Through the Bible - 2 Chronicles

God, thank you for giving us your Word, Lord, that we would be instructed thereby and learn how to follow You, how to walk with You. I pray that You would teach us tonight. Help us to apply the things that we see here in this passage, to make the correlations to our lives, and to really learn of You. We need Your Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth and teach us all things tonight. So we just pray, Holy Spirit, that You would be here now, meet us, Lord, minister to us, and teach us how we are to live, how we are to move and walk. For we ask it in Jesus' name, amen.

As I mentioned last week, the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles are not split up originally; they are just one long book, just as with 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Samuel. They cover the same sort of history that we saw in 1 and 2 Kings and part of what we saw in 2 Samuel. However, they focus on a slightly different, specific aspect than the books of 1 and 2 Kings.

When we were going through 1 and 2 Kings, we bounced between the northern ten tribes and the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It can be easy to feel disoriented as you go through the books of 1 and 2 Kings because there are so many different names of kings mentioned. You might wonder, are we talking about the northern ten tribes now, or are we talking about the southern tribes? This can be a little disorienting.

In contrast, 1 and 2 Chronicles focuses solely on King David and his line. It emphasizes the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which is very helpful because it allows you to follow the course of one set of kings instead of two different sets of kings reigning at the same time. This book, 1 and 2 Chronicles, focuses on the king and the temple.

God's king was David. He was the man after God's own heart, as we see in the book of Acts, chapter 7. The focus is not only on King David and his lineage but also on the priesthood and the temple. The temple that David desired to build for God came after he brought the ark back into Jerusalem, as we looked at last week in 1 Chronicles. He said to his friend Nathan, "It's not right that I dwell in this palace, this great palace, while the ark of God is in a tent. I want to build a temple for it." Nathan told him to do all that was in his heart, and David was very excited about that. However, the Lord told Nathan that night to inform David that he could not build the temple, but his son Solomon would be able to.

The first nine chapters of 1 Chronicles show us the genealogy of the nation of Israel, starting all the way back with Adam. We noticed last week that this genealogy has some interesting inclusions and exclusions. There are certain people who are not mentioned—people you might think should be included but aren't. Yet, God focuses on a very specific group. He traces the line from Adam through his son Seth, and ultimately through Seth, he focuses on Noah and his son Shem, not really looking at Noah's other two sons.

Then, the genealogy continues with Abraham. Instead of focusing on Ishmael, we look at Isaac. From Isaac, we do not focus on Esau but on Jacob. From Jacob, we narrow it down to two tribes, even though he had twelve sons. We primarily look at Judah, the tribe from which David would come and ultimately from which Christ would come, and Levi, who was chosen because they were the priests and leaders of the religious portion of the nation of Israel.

Following through that genealogy last week in the first nine chapters, we see how God chooses and excludes certain people. We considered why God does that, and it has everything to do with the heart. Jeremiah tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that the heart of man is desperately wicked. Who can know it? Yet, in the very next verse, we are told that God tests the hearts of men. He searches and knows the heart of man. God is the only one who truly knows your heart. You might think you know your heart, but God alone knows it. You and I can be so deceived sometimes.

We don't even recognize the attitude of our own heart until it's exposed through our actions. Jesus tells us that it is out of the heart that evil thoughts and evil actions precede, as we find in the book of Mark. Many times, we don't realize just how depraved our heart is until we see our actions and thoughts come forth from it. Then we recognize that, yes, it's pretty bad. We go to the Lord in confession, saying, "Lord, I'm wicked, I'm horrible." And He responds, "Yeah, I know." He already knew it. We didn't need to clue Him in on that. He's not surprised when we come to Him with our sin. In fact, what's more surprising is when we refuse to come to Him with our sin, because He is the only one who can cleanse and clean.

Last week, we noticed that the reason some are included in God's work while others are excluded is because of the heart. It's interesting that the entire first book of Samuel primarily deals with King Saul, who is the focus of that book. However, when we get into 1 Chronicles, we see only 14 verses dedicated to King Saul because he was a man who was not after God's heart. His heart was wicked, lifted up in pride, and seeking after the things of this world. Because of that, he is kind of swept over in God's economy and kingdom.

The same thing is seen with Esau. The New Testament tells us that Esau was a wicked man. In fact, Paul tells us that "Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated." We sometimes look at that and think, why would God hate this individual? The reason God uses such strong words is that Esau was a man of a wicked heart, and his wicked heart is exposed in his wicked actions. That is the only way you and I can see it, but God sees it before it's ever manifested in a man's actions. God knew that Saul was not going to be a good king.

