Thurs.’s Devo - Good and Bad Kind of Judah

Read: 2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27; Romans 13:1-14; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 20:11

Amaziah had been put to death by his own people and they made his son, Uzziah king. Uzziah was only sixteen years old but he was mentored by Zechariah the priest and walked with the Lord most of his life. 

He sought the Lord’s help and God caused him to prosper and become very strong. He fought the Philistines, the Ammonites, and the Meunites and grew his territory. They feared him and paid him tribute. He built up his army and fortified his land. 

But, when Uzziah became strong, he let pride destroy him. He became unfaithful to God and took incense to burn into the holy place in the temple. The priest tried to stop him but not before his head broke out with leprosy. The priests hurried him out of the Temple and he was never able to enter again. He had to live apart from the people because of his leprosy and his son, Jotham had to rule his kingdom. 

When Uzziah died thy buried him in the field that belonged to the kings but not with the kings, because he was a leper.

Jotham was 25 years old when he became the king of Judah. He ruled 16 years. and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but the people still followed corrupt practices. He repaired the upper gate of the house of the Lord and built on the wall of Ophel. He also built cities in the hills of Judah and forts and towers. He prevailed against the Ammonites so they began to pay him tribute in silver, wheat and barley. He was mighty because he honored the Lord. He was 41 when he died and was buried in the city of David.

Jotham’s son, Ahaz began to reign at the age of 20. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord  and led the people into idolatry of all kinds. So, the Lord gave him over to the king of Syria and took a number of his people to Damascus. Also, the king of Israel, Pekah attacked Judah and killed 120,000 of them. 

An Ephraimite named Zichri killed Ahaz’s son, his palace commander and his second-in-command officer. They took 200,000 captive of the people of Judah and much spoil. Obed the prophet met the army coming with the captives on their way to Samaria. He told them that God was not happy with them for what they had done to their own brothers and sisters. They had enough sins piled up against them to add this to their list. So some of the chiefs of Ephraim told the army that they couldn’t bring their captives into the city and bring guilt upon them. They took the captives and the spoil and clothed those who were in need. They gave them food and drink, anointed them and carried those who were injured on donkeys to Jericho. They left them there and returned to Samaria.

King Ahaz sent for the help of the Assyrian army because the Edomites were attacking their land and taking captives. The Philistines also raided them because God was humbling Judah because of the sins of Ahaz and the nation. The Assyrian army didn’t help them, they came up against them instead. Ahaz took portions from the house of the Lord and the kings and princes houses to pay the Assyrians not to kill them, but it didn’t help. 

Instead of turning to the Lord and repenting, Ahaz went after the gods of the Syrians since it looked like their gods were stronger than his. He shut down the house of the Lord and set up altars to idols and other gods. He was not buried with the kings when he died. Hezekiah his son reigned in his place.

In Romans, Paul encouraged them to honor their rulers, because God had set them up to rule. Good rulers are there to enforce the laws which is a good thing. All true authority is instituted by God so to resist them is to resits God who has appointed them. His leaders enforce his laws. If we disobey the law then we deserve the consequences. 

We are to pay taxes to whom they are owed and respect the ones who deserve respect and honor those who deserve honor.

We owe everyone our love because God loves them. Many of God’s laws had to do with how we treat one another. Love is how we fulfill his law. 

We are not to walk in this world like the heathen do but to put on the armor of light and put on the Lord Jesus Christ so that we will not gratify our flesh.

Lord, may we put on your armor of light. You live in us so may we let your shine through all we do. May we honor what you honor and hate what you hate. 

Wed.’s Devo - The Kingdoms of Joash and Azariah

Read: 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28; Romans 12:1-21; Psalm 22:19-31; Proverbs 20:8-10

Joash who came to power at the age of seven was a good king until the priest, Jehoiada died. Jehoiada and his wife had raised Joash and found him two wives with which he had sons and daughters.

He decided to restore the house of the Lord because Athalia had used the holy things of the Lord in the temple of Baal. Joash put a box outside the Temple and had the people bring the tax Moses had commanded. The people were happy to bring their tax to the Lord and with it they were able to repair the Temple and get it back in working order. 

Jehoiada died and the princes of Judah came to Joash and encouraged him to worship the idols and the Asherim. God sent prophets to try to get him to turn back to the Lord, but he wouldn’t listen. Jehoiada’s son Zechariah spoke to the people and asked them why they would want to stop prospering and forsake the Lord. The king had him stoned in the court of the house of the Lord. Joash showed no respect for Jehoiada by killing his son. As Zechariah was dying he prayed that the Lord would avenge his death.

