activities to go on in the Church can lead to immorality and deadly sin!

But, the first thing Amaziah did was to revenge his father's death.

*****2Ch 25:3  Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him, that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.
2Ch 25:4  But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

It's fair to say that those that killed Amaziah's father deserved punishment. In that day that punishment would extend to the entire family but the Word of God says different and Amaziah followed the Word of God in this instance.

The one rule of God we should be able to see is that, when we face God it will be for our own sin and not the sin of others!

We also cannot pray for God to forgive the sin of others, this is something that they must do themselves.

So we are to be obedient to God in all things.

*****2Ch 25:5  Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
2Ch 25:6  He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

As any good leader should do, Amaziah began to establish an army to protect his kingdom. Judah had become weak militarily in the last years of Joash.

He took a census of all men over 20 years old.

He selected officers according to the leaders of all the clans of Judah and Benjamin which was the wise thing to do and not install officers that he hand picked for his own political agenda as is what happens today here in America.

He found that he could have a 300,000 man standing army.

It is then that Amaziah got stupid.

Israel was a divided nation at that time and had been since the death of Solomon.

The Northern Kingdom called Israel were enemies to the Southern Kingdom called Judah.

God had withdrawn His hand from the Northern Kingdom because they now worship false gods and had rejected Jehovah God.

To hire mercenaries from Israel could have never been a good idea!

But to hire mercenaries from a nation God has already withdrawn from is totally ridiculous

A hundred talents of silver may not sound like a lot but when you consider that this was 3 and 3/4 tons of silver, you can see that this was an awful lot of money in any day.

These are the stupid things that governments waste money on when it could have been better used for the people of Judah.

Any money or any other thing provided to things that go against the Word of God is a total waste of God's provision for His people!

And God was not happy with Amaziah!

*****2Ch 25:7  But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.
2Ch 25:8  But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

Today we have the complete Word of God with all His commandments and many examples of how we are to do things but Amaziah did not at this time and God would send His prophets.

So before Amaziah did this foolish thing, God sent a prophet to inform Amaziah of his mistake.

It's not important who this prophet was, it is only important that he brought the Word of God, he was only the messenger the words he used came from God.

God was not with Israel because He had been rejected by them, to hire an army from Israel would cause God to withdraw His right hand of power and Judah would lose the battle.

If Judah was going to win a war, then they needed God on their side and not an enemies army.

Amaziah hesitated for a moment.

*****2Ch 25:9  And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

What is the truth of the Scriptures? If we love the Lord God with all our heart, our mind and our soul, He will provide our needs to fulfill His purpose.

It was a great sum of money Amaziah had paid and it could effect the economy of Judah but God will always provide for His people and our God has deep pockets when necessary.

We can also be sure that the life of a child of God is not in material things and we cannot depend on material things to solve our problems.

But as we know mercenaries are ruthless men who are all about money and riches and anyone can be their enemy can any given day.

*****2Ch 25:10  Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

These ruthless men who would hire out their services became very angry because they had planned to plunder and steal anything they could get there hands on wherever they fought. They absolutely had no morals at all.

They served the god of riches and the god of power.

Psa 52:7  Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

These are the same types who are in control of our government today and most other governments in this world!

Power and riches are destroying our nation and will completely destroy it!

So Amaziah led his own army into battle.

*****2Ch 25:11  And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten thousand.
2Ch 25:12  And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in pieces.

Since the time of King David the Edomites had been under control but when Israel became divided and spent most of their time in war with each other, the Edomites had escaped and again began to harass Judah.

Some of these same descendants are what are called the Palestinians today who continue to cause turmoil in Israel but the world is blind to these things and see them only as refugees.

The war was fought and the battle was won but to capture another 10,000 to simply brutally murder them was truly unnecessary and certainly not the will of God.

They themselves acted just like the lawless hoodlums that were the Edomites and God teaches us to never sink down to the level of our enemy!

It is God Himself who will avenge His people!

While Amaziah was ruthlessly murdering his enemy, another enemy was seeking revenge on his nation.

