Gary Gleans

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”  If there was ever a desperate time in Judah, this was it.  The nation had been thrown into idolatry by a king who had no fear of God and was now being ruled by a blood thirsty queen that considered herself to be god.  In the midst of this darkness, surrounded by spiritual and moral decay; there is a light of hope that flickers in the home of a courageous priest and his wife who have preserved the line of David in the person of a little boy named Joash.  Athaliah thinks that she has everything under control as she seeks to lead Judah down the path of idolatry that she learned from her wicked parents, Ahab and Jezebel.  But God has been faithful to His promise and preserved a king through a godly couple who were used as instruments of God to bring hope and light to a perverse generation.  I pray that God will rise up many more families like this one who will stand up against the tide of perversion in our cultur...

We all have influences in our lives.  Some influences are positive while others are negative.  Jehoshaphat was a good king who loved the Lord and served him with his whole heart.  However, he married a daughter of Ahab and took another daughter of Ahab to marry his son.  His son’s wife, Athaliah had a great deal of influence over him which is one of the reasons that Jehoram was such a wicked king.  Now Jehoram is dead but his wife, Athaliah continues to have a great amount of influence over her son, Ahaziah, the new king of Israel.  This influence that the daughters of Ahab had on the kings of Judah was terrible and the source of much pain and suffering in Judah.  We need to be very careful about the influences that we allow to be a part of our lives.  It is especially true that we need to be careful about who we marry. AHAZIAH WAS CORRUPT: Ahaziah was the youngest son of his father, Jehoram and his mother, Athaliah.  All of his other br...

The choices we make lead to circumstances that we would never be able to foresee when we make those choices.  That is the reason that we need to constantly trust and obey the Lord because He knows exactly where our choices will lead so He has instructed us as to how to avoid making choices that will lead to heartache and pain.  When Jehoshaphat decided to take one of Ahab’s daughters as a wife for his son, I am sure that it seemed like a logical choice for it represented a political alliance.  However, that choice resulted in His son being influenced by a very wicked king who had no fear of the Lord.  The pain, hardship, death, war, idolatry and rebellion that this choice caused were invisible to those who made the choices; but they were clearly seen by our Lord.  We can trust that obedience to the Word of God will save us from the pitfalls of sinful choices. JEHORAM SLAUGHTERED HIS BROTHERS: Jehoshaphat had many sons and gave all of them great wealth and p...

There are times when the circumstances of our lives our simply too overwhelming for us to bear.  When these things happen, we respond in one of two ways: either we lose hope and fall into despair or we trust God and recognize His sovereign control over all circumstances.  Jehoshaphat found himself and the nation of Judah in an impossible and hopeless situation.  There was no way that he could hope to escape the disaster that was coming upon him through his own efforts.  When we are called upon by God to face battles with impossible odds, we need to follow the example that Jehoshaphat provided for us. JEHOSHAPHAT TOOK HIS PROBLEM TO THE LORD: When Jehoshaphat heard that there was a coalition of nations coming against him and knew the size of these armies; he quickly realized that there was no way he would be able withstand the onslaught of this huge army.  At this point there were several things he could have done.  He could have fallen into the depths ...

There are no perfect kings just like there are no perfect men this side of heaven besides Christ.  We all sin and are guilty of failing to obey the Lord on various occasions.  The question that determines our character is how we respond when we are confronted with our failures.  Many times leaders consider themselves to be above the Law of the Lord or even the law of the land and they do not accept rebuke or repent when they are confronted.  Jehoshaphat was not one of these men.  He did sin, but he was responsive to the Lord and was faithful to repent of his sin.  God is not looking for perfect people; but He is looking for repentant people to use in the work of His kingdom. JEHOSHAPHAT RECEIVES REBUKE FROM THE LORD: The nation of Israel had abandoned the ways of the Lord many years ago.  They were in the process of being judged by God, and yet Jehoshaphat, a king who feared the Lord, made a marital alliance with the king of Israel and then went i...

Him to fit into the desires of our own hearts. AHAB AND JEHOSHAPHAT COOPERATE WITH ONE ANOTHER: There is a huge contrast between the Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah and Ahab, the king of Israel.  Jehoshaphat has been greatly blessed by God because of his attention to the Word of God and his courage to obey the Lord.  Ahab has rejected God’s Word and has been constantly chastised by God, yet he refuses to turn from his wicked ways.  Despite this fact they make an alliance with one another through marriage and Jehoshaphat agrees to go with Ahab into war with the Syrians.  I have to think that this was a failure on the part of Jehoshaphat as I cannot imagine the Lord blessing any type of alliance with this wicked king.  However, this does seem to be part of the Lord’s plan as He is able to use the sins of men to accomplish His will. AHAB AND THE PROPHETS MANIPULATE THE TRUTH: Jehoshaphat’s first concern with the plan to go to war is if the Lord will bless t...