God did, by sending the Syrian army against Judah. They destroyed all the princes of the people - the ones who enticed the king to worship idols -  and took much spoil. A very few Syrians did much damage to Judah because they had forsaken the Lord. They left Joash severely wounded and his own servants conspired against him and killed him on his bed. He was not buried with the tombs of the kings. Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Amaziah was 25 years old and he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with his whole heart. He had the ones who killed his father killed but let their children live according to God’s law. He set up new commanders since all the princes had been killed. He formed an army of 300,000 men and then hired 100,000 men from Israel for 100 talents of gold. But a man of God came and told him not to take the men from Israel with him because God was not with Israel now. When he asked him what he would do about the gold he had paid them, he answered that God was able to give him much more than this. So, Amaziah sent the army of Israel home. They were so humiliated and angry that they looted and killed 3,000 in the cities of Judah on their way home.

Amaziah led his army against the Edomites and killed 20,000. Amaziah brought home the gods of the Edomites and set them up and worshiped them. God sent a prophet to ask him why he would worship gods who could’t save their people and abandon the God who defeated them. When the king was disrespectful to the prophet, the prophet told him that God was determined to destroy him because he didn’t listen to what he said. 

Amaziah picked a fight with Israel since he was feeling so strong and invincible. Joash, the king of Israel tried to stop him but Amaziah wouldn’t listen, so they met at Beth-shemesh to fight. Judah was defeated by Israel and fled. Joash of Israel went to Jerusalem and broke down 400 cubits of the wall and seized all the silver and gold from the Temple. He took hostages back to Samaria. There had been a conspiracy planned from the time Amaziah turned away from the Lord and he fled to Lachish. They found him and put him to death in Lachish. He was brought back to Jerusalem and buried with his fathers in the city of David.

In Romans, Paul appeals to us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to the Lord as our act of worship to him. Instead of conforming to the world, we are to let God renew our mind so that what we go through will teach us to discern what is God’s will and what is good and what is evil. 

We are not to think more highly about ourselves than God wants us to, but to grow in faith. We all need each other and benefit by others gifts. Some have been gifted with the ability to prophecy, some to teach, some to serve, some to exhort, some to give and some to do acts of mercy. 

We are to do everything with sincerity of heart and hate what is evil and love what is good. We are to be diligent and passionate in our service to the Lord. We are to be hopeful, patient and constantly in prayer. We are to be generous to the needy and hospitable. 

We are to bless those who persecute us, rejoice with those who are rejoicing and weep with those who are weeping. We are to live peacefully with those around us and not ever think we are better than anyone. We are to let God avenge us against our enemies and be kind to them instead because our kindness might cause them to repent.

Lord, may all we do bring glory to your name. May we be your witnesses of righteousness in the world. 

Tues.’s Devo - Judah’s Trials -

Read: 2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21; Romans 11:13-36; Psalm 22:1-18; Proverbs 20:7

Jehoshaphat died and his first born son Jehoram reigned in his place. Once he became established as king, he had his six brothers killed. 

When Jehoshaphat entered into a marriage convenant with Ahab he had taken Ahab’s dauthter Athaliah to marry his first born son Jehoram. She led him to worship Baal and to his downfall.

*** Edom and  Libna revolted from his rule because he had abandoned the Lord. God sent Elijah to tell him that because he had not walking in the ways of the good kings of Judah, but had followed after the evil ways of the kings of Israel and because he had killed his brothers who were better than him, God would bring a plague upon his people and he would lose his children and his wives and all his possessions. He would end up with a disease that would cause his bowels to come out.

*** God sent the Philistines and the Arabians to invade Judah and they looted the kings’ house and his family. They took all his children and wives except his youngest son, Jehoahaz.

*** Then Jehoram became diseased just like Elijah had prophesied. He died after two years and no one was sad. He was not even buried with the other kings. 

*** The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, also known as Jehoahaz their king. He was Jehoram’s only son left and was 22 years old. He followed the evil advice of his mother Athaliah whose father had been Ahab. She led him and the nation further into idolatry. 

Ahaziah went with Israel’s king, Jehoram into battle against the Syrians at Ramoth-gilead. Jehoram was wounded so after the battle, Ahaziah went to visit him in Jezreel. They both went out to meet Jehu who was coming to the city to take down the dynasty of Ahab. Jehu met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers and killed them. Then he found Ahaziah who had fled and killed him. There was no one left in the house of Ahaziah to rule so his mother Athaliah reigned. She killed all the royal family that was left but Joash.  Jehoshabeath had hidden Joash who was an infant and raised him in the house of God. Jehoshabeath was married to the high priest, Jehoiada. 