This is a sure proof that our leaders are really stupid when they give all our military plans to our enemies!

Just as our leaders should very careful in joining with our enemies and announcing red lines or any such plan of action on our part.

But stupid is what stupid does!

*****2Ch 25:13  But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and took much spoil.

While the army of Judah was busy with the Edomites, those mercenaries of Israel had free reign to do as they wished and they wished to plunder and maim in Judah every city on their way home to Samaria.

Because all the fighting men were called into the army, 3000 of the children and older folks in Judah gave up their lives to these ruthless men hungry for riches and would hire out to anyone with money.

These men were simply terrorist in reality who attacked women and children and older folks.

It should obvious that we as a nation and as a people, should avoid associations with our enemies and evil people.

The Lord Himself had ordered Amaziah to have nothing to do with unbelieving enemy soldiers.

When we join regularly with unbelievers, it is we who will be pulled down, we are witnessing all these things today as the Church has lost it's influence on our society of today.

That the reason God gives us a commandment to stay away from such associations.

2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Yes we are to witness to the uttermost but we are certainly not to fellowship with the world!

Christians should be the most loving, the most kind, and the most caring people on this earth but we are not to be the most foolish and we certainly are not to be a door mat for the evil of this world.

We are not to form close alliances, or covenants, or associations with the wicked and evil of this earth!

But Amaziah did another even more foolish thing.

*****2Ch 25:14  Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before them, and burned incense unto them.
2Ch 25:15  Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand?
2Ch 25:16  And it came to pass, as he talked with him, that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel? forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

Amaziah went to battle in the name of the Lord.

Amaziah was directed and encouraged by the prophet of God.

Amaziah conquered the Edomites only because of the "Grace" of God.

Then Amaziah deserted the God of Israel, who gave him the victory, to worship the false gods of a defeated people.

Besides unbelief, not believing in God at all, the worst sin for any of us is to say we are Christians and worship some other so called god!

God is very serious about who we are to worship!

Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

There are people in this world that actually believe in the false gods that they worship, but as Christians we are simply not to recognize them or that they have any power to do anything at all, for they are all powerless because they exist only in the minds of those who worship them!

It is now very evident that Amaziah's heart was not perfect before God.

But how many of us place our little gods before God on a daily basis?

False worship is false worship no matter how it takes place!

To explain why this thing happened, it was common practice to take away the false gods of the enemy to show them how powerless they were to defend them, but to take them home and begin to worship them was utter foolishness but throughout history this has happened many times.

So what happens when we do these foolish things?

We will see that God gets angry.

Psa 44:20  If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;
Psa 44:21  Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Heb 10:31  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

What did God first do? First we will always see God's warning.

But God will only warn us so many times because he is always true to His Word!

When God sends His messengers and we do not treat them as the truth of God or as the Word of God then we will feel the wrath of God!

At the time of Amaziah God spoke through His prophets.

Today we have the complete Word of God and God's messengers speak using this as their guideline.

The truth is why would we dare worship material things that can only rob us of the truth of God?

But Amaziah reacts in rage to God's man and threatened the man of God to keep his mouth shut or die.

Is this not what our own government is telling God's people today. Well maybe not threatened with death but certainly with jail, and taking away deductions given to the Church and any other way they can cause harm to the Church.

The Edomites were another group that sacrificed their own children among the many other sinful ways they had, which included terrorism.

God's prophet still told Amaziah that God would destroy him if he would not listen to the Word of God and this is what will happen to all those who do such things.

This is God's Word and not my idle threat.

We can see that not only did Amaziah worship false gods, but he was also full of arrogance and pride and he hated the Word of God therefore hating God's people.

Jesus said:

Joh 15:18  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
Joh 15:19  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

We live in a world today where even our own government hates God's people and the governments of most nations also, especially those that surround Israel.

Is God angry with America, I believe we can see the evidence of that now.

God will certainly not stay where He is not welcomed.

God will not force Himself on anyone at least during this period we call "Grace", the Church Age!

What did Amaziah do but ignore the Word of God and follow the counsel of ungodly men maybe even from some religious leader of those false gods he had taken from the Edomites.

