A Good Beginning But a Lousy Ending

O. T. #930  "A Good Beginning, But a Lousy Ending"
Feb.12, 2017
2 Chronicles Introduction


LET IT GLOW

*You might want to go back and read yesterday's post, since the completed one was not posted, but is now changed and finished.

Another new book with a good beginning, but this one has a lousy ending, sad to say. Solomon started out as king of Judah, as his father David was soon about to die, in close fellowship with God However, his foreign wives turned Solomon's heart to worship their false gods and idols.

Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament explains:

While the years of Solomon's reign were undoubtedly Israel's greatest in terms of wealth, fame, and political power, they were also the worst in terms of spiritual devotion to the Lord. Yes, Solomon began his reign at the alar, sacrificing to the Lord and asking Him for wisdom, but that didn't continue. Furthermore, the king lived in luxury because he collected food and taxes from the people.

LET IT GROW

This story is about the God who supported a competent king. The first 9 chapters tell about the reign of Solomon; the rest of the book tell about the reign of the kings of Judah; the final chapter includes the return allowed by Cyrus.

David Jeremiah informs us the terms temple, house of God, and house of the LORD occur 139 times in 2 Chronicles, indicating what was on the author's mind as he wrote. It can be summarized under 6 headings:

1. Solomon's Temple
2. Hezekiah's Rule
3. Josiah's Rule
4. Desecration of the Temple
5. Destruction of the Temple
6. Decree to Rebuild the Temple.

Solomon enjoyed peace during his 40 year reign as king of Judah. His father had conquered many lands, since he was a military man, following God. Like Israel, Judah had a few good kings and many evil ones.

I read where 5 revivals took place in Judah during this time. One of the best-known verses in found in chapter 7, verse 14:

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The lousy ending of this book involved the captivity of Judah by Babylon and taken away for 70 years. God used a pagan king to turn His people back to Him.


LET IT GO

Humble myself, pray, seek God, turn from sin.

Pray for my nation's repentance-abortion, homosexuality, idols, foreign gods.

Believe that God can and will forgive my sin and heal my land.