When Joash had his seventh birthday, Jehoiada devised a plan to bring Joash out and crown him king. He involved the military and all the priests of the land. They all joined together to crown Joash king. When Athaliah heard all the commotion she ran to the temple to see what it was all about. She saw Joash standing in the place of honor with the crown on his head and heard all the people shouting “Long live the king.” She cried “Treason!” but the priest ordered her to be killed outside the gate.

Then Jehoiada made a covenant with the people and the king that they would be the Lord’s people. The people tore down the house of Baal and killed the priest of Baal before the altar. Jehoiada reestablished the worship of the Lord in the Temple and had Joash taken to sit on the throne in the kings’s house.

In Romans, Paul compared the Jews to the dough of the first fruits. If it is holy then the whole loaf will be holy. If the root of a tree is holy then all the branches will be holy. But, if some of the branches are broken off and another tree was grafted in, it will share in the nourishment of the root. The Gentiles were the tree that was grafted into the root which makes them holy. 

The bad branches were broken off because they refused to honor the Lord. Paul warned the Gentiles that that could happen to them also if they turned from the truth of God. God is both kind and severe. One day the natural branches will be grafted back into the tree and it will be glorious. 

The hearts of the Israelites would be hardened until all the Gentiles who are chosen are brought into the kingdom, then The Jews will be saved. This is God’s plan and it will stand.

Lord, we praise you for what you are doing in our day. We see you disarming principalities and bringing down strongholds that have been standing for years. Thank you for bringing truth and justice back to our world. May you arise and all your enemies be scattered. 

 Mon.’s Devo -  Jehoshaphat’s Righteous Rule 7-27-26

Read: 2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37; Romans 10:14-11:12; Psalm 21:1-13; Proverbs 20:4-6

Jehoshaphat returned from fighting with Ahab in which Ahab was killed. Jehu the seer came to meet him and asked him why he loved and helped the wicked who hate the Lord, speaking of Ahab and Israel. God was not pleased with him, but he did see how he had destroyed the Asheroth out of his land and set his heart to seek Him.

Jehoshaphat went out among the people to bring them back to the Lord. He appointed good and honest men of integrity to judge the people. He warmed the judges that they would be  making decisions for the Lord, so to be fair and honest. He told them to let the fear of God help in their decisions - to be impartial and not to take bribes. 

He did the same in Jerusalem and appointed Levites and priest to judge all the cases. He warned them not to do anything to incur guilt or the wrath of God. 

The Moabites, Ammonites and some of the Menuites came up against them to war. When Jehoshaphat was told this he set his face to seek the Lord. He proclaimed a fast and all Judah assembled to seek the Lord from all the cities of Judah. 

Jehoshaphat stood before the people and prayed for their safety and for God’s help. God gave them a word through the Levite, Jahaziel. He told them not to be afraid because this battle was not theirs but the Lord’s. They were to go to the ascent of Ziz and take up their position and then just stand. They would see the salvation of the Lord. 

Jehoshaphat bowed his head to the ground and all of the people followed. The Levites led them in praise.

They went to the place they had been told to go and Jehoshaphat encouraged them to believe in the Lord and have courage. The appointed singers sang to give thanks to the Lord for his love endures forever. When they began to sing, the Lord set an ambush against their enemies and they were routed. They destroyed each other. 

When Judah looked from their watchtower all they saw were dead bodies strewn over the land. It took three days to collect all the spoil. On the fourth day they met and blessed the Lord. They returned to Jerusalem with great joy and singing. The fear of God came on all the kings around them when they heard what had happened. 

Jehoshaphat ruled over Judah 25 years and walked with the Lord all his life. The people still worshiped in the high places because their hearts were not turned wholly to the Lord. 

Jehoshaphat joined with Ahazial of Israel to build ships to go to Tarshish but the prophet Eliezer prophesied against him because he had joined with Israel. The ships wrecked and never made their destination. 

In Romans, Paul has just told the how God’s plan was to save the world - Jews and Gentiles. But, how can he do this if someone doesn’t go out and tell the Gentiles about the Lord? He reminded them of prophecies about how the Gentiles would make them jealous and angry because of their zeal for the Lord. He also reminds them that God said that he held out his hands to save his chosen ones but they refused to come to him.

God had not rejected his chosen people completely because Paul was one of them. Just like in the days of Elijah, he had faithful followers hidden away. His elect would see the truth and believe, the rest were given a spirit of slumber and could not see or hear the truth. Their rejection ended in the acceptance of the Gentiles, but the acceptance of the Gentiles into God’s kingdom will also lead to their return. It is a cycle to bring in all who will come to salvation.