Religion will destroy you!

Only Christianity can save you!

*****2Ch 25:17  Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face.
2Ch 25:18  And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

In the language of us in the south, we would say that Amaziah's victory over the Edomites had made him cocky, as in a strutting rooster.

Amaziah had essentially declared war on the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

King Amaziah may have been angered at what those mercenaries for what they had done on their way back to Samaria but that was something he would have to accept the responsibility for causing.

Jehoash, King of the Northern Tribes, informed Amaziah that he was too filled with pride and arrogance and he was only asking for trouble to meddle in the affairs of the Northern Tribes and he was right.

Jehoash was not threatened at all by Judah and Amaziah was to full of arrogance to back down.

My friends this is how wars get started even today!

Arrogance and pride and stupidity by governments that were put in place to protect their people.

When we get puffed up with pride and feel that we are superior to others or better than others, or worth more than others, this is the driving force behind the effort in bringing others under your control.

What do we see in American politics today?

We see men and women who think that normal people are just not smart enough to make their own decisions and because of their arrogance and their pride and their upper crust value of themselves they have become power hungry and will do anything to achieve it.

They will not accept the Word of God because He points out their faults and they hate anyone that does not see things their way.

They make promises to others that they have no intention of keeping nor do they have the power to keep!

This was the world of the Jew under King Amaziah.

This is the world of America under those in power in our day!

What is the truth of the Scriptures?

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

All those that are worried about some one unknown should better worry about those we know that are already power hungry because of their arrogance and pride.

Pro 26:11  As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
Pro 26:12  Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

King Amaziah could not see the truth in the Word of God.

*****2Ch 25:19  Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
2Ch 25:20  But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought after the gods of Edom.
2Ch 25:21  So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.
2Ch 25:22  And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled every man to his tent.

The truth of Joash is that at this time he had no reason to go to war with Judah. He did not want to cause harm to those people who were innocent of the arrogance of their king.

Amaziah simply "would not hear", and God had said He would punish Amaziah for his idolatry.

If can just imagine Pharaoh in the days of Moses, Amaziah was given to blindness and hardness of heart as he was in his day.

You see it was "they" not just the king but many others that had taken up with the false gods of the Edomites.

In fact Joash had to defend his own nation but he did so by moving his army into the land of Judah which means his army was already prepared well ahead for Amaziah who had just fought a conflict that was simply to easy for his army.

In this surprise action Joash quickly routed the army of Judah and they withdrew from the battlefield and ran for their lives.

It is then that King Joash decided to teach Amaziah and Judah a lesson.

*****2Ch 25:23  And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.
2Ch 25:24  And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

Joash captured King Amaziah and then marched into Jerusalem which was left undefended and broke down about 600 feet of the wall that was there for protection against the enemies of Judah.

Joash was not satisfied with these things and he then looted the house of God, the Temple of all it's gold and valuables and he then looted the King's palace, and he then took the King and other hostages and went back to Samaria, his own capitol city.

Amaziah's arrogance had costs Judah greatly and also impeded the worship of the One true God!

*****2Ch 25:25  And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.
2Ch 25:26  Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?

After Amaziah was allowed to return to Jerusalem, he lived another 15 years but we find not one other thing that he accomplished in all that time.

Amaziah had a great opportunity to do good for his nation, after ridding them of the terrorists of Edom.

He could have done many things worthwhile but he chose to leave the One True God and worship the falseness of idols, and false gods.

The truth is we have a president who had a great opportunity to do good for all Americans but especially those of his own color but he turned to false gods and has tried his best to remove the One True God from the eye of the public.

America has suffered greatly and may not ever recover.

Judah suffered greatly and truly never recovered from the time of this king.

But the same thing holds true for us all when we fail to seize the opportunities that God has given us.

Great opportunities almost never present themselves again in our lives!

The truth is that we age a little everyday and we all reach a point to where we are not much use to God. Now He does not abandon us, but we have certainly missed many benefits of serving Him if we miss the opportunities He has provided to each of us before that time comes.

