Category: Insights

After the wall was finished and I had set the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful ,an who feared God more than most. I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers were on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes. (vv. 1-3, NLT)

While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and lying face down on the ground in front of the Temple of God, a very large crowd of people came from Israel0-men, women, and children-wept bitterly with him. Then Shecanian son of Jehiel, a descendant of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God, for we have married these pagan women of the land. But in spite of this there is hope in Israel. Le us now make a covenant with our God to divorce our pagan wives and to send them away with their children. We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law of God. Get up for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action.” (vv 1-4, NLT)

Many years later, during the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, there was a man named Ezra (a direct descendant of Aaaron, the high priest). This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because of the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him. Some of the people of Israel, as well as some of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, traveled up to Jerusalem with him in the seventh year os King Artaxeres’ reign.

Ezra returned in Jerusalem in August of that year. He had arranged to leave Babylon on April 8, the first day of the new year, and he arrived at Jerusalem on August 4, for the gracious hand of God was on him. This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those degrees and regulations to the people of Israel. (vv. 1a; 5b; 6-10, NLT)

So King Darius issued orders that a search be made in the Babylonian archives, which were stored in the treasure. But it was at the fortress at Ecbantana in the province of Media that a scroll was found. This is what it said:

“Memorandum:

In the first year of King Cyrus’s reign, a decree was sent out concerning the Temple of God at Jerusalem.

Let the the Temple be rebuilt on the site where Jews used to offer their sacrifices, using the original foundations. It height wil be ninety fee. Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All of the expenses will be paid by the royal treasury. Furthermore, the gold and silver cups which were taken to Babylon from the Temple of God in Jerusalem must be returned to Jerusalem and put back where they belong. Let them be taken back to the Temple of God.”(vv. 1-5, NLT)

The Lord brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonians killed Judah’s young men, even chasing them in to the Temple. They had no pity on the people, killing both young men and women, the old and the infirm. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar. The king took home to Babylon all the articles, large and small, used in the the Lord’s Temple and from the palace of the king and his officials. Then his army burned the Temple of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned al the palaces and completely destroyed everything of value. The few who survived were taken as servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came into power. So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said. (vv. 17-21, NLT)

After Josiah had finished restoring the Temple, King Neco of Egypt led his army up from Egypt to do battle at Carchemish on the Euphrates River, and Josiah and his army marched out to fight him. But King Neo sent this message:

“What do you want with me, king of Judah? I have no quarrel with you today! I am on my to fight another nation, and God has told me not to hurry! Do not interfere with God, who is with me, or He will destroy you.”

But Josiah refused to listen to Neco, to who God had indeed spoken, and he would not turn back. Instead, he disguised himself and led his army into battle on the plain of Megiddo. But the enemy archers hit Josiah with their arrows and wounded him. He cried out to his men, “Take me from the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

So they lifted Josiah out of his chariot and placed him in another chariot. Then they brought him back to Jerusalem where he died. He was buried there in there in the royal cemetery. And Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. The prophet Jeremiah composed funeral songs for Josiah, and to this day choirs sing these sad songs about his death. The songs of sorrow have become a tradition and are recorded in the Book of Laments.

The rest of the events of Josiah’s reign and his acts of devotion (carried out according to what was written in the Law of the Lord), from beginning to end-all are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. (vv. 20-27, NLT)

But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar. Azariah the high priest came after him with eighty other priests of the Lord, all brave men. They confronted Uzziah and said, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord. That is the work of the priests alone, the descendants of Aaron who are set apart for this work. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have sinned. The Lord will not honor you for this!”

Uzziah, who was holding an incense burner, became furious. But he as he was standing there raging before the priest at the incense altar in the Lord’s Temple, leprosy suddenly broke out on his forehead. When the Azariah the high priest and al the other priests saw the leprosy, they rushed him out. And the king himself was eager to get out because the Lord had struck him. So King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house, for the was excluded from the Temple of the Lord. His son Jotham was put in charge of the royal palace, and he governed the people of the land. (vv. 16-21, NLT)

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-nine years. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem. Amazaiah did what was pleasing to the Lord’s sight, but not whoehartedly.

When Amaziah was well established as king, he executed the officials who had assassinated his father [Joash]. However, he did not kill the children of the assassins, for he obeyed the command of the Lord as written by Moses in the Book of the Law: “Parents must not be put to death for the sins of their children, nor children for the sins of their parents. Those deserving to die must be put to death for their own crimes.” (vv. 1-4, NLT)

When King Amaziah returned from slaughtering the Edomites, he brought with him idols taken from the people of Seir. He set them up as his own gods, bowed in front of them, and offer sacrifices to them! This made the Lord very angry, and he set a prophet to ask, “Why do you turn to gods who could not even save their own people from you?”

But the king interrupted him and said, “Sine when have I made you the king’s counselor? Be quiet before I have you killed!”

So the prophet stopped with his warning: “I know that God has determined to destroy you because you have done this and have refused to accept my counsel.” (vv 14-16, NLT)

But after Jehoiadia’s death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice. They decided to abandon the Temple of the Lord the God of their ancestors, and they worshiped Asherah pole and idols instead! Because of this sin, divine anger fell on Judah and Jerusalem. Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring then back to Him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen.

Then the Spirit of God came to Zechariah, and King Joash order that they stone him to death in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple. This was how King Joash paid Jehoida for his loyalty-killing his son. Zechariah’s last words as he died there were: “May the Lord see what they are doing and avenge my death!” (vv. 17-22, NLT)

Then Athaliah, mother of King Ahaziah of Judah, learned that her son was dead, she began to destroy all the rest of Judah’s royal family. But Ahaziah’s sister, Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jerhoam, took Ahaziah’s infant son, Joash, and stole him away from the rest of the king’s children, who were about to be killed. She put Joah and his nurse in a bedroom. In this way, Jeosheba, wife of Jehoidia, the priest and sister of Azhaiah, hid the child so that Athaliah could not murder him. Joash remained hidden in the Temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled over the land. (vv. 10-12, NLT)