2.14 love / justice, mercy & faithfulness

    2 Chronicles and Valentine's Day, what a great day to look at wars, killings, treason, and all things not in the romantic section of literature.

    Perhaps we should rather be looking at the book Song of Songs. It starts off by saying "let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth – for your love is more delightful than wine. Pleasing is the fragrance of your perfumes; your name is like perfume poured out… Take me away with you – let us hurry!"

    But no, we're in 2 Chronicles. And 2 Chronicles is where we will focus our attention. But since it is Valentine's Day, I have to tell you, I can't help but look at the text through the lens of Love. Well, to be honest, my practice, my habit, my predisposition is to read through the shade of love in every text. I can't help but long for the love story – spelled out through the Scriptures. I am drawn to the stories of God's love for his people; His faithfulness – even as the people continually break covenant. Probably much like you, I find rest in the many stories of Jesus, with his healing, compassion, and transformational message – of Love.

    The mega themes of 2 Chronicles are the Temple, Peace, Prayer and Reform. The Temple was a symbol of God's presence. Peace was the result of being unified and loyal to God. Prayer was the process. When people prayed, repented, and called on the Lord, God delivered. Reform flourished out of the prayers. Reform followed on the heels of peace. Hearts were changed, and the kingdom was transformed. Time and time again throughout 2 Chronicles reform, peace, prayer and the construction/destruction of the temple play out on the pages of the text.

    If you have your Bible, we'll be looking at a few sections from 2 Chronicles. And the first one is in chapter 7. Perhaps the only passage from the whole book which truly sounds familiar. Do you know what it is? Did you know there's a section which might sound familiar?

    We sang a song this morning with a part 2 Chronicles… "He is good, and his love endures forever." But this isn't the part which I was referencing. Although, this should be familiar too… And yes, He is Good!!! But look with me at verse 14. Second Chronicles 7:14 "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." In this verse God is speaking. He is telling the people that they need to pray, they need to change their ways, and if they do – He will forgive them and heal their land.

    Some people propose that the purpose of 2 Chronicles is to reunite the Nation around the true worship of God. We can see how it is played out in this verse can't we. God is asking his people to humble themselves – to realize they're living outside of the covenant, to pray, seek Him, and turn around. He wants them to quit their evil acts. And if they will do this, He will hear them. He will see them, he will recognize their change. God will note their hearts, and he will forgive and heal. This is good stuff. This is a powerful verse within the entire chapter.

Let's remember this passage. Put a marker on this verse. Highlight it or something. We'll come back to it in a little bit.

As I mentioned earlier, 2 Chronicles is full of wars, killings, and treason. As you read this book you can see a vicious cycle that the kings of Judah find themselves in. Really, I can't help but wonder if this cycle is still alive today. Are we, in 2010 still seeing evidence of it?

The cycle is this: We have a King and he's good. Let's start with Solomon… and he follows God – does what is right in the eyes of his Lord. Well he dies, and his son becomes king. Well, he's not like his dad and he does evil in the eyes of his God. He splits up the kingdom. It's now Israel and Judah. Well, as kings do, he dies, and his son then becomes king… His son, was alright… not great, not evil, just kind of a mediocre king. Well, he dies and his son Asa takes over. And Asa is good, he follows the ways of Lord. He removed the foreign alters and the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles (14:14). He does what is right in God's eyes. Well, he dies. His son succeeds him… and is pretty good – does what's right in God's eyes. He dies and then his son takes over. And his son… it says did "evil in the eyes of the Lord." Well, when he dies, guess what, his son takes over – and he also does evil in the eyes of the Lord. And when he dies, there's this big uproar, killings and secret movements and overthrowing the kingdom… and a new family comes in. And – they set up shop and are doing good in the eyes of God.

But that doesn't last very long, because as soon as that new king dies, his son takes over and, he does bad things, terrible things. He abandons the Lord.

Do you see the cycle? Dad good, son bad, grandson good, great-grandson bad. Good, bad, good, bad, good, good, bad, bad, good, bad. There seems to be a system set up where the people constantly are turning away from God, and then returning, going astray only to return back home a few generations later. They are away as much as they are with, and the cycle goes and goes: Good, Bad, Good, Bad.

And so it is with the kings of 2 Chronicles that the writer wanted to remind the people of how we operate. He wanted to remind the people of their need to reunite around the true worship of God. Because so often, when the king was in the Bad category, he had turned his back on God and was worshiping other gods, and other things.

But the story here isn't just about the good the bad, and the ugly. No, we aren't just hearing about the actions of earthly kings. God is in this book as well. And throughout the fighting and wars, and killing, we find that God does not turn his back on his people. He does not forget his covenant.