Ultimately, God brings forth David. From about chapter 11 on until the end of 1 Chronicles, the focus shifts to King David. We see a man who, although he sinned, does not have his sins mentioned in this book. The sins of murder and adultery are not mentioned in 1 Chronicles because he was a man after God's own heart. When God accepts a man after His own heart, He is able to remove his sin as far as the east is from the west. What a powerful thing we see in our God! In this book, 2 Chronicles, we see that the eyes of the Lord look to and fro throughout the whole earth.

Looking for a man whose heart is perfect—a heart that is devoted to God. As the book of 1 Chronicles wrapped up last week, we saw that David was getting ready to die and Solomon was coming into the picture. It’s interesting that as we concluded last week with 1 Chronicles chapter 28, we notice what David tells his son, King Solomon. This is the exhortation of David to his son.

In 1 Chronicles 28, verse 9, David says, "And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the imaginations of thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found of you. But if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."

There is the clue, you could say. God will cast off the person whose heart is against Him. But notice the next verse, verse 10: "Take heed now, for the Lord has chosen you. The Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it."

The exhortation of David was to have a perfect heart unto the Lord because He has chosen you and is going to use you. So, do the work that He has set before you.

Not just David's exhortation, but also David's prayer. In the next chapter, 1 Chronicles chapter 29, verse 19, David is now praying for his son Solomon. He says, "And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, a perfect heart to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, Your statutes, and to do all things and to build a palace for which I have made provision."

You see, God had chosen Solomon to do a specific work. The only way that Solomon was going to be fully equipped to do that work was by having a heart that was perfect towards the Lord. David, his father, exhorts him and says, "Listen, have a heart that is perfect towards the Lord." Then he prays for him in the next chapter. Just before the end of his life, David says, "God grant unto Solomon that he would have a perfect heart and that his perfect heart would bring forth good actions."

Notice that—to keep Your commandments, Your testimonies, and Your statutes, and to do all the things in building this temple. You see, because out of the heart...

Proceeds the thoughts and the actions of a man. It is that heart, that place within man wherein we find the emotions, the intellect, and the will. When we looked at this back in 1 and 2 Kings, we called the heart the soul of man. It is the soul of man that contains the intellect, the emotions, and the will. It is that soul, that heart, that has the ability to choose the things of the body, the things of the flesh, or to choose the things of the spirit and the things of God.

In King Saul, we saw a man whose soul was given to the things of this world, to the things of the flesh. That is why, when he went to destroy the Amalekites, he kept back everything that was good. Everything that was lovely, he kept, while everything that was not very nice and pretty, he put to death and got rid of. His soul, his heart, was directed towards the things of this world.

In contrast, what was David's focus from the time he became king? He wanted the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord in Jerusalem. Once the Ark was there, he desired to build a temple. His focus was on the spirit. God has created us body, soul, and spirit. Your soul is that heart; it is the part of you that makes decisions, that has emotions and thoughts. It is that part of you that chooses to see through fleshly eyes and gravitate towards the things of this world or to see with the spirit and move towards the things of God and the things of the spirit.

Whenever a man follows after the things of the flesh, the things of this world, he moves towards destruction. Even Paul tells us that in Galatians: if you sow to the flesh, you shall reap corruption and destruction. But if you sow to the spirit, you shall reap everlasting life.

The nation of Israel had a king who was the soul of the nation. Where the king went, where he chose to go, the nation would follow. If you had a king like Saul, who chose the things of this world and the flesh, then the nation followed after those things. Conversely, if you had a king like David, who followed after the spirit and the things of God, there was restoration, renewal, and repentance, and the people followed God.

Thus, the king in Israel represents the soul. Just like you and I have this soul in our kingdom, in our lives, whenever that soul chooses the things of this world, we will fall towards destruction. But if we choose...

The things of God lead us to everlasting life and an abundance of life. Ultimately, this is determined by our will. Why? Because God has given us free will. He has given you and me the choice to pursue either the things of this world or the things of the Spirit.

Moses conveyed this message to the children of Israel just before they entered the Promised Land. At the end of Deuteronomy, he said, "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day. I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; choose life that you might live." As Moses brought the law to the people, he emphasized that they had a choice. Even in our day, we still have a choice. Although we are under the law of grace, we can choose whether to follow the things of the flesh, which Paul tells us lead to destruction and corruption, or the things of the Spirit, which will yield everlasting life for those who sow to them.

