anitasanecdotes

2 Chronicles 26, 27 and 28 speaks of Uzziah who succeeds his father Amaziah. Uzziah is instructed by Zechariah about obeying God. As long as he seeks God, God prosper him. Uzziah does much to strengthen the protection of Jerusalem, fortifying its walls and bringing in the latest defense systems.

When he grows strong he becomes proud. Uzziah goes into the temple to make an offering. Only priests are allowed to make offerings and they tell him so. This makes Uzziah angry. God strikes Uzziah with a leprous disease on his forehead. He leaves the temple and is forced to live in a separate house until his death. His son Jotham governs the people in his place. At Uzziah’s death Jotham succeeds him.

Jotham does what is right in the sight of the Lord but the people follow corrupt practices. Jotham repairs the temple and builds many cities, forts and towers in Judah. God blesses Jotham because of his faith. When Jotham dies, his son Ahaz succeeds him.

Ahaz does not follow his father’s example of a faithful life. He worships the Baals. Aram comes against Judah and defeats it. Israel also comes against Judah and defeats it. God does not bless Israel and makes them send back the captives they took in battle. The Edomites and Philistines also come against Judah because of Ahaz’s sin.

Ahaz makes an alliance with the king of Assyria. Even though God is punishing him he grows more faithless. Eventually he even closes the house of God in Jerusalem. God is provoked to anger.

The only way we can make sense of what we read is to say that humans have short memories. We forget those times when God has blessed us. We forget that we are to trust in Him. Instead we turn to our own devices. When God punishes us, instead of learning from the punishment, we lash out and do even more things against God. Hopefully, as we read how time and time again people lose sight of God’s plan, we will have better memories and seek the Lord.

In Psalm 74 the people of God are under attack. The psalmist knows it is because God is angry. He reminds God of the times when He saved his people and asks that he remember them now.

In 2 Chronicles 24 King Joash was very young when he became king. The priest Jehoida influences him and Joash walks with the Lord. Joash and Jehoida restore the temple getting rid of all the items Athaliah put in the temple for Baal worship. After Jehoida’s death, Joash and his advisors abandon the house of the Lord and return to worshiping at the high places and sacred poles. God sends prophets to them to change their hearts but they do not listen. Zechariah, Jehoida’s son, comes to the king and tells them of their sins. Joash has him stoned to death. God is angry. He sends the army of Aram to take Judah and Jerusalem. They wound Joash and his servants conspire against him, killing him.

Even though Joash was raised in the faith, he strayed from it when he grew up. God gave him many chances to turn back to Him but Joash refused. His wrong decisions led to his destruction. Those of us who have grown up in the faith may stray as we become adults. God gives us many chances to turn back to Him. We need to heed his invitations or our wrong decisions may lead us down destructive paths.

2 Chronicles 25 tells of Amaziah who succeeds Joash as king of Judah. Amaziah followed the Lord, but not with a true heart. Amaziah gathers troops for war. These troops include some from Israel. A prophet comes to him and says that God does not want him to include those from Israel. Amaziah lets them go. Amaziah’s army defeats its enemies. The army from Israel is angry with the king and attacks the northern cities of Judah.

Amaziah take the gods of his enemy, sets them up and worships them. A prophet warns Amaziah that God will punish him for his actions but he does not listen. Judah and Israel go to war and Israel wins the battle. The king of Israel takes Jerusalem and seizes the treasures of the temple and the king’s house. Amaziah flees but later is killed.

Ephesians 5 encourages us to be imitators of God and to live as children of light. This means giving up those things we know to be against God’s will and instead being filled with God’s Spirit. We should fill our minds with the scriptures and listen to music that uplifts instead of destroys. We need to live lives of thanksgiving to god for what he has done for us.

We are encouraged to relate to one another as Christ has loved us. This means that we should build one another up and be encouraging of one another in faith.