The Word of God is a very powerful instrument in the hand of the Lord.  He uses the Word to instruct His children and to transform the hearts of men.  God’s Word is a source of great strength and blessing upon all who obey it.  Too often we desire to experience the blessings of God in our lives but we ignore the teachings of God’s Word and neglect to even read the Word.  Jehoshaphat was a king who shows a great respect for the Word of God and his reign in Judah was well established because of it.  The path to blessings from God can easily be found and followed through the Word of God.  We would do well to pay close attention to God’s Word. JEHOSHAPHAT EXERCISED THE PRACTICE OF GOD’S WORD: Jehoshaphat walked in the ways of the Lord as he understood them from the Law of the Lord.  He did not worship the idols that many of the other kings before and after him.  He was faithful to remove the idols that his father had left behind and even went so ...

Unbelief and pride are very dangerous sins that often walk hand in hand.  When we begin to doubt the ability or goodness of God we start to trust in our own abilities or fabricate our own solutions.  Asa had a long history of following the Lord and trusting Him to fight his battles.  He had seen God work on his behalf over and over again, yet in his old age he seems to have forgotten all that God had done and took matters into his own hands.  This begins to repeat a common theme that we have seen repeatedly in the kings; they start well, but do not finish well.  We must not allow the provisions of God in our lives to make us proud but rather to help us see how much we depend upon Him.  Humility and faith lead to God’s provisions in our lives; while pride and unbelief bring punishment at His hands. ASA PAYS A PAGAN KING FOR PROTECTION FROM ISRAEL: The king of Israel decides to invade Judah and fortifies a city in the land.  This fills Asa’s heart w...

The Lord loves to give His children rewards.  He especially loves to reward those who seek Him and obey Him.  God loves for the longing of our heart to be for Him.  He desires that we desire Him.  He is constantly giving incentives for us to obey Him and walk according to the teaching of His Word.  Asa and the people who lived in Judah during His reign got to experience first-hand the tremendous blessings of following after the Lord and seeking to please Him.  They had peace from their enemies and they experienced the true and lasting joy that can only come from God.  It is an exercise in futility to seek for joy and fulfillment in life apart from God.  He alone, is the source of true contentment because we were made by Him and we were mad for Him. ASA RECEIVED THE WORD OF GOD: The Prophet of God came to king Asa and told him that the Lord would bless him greatly, give him victory of over his enemies and a prosperous reign if he would seek th...

There is a correlation between the obedience of the kings of Judah and the deliverance that the Lord gave to them.  Rehoboam had instituted idolatry in the Land and had experienced great defeat at the hands of the Egyptians.  The gold that Solomon had amassed was gone and the people were enslaved to the king of Egypt through the tributes that they had to pay.  Rehoboam had inherited a kingdom of great wealth but left a kingdom with financial burdens and idolatry.  Fortunately his son turned to the Lord and was able to fortify a few cities and experienced a great military victory because he walked in the ways of the Lord.  However, Abijah had a very short reign but in that short time he was able to turn the nation in the right direction.  Now his son Asa is king and does even more to restore the nation to its precious greatness. ASA WAS FAITHFUL TO DEMOLISH THE IDOLS OF THE LAND: Asa started his reign be continuing the work that his father had started b...

There is a clear contrast between the two tribes of Judah and the ten tribes of Israel.  Their leadership is different and their relationship with the Lord is different.  The divided nation was at war on a regular basis yet there seems to be no attempt or even desire to unite the two nations once again.  God had His purpose in the nation dividing; as is true on many occasions, He has multiple reasons for this division.  The division is a form of punishment for the pride and idolatry of Solomon and Rehoboam.  It is also a means of protecting the nation from the influence of Idolatry that seems to run so strong in the ten tribes.  God’s wisdom is astounding and profound; only He could protect and punish through the same course of events.  The clear contrast between these divisions is very evident in the war between Abijah, the king of Judah and Jeroboam, the king of Israel. ABIJAH DENOUNCES ISRAEL’S IDOLATRY: The battle lines are clearly drawn betwe...

Rehoboam had thoughts of grandeur when he began his reign.  Solomon had left him tremendous wealth, a prosperous nation that was united and at peace with all of it neighbors.  However, within a few short years, the nation was divided, he abandoned the Lord and he found himself losing a war.  What took decades of hard work to build was gone in a matter of a few years.  This same principle is true in every area of life.  We can spend a lifetime building up our reputation, starting a church or founding a ministry.  All that work can come crashing down and in a very short time our reputation can be destroyed, a church can be torn apart and a ministry can become totally extinct.  Tearing down is always faster than building up and can be very painful.  Fortunately, God is always faithful and even in the darkest of days and bleakest of circumstances he often steps in to provide restoration. ISRAEL REBELS AGAINST GOD AND IS RANSACKED: Rehobam began h...

Division within any group is a terrible and painful thing.  Rehoboam had imagined himself being a greater king than his father by imposing higher taxes and work quotas on the people.  Now he finds himself with a divided kingdom and having only two of the ten tribes over which he would reign.  His pride and self-promotion as well as his refusal to listen to the wise counselors of his father or seek the Lord’s direction led to these tragic events.  However, even in this time of division we learn that God had ordained this and had a purpose in it.  There are times when division becomes necessary in order to protect one group from the rampant spread of sin.  One thing that we can be assured of no matter what the circumstance; is that God is in control. REHOBOAM IS RESTRAINED FROM GOING TO WAR: War is a terrible thing, but when Rehoboam saw that the nation of Israel was divided his first instinct was to go to war against Jeroboam and the ten tribes who foll...

