2 Chronicles 34- Josiah Reigns in Judah
- 1-7- Josiah was one of Judah’s best kings and the last of their good days before judgment would come
- 8-13- The temple work is put in order- note again the craftsman are paid from the offerings
- 14- The book of the law had been missing for years
- 22- KINGDOM WOMAN- A prophetess held the word of God for the king
- 23-28- Judgment is coming but Joash will see none of it personally because of his clean heart- delayed but not denied
- 29-32- Good leaders draw the line so others know where to take their stand
- 33- Godly leaders effect social change that is noteworthy
2 Chronicles 35- Josiah keeps the Passover
- 1-19- Like Hezekiah, Josiah kept the Passover but did it even better. Not since Samuel had it been kept so precisely according to the law.
- 20-22- This was not a battle God wanted Josiah to fight in...but he wouldn’t listen
- 23-24- Disobedience will put us in danger
- 25- Jeremiah the prophet had a big hand in Josiah’s reign
2 Chronicles 36- Reign and captivity of Jehoahaz
- 1-4- 7th king of Judah
- 5-8- King Nebuchadnezzar takes over Judah
- 9- 10- Amazing that an 8 year old king is EVIL….he is in power about 100 days before he is carried away
- 11-12- Another evil king even with the Godly guidance of the prophet Jeremiah
- 13-17- As always God tries to save the people but they choose judgment which was brutal bloody and all encompassing
- 18-21- God's laws were not suggestions but truths. The land would lay dormant until 70 years of sabbaths had been recovered
- 22-23- A pagan king would be used by God to set in motion the release of God's people.
The events of Ezra cover more than 80 years and cover two segments. First chapters 1-6 cover 23 years deal with the first return under Zerubbabel and the temple reconstruction. 7-10 covers the next group of exiles returning under the leadership of Ezra. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah are ministering during this time. In 515 BC the new but much more modest temple was completed for worship.
In 458 BC Ezra was sent by the Persian king Artaxerxes to Jerusalem to rebuild the city. He called Israel to repentance and lived the rest of his life as an influential private citizen.
Ezra is a constant reminder of how easily God's people can lose heart and their distinctiveness. He foreshadowed Christ by the life he lives and roles he fulfills…..obeys the Father ...is the great High Priest…..spiritual reformer calling to repentance.
The Holy Spirit's work is revealed in the phrase “the hand of the Lord” which occurs 6 times.
EZRA
Two major messages emerge from Ezra: God's faithfulness and man's unfaithfulness.
Ezra 1- End of the Babylonian captivity
- 1-3- Repetition of 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 ...Cyrus was king of Persia from 559 BC to 530 BC
- The word of the Lord might be fulfilled is central to this book
- 4-11- Jerusalem is repopulated and some governance restored
Ezra 2- captives returned to Jerusalem
- 1- King Neb continues to restore Jerusalem by returning the captives
- 2-67- an exhaustive list of the families who returned after decades of captivity
- 68-70- first to be restored are the temple and worship to God