But how many opportunities have we missed with our children because we felt like work was more important.

How many opportunities have we missed in our family because we chose other things instead.

How many things have we missed out on because we chose a life of sin in our younger days.

How much damage have we done to our bodies because we chose drugs, or drink, or the many other sins instead of the opportunity to live a moral life.

Many of those still out in the world are like King Amaziah and they will go to their grave without one good thing to be remembered for left behind them.

It will be as though they accomplished nothing as what this king was remembered for was nothing except that he had been king and had no legacy at all.

But that was not all.

*****2Ch 25:27  Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.
2Ch 25:28  And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his fathers in the city of Judah.

Amaziah discovered a plot against his life and he fled to no avail and he was assassinated.

His life was ended while he was still in his prime years but he was a nothing that died still being a nothing.

What is the truth?

In verse 16 we read that he knew that God had already determined to destroy King Amaziah because he led Judah into false worship.

It is very true that God will punish all sin but without a doubt when a national leader goes against God and leads the people away from God the results can certainly be deadly!

When national leaders reject the Word of God or twist it to mean something entirely different from God's intent, they are walking on perilous ground.

Oba 1:3  The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Oba 1:4  Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

Those that conspired against Amaziah proved these things were over by bringing the dead body of Amaziah back to Jerusalem.

The only way to escape the wrath of God is by Jesus Christ and that takes a heart that dwells on the truth of the Word of God.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

Jehoiada God's Priests Brings Revival To Judah

Jehoiada God's Priest In Revival

2 Chronicles 22-24


What is the greatest need in America today?

It's not new climate control laws, it's not a better defence of terrorism, and it's not the economy, it's not even a new president!

America needs revival!

What is revival?

The revival that is needed in America is a renewed and a more active attention to the Word of God and an awakening of all Americans to their spiritual concerns!

America was founded by a people seeking the freedom to worship the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Bible, and we need to return to our roots!

America is beginning to see the wrath of God and there is only one way to avoid that wrath and that is through true repentance and a returning to the Word of God!

How can revival come? We must first pray for revival!

Hab 3:2  O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

As we know God uses people to do His work until He returns and we will meet a true Priest of God that brought revival to Judah at a time of darkness and downfall.

We will also see how Satan made an attempt to prevent prophesy from being fulfilled!

Jehoiada was the Jewish High Priest at the time of Queen Athaliah's reign over Judah.

Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel of the Northern Kingdom who married Jehoram of the Southern Kingdom and she had every trait of her evil mother if not more.

Once Jehu had caused the death of her son Ahaziah, she was determined to rule Judah and did so for several years.

The High Priest Jehoiada was married to Jehosheba who was the daughter of King Jehoram but probably not the daughter of Athaliah.

It was Jehosheba, the wife of this High Priest who had the courage to preserve the life of the only remaining legitimate heir to the throne of Judah, Joash who was only a baby at that time.

Let's begin:

*****2Ch 22:10  But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

Ahaziah was a wicked king himself who followed not the counselors of Judah but the counseling of his mother and of his grandparents who were King Ahab and Queen Jezebel of the Northern tribes in King Ahab's attempt to unite all of Israel under his rule.

2Ch 22:4  Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction.

Athaliah was maddened by the death of of her son Ahaziah but she was even more so by the death of Ahab and Jezebel which were her parents.

Athaliah was so maddened by the death of all the royal house of Ahab that she decided the royal house of King David would suffer the same fate!

Athaliah set out to destroy the remaining house of King David!

What had God promised King David?

2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

This was an oath that was sworn by Jehovah to King David and will not be totally fulfilled until King Jesus sits on the throne of David at His Second Coming!

God made this promise and God never breaks a promise!

Act 2:29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Act 2:30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;
Act 2:31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
Act 2:32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

It is for this reason that we can see the hands of Satan and his use of Athaliah in an attempt to thwart the Word of God!

God simply will not allow the Word of His mouth to be so easily discarded!

God simply will not allow His plan of salvation to cease by some mere human!

And Satan can never win a battle with the Lord, we are on the winning side!

We should also see that this evil woman had decided to murder her own grandchildren.