Look with me at Chapter 21. Reading from verse 4.

"When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father's kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. ⁶ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. ⁷ Nevertheless, because of the covenant the LORD had made with David, the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David. He had promised to maintain a lamp for him and his descendants forever."

    What we have here is a story of Love. It's a story of covenant commitment, and passion for people. God did not destroy the people for their treacherous acts. Although I believe at times he wanted to. In chapter 21 he says because of the covenant he had made with David, God was not willing to step outside of his promise and destroy the house of David. God is an upholder of covenant relationships. He longs for them, encourages them, and (at least in 2 Chronicles) rewards his people for their participation in them!

    When we read 2 Chronicles, we can see love played out in justice, mercy, and faithfulness; justice, mercy and faithfulness. Love contains Justice, it consists of mercy, and it exhibits faithfulness.

    In Chapter 29 we hear of an amazing king. King Hezekiah comes into play and transforms the life of the people. He radically initiates the cleansing and purification of the temple, the Levites and even the people. Hezekiah reinstitutes the celebration of Passover, which somehow had been left out, left behind, it hadn't been practiced. His leadership transformed the kingdom. His story is a powerful expression of the passion and influence a King honoring God is capable of.

Hezekiah was one of the Good kings, He was in the "good" section. But when he died, the kingdom went to his son, Manasseh. His son was messed up! He was one of the worst. I kind of feel bad for him though, he had to follow in his father's steps at age 12. But still. He was messed up!

Let's read, starting in chapter 33, just how messed up Manasseh was.

"Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-five years. ² He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the detestable practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites. ³ He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had demolished; he also erected altars to the Baals and made Asherah poles. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. ⁴ He built altars in the temple of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, "My Name will remain in Jerusalem forever." ⁵ In both courts of the temple of the LORD, he built altars to all the starry hosts. ⁶ He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.

But God is God, and he acted as he does. For me, I believe he acted in love. I believe he was somewhat patient. I mean his temple was desecrated; his children were being burned alive. And yet, he, I believe calmly sent prophets, messengers to speak to the king and the people. To encourage them to change their ways, but they paid no attention.

Remember, I said in 2 Chronicles we can see love played out in justice, mercy, and faithfulness; justice, mercy and faithfulness. Love contains Justice, it consists of mercy, and it exhibits faithfulness.


    Let's read verse 10-13: "The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. ¹¹ So the LORD brought against them the army commanders of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh prisoner, put a hook in his nose, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon. ¹² In his distress he sought the favor of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. ¹³ And when he prayed to him, the LORD was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God."

    Once home, with a new found passion and admiration for God, Manasseh rebuilt the outer wall of the City, he got rid of the foreign gods and removed the image and alters he had placed in the temple. He restored the alter of the Lord and sacrificed fellowship offerings and thank offerings on it. He did such an about face, that he actually instructed Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel.

    Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness; this is a Love Story. When we who are called by name, will humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways, then He will hear from heaven, and there will be forgiveness and healing. There will be forgiveness and healing!

    When Jesus was questioned by the Pharisees about the greatest commandment, why did he quote to them the Shema? Why was there such power in his reference to Deuteronomy 6?

In Matthew 22 Jesus says: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' ³⁸ This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' ⁴⁰ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

    Why was there such power in this reference? Perhaps because it was written in the scroll. Perhaps it was because they knew it. Like the Pharisees in Mathews Gospel, the Kings of Judah, listed in 2 Chronicles, probably knew it as well. And the writer of 2 Chronicles wants to reunite the nation around the true worship of God.

What's most important? Loving God. What's second? Loving neighbor!

    With the history of the kings played out through 2 Chronicles, and Deuteronmy 6 behind us, it makes sense why Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness are Godly attributes of love. It makes sense why we read 2 Chronicles today and hear God's faithfulness and love for his people. It makes sense to us why the kings, generation after generation, were constantly being called back into true worship of God!

    We are fickle people. We are prone to wander. We must heed the illustrations set before us. We must rest in the unrest of the day, when sons and daughters along with parents and grandparents, have turned their back – we must rest in the knowledge that God has not turned his back. God is a lover, a fighter, and a covenant provider.

    Hear, O church: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. When we who are called by name, will humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways, then He will hear from heaven, and there will be forgiveness and healing. Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but Love your neighbor as yourself."

    "And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

    We are fickle people. And like 2 Chronicles shows us, we are prone to wander. We must heed the illustrations set before us. We must rest in the unrest of the day, when sons and daughters along with parents and grandparents have turned their back on God – we must rest in the knowledge that God has not turned his back on us. God is a lover, a fighter, and a covenant provider.



As you go, humble yourself, seek God, and experience forgiveness and healing! Go and Love….