David, before his death, exhorted his son to ensure that his heart and soul were perfect and completely dedicated to the Lord. He prayed for him, asking God to give him a heart that was wholly devoted to the Lord. How can we ultimately know if a person's heart is dedicated to the Lord? David indicated that a perfect heart is one that keeps God's commandments, testimonies, and statutes, and is committed to doing the work of building the palace. The heart of man is clearly reflected in his actions. The only way we can discern the condition of a person's heart is through their actions.

God knows the hearts of men; He searches and tests them perfectly, far better than we ever could. However, I believe we are called in the New Testament to be somewhat like fruit inspectors. We should look at our brothers and sisters and ask ourselves: Is there fruit? Are their actions aligned with following Jesus Christ? If not, the author of Hebrews instructs us to stir one another up to love and good deeds. We should not neglect gathering together as the body of Christ, for it is in that gathering that we can observe whether our actions and thoughts are directed toward the Lord. If they are not, we can encourage one another to follow the Lord, reminding each other that we have the opportunity to take control of our lives. Ultimately, it is God's desire that once we become believers and follow Him, He would be the Lord of our lives. He must be the Lord.

That's why, when David became king, he brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to Jerusalem, the place where the nation was going to be ruled from. Before that, it was in a tabernacle that moved around the nation. Sometimes it would be in Gibeon, and sometimes it would be in Shiloh. It would move from place to place. But when David became king, he said, "Listen, this Ark, the presence of God, needs to have a firm foundation in the center of the nation, in the place where leadership comes from, the city of Jerusalem."

That has to take place in my life as well and in yours too. We have to come to the place where we're no longer just off on our own, and the tabernacle of the Lord goes wherever we go. We have to establish that place. We have to erect the temple, so to speak, and make sure that the Lord has a sure foundation on the throne in our lives, and He is the one leading, guiding, and directing.

Now, as we come to 2 Chronicles, David is gone; he has died, and we begin now with King Solomon, the one for whom David was praying, that he would have a heart that was perfect toward the Lord. The first nine chapters of this book focus on that man, King Solomon, and the work that was given to him, that God chose him for. God chose Solomon to build the temple. He rejected David, saying, "David, you cannot build the temple because you are a man of war. But Solomon, your son, he is going to have peace. He is going to have rest in his kingdom, and he is going to build this temple for me."

David would tell him, "Listen, Solomon, do the work." We looked at that last week, the last exhortation of David to get it done. Now Solomon comes to the throne. We read in 1 Chronicles 1, verse 1, "And Solomon, the son of David, was strengthened in his kingdom, and the Lord his God was with him and magnified him exceedingly."

Why did God magnify him? The reason God magnified him is that, at the beginning of his life, Solomon was a man whose heart was dedicated to God. It was given to the Lord, and as a result of that, the Lord prospered him. We saw this back in the book of Joshua, right before the children of Israel crossed into the promised land. After the death of Moses, Joshua was now the leader of the nation, and God spoke to him there in Joshua chapter 1, verse 6, saying, "Be strong and of good courage, for unto this people shall you divide for an inheritance the land which I swore unto their fathers to give to them. Only be thou strong and very courageous."

Why? "That you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant, commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand."

Or to the left, and then you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

The way that a person has good success in their life as a believer, in a prosperous walk, is that they walk in the law of the Lord. They follow after Him with a heart that is dedicated to Him, not turning to the right hand or to the left. As we go through this book, and for those of you who read through these 36 chapters this last week, you see that there are those who turn to the right hand and to the left. Very clearly, there are kings in this book who did not follow perfectly, but when they did follow perfectly, God would use them to be a great example to the nations around them.

With Solomon, God prospered him when he followed the Lord and sanctified the Lord in his heart. God brought multitudes of people to him. In fact, I believe it's in chapter 8 or 9 of 1 Chronicles where kings and queens from all the other nations come to Solomon and bring him gifts for the temple of the Lord. They come to him because they want to see his wisdom and how great this king is. Why? Because he was a king who had sanctified the Lord in his heart.

It is such an evangelistic tool to this world when we sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. That's why Peter tells us in 1 Peter chapter 3, verse 15, a verse that maybe you've memorized. He says there, "But sanctify the Lord Jesus, the Lord God, in your hearts." Set apart the Lord in your heart and always be ready to give a defense, to give an answer to everyone who asks about the hope that is within you, with meekness and fear.