God has only one answer to those that would cause the harm to children and Jesus Christ said it best.

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

The wife of Jehoiada who was a sister to King Ahaziah, preserved the youngest of Ahaziah's children.

*****2Ch 22:11  But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not.

Just as baby Moses was protected from the evil government of Egypt so was baby Joash protected from the evil government of Judah, as was baby Jesus protected from the evil government of King Herod.

God will always intervene in the things of this world that affect the Scriptures and the truth of them!

And, God will certainly not allow any government of this world to change the outcome of prophesy!

God does not do evil things but He certainly will not allow evil to triumph in a way to change the outcome of prophecy!

*****2Ch 22:12  And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
When King Solomon built the Temple, there were certain rooms built into the outer wall but within the outer wall and certain persons of the priesthood had the right to occupy those rooms.

1Ki 6:5  And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:

Jehoiada and his family resided in what could be called the apartments of the Temple.

And Queen Athaliah became the only sitting Queen of Judah and she actually ruled for 6 years.

2Ki 11:3  And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.

The morals of Judah sank to their lowest level under this Queen.

All the things of Baal worship came to the forefront.

The sodomites roamed freely.

The children were sacrificed in the name of worship.

She steered the people away from Jehovah God.

Kind of sounds like the America of today does it not?

During the reign of her husband Jehoram she had already caused the death of all royalty who favored the God of the Bible.

2Ch 21:4  Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and "slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel".

Before the death of her sons she had ordered the ransacking of the Temple.

2Ch 24:7  For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

We can only imagine the evil that she accomplished as absolute monarch.

But God brought an end to her evil reign!

It was time for revival in Judah and God had a Priest who would cause things to change.

*****2Ch 23:3  And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

Jehoiada stood in the gap that day between the people and a Holy God and reminded them of God's national covenant with Israel when it was Moses who had also stood in the gap.

God had made a covenant with Israel in the days of Moses:

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Exo 19:6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

God had made a covenant with King David that it would be one of his descendants that would sit on the throne of Israel until the Messiah came.

It was time for Israel to decide if they would follow in the ways of Satan or in the ways of Jehovah.

Great men of God have stood in the gap throughout the history of Israel to remind them of the covenants of God.

We have great men of God today who stand in the gap, such as our own pastor, to remind us of the covenant promises of God to the Church, but the truth is there is only one true Mediator between God and God's people and that is the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6  Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Mediator of the New Covenant simply because He offered the only sacrifice that could please God, which was Himself!

Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

It was only after this covenant was made with the people, that Jehoiada brought out the child, who would be King, Joash.

*****2Ch 23:11  Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

Joash was only 7 years old and had been hidden and protected all the days of his life and was finally presented to the people.

The crown was placed on his head and a copy of the Word of God was placed into his hands.

Deu 17:18  And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19  And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:
Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

The original scroll of the ancient Scriptures were kept in the sanctuary under the custody of the priests.

Each new king was furnished with a true and faithful copy of the preserved Word of God, which he was to keep by his side to study and read that he might rule God's people accordingly.

It was the Word of God that was to be each kings scepter!

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Since that day the phrase "God save the King" has since become a custom in several kingdoms that exist today and a song by that title is the national anthem of Great Britain, where it is said that the ruling monarch still receives a copy of the Word of God, when they are crowned.

That phrase has the meaning of "that the desire of the people was that his reign might be long, fruitful and blessed by Jehovah God"!

Queen Athaliah, who had murdered her own grandchildren to obtain the throne cried treason, treason!

These would be the last words she spoke!

*****2Ch 23:18  Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was ordained by David.

How does revival come to a nation?

The leader of that nation must be obedient to the written Word of God!

This includes our own President, but it also includes the Governors and all the way down to the Mayors of our cities and should include everyone in a leadership position!

It takes a very foolish people to vote ungodly people into positions of power!

How does revival come to the Church?

God's chosen men must take the Church back to it's roots.

1) Jehoiada restored worship in Judah, according to the Laws of Moses.