2 Chronicles 21 tells of King Jehoram of Judah, Jehoshaphat’s eldest son. Unfortunately, he is not faithful to the Lord and instead follows in the steps of the kings of Israel having been influenced by his wife a daughter of Ahab. He leads the people of Judah astray. Because of his unfaithfulness God punishes the people with wars. Jehoram dies a terrible death and is not honored as his father and grandfather were. The scriptures say the he departed with no one’s regret…OUCH!

2 Chronicles 22 and 23 begin with Jehoram’s son Ahaziah becoming king. He is wicked and his reign only lasts one year. God ordains his downfall. He is killed by officials of Judah and his cousins. His mother Athaliah takes the throne and sets out to kill all the royal family.

King Jehoram’s daughter is married to the priest Jehoida. They take joash one of Ahaziah’s sons and hide him from Athaliah. When Joash is old enough, Jehoida enters into a compact with some of the commanders. He also gathers together Levites from the towns of Judah. They make Joash the king and the priests make a covenant with him and God that he will follow the ways of the Lord. Jehoida puts priests in charge of guarding the king.

Athaliah confronts them in the temple and Jehoida has the commanders take her and her followers out to be killed. Jehoida makes a covenant between the people, the king and God that they will be God’s people. The people tear down the house of Baal and its altars and images. Jehoida reinstates the priests who take care of the temple of the Lord and they offer burnt offerings to God. Everyone in Judah rejoices at the change of leadership.

In Ephesians 4 Paul is speaking to both the Jewish and Gentile Christian encouraging them to bear with one another in love. He tells them to maintain the unity of the Spirit. All Christians have these in common: one body (the church), one Spirit,  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. While we may not always agree about how to understand these things we still hold them in common under Jesus Christ.

Jesus gives us gifts, according to his grace to help build up the body of Christ until we come to a unity of faith and knowledge of Jesus. Paul encourages us not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine. In his day the doctrinal issues were regarding the differences between Jewish and Gentile understandings of what Jesus had done. Our issues are many and complex, but the resulting divisions are no less damaging to the unity of the Church.

Paul encourages us to put away our old lives and to grow up in every way into Jesus, who is the head of the body. Paul tells us to be angry about unrighteousness but not to sin. He exhorts us not to speak evil about one another, putting aside all bitterness, wrath, anger, wrangling, slander and malice. We are to be kind to one another, tenderhearted and forgiving just as God in Christ has forgiven us.

There has always been conflict in the church, from its very beginnings. In some ways that should be a comfort to us that we are not alone or the first to have problems in the church, whether it be in our individual congregations, denominations, or between denominations. It should also be a challenge to us to become more mature about the way we practice our faith. We need to stop the sibling rivalry and instead seek to serve our one Lord Jesus Christ. We all need to remember that we have been loved and forgiven through Christ and God wants us to forgive and love each other as the body of Christ.

In 2 Chronicles 18 -20 Jehoshaphat makes an alliance with King Ahab of Israel. Ahab asks Jehoshaphat to join him in a war. Jehoshaphat wants confirmation from a prophet of the Lord that this is a good move. Ahab provides 400 prophets who all say that this plan is alright. Now the scripture doesn’t speak specifically about these prophets but they very well could have been prophets of Baal like this ones that Elijah defeated in 1 Kings, although they say that they are speaking God’s word. Anyway, Jehoshaphat is suspicious and asks Ahab if there is another prophet of the Lord who could give them counsel. Ahab mentions Micaiah but he says that he hates Micaiah because he always prophesies against him. Since Ahab is not walking in the ways of the Lord it is not surprising that God would not bless his efforts.

Micaiah tells them that because of Ahab’s sin God made the prophets lie to him. He prophesies that Ahab will die. Ahab wants to put Micaiah in prison. Micaiah says if Ahab returns then he did not speak for the Lord. Jehoshaphat joins Ahab in battle. Jehoshaphat survives but Ahab dies.

Jehoshaphat returns to Judah but Jehu, son of Hanani, tells him that God is not pleased that he went into battle with Ahab against God’s advice. God still sees that Jehoshaphat is faithful even with this disobedience. Jehoshaphat responds by working harder for the Lord. He brings many of the people in the outlying areas back to the Lord. He appoints judges and tells them ask the Lord for good just judgment. In Jerusalem he appointed Levites and priests to judge the people to teach them the Law of God.