When you and I sanctify the Lord in our hearts, people are going to ask questions. Just as with Solomon in 1 Chronicles, people came from all throughout the world to consider the wisdom of Solomon that God had given him and the temple that he had built. They brought gifts to the Lord. When the nation of Israel had a king who had a soul given to the Lord, who had a perfect heart towards the Lord, God would bless them, God would exalt them, and the nations would see and be amazed.

However, there were those who turned to the right and those who turned to the left. This book, from chapter 10 through chapter 36, is filled with these different kings. Some of the kings followed the Lord, while others departed, and when they departed from the Lord...

They ultimately found themselves on the road to devastation and destruction. A departure from the Lord always leads to devastation and destruction. The first king we see this with is Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, and he comes about in 2 Chronicles chapter 11. In reality, this departure began a little bit before Rehoboam with King Solomon.

You’ll remember that King Solomon multiplied to himself two things that the law told him he shouldn't do: he multiplied wives and horses. As he multiplied these wives and concubines—one thousand in all—every single one of these wives brought with them something from their kingdoms, from their lands: false gods. Solomon began to build high places and worship centers for his wives and their gods. As we saw in 1 Kings, his wives led his heart away from the Lord. He became given to the things of this world through these wives, but he also started to trust in his armies. That is why he gathered to himself horses and chariots.

Solomon was the first one who began this departure from the Lord, but it is clearly seen in Rehoboam, his son. Under Rehoboam, the nation of Israel experienced devastation and division. Because of Solomon's sin—because he had departed from the Lord and gathered to himself wives and multiplied horses—a division took place in the nation. Now, the nation is two nations: the northern ten tribes and the southern two tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

Rehoboam becomes king in chapter 10 of 2 Chronicles, and the first thing you begin to see in him, the first sign of his departure that would lead to destruction, is his refusal to heed good advice. When he becomes king, the people gather together at his door, led by a man named Jeroboam. They come to Rehoboam and say to him, "Listen, your father put a lot of taxes on us; he made life difficult for us. Are you going to lessen the taxes?" Rehoboam replies, "Give me three days; I'll let you know."

Rehoboam first went to the older men of the nation, those who had led with his father, Solomon. He asked them what they thought he should do. They advised him, saying that if he wanted the people to follow him, he should lessen their taxes and be good to them. They assured him that they would follow him all the days of his life.

However, Rehoboam decided to consult his younger advisors. They told him to inform the people that his father had imposed hardships upon them, suggesting that it would seem light compared to what he was going to do. The first step toward Rehoboam's destruction was his refusal to heed the counsel of the older men. He rejected good advice and wise counsel.

The second factor that led him away from the Lord is found in 2 Chronicles 12:1. It states, "And it came to pass, when Rehoboam was established and his kingdom was established, and he had strengthened himself, that he forsook the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him." I want you to underline that in your Bibles: "and all Israel with him." This illustrates the principle that as the king goes, so goes the nation. The same applies to your life; as your soul, will, and emotions go after the things of this world, the rest of your life will follow toward destruction.

The passage indicates that Rehoboam forsook the law of the Lord, and as a result, all Israel followed him into that forsaking. Immediately in that same chapter, he was invaded by the people of Egypt. When you begin to depart from the Lord, you are immediately weakened by that departure.

There was a minor restoration that took place, as we find in 2 Chronicles 12. Rehoboam humbled himself and did exactly what his father had said in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "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." God tells His people that if they humble themselves, He will hear when they call to Him.

After Rehoboam had departed from the Lord—first by rejecting good advice and then by forsaking the law of the Lord—he was invaded. You will always be invaded by the world, the flesh, or the devil when you begin to depart from the Lord. However, he humbled himself, and there was a minor restoration right after that.

The next wicked king after Rehoboam was a man named Jehoram, and we find him in 1 Chronicles, chapter 21. What takes place with Jehoram, the sin that begins to lead him to depart from the Lord, is detailed in this chapter. Starting in verse 4, it says, "Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself and slew all his brothers with the sword, and diverse also of the princes of Israel." When he came to the throne, he was filled with jealousy.

The first thing that would lead Rehoboam away and cause devastation in the nation of Israel, leading to their invasion, was that he did not receive good counsel. He refused good advice and forsook the law of the Lord. In contrast, Jehoram was filled with jealousy. We are told in Galatians, chapter 5, that jealousy is one of the works of the flesh. This man was consumed by jealousy, and as a result, he was weakened. He was soon invaded by the Philistines, who came and invaded the land during Jehoram's reign.