2) Jehoiada restored the courses of the priest and the musical arrangements according to the arrangements of King David.

The Church must return to the written Word of God and not some of the butchered up versions that exist today that twist the truth into something false!

Tit 1:14  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

The Church must be led by the right people.

1Ti 3:2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

The people must be reverent in the House of God.

1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

The people must not be ashamed of the Gospel.

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

The Church must have the right music.

King David had written many Psalms that told the wondrous things of God!

The music in every Church should be inspirational but also contain the truth of the Word of God!

The music used in every Church should be able connect us to the Lord Jesus and the "Gospel"!

Act 4:25  Who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

The Lord Jesus said to look for Him in the Psalms of the Church!

Luk 24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, "and in the psalms, concerning me".

And we must all rededicate ourselves to the Lord!

*****2Ch 23:16  And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD'S people.

Earlier we saw where the government, the priests, and the people had made a covenant to return to the Lord.

This was a renewal of the national God had made with Israel in the time of Moses!

Deu 27:9  And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.

This was also a promise that the government of Joash would rule according to the Word of God!

Now we see that Jehoiada himself makes a personal covenant with the people and also with the government.

This covenant assured the government and the people, that the Church would abide by the laws of man as long as those laws were according to the written Word of God.

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Real revival begins with the individual believer, but true revival can only come when we are all in one accord!

No revival can begin until God's people repent of their sins and forsake all the evil that is among them!

It is only then that the Church can be led into a right relationship with the Lord!

It is only after that that the right people will be put in the place of leadership!

There was only one other thing to do!

*****2Ch 23:17  Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars.

Once the government had removed itself from sponsoring false religion, it was time for the people to put an end to false worship and this began by tearing down those places of worship.

Ordinarily we of the Church are to be at peace with all people!

Rom 12:18  If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

If those of false religions will allow the Church to live in peace then there can be peace but that is not always possible!

SO, God also says there will come times when we must do other things!

Ecc 3:1  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Ecc 3:2  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Ecc 3:3  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

It was time to tear down these things in Judah that brought that nation into the wrath of God!

It was the people, the believers that tore down the house of Baal and destroyed the sacrificial alters where not only animals had been sacrificed but also children had been sacrificed.

They not only destroyed the altars but they also broke those idols into pieces, and even destroyed the false priests.

This could only be done after the government quit sponsoring false religion and no longer protected those false things.

We can see that Baal had no power to stop these things because all false religions are a thing dreamed up in the minds of foolish people!

It was then that those same people could return to the building up of the Temple and restore proper worship to Jehovah God.

We must remove all the obstacles that come between us and God or we are no more than idol worshipers ourselves!

The most import thing that keeps revival going is to remain obedient to God!

*****2Ch 24:15  But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.

God had extended the life of Jehoiada far beyond the average life span of that day which was much like it is today of about 70 years.

Jehoiada had spent his entire life in the service to the nation and the people he loved and he had honored God all his life!

Jehoiada was "almost" solely responsible for preserving, under the guiding hand of God, the heritage of the House of King David.

Jehoiada was "almost" solely responsible of preserving the true worship of Jehovah God.

God again, as He had already done so many times in the past, took one dedicated man and turned Judah back to the Lord.

The downfall brought on by Ahab, Jezebel, and Athaliah finally ended and Judah had been restored to true worship of Jehovah once again!

One family had brought the Jewish people to the brink of extermination and one man had turned those things around in Judah.

Because Jehoiada was just a man, even his days were numbered and it was time for him to go to be with the Lord and he then joined Abraham in Paradise.

Jehoiada lived to be 130 years old which means he lived 10 more years than even Moses had lived.

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

We must all remember our life on this Earth is only a pilgrimage.

Jehoiada's name might not have been mentioned in the Book of Hebrews but he had the same faith as these others!

His work did not go unnoticed by the people!

*****2Ch 24:16  And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his house.

The epitaph of the High Priest Jehoiada was very short: "He did good in Israel, both toward his God and toward his own house".

All who read these words could get a clear understanding of what kind of man Jehoiada was, all the days of his life.