The Moabites and Ammonites wage a battle against Jehoshaphat. He seeks the Lord. The whole country fasts and prays. Jehoshaphat reminds God of his covenant with the faithful, from the time of Abraham to the building of the temple. He asks God to protect them. God hears their pleas and tells them not to be afraid. The battle is His.

As they go out into battle Jehoshaphat reminds them to believe in God. He appoints some to sing to the Lord as they walk in front of the army. God ambushes the enemies and the army is able to collect a great booty.

The people praise God for his faithfulness. God brings peace to Judah for a long time. Unfortunately Jehoshaphat again allies himself with a wicked king of Israel. They build ships to invade Tarshish. God does not bless them and the ships are destroyed.

It is very possible for someone who follows the Lord to make bad decisions. Usually, it happens when we trust our own instincts rather than consulting with God. As we read these stories we are reminded again and again that asking God first and doing what He ways is always the best course of action. Otherwise we will live with the consequences. This is particularly true if we are keeping company with those who do not believe. They do not make their decisions with God’s help. We need to remember that and seek God’s counsel before doing the things our unbelieving friends think are good ideas.

In Ephesians 3 Paul encourages the Christian Gentiles to keep the faith. They are part of God’s plan for the world and for his kingdom. Paul wants them to understand how much Christ loves them. Paul reminds them that God is able to accomplish much more that we can ask for or imagine. He deserves our glory and praise.

In 2 Chronicles 16 King Asa of Judah dealt with a conflict with King Baasha of Israel by making an alliance with the king of Aram instead of relying on God. Hanani the prophet tells Asa that this was foolish and he will now have many wars. Asa doesn’t like hearing this bad news and puts Hanani in the stocks. Asa died of a disease in his feet. Even then he did not take counsel in the Lord.

We don’t like hearing from God when God tells us we have done wrong. We only want God’s blessings. But as Hanani said to Asa, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the entire earth, to strengthen those whose heart is true to him.” God wants us to trust in Him for everything. When we go our own way and trust others before God we are being foolish and will bear the consequences of our actions. The saying “God helps those who help themselves” is not in the Bible. God wants us to rely on Him always. He will then lead us in the way we should go. Go to God first.

In 2 Chronicles 17 Jehoshaphat becomes king of Judah. He seeks the Lord and obeys the commandments. Jehoshaphat removes the high places and sacred poles from Judah. He sent officials and priests out into Judah to teach the people the Law of God. The kingdoms around Judah felt the fear of the Lord and did not attack Judah.

Psalm 73 emphasizes what Hanani said to Asa: that God is good to the upright, those who follow Him. But the writer of the psalm acknowledges that he has not been pure in heart. He envied the arrogant and wicked. They seemed to have it all together.

God shows him that their confidence is fleeting. He recognizes that he was wrong for his envy. He knows that God is always with him. Even if his flesh and heart fail God is his strength. He ends the psalm saying that it is good to be near God. How true those words are.

In 2 Chronicles 13 Jeroboam of Israel tries to come against King Abijah of Judah. Abijah knows that Jeroboam is no longer faithful to the Lord. Abijah confidently tells him that God will allow Judah to triumph. God is faithful and Judah wins the battle.

2 Chronicles 14 and 15 tell of Asa Abijah’s son. Asa got rid of the high places their altars, pillars and sacred poles. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord. Because Asa followed the Lord, God allowed Judah to triumph over their enemies.

The prophet Azariah blesses Asa and tells him to be faithful to the Lord. Asa removes his mother’s idols form Judah  and worships the Lord.

In Ephesians 2 Paul tells us that while we were dead in our sins God made us alive in Christ. Through grace we have been saved and are seated with Jesus in the heavenly places. God’s grace is what saves us, not our ability to do good things, to keep the law.

Jesus breaks down the walls that divide us from one another. We have been joined together into a holy temple in the Lord. We who believe are the dwelling place for God.