The next wicked king we encounter in the book of 2 Chronicles is found in chapter 28. This king, whom you may have heard of before, is named Ahaz. Ahaz was 20 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for 16 years in Jerusalem. Notice in 2 Chronicles, chapter 28, verse 1, that he turned to idolatry and introduced idolatry into the nation.

The first thing that would lead to Israel's destruction was their refusal to heed good advice. Their king, the soul of the nation, rejected wise counsel and forsook the law of the Lord. The second factor leading to destruction was Jehoram, whose jealousy resulted in the invasion by the Philistines. The third factor was Ahaz, who introduced idolatry into the nation. Immediately, when sin took root, the consequences began to unfold.

Manasseh became king at the age of twelve, as recorded in chapter 33, verse 1 of 2nd Chronicles. He reigned for 55 years in Jerusalem, but he did evil in the sight of the Lord, following the abominations of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.

He rebuilt the high places that his father, Hezekiah, had broken down. He erected altars for Baal, made groves, and worshipped all the hosts of heaven, serving them. He built altars in the house of the Lord, even in the temple where the Lord had said, "In Jerusalem shall my name be forever." He constructed altars for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord.

Manasseh caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. He practiced divination, used enchantments, engaged in witchcraft, and consulted familiar spirits and wizards. He committed much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger. He set a carved image, an idol he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon, "In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name forever. Neither will I anymore remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers, so that they take heed to do all that I have commanded them according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses."

As a result, Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, causing them to do worse than the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. His reign was marked by such wickedness that it had a profound impact on the nation.

His own false gods were in the temple of the Lord, even in the Holy of Holies. Notice what it said there in verse 9: he caused the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem to err. You see, so goes the king, so goes the nation. Where the soul of the nation goes, the rest of the nation follows, and that's what we see with Manasseh.

These four kings in the book of 2nd Chronicles, Solomon would actually probably be the fifth because he also departed from the Lord, going after the things of this world. Rehoboam refused good advice and forsook the law of the Lord. Jehoram was filled with jealousy; he killed all his contemporaries who might bring some sort of problem against him. Each time these kings brought this upon themselves, they were invaded first by Egypt, then by the Philistines, then by Syria and the northern ten tribes. Under Ahaz, he introduced idolatry into the nation, and then Manasseh fulfilled that idolatry, furthering it in a much worse way. Manasseh is the reason, when you read 2nd Kings and 2nd Chronicles, why the children of Israel would ultimately be destroyed by the Babylonians and why the southern tribes of Judah and Jerusalem would be taken captive by the Babylonians.

These are the lows of the book of 2nd Chronicles, and they are pretty deep lows. They are hard to watch as you read through this book. However, there are some high points, and they begin with a king by the name of Asa. Asa is seen in chapter 15, and he is one of the kings that brings renewal to the nation, a restoration for the people. Every single one of these kings that brings restoration is a reflection of God's grace because in them, you see the grace of God that still comes.

Asa is seen in chapter 15 of 2nd Chronicles, and the thing that sets him apart is that he was determined to keep the law of the Lord. Whereas Rehoboam forsook the law of the Lord, Asa was determined to keep it. We see that very clearly in chapter 15, verse 12. There we read that they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul. Whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

When Asa became king, he declared that the people must follow the Lord and adhere to His law. He was determined not to turn to the right or to the left. We see this in 2 Chronicles, chapter 14, verse 2: Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord. He took away the altars of the strange gods in the high places, broke down the images, and cut down the groves. He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to observe the law and the commandments. Because of this, the people of the nation were delivered.

In verse 9 of chapter 14, we learn that Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with a host—an army of a million men—and three hundred chariots. They approached Merasha, and Asa went out to meet them. They set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Merasha. Asa cried to the Lord his God, saying, "Lord, it is nothing with Thee to help, whether with many or with those that have no power. Help us, O Lord God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go out against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against us."

Notice verse 12: the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa and the children of Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. When Asa brought about this restoration and renewal in the nation, we see God's grace poured out. The Lord poured out His grace upon these people as they returned to Him. What was this return? Specifically, Asa was determined to keep the law of the Lord. When he focused on the law of the Lord, the soul of the nation followed suit and began to do the same.