Pride is a dangerous and divisive sin.  Rehoboam was Solomon’s son and he was given a very prosperous and united kingdom that was experiencing peace.  However, as is true with any transition in leadership, there is an expectation of as well as a fear of change that makes the nation or any group going through transition vulnerable to disunity and division.  This is a key moment in the history of Israel and a decisive moment in the reign of Rehoboam but the results were not good.  Any time we assume leadership of a group, we must be careful to demonstrate humility and a servant’s spirit.  Our pride tells us that we need to demonstrate our authority and self-confidence.  We must be careful not to listen to the pride in our hearts but to follow the instructions and examples of the Scripture. THE PEOPLE ASK FOR ASSISTANCE: Solomon had accomplished huge construction projects during his reign.  The temple had been erected and many cities had been fortifi...

Solomon was a very prosperous king who experienced what had to have been the climax of the history of the children of Israel.  He benefited greatly from the military conquests of David, his father.  He also was blessed with a special knowledge and insight into the creation and the ways of men on the earth.  He experienced peace and prosperity to an extent that no king before him and no king after him was able to achieve.  There is no doubt about the blessing of God upon his life.  Solomon is an amazing illustration of the power of God and His ability to bless men in astounding ways.  God was the source of all of these blessings for Solomon and He continues to have all of these blessings at His disposal today.  He is the God of the extraordinary and we can trust Him to supply all that is needed for any mission that is for His glory and according to His will.  He can equip us for any task and provide the resources for any project. SOLOMON WAS B...

It took Solomon twenty years to complete the construction of the temple and the construction of his palace.  He seems to be faithful to the Lord during this phase of construction and dedication of the temple.  Unfortunately, we know from other passages that Solomon had many wives that drew his heart away from the Lord and got him involved in worshiping many false idols.  The only hint of that we see in this passages is his marriage to the daughter of the king of Egypt.  This was obviously a marriage that was motivated by a political alliance and not an act of obedience to the Lord.  We see that Solomon recognized that it was an inappropriate marriage by the fact that he would not allow her to live in the house that David had built because the Ark had resided there and it was considered to be holy.  Obviously Solomon recognized that this wife was not in line with God’s standards but he chose to marry her anyway because it made sense politically.  This ...

The temple is dedicated to the Lord and the ceremony lasts for an entire week as the people worship and praise the Lord.  God is clearly pleased by the temple that Solomon has built and by the humble offerings that Solomon and the people made before the Lord.  God blesses the nation with His presence and He promises to continue to bless the nation according to their faithfulness and humility.  God’s presence and power are tremendous blessings to the nation as they are to all experience them.  This is the high point in the history of the nation to this point.  God has given them the land that was promised to them, they are experiencing security in the land and they are focused on worshiping the Lord.  God desires for all of us to live with a consciousness of His presence and that we live to please and worship Him.  It is only in living for His glory that we will ever find true joy and satisfaction in this life. THE LORD REVEALS HIS PRESENCE TO THE ...

As the presence of the Lord is manifest in the temple, Solomon stands before the people outside the temple and he dedicates it to the Lord.  Solomon falls to his knees in the presence of the nation and he calls out to God.  Solomon’s humility before the Lord as well as his recognition of the frailty of human nature are clearly seen in this passage.  Solomon knows that, despite the temple’s magnificence, it is clearly not an adequate structure to house or contain God.  It is easy for us to impress ourselves and others with the things that we might do “for the Lord.”  However, it is of utmost importance that we recognize that He does not need us for anything.  He is complete in Himself and it is simply our honor to be able to serve Him in any way.  No matter how impressive we may seem to men, we must remember that God is truly the only one who is deserving of worship.  It is our job to point others to Him. SOLOMON PRAISES THE LORD FOR HIS FAITH...

Dear Readers, I want to apologize for the lack of posts this past week.  I was traveling in another part of Brazil and I thought I would have plenty of time to write and post.  I was wrong.  My schedule was very full and my time on line was very limited so a few days into my trip I decided to take the week off.  I am back now and posted 2 Chronicles 5 a few minutes ago.  I am back into my routine once again and looking forward to a new semester in the Old Testament.  Thank you for reading, I hope these posts are a blessing in your life. Gary

The work on the temple was finally complete and all was ready to bring the furnishings, the dedicated utensils and especially the Ark of the Lord into the temple.  This was a momentous and long awaited day that was celebrated with an extraordinary number of sacrifices as well as constant worship and praise of the Lord.  This was one of the greatest days in the history of the nation of Israel.  The temple provided a permanent place of worship for the nation and was a clear demonstration that the nation had arrived in The Promised Land.  They were not going to be moving from place to place anymore.  This was their home and the Lord was their God and He alone would be worshiped in this nation.  God delights in the praise of His people and He was honored by their worship.  God calls all of us to worship Him through our lives.  We no longer have a temple to represent the presence of God since the Holy Spirit abides in all who have trusted Christ....