Thursday, March 15, 2012

ISRAEL'S POSTEXILIC HISTORY--LESSON 19 NOTES


LESSON 19: Asa, the reformer; Hanani, the man of God; and the Life and Times of Jehoshaphat (2 CHR. 15-17)

CHAPTER 15
Azariah, son of Oded, appears on the scene to bring the word of Jehovah to Asa… The name “Azariah” means “Jehovah is keeper.” The prophet addressed his words specifically to Judah and Benjamin. The northern kingdom is called “Israel” in verse 3. Asa’s only hope was to trust Jehovah. He must go with God. He must seek the Lord. The alternative carried with it some terrible consequences. If Jehovah’s people are unfaithful, He will forsake them.[1]


Asa was so moved by Azariah's words that he started a complete reformation, as seen in the following:

1. He destroyed the "abominable idols" and "renewed the altar of the Lord" (2 Chr. 15:8).
2. He gathered all Judah and Benjamin to him (and even some out of Israel came) "when they saw that the Lord his God was with him" (2 Chr. 15:9-11).
3. They entered into a covenant that involved two important parts. (1) They resolved to seek the Lord their God "with all their heart and with all their soul" (2 Chr. 15:12; cf. Deut. 6:4-5). (2) A death penalty was placed on every person and every city that would not cooperate (2 Chr. 15:13).
4. He removed Maachah, his mother (some think his grandmother), from being queen because of her idol (2 Chr. 15:16).
5. He brought back into the "house of God" the silver, gold, and vessels dedicated to God (2 Chr. 15:18).

2 Chr. 15:14 and 2 Chr. 15:15 reveal what happens when God's Spirit moves His people (as He did through Azariah and Asa):

"And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about."

Asa did what he could to work a complete reformation. He was consistently free of idolatry to the end (2 Chr. 15:17).[2]

If a king deprived a queen mother of her authority in the kingdom, he had to have a very good reason for his action. From Bathsheba’s time the queen mother had exercised considerable power in Jerusalem. Maacah, queen mother had set up an Asherah (a pole or an obelisk) which she used in her worship of Baal. Asa dared to ruin her place of worship and to remove her from the government of Judah. Making dust out of an image reminds us of the golden calf at Sinai. The Kidron valley had already beeen desecrated by heathen worship, so it was a proper place to burn this idol. Asa did what he could to work a complete reformation. He was not able to remove all idolatry because so much of it remained in the hearts of the people. He did what he could to re-establish the Temple and make it the true center of worship for Jehovah’s people. He could not live long enough nor could he exercise sufficient authority to completely cleanse the people and the land. “His heart was perfect all his days.” This does not mean that he made no mistakes or that he did not sin. He conscientiously tried to do God’s will.[3]

CHAPTER 16

Baasha was used by Jehovah to bring the dynasty of Jeroboam to an end. Nadab, Jeroboam’s son, had sinned like his father. One day Nadab was in the village of Gibbethon about twenty miles north west of Jerusalem. Baasha killed Nadab and began to reign as Israel’s king (I Kings 15:25-28). Late in the reign of Asa, Baasha fortified the southern boundary of his kingdom at Ramah (about eight miles north of Jerusalem). Baasha did not want his people to have any contact with the southern kingdom. Asa was alarmed at Baasha’s military action and he made a counter move in buying protection from Benhadad and the Syrians. Such alliances were contrary to Jehovah’s purpose; however, Asa’s move was very effective in causing Baasha to discontinue his fortifying the southern border of Israel. Once more the Temple was robbed of its treasures in order to pay the Syrians. Ben-hadad was in an agreement with Baasha. He did not hesitate to break this pact. The Syrians attacked the northern border of Baasha’s kingdom at Ijon, Dan, and Abel-maim. These places were located in Naphtali not far from Mount Hermon. When Baasha learned about these border attacks, he withdrew from Ramah. Asa took advantage of the situation and used stones and timbers out of Ramah to fortify Geba and Mizpah on the north border of the southern kingdom. Geba was about ten miles north of Jerusalem in the territory of Benjamin. Mizpah was about three miles north west of Geba.[4]

In the past Asa had always relied on God for his help, but now he sought an alliance with Ben-hadad, king of Syria (2 Chr. 16:2). Ben-hadad, although he had an alliance with Baasha, did not hesitate to break the pact and attack some cities in Israel (2 Chr. 16:3-4). Baasha ceased his work on Ramah. This alliance, on the part of Asa, was contrary to God's purpose.[6]

The church likewise must be careful about making alliances that are contrary to God's purpose. George Tipps wrote:

The church of our Lord must remember today that to win the world for Christ, and to re-establish New Testament Christianity our alliance must be altogether with Jehovah. We cannot accomplish these purposes through alliances with "the nations round about us." From time to time within the framework of denominationalism, we see attempts that are made to unite forces. The church of our Lord must remain above such entangling alliances, and her preachers must remain aloof from alliances that would entangle them with those who proclaim error. Our confidence, our trust, our complete alliance must be with Jehovah. Only in this way shall we be truly successful in the divine task set before us.[7]

Hanani rebuked Asa for relying on "the king of Syria" instead of "the Lord thy God" (2 Chr. 16:7). He implied that the Syrians should have been defeated in battle instead of being paid money. He reminded Asa of his defeat of the Ethiopians, which God granted "because thou didst rely on the Lord" (2 Chr. 16:8). The prophet told Asa that nothing happens among men which is hidden from God's eyes. In turning his back upon God and going to Benhadad, Asa had acted "foolishly" (2 Chr. 16:9). He had "not only blundered, perpetrated an error in judgment, but done what was inherently wicked; as a consequence both his blunder and of his sin, he would have wars."[8], [9]

Instead of humbling himself Asa was in a "rage" with Hanani because he rebuked him for his fault. He had him put in a "prison house," literally "in a house of stocks," the "stock" being an instrument of torture. He also turned his wrath upon some of his own citizens, perhaps those that took the prophet's part.