Not just Asa, but also Jehoshaphat, who we see in chapter 17. Jehoshaphat removed the idols that were in the nation. In chapter 17, verse 1, we read that Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his stead. He strengthened himself against Israel, the northern ten tribes, and placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah. He set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa, his father, had taken. The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the ways of his father.

In the first ways of his father David, Jehoshaphat sought not unto Balaam but sought the Lord God of his father. He walked in His commandments and not after the doings of Israel. Therefore, because of the way that he walked, the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought to Jehoshaphat's presence, and he had riches, honor, and abundance. His heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord.

I love that right there because several times in the book of 2 Chronicles, you see that the hearts of some of these wicked kings were lifted up to their own destruction. Their hearts were lifted up in pride, and yet Jehoshaphat's heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord. Moreover, he took away the high places and the groves out of Judah, removing the idols from the nation. Asa was one who was determined to keep the law, while Jehoshaphat was one who was willing to go and remove all the idols.

Not only that, he established in the nation a ministry of teaching. In verse 10, well, he begins it in verse 7, where he called together all the princes of the Levites to teach in the cities of Judah. At the end of verse 7, he sent the Levites out into the land. In verse 9, we read that they taught in Judah, and they had the book of the law of the Lord with them. They went about throughout all the cities of Judah and taught the people, and 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.

You see, when the king of the nation focused his heart on the Lord, removed the idols, and began to teach the people the law, the nation found prosperity at the hand of the law. Why? Because God had told His people, as He tells Joshua just before they come into the promised land, not to turn to the right hand or to the left from the law of God. Because of it, when you walk in it, you shall prosper; you shall have good success.

The next king that brought restoration is seen in chapters 23 through 24: Joash. Asa was determined to keep the law, Jehoshaphat removed the idols, and he taught the people the law. Joash made a restoration and a repair to the temple. It is interesting the way he brought about this restoration. He imposed a tax upon the people and basically said to them, "Put your money where your mouth is. If you say that you serve the Lord, then make sure..."

Your money is going towards those things for the service of the Lord. He sent the Levites and the priests throughout the nation, and they were to take a collection from the people. The whole point of it was that if you really want to serve the Lord, then help us rebuild the temple. Let us invest back in the work of the Lord.

In 2 Chronicles, chapter 24, we read in verse 4, "It came to pass after this that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord." He gathered together the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go into the cities of Judah and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that you hasten the matter. See that you quickly do this."

Unfortunately, it says that the Levites did not hasten it; they did not move. The king called Jehoiada, the chief of the priests, and said to them, "Why have you not required the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of all Jerusalem the collection?" Finally, he sent the priests and the Levites out and said, "Listen, put your money where your mouth is. If you really follow the Lord and want to serve Him, serve Him with your lips and your mouths, but make sure that your pocketbook is in that as well. Give to the work of the Lord."

He brought about a restoration in the nation, and because of that, the Lord poured out His Spirit upon the people during that time. They saw great joy and rejoicing in Israel.

After Joash, we read of King Hezekiah in chapters 29 through 32. Joash restored and rebuilt the temple, but after him came several different kings, one of those being the wicked king Ahaz. You may remember that Ahaz was one of the kings who introduced idolatry; he was the wicked king who brought idolatry into the land, even into the house of the Lord.

When his son Hezekiah came to the throne, he cleansed the temple. It took 16 days just to get all the dirt, grime, junk, and trash out of the temple. It wasn't a very big building, but it took them more than two weeks to cleanse it. Hezekiah, upon his coming, cleansed the temple. We read of him in chapter 29: "Hezekiah began to reign when he was 25 years old, and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David, his father, had done."

In the first year of his reign, in the first month, notice how much of a focus he had upon this.

In the first month of his reign, he opened the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, gathering them together in the east street. He said to them, "Hear me, you Levites. Sanctify yourselves and sanctify the house of the Lord your God, the Lord God of your fathers. Carry forth the filthiness from the holy place. For your fathers have trespassed and have done that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord God. They have forsaken Him and turned away their faces from His habitation, from the habitation of the Lord, and turned their backs to Him. They have shut up the doors of the porch, put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel."

Because of this, the wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem. He delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as you see with your eyes. For lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons, daughters, and wives have gone into captivity. Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that His fierce wrath may be turned away from us. My sons, be not now negligent, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, and to minister unto Him and burn incense.