Lord, thank you that you never give up on your chosen people. May we see righteous judgment return to our land with righteous leaders who honor and fear you. We pray for the salvation of our land and for Israel. 

Sun.’s Devo - Ahab’s End

Read: 2 Chronicles 17:1-18:34; Romans 9:22-10:13; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 20:2-3

Jehoshaphat reigned after his father Asa died. He assigned the military to be stationed in the fortified cities. Jehoshaphat walked with the Lord like David did in his early days and God established his kingdom. He was blessed with riches and honor. He took down the high places and got the Asherim out of Judah.
Jehoshaphat sent priests and Levites throughout Judah to teach them God’s laws. The fear of the Lord fell on the kingdoms around Judah and some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts of silver. The Arabians brought him rams and goats. He built up store houses and had a great army. 

He made an alliance with Ahab the king of Israel through marriage. Ahab convinced him to go with him to war against Syria at Ramoth-gilead. The day before the battle Jehoshaphat wanted to inquire of the Lord to see if they would have success. Ahab brought all his Baal prophets who said that they would win. Jehoshaphat asked if Ahab had any prophets of the Lord to ask. Ahab knew of Micaiah but didn’t like him because he never gave him a good word. 

Ahab had Micaiah brought to them and asked what he saw. He was sarcastic at first, saying just what Ahab wanted to hear, but when Ahab told him to tell the truth he told them they would be scattered on the mountains like sheep with no shepherd. He had heard the Lord say that he would convince Ahab to go to war through the lies of his prophets. 

Ahab was so upset with Michaiah that he had him sent back to Israel and put in prison till he returned. Ahab and Jehoshaphat when to war the next day and Ahab disguised himself as a regular soldier but was killed by a random spear that hit in the seam of his breastplate. He died at sunset. Israel was now sheep without a shepherd.

*** In Romans, Paul explains that God makes men to carry out his wrath and also men to be vessels of his mercy to show his glory. These are not only Jews but Gentiles also. Hosea prophesied that the Gentiles would also be called sons of the living God. Isaiah prophesied that not all Israel would be saved - only a remnant. 

The Jews who were given the law had to have faith to become righteousness. Paul saw that there were some who had a zeal for God, but wanted to do it their way which did not end in righteousness. 

Those who live by the law will be judged by the law, but those who live by faith know that the word is in their heart and if they confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the grave, they will be saved. This is true for the Jew and the Gentile. 

Lord, may our righteousness come from our faith in you. May our actions follow our faith. 

Sat.’s Devo - Asa, the Good King -

Read: 2 Chronicleas 14:1-16:14; Romas 9:1-21; Psalm 19:1-14; Proverbs 20:1

Abijah’s son, Asa ruled after him. Asa was a good king, so the land had rest for 10 years. Asa got rid of the idolatry in Judah and commanded the people to serve the Lord. He built up fortified cities in Judah and knew that they had peace because they put their trust in the Lord. 

Zerah the Ethiopian came with a million-man army and Asa met him in the Valley of Zephathah at Mereshah. Zephathah means “place of watching” and Mereshah means “forget to be arrogant”. God was watching and Asa did forget to be arrogant and called on the Lord to help them. Asa’s army and God’s army conquered the huge army of Zerah and carried away very much spoil. 

God sent his prophet Azariah to tell Asa and all of Judah that the Lord would be with them as long as they sought him, but if they forsake him, he would forsake them also. He pointed out that Israel had no priests to teach them the law so they were constantly at war and distressed with the inhabitants of the lands. He warned Judah not to end up like Israel. 

When Asa heard this word he put away all the idols from the land and from the cities he had taken in Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the Lord and gather all his people and the ones who had deserted Israel to join with Judah. They gathered and sacrificed to the Lord and made a covenant to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul. Whoever refused to seek the Lord would be put to death. God gave them rest from their enemies.

Asa took his own mother from being the queen mother because she had made an Asherah pole. He cut it down and burned it at the brook Kidron. Asa remained true to the Lord all his days. He offered many sacrifices and gifts to the Lord. 

Asa had no war until his 35th year of being king. Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and built Ramah so that no one could pass out of Israel to go to Judah. Asa took silver and gold from the treasury of the Lord and hired the Syrians to come and fight with them and break their covenant with Israel. They agreed and sent their army to fight Israel. They conquered many of their store cities and when Baasha heard what they had done, he stopped building Ramah. They took all the supplies they were using to build Ramah and built Geba and Mizpah instead.