God's prophets (preachers and teachers) have often been mistreated when they spoke unpopular messages. Jeremiah was put in stocks (Jer. 19:1--20:2). John the Baptist was beheaded (Matt. 14:1-9). Paul and Silas were cast into the inner prison (Acts 16:19-24).

Three years before his death Asa had a disease that was "exceedingly great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians" (2 Chr. 16:12). "Asa's error lay not in consulting the physicians, but in reposing trust in them to the exclusion of the Lord..."[10] Asa was buried in his own sepulcher and the people burned many spices in honor of him at his burial. Asa began his reign well; but he ended it in misery and shame.[11]

CHAPTER 17

Jehoshaphat was one of the best and greatest kings that Judah ever had. His name means "Jehovah is Judge." One of the first acts of Jehoshaphat was that he "strengthened himself against Israel" (2 Chr. 17:1-2).

2 Chr. 17:3 and 2 Chr. 17:4 give a great summary of Jehoshaphat's reign: "And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel." Many manuscripts omit David and the margin has "of his father, and of David." The real meaning is that Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of his father's earlier years.

Jehoshaphat had the support and the confidence of the entire realm. Judah brought gifts to him and he had "riches and honour in abundance" (2 Chr. 17:5; 18:1). Because of the righteous attitude of the good man God "established the kingdom in his hand" (2 Chr. 17:5). "His heart was lifted up" (this statement is usually used in a bad sense – Deu. 8:14; Ps. 131:1) means he "boasted in Jehovah" (the margin has "was encouraged"). He "sought the Lord with all his heart" (2 Chr. 22:9).

In the third year of Jehoshaphat's reign he set forth a great educational program. He employed three classes of men. There were (1) the princes -- Benhail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethaneal, Michaiah; (2) the Levites -- Shemiah,  Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Ashel, Shemiramath, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, Tobadonijah; and (3) the priests – Elishama and Jehoram.[12]

We may presume that the princes instructed the people in the nature of the civil law -- and constitution of the kingdom; the Levites instructed them in every thing that pertained to the temple service , and ritual law; and the priests instructed them in the nature and design of the religion they possessed. Thus the nation became thoroughly instructed in their duty to God, to the king, and to each other. They became therefore as one man and against a people thus united, on such principles, no enemy could be successful.[13]

The textbook used in all this teaching was "the book of the law of the Lord" (2 Chr. 17:9), which was either the complete law of Moses, or the Book of Deuteronomy, which was a re-statement of the law in an abridged form (Deu. 31:24-29); 2 Chr. 34:14-15). More idolatry and all forms of crime would be destroyed in our day by this sort of teaching than all other forces combined. Everything else has been tried to put down crime; it is time the Word of God was given a fair trial.[14]

If men and women are brought up to revere God and his word, they will make law-abiding citizens, because they know that God demands obedience to the laws of the land. But to be effective, the Bible must be taught as the word of God, and not merely as folklore or good literature; it must be taught by men and women who really believe that in it God speaks to us.[15]

The nation became stronger as the religion and morals of the nation improved. Look at some of the results: First, "The fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat" (2 Chr. 17:10). Second, even the Philistines and the Arabians brought gifts unto him (2 Chr. 17:11). Third, he built castles and cities to store his goods (2 Chr. 17:12). Fourth, he had much business in all the cities (2 Chr. 17:13). Fifth, he kept a standing army of 1,160,000 fighting men "beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah" (2 Chr. 17:13b-19).[16]


[1] Robert E. Black. The Books of Chronicles in Bible Study Textbook Series. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1991.
[2] James Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[3] Robert E. Black. The Books of Chronicles in Bible Study Textbook Series. Joplin, MO: College Press, 1991.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Thomas C. Brisco. Holman Bible Atlas. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998.
[6] James Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[7] George Tipps. "2 Chronicles," Fort Worth Christian College Lectures. Fort Worth, TX: The Manney Company, 1961.
[8] James Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[9] H. D. M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, editors, The Pulpit Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950.
[10] Ibid.
[11] James Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Adam Clarke, Clarke's Commentary, The Old Testament – Joshua to Esther. New York, NY: Abingdon Press, n.d.
[14] James Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.
[15] Annual Lesson Commentary, "Jehoshaphat: A Life of Obedience." Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate Company, 1956.
[16] James Meadows. “Judah Under Abijah, Asa, and Jehoshaphat” in Studies in 1, 2 Kings and 1, 2 Chronicles. Ed. By Dub McClish, Denton, TX: Valid Publications, Inc., 1993.

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