Your Past - 2 Chronicles 28-30
Insight Into Scripture
Today, we read about two more kings; Ahaz and his son Hezekiah. Ahaz did not do what was right in the LORD's eyes, but, Hezekiah was a very good king.Ahaz sacrificed some of his children to his god. This is called "sons passing through the fire" (28:3).
The Levites (Priests) did not play a major role for about a century. Hezekiah restored them back to the purpose they where chosen for (29:4-15).
Bringing the Bible Alive
This is a picture of the Kidron Valley. When Hezekiah and the Levites were cleaning and purifying the Temple (29:15-17). The Levites brought everything that was unclean out of the Temple and put it in the Kidron Valley.
The Kidron Valley borders the City of David on the east side. You can click inside the picture to see more pictures of the City of David.
Scripture Verse
1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD, as his father David had done, 2 but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, 3 and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. 4 And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.
27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem, for they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.
1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abijah[a] the daughter of Zechariah. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that David his father had done. - 2 Chronicles 28:1-4, 27, 29:1-2
Thought For the Day
I have heard people say that your children are what you are. They will take on your traits, the good and sometimes your faults. In fact I have talked to several men who will blame their upbringing for the mistakes that they are making today. I know that some parents have crossed the line and done things that they should have not, those are totally different situations.
As I was reading about Ahaz and his son Hezekiah I could not help but to think about that father/son relationship. Ahaz was not a good king, and from reading what I did, as he sacrificed his children to his gods, I would guess he was not a good father either.
But, here comes his son Hezekiah. I do not know the mind of Hezekiah, but it sounds like from the beginning his heart was set to do the right thing (29:3). I am sure that he could of relied on what his father did and what he saw his father do. But Hezekiah did the opposite of what his father did. His father corrupted the temple with idols; Hezekiah cleaned them out. If Hezekiah carried on what his father did, I am sure nobody would have thought twice about it. But, Hezekiah boldly ventured into new territory.
Whatever our past was, we need to make a difference in the world we live in today. We need to teach our children and young people that they need to do the same. GOD honors people that want to make a difference for HIM. GOD honors the people that make what is important to HIM, important to them. As we will read in the upcoming chapters, GOD was pleased with Hezekiah and blessed him.Are you making an impact in today's world for HIM?
Closing Prayer
Dear Jesus
You are the best Father God, and I pray that i can learn from your examples of love and forgiveness. I pray that I can be a shining light in Your world and make You proud. Father I pray that everyday You show me a way that I can help change Your world and I pray that I see and hear You so that I can rise up to the challenge.
I love You and I pray in Your Name, Amen.
7 comments:
Bible Trivia:
What swarming insects stripped Egypt of every green plant in the eighth plague called down by Moses?
ANSWER: Locust
Exodus 10:13-15
NOTES FROM:
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary:
Ex.10:13-19
The Lord brought an east wind: The rod of Moses was again raised, and the locusts came. They are natives of the desert and are only brought by an east wind into Egypt, where they sometimes come in sun-obscuring clouds, destroying in a few days every green blade in the track they traverse. Man, with all his contrivances, can do nothing to protect himself from the overwhelming invasion. Egypt has often suffered from locusts. But the plague that followed the wave of the miraculous rod was altogether unexampled. Pharaoh, fearing irretrievable ruin to his country, sent in haste for Moses, and confessing his sin, implored the intercession of Moses, who entreated the Lord, and a "mighty strong west wind took away the locusts."
In the passage of Exodus we see locust doing what is their norm, consuming all grains and greens in their path, complete destruction.
The size of the swarm was of a magnitude never seen before.
Look at the complete opposite that God used the Locust for in Revelation.
In Revelation 9:4-6
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
They were not allowed by the power of God to hurt the grass ... neither ... green thing ... neither ... tree: the food on which they ordinarily prey. Therefore, not natural and ordinary locusts. Their natural instinct is supernaturally restrained to mark the judgment as altogether divine.
In Rev. 9:5 we see the number 5 for the time that the torment upon them would be. Knowing that the numeric meaning of 5 is GRACE, it hit me wow some grace. Then I thought of the many times in my own life where things could have been much worse had it now been for God's GRACE. It was only by the troubling that God was allowing that got my attention to listen and obey His will. There was still grace shown to me. As in Revelation Grace was being shown also, they were tormented but not killed. There is another story in the bible that this brings to mind. It is of Job where God allowed torment of Satan but instructed Satan that he could not have Job's life. This shows God's power over Satan and that Satan is still under God's complete subjection and can only do what God allows. I will also say what we allow because of God not wanting to Rule over us He lets us have free will.
IN CHRIST
Ecc.3
Donna
Hey Donna,
Have you ever heard of "The Scriptures" Bible??
Are you referring to the Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and or Mormons version?
No - It is a Bible that has been translated from Hebrew to English without loosing the meaning of the words. It is a jewish/messianic Bible. They will not say the sacred name of G-D. They replace the name with the actual hebrew characters.... YHVH same with Jesus or Messiah.
See http://www.messianic.co.za
Also..... The books are in hebrew....example... Joshua=Yehoshua
Joel=Yo' el
Matthew=Mattithyahu
Well as you can tell my answer would be no I have not heard of that one. And Wow it sounds really great. Of course you knew I would like that, Kim you and I do like getting into the original.
Yes, they are neat. It would be a good Bible to have around. The only place that I can find them from is in South Africa. I am going to order a lot of 10 so I can hand them out. I will send you one when we receive them.
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