God sent his seer Hanani to Asa to rebuke him for relying on the king of Syria instead of asking him to help. He reminded Asa of how God’s army had helped him against the Ethiopian’s huge army. He did foolishly by hiring the Syrians so now he would have continual wars to fight. Asa was so angry with this word that he put Hanani in stocks in prison. He began to take out his anger on his people also. 

In Asa’s 39th year he became diseased in his feet (his walk had become sinful). There was no cure and he died two years later. They buried him in the tomb he had had made for himself. 

In Romans, Paul explains that the law had been given to Israel, but not all were God’s true children. Abraham had two sons but only Isaac got the promise. Not all Israel were adopted into God’s family because it was never a matter of flesh, but of promise. Isaac was the son of the promise and Ishmael was not. Not all of Israel would received Christ. 

God chooses whose are his. He chose for Jacob, the second-born to rule above Esau the firstborn. They are a both a type of every man. We are born first of flesh and blood - Esau. Then we are born again of the spirit of Christ - Jacob. If we are Christians then we are all both first-born and second born because we have been born again! Our first born self is at enmity with God and is a sinner, but our second born self is a friend of God and redeemed from sin - righteous. 

Lord, you are the potter and thank you that you made us to serve you. We understand that you also make people for destruction and for your purposes on the earth. We trust in You and believe that your plan is good. 

Fri.’s Devo - Our Victory!

Read: 2 Chronicles 11:1-13:22; Romans 8:22-39; Psalm 18:37-50; Proverbs 19:27-29

Rehoboam came back from Shechem to gather an army to fight Rehoboam, but the prophet Shemaiah came to him with a word from the Lord. He told him not to fight Jeroboam and his brothers but to go home. Rehoboam obeyed and returned to Jerusalem. He built up cities of defense in Judah and made store cities of food, oil, and wine. He armed the cities for protection. 

The priests and Levites that were scattered in the different tribes, left their homes and came to live in Judah because Jeroboam had fired them from being priests and replaced them with his own priests who would worship the golden calves he made and the goat idols. This only made Judah stronger.

Rehoboam married many wives and had many sons and daughters. He placed his sons throughout the land of Judah and put them over the districts and gave them abundant supplies and found wives for them. He chose Abijah, the first born of his favorite wife to succeed him as king. 

It took Rehoboam three years to become established and strong. Then he abandoned the law of the Lord along with the people. God sent Shishak king of Egypt to oppose him. He came with a huge army and it looked hopeless for Judah. Shemaiah the prophet told Rehoboam that they had abandoned the Lord so he had abandoned them. The king and his princes humbled themselves and repented. God heard their cry and gave them some deliverance. Instead of letting Egypt destroy them, he only raided them and made them his servants. Shishak took the gold shields and all the treasures of the Lord and of the king. 

Rehoboam had the shields replaced with bronze ones and had his men use them to protect him as he came and went into the temple to worship the Lord. 

Rehoboam died after reigning for seventeen years. His legacy was that he did evil and did not set his heart to seek the Lord. There had been continual war between him and Jehoboam. When Rehoboam died, his son Abijah became king. At that time Jeroboam had reigned over Israel for 18 years.

Jeroboam came to battle Abijah. Abijah had an army of 400,000 men and Jeroboam came with his army of 800,000. Abijah confronted Jeroboam and reminded him where he had come from. He had been a servant of Solomon who rebelled against him and against God. Abijah warned Jeroboam that just because he had a huge army didn’t mean that he was a match for the Lord. Judah had kept the law of the Lord and still worshiped the Lord and sacrificed to him daily. 

Jeroboam had surrounded Judah’s army, but the men of Judah cried to the Lord, blew the trumpets and shouted. They defeated Jeroboam and killed 500,000 of them, which was more than half of their army. Abijah pursued Jeroboam and took back some of his cities including Bethel. Jeroboam did not recover from this loss and Abijah grew mighty in his days.

In Romans, Paul expounds on the roll of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells in God’s creation and it groans for our adoption as God’s sons to be revealed and the redemption of our bodies. We also wait patiently for that day. 

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and intercedes for us with groaning. It intercedes for the saints and prays the will of God over us. He makes sure that everything works for the good of those who are called to be God’s children. God predestined us to be his children and to be conformed to look like him in all we do. We are his image on the earth. He called us, is justifying us and will glorify us. 

Nothing can stand against us because God is with us. He justifies us to all who would try to condemn us. Jesus was raised to sit with God and be our advocate before God. Nothing will separate us from God’s love. It might look to us like we are sheep to be slaughtered but we are really conquerors through Christ. 

Lord, thank you that we are your children and have no need for fear. You cause us to sit with you in high places and give us victory over our enemies. Thank you!