Hezekiah said, "We're going to cleanse this temple; we're going to clean it up because the wrath of the Lord is against us since we've turned our hearts from Him." The son of Hezekiah was King Manasseh, who was a wicked king. However, I want you to look back at King Manasseh because, not only was he wicked, but he also sought to bring about restoration. We read about him in 2 Chronicles chapter 33. Remember, Manasseh was the most wicked king; he set up idol worship inside the temple of the Lord. He caused the children of Judah to err and to do worse than the heathen whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel.

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and to all his people, but they would not listen; they would not hearken. Therefore, because they wouldn't listen, the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the army of the Assyrians, who took Manasseh among the thorns, bound him with fetters, and carried him away to Babylon. When he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God.

And what did he do? He humbled himself. If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves... When he was in affliction, he besought the Lord, and he humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to Him, and God was entreated of him; He heard his supplication. God brought him again to Jerusalem unto his kingdom, and Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

Now, sadly for Manasseh, it took him going into affliction; it took him going into the prison house for his eyes to be opened. God will allow His own people to go to the prison house so that their eyes would be opened, so that they would cry out to Him. In fact, turn over in your Bibles to Psalm 107. Psalm 107, starting at verse 10, reads: "Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and in iron," just like Manasseh. Why are they there? Verse 11 tells us: "Because they rebelled against the words of God and they contemned the counsel of the Most High." Therefore, God brought down their heart with labor, and they fell down, and there was none to help them.

But then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and out of the shadow of death; He broke their bands in sunder. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness and for His wonderful works towards the children of men!

You see, we see Manasseh so clearly in Psalm 107, but I would submit to you that we see ourselves as well. There are many times that we contend the counsel of the Most High. We find ourselves bound in affliction and in irons. But there, in that place, if we cry out to the Lord, He will hear from heaven, and He will heal, just as He did with Manasseh. The Lord heard him; the Lord brought him back.

Then, in verse 13 of chapter 33, Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. After this, he built a wall without the city of David on the west side of Gihon in the valley, even to the entering end of the fish gate. He compassed about Ophel and raised it up to a very great height. He put captains of war in the fenced cities of Judah, and he took away the strange gods and the idol out of the house of the Lord, along with all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Jerusalem, and he cast them away.

Out of the city, he repaired the altar of the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings there. He commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. However, notice this in verse 17: nevertheless, the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only. The people continued to worship in the high places, even though they were worshiping Jehovah, the one true God. They weren't fully worshiping as they were supposed to. Why? Because their king had not been a good witness.

Ultimately, there was a restoration that came about, and what do we see in that restoration? It is the reflection of God's grace. Verse 13 beautifully illustrates God's grace; there, when he prayed to God in darkness, God heard him. He was entreated of Him, and He heard his supplication and brought him out.

One last king we will look at who brought restoration in Israel, a restoration that was unrivaled by any of the other kings, is Josiah. In chapter 34, we are told that during the time of Josiah, when he started the Passover once again, it was the greatest Passover that Israel had ever seen. In verse 18 of chapter 35, it states that there was no Passover like that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet. Neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a Passover as Josiah kept.

Josiah was a king who brought about restoration in the land of Israel, and he was so focused on the Word of God and hearing the Word of God. We read of him in chapter 34, verse 1: Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for thirty-one years. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of David, his father. He declined neither to the right hand nor to the left.

In the eighth year of his reign, when he was yet young, at sixteen years old, he began to seek after the God of David, his father. In the twelfth year, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, the groves, the carved images, and the molten images. They broke down the altars of Baal in his presence, and the images that were on high above them he cut down. The groves, the carved images, and the molten images he broke in pieces and made dust of them.

He strode upon the graves of those who had sacrificed to false gods. He burned the bones of the priests of these false gods upon their altars and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. He did the same in the cities of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. When he had broken down the altars and the groves, beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

In the eighth year of his reign, after he had purged the land and the house, he sent men to repair the house of the Lord. When they came to Hilkiah the priest, they delivered money for the house to redo it. Hilkiah the priest went into the house of the Lord to repair it. While they were there, they found something they had not seen for years: the book of the law of God. Hilkiah gave the book of the law to Shaphan the scribe, who brought it to Josiah.

When they brought the money that had been delivered into the house of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law given by Moses. Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord." Hilkiah delivered the book to Shaphan, and Shaphan carried it to the king. He reported back, saying, "All that was committed to your servants, they are doing. They have gathered together the money that was found in the house of the Lord and have delivered it into the hands of the overseers and the workmen."

