2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles begins with the reign of Solomon. Solomon's heart's desire at the beginning of his reign was "Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?" (1 Kings 3 has an even more detailed description of his prayer). The Lord's covenant of love is with those who walk wholeheartedly in the way of the Lord (2 Chron. 6:14). The Lord's promise to Solomon is this, "As for you, IF you walk before me as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, 'Your shall never faith to have a man to rule over Israel.' BUT IF you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name." (2 Chron 7)
At our church we have been studying the book of Jeremiah and also some of the types of covenants in Scripture. This conditional covenant was sadly broken by the people of Israel. But God knew that this would happen, He provided a way to be brought near to Himself again - through the righteous blood of Christ.
Many of the next kings of Israel did not follow the Lord, these are some of the things the Lord said about them: "they abandoned the law of the LORD" (2 Chron 12:1), "He did evil because he had not set his heart on seeking the LORD" (2 Chron 12:14), "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him, you have done a foolish thing, and form now on you will be at war" (2 Chron 16:9), "his mother encouraged him in doing wrong, he did evil in the eyes of the LORD" (2 Chron 22:3-4), "he did not humble himself before the LORD" (2 Chron 33:23), and many other sad remarks.
Jehoshaphat called upon the LORD when he was in distress "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." (2 Chron 20:12) The Lord answered awesomely (2 Chron 20:22), "As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated." All Israel had to do was to trust the Lord and sing praise of His deliverance. I think this is a miracle that should be shared and known just like the miracles of crossing the red sea and the fall of Jericho.
Josiah restored the lost book of the law to God's People. He was truly repentant and humbled by sin. The Lord says to him in 2 Chron 34:27, "Because your heart was responsive and your humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes an wept in My presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD." May we all have humble, submissive hearts like King Josiah. May we bring the "lost law of our God to the peoples that they may obey God's laws and follow Him with their whole heart.