In 2 Chronicles 10-12 Rehoboam deals harshly with the people of Israel.  The people of Israel rebel. Rehoboam builds cities to protect Judah. Only the tribe of Benjamin stands with Judah under the king. The priests and Levites come to Jerusalem because Jeroboam of Israel begins to practice pagan worship. God blessed him because of the presence of the priests and Levites.

But Rehoboam abandons the law of God. God sent Shishak of Egypt against him. Rehoboam humbles himself before the Lord. God spares him and Jerusalem.

Ephesians 1 opens with a wonderful description of what Jesus has done for us: making it possible to be God’s children, receiving forgiveness and grace, learning God’s will for our lives and being marked by the Holy Spirit as God’s own people. Paul prays that the Ephesians will experience the immeasurable greatness of God’s power in their lives. This power has been put into place at Christ’s resurrection and ascension. Now Jesus is over all including the church, which is his body.

2 Chronicles 8 and 9 open with a list of cities Solomon has rebuilt. He conscripts all the foreigners in his land to forced labor. Solomon brings Pharaoh’s daughter to his house. He continues the worship practices commanded by the Lord.

Solomon has a visit from the Queen of Sheba. He impresses her with his wisdom and she pays him tribute. Solomon gains great wealth.

Psalm 72 speaks of Solomon. God is being asked to bless him and allow him to be a good ruler. The psalm refers to the wealth Solomon eventually receives. This is a prayer of David for his son.

In 2 Chronicles 6 Solomon gathers all of the people of Israel to the temple. He blesses the Lord for the promise He made to his father David and to him. He recounts the promise that God would remain with the people if they keep the commandments. He asks God to hear the pleas of his people, bringing blessing and forgiveness to them. He asks for blessing in battle. He asks an interesting question: “But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth?” Of course Solomon is saying this because God cannot be contained, but we know that God indeed resided with us in the person of Jesus. I am certain that God smiled when Solomon asked the question.

In 2 Chronicles 7 God brings fire from heaven to consume the burnt offerings and sacrifices. The priests cannot enter the temple because the glory of the Lord filled the house. The people bow in worship of God. The festival lasts for seven days. The people go home remembering the goodness of the Lord.

God promises Solomon that if the people humble themselves He will forgive their sins and heal their land. God says that if Solomon and the people remain faithful God will be with them, but if they serve other gods, God will bring calamity on them.

Galatians 6 closes the letter. Paul encourages the people to restore anyone caught in a transgression. He tells them to bear each other’s burden, be concerned for their own work and do what is right. He ends with another warning against circumcision.

Paul continues the same themes throughout the letters. Be careful for yourself. Support others. Don’t be deceived. Continue in faith.  These are good words to live by.

2 Chronicles 3-5 describes the building of the temple. It is hard to imagine a place that is completely overlaid in gold. It must have been glorious. When the temple is finished choir and orchestra of priests were assembled to the east of the altar. They make music in praise of the Lord. So many sheep and oxen are sacrificed that they cannot be numbered. The glory of God fills the temple as a cloud.

In Galatians 5 Paul, who has spoken against making Gentiles be circumcised, now says that circumcision actually cuts them off from Christ. They will be obliged to obey the law. He encourages them to open themselves to Christ’s grace. The only thing that counts is faith working through love.

Paul also says that freedom in Christ is not an opportunity for self-indulgence. Now we become slaves to one another, in other words, love your neighbor as yourself. He tells them to live by the Spirit, not gratifying the desires of the flesh. Paul lists some of these desires, some of which are obvious sins but others like strife, anger, quarrels, envy, might not seem as obvious, but are also those things that keep us from experiencing Christ’s grace and instead keep us under the law.

When we are living in the Spirit we exhibit His fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live our lives this way we cannot break the law. Paul tells us to remember that those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh and its passions and desires. I repeat THROUGH CHRIST THE FLESH HAS BEEN CRUCIFIED. It is dead and buried. We are now able to be guided by the Spirit and exhibit His fruit. REMEMBER THIS!!!!!!!!!