Shaphan the scribe then told the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." Shaphan read it before the king. When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. The king commanded Hilkiah, Ahicham the son of Shaphan, Abdon the son of Micah, Shaphan the scribe, and Esaiah the servant of the king, saying, "Go inquire of the Lord for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is poured upon us because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord to do according to all that is written in this book."

HilKiah and those whom the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess. She answered them, saying, "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, so tell the man that sent you to me, tell the king..."

Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book, which they have read before the king of Judah. They have forsaken Me and have burned incense unto other gods, provoking Me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore, My wrath shall be poured out upon this place and shall not be quenched.

As for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, so shall you say unto him: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel concerning the words which thou hast heard. Because your heart was tender and you did humble yourself before God when you heard the words against this place, His words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, you humbled yourself before Me, rent your clothes, and wept before Me. I have even heard you.

Also, says the Lord: Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and you shall be gathered to the grave in peace. Neither shall your eyes see all the evil that I will bring upon this place and upon the inhabitants of the same. So they brought the king word again.

In Josiah, we see one who brings restoration to the nation of Israel. As they are restoring the house of the Lord, they find the book of the law. When he reads the book of the law, he says, "We've got to follow this." He gathers all the elders of the nation of Israel, and they go up to the house of the Lord after it has been cleansed, reestablished, and opened up once again. He declares, "We're going to follow the words of this book, and we're going to keep the Passover."

The entire nation of Judah gathered together and had a Passover that was greater than any Passover that the nation of Israel had ever seen in the land of Israel. This king's heart was turned to the Lord.

We see the valleys of the wicked kings who departed from the Lord, such as Manasseh, Ahaz, Rehoboam, and Jehoram. At the same time, we see what stands out in those kings whose hearts were given to the Lord, like Asa, who was determined to keep the law; Jehoshaphat, who removed the idols from the land; Jehoash, who restored the temple and brought in the money for rebuilding; Hezekiah, who cleansed the same temple; and Manasseh, who had that great return of repentance. God saw his heart and brought about a restoration in his own life after he had been a wicked king.

Then there is Josiah, the one who brought restoration and renewed the Passover in the nation. Clearly, in this book, you see what sets a good king apart from a bad king.

In this book, you see what sets apart the soul of the nation. What makes a good soul, and what makes a wicked soul? Jesus speaks about this in the Sermon on the Mount when He talks about if your eye be evil. Just how dark is that darkness? He says to us in Matthew chapter 5 that the window of the soul is the eye. Your soul looks upon the things of this world through the eye. It covets those things; it desires those things. If your soul determines and chooses to go after those things, then you will reap the destruction and corruption, like these wicked kings in the nation of Israel.

But if, like Hezekiah and Josiah, or like Jehoshaphat and Asa, you turn to the Lord with the eyes of the Spirit, your soul seeks after the things of God. If you hunger and thirst after righteousness, Jesus would say you shall be filled. He will satisfy those who long for good things. Just as David would exhort Solomon, I think the best way to end the books of 1 and 2 Chronicles is with that exhortation from 1 Chronicles chapter 28: "Know ye the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart."

In verse 9, it continues, "And with a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts; He understands all the imaginations of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found of you. But if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever."

I think it is also important to pray the prayer of David. So let's stand and pray. God, as David prayed for Solomon, I pray that You would help us, Lord, to have hearts that are perfect towards You, hearts that are loyal and committed to You. As we see in 2 Chronicles chapter 16, You are looking throughout the whole earth to find a heart that is perfect towards You, and You will strengthen that person.

God, we thank You that You have given us strength when we are weak. Lord, tonight, certainly we need Your strength, because every single one of us is weak. But God, I ask that, as You have given us a new heart, just as You prophesied and promised through Ezekiel in Ezekiel 36, behold, You would give us that heart of flesh.

You would write Your law. Lord, we have a new heart that desires to obey You. I pray that by Your Spirit, we would obey You and see the restoration of the temple. This life that each of us has, Lord, is significant. Just as Paul said, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus, You came into the temple the first time in Your ministry. In John chapter 2, You cleansed it. You finished out Your ministry by going into the temple at the end, as recorded in Matthew chapter 22, and You cleansed the temple once again.

God, I pray that as You come into our lives daily, into this temple, You would cleanse it and renew it. Only You know our hearts. We thank You and we praise You in Jesus' name. Amen.