This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity

2 Chronicles 29:1-36

Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah.

In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him.

This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity. Now I intend to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger will turn away from us. My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him, to minister before him and to burn incense.

When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped. King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped.

So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.

Why?

Hezekiah knew what is important to his kingdom, so he ordered the Levites and assembled them and consecrate themselves and clean the Holy Temple and rebuild the sacrifice to the Lord.

How?

Only the Lord is our blessing and help in our life!

In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord

2 Chronicles 28:16-27

At that time King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. The Edomites had again come and attacked Judah and carried away prisoners, while the Philistines had raided towns in the foothills and in the Negev of Judah. They captured and occupied Beth Shemesh, Aijalon and Gederoth, as well as Soko, Timnah and Gimzo, with their surrounding villages. The Lord had humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the Lord. 

In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me.” But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel.

Ahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And Hezekiah his son succeeded him as king.

Why?

As a consequence of being king in Judah, Ahaz did not recognize the Lord as the great God over other gods. So the Lord let him search for other gods, humbled Ahaz, and defeated Judah in every war with surrounding countries.

So sad to a man who does not know the Lord is the real Lord beyond this world.

We are easy to think everything in our mind and acknowledge it. But our consideration always are wrong.

How?

May the Lord gives me the vision and word to be a good servant of the Lord

But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God?

2 Chronicles 28:1-15

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the ways of the kings of Israel and also made idols for worshiping the Baals. He burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his children in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.

He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him. In one day Pekah son of Remaliah killed a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers in Judah—because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 

But a prophet of the Lord named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army when it returned to Samaria. He said to them, “Because the Lord, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches to heaven. And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the Lord your God? Now listen to me! Send back your fellow Israelites you have taken as prisoners, for the Lord’s fierce anger rests on you.”

So the soldiers gave up the prisoners and plunder in the presence of the officials and the entire assembly. The men designated by name took the prisoners, and from the plunder they clothed all who were naked. They provided them with clothes and sandals, food and drink, and healing balm. All those who were weak they put on donkeys. So they took them back to their fellow Israelites at Jericho, the City of Palms, and returned to Samaria.

Why?
Israel was guilty before the Lord, they should not attack Judah, for the Lord was angry with Judah and gave them to their enemies.

All of the disasters or blessings come from the Lord. Everyone needs to make a choice.

How?

All of us including me are sinners before the Lord, unless God's mercy and love come upon me, we can not erase our sins by our effort or behavior. Give thanks to the Lord, and praise His Holy name forever!

Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God

2 Chronicles 27:1-9

Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years.

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the Lord and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel. He built towns in the hill country of Judah and forts and towers in the wooded areas.

 Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God.

Why?

Because Uzziah did a good example to honor the name of the Lord, Jotham did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and the Lord blessed him and his country, Judah.

No matter what situation surrounds us, when we focus on the Lord and walk steadfastly before the Lord, the blessing of the Lord will be with us, too. My God is faithful and full of love.

How?

Except my work and living, I should care more about what the Lord hopes for me to do.

Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall

 2 Chronicles 26:16-23

But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense. Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the Lord followed him in. They confronted King Uzziah and said, “It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the Lord God.”

Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry. While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the Lord’s temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead.

King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died.

Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

Why?

A man becoming powerful may induce his pride, and pride leads to downfall.

Burn incense is the priest's job, but Uzziah is a king and not a priest. serve the Lord needs to be servant of the Lord and chosen by the Lord.

To be a king doesn't mean he can do anything. so if we are wealthy and healthy we have to be more humble because the rich and healthy are the gift of the Lord.

How?

My life my health and my living food are the mercy of the Lord comes upon me. No because of my wisdom or my strength.

Uzziah who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done

2 Chronicles 26:1-15

Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his ancestors.

He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.

The Ammonites brought tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread as far as the border of Egypt, because he had become very powerful.

In Jerusalem he made devices invented for use on the towers and on the corner defenses so that soldiers could shoot arrows and hurl large stones from the walls. His fame spread far and wide, for he was greatly helped until he became powerful.

Why?

Obey the word of the Lord and honor the Holy Name of the Lord will be blessed by the Lord, gave him success, so Uzziah became very powerful.

After the powerful, it is easy to make a man proud and forget who he is.

How?

May the Lord make me successful but keep me from being proud and humble before the Lord.

The Lord can give you much more than that

2 Chronicles 27:17-25:1-16

After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them. They abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem. Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.

King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, “May the Lord see this and call you to account.”

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly. After the kingdom was firmly in his control, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. Yet he did not put their children to death, but acted in accordance with what is written in the Law, in the Book of Moses, where the Lord commanded: “Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor children be put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.

But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, these troops from Israel must not march with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—not with any of the people of Ephraim. Even if you go and fight courageously in battle, God will overthrow you before the enemy, for God has the power to help or to overthrow.”

The man of God replied, “The Lord can give you much more than that.”

When Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought back the gods of the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed down to them and burned sacrifices to them. The anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?”

The anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why do you consult this people’s gods, which could not save their own people from your hand?” While he was still speaking, the king said to him, “Have we appointed you an adviser to the king? Stop! Why be struck down?”

Why?

Anaziah had experienced the good of the Lord, but when he conquered the enemies he brought back the gods of Seir and bowed down to them. This is made anger of the Lord burned against Amaziah. People cannot learn from history. 

My God is faithfulness, even if we lose many when we turn to rely upon the Lord, our God may give us much than we lost.

How?

God is my fortress and my savior, pray to the Lord for more word and strength to server the Lord.