There is not one of us, who knows the Lord Jesus as our Savior, who would not like to be remembered in this way as Jehoiada was!

This great man of God was buried amongst the good kings of Israel in the city of God!

God will certainly honor those who love Him and show it in the way they live!

Psa 91:14  Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

But as we know, the world suffers every time a great man of God goes home to be with the Lord!

Every child of God brings a joy in Heaven but each one is a terrible loss to this world!

Psa 116:15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

*****2Ch 24:17  Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

These, who by family heritage, are now the political leaders of Judah came to the King seeking to have freedom to worship as they please.

Israel was born as a nation to serve Jehovah God and Jehoiada had made sure the Laws of God were followed.

We also know that America was born as a nation to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah God and our own politicians continue to insist that America follow the ways of the world that can only lead to death and destruction.

We have elected men who are fools who are just like these of Judah in that day!

These who would destroy Israel, induced the King to abandon God and worship idols and idolatry was once again restored in Judah.

Joash had only been a follower only because of Jehoiada much like those of today that worship the pastor and not the God of that pastor.

Pastor worship reigns in many houses of God today!

Their can be no doubt that this king knew the Word of God, but he had just never accepted the Word of God as the supreme law of the land!

Under his own power, without God's man at his side, he succumbed to the will of the politicians.

What does God say?

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required": and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Joash's apostasy was a sin of willful rebellion against God!

When Joash had an opportunity to be a true King, he became a people pleaser and being popular is never an accurate test of being right or wrong!

Anything that goes against the Word of God is always the wrong thing to do!

And, anytime we rebel against the Word of God we fall into the hands of a very jealous God!

Jos 24:19  And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.
Jos 24:20  If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.

Again the Jewish people returned to idolatry.

*****2Ch 24:18  And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

They left off the worship at the House of God as described in the Laws of Moses.

What does God say?

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Many will tell you that attending the house of God is not necessary but that goes against what God says.

And if we believe we are in the last days, then we need to attend more often and not less often.

Those "groves" were places of worship to particular false gods who were said to be so powerful that they could not be bound within buildings and the worship of such things was forbidden by the Word of God and Joash knew this!

And we know that an idol is anything that is worshiped in place of our true God!

There is only one thing that can follow such things in the eyes of God and that is the wrath of God!

We must not be fooled!

The wrath of God is always the just thing and the right thing to do!

God's love and God's compassion for His people is always closely connected to God's divine anger.

Jer 10:23  O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Jer 10:24  O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

God simply does not want to see any part of His creation end up in Hell!

Even during His wrath, God will always send some one who can teach us the truth of the Word of God!

*****2Ch 24:19  Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

God will always offer an opportunity to repent of our sin, but only God knows how many opportunities He will allow!

Thank goodness, God always has more mercy than He has judgment!

Rom 5:20  Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound":
Rom 5:21  That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Those that question the love of God do not know how much love God actually has for each and every human being!

God will teach  us and warn us time after time until God finally has to bring "judgment" but even "judgment" is a sign of God's love!

What is God's ultimate goal with His created beings?

2Pe 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, "not willing that any should perish", but that all should come to repentance.

Over and over again we see that in order to end up in a burning Hell, a person would have to totally disregard the Word of God!

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

God had not only sent Elisha and his many miracles.

God had also sent Micah, Jehu son of Hanani, Jahaziel son of Zechariah, and Eliezer son of Dadavah but their words were refused and ignored.

SO, Those that end up in Hell can blame no one but themselves!

And God sent Zechariah.

*****2Ch 24:20  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

Zechariah explained why the Lord would forsake His people but in the downfall of King Joash, he allowed Zechariah to be stoned in the Temple.

Zachariah was the last of the Old Testament martyrs who died simply because he preached the truth!

The Lord Jesus Christ remembers everyone of His saints that died because they taught the truth by name!

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

In the end those that have forsaken the Lord "will be forsaken by the Lord" and those that question the love of God simply do not know God!

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Salvation is a simple thing.

BUT, Revival can only come to a people who truly understand the "Love Of God!

Questions?

Let's Pray!