A Journey through the Bible with Tiglath

72. The Second Book of Chronicles, Chapters 19 to end.

Many journeys have boring periods in them. Our journey through the Bible

is no exception, as from chapter 19 to the end of the book we have a number

of kings described. Some worshipped God: these were good kings. Others

were pagan and were wicked kings. For example, chapters 19, 20 describe

the reign of Jehosaphat — in many ways a good king. He prayed to God and

defeated his enemies.

In chapter 22 Ahaziah is a bad king, but by chapter 23 we have Joash as

king, settling down to the worship of God. So our journey continues until we

come to chapter 29 where we meet thevery good king Hezekiah, with whom

we are already acquainted as we studied him in the 2nd Book of Kings.

Hezekiah really attempted to strengthen his people's faith in God. The

measures he took are described in chapter 29. In chapter 30 Hezekiah

proclaims a great Passover feast. Verse 24 tells us: 'for Hezekiah, King of

Judah gave the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep.

The people enjoyed the Passover so much that it was extended from a week

to a fortnight.’

Assyria, led by Sennacherib now invades

Judah (ch 32). Hezekiah sees to the

defences of Jerusalem, building up walls

and towers etc. If a city had its water

supply cut off it soon had to surrender

and Hezekiah wasn't going to have this

happen to Jerusalem. He had a tunnel cut

through the rock under the city to bring

water from the Spring of Gihon to the

pool of Siloam. The tunnel, which still

exists, is over 1,700 feet long and 100

cubits deep (1 cubit 43 to 53cm).

As the Assyrians had wiped out the northern kingdom (Israel) one would have

expected them to conquer Judah too. This did not happen because, as the

writer of Chronicles said: `Hezekiah completely put his trust in God'. In

chapter 32 Sennacherib tries his hardest to encourage his men to defeat the

army of Judah. Hezekiah prays to God for help against the Assyrians. The

outcome is described in verse 21: 'and the Lord sent an angel, which cut off

all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the

king of Assyria'.

So he returned with shame of face to his own land — 'and when he was come

into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him

there with the sword'. of the various kings continues until the last chapter.

Do read this, as it describes how Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon attacks

and destroys Jerusalem and carries the people away into exile. The year was

587 B.C.

Next time we begin the Book of Ezra. Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther describe

the last 100 years of Old Testament history.