2 Chronicles 16 - In Asa’s 36^th year, King Baasha of Israel comes against him, building Ramah (just north of Jerusalem) to prevent anyone from going in or coming out of Judah.

Asa sends treasure to Ben-had of Damascus (Aram) so he will break his alliance with Baasha and help him. This works—the Aramaeans attack cities in Israel and Baasha stops building Ramah. Asa takes the lumber Baasha was using there to build Geba and Mizpah (north of…

2 Chronicles 14 – Abijah is buried in the city of David, and his Asa becomes king. The “land had rest for ten years” (14:1) He did “what was good and right in the sight of the Lord his God. He took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, hewed down the sacred poles, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord . . .” (14:2-3).

During these peaceful years, he built fortified cities and had a large army (300,000 from Judah and 280,000 of Benjamin).…

2 Chronicles 12 – After Rehoboam becomes secure, however, he abandons “the law of the Lord,” he and all Israel (12:1). The Lords brings King Shishak of Egypt against them with 1200 chariots and 60,000 cavalry. This threat must have been there from the beginning because most of the fortified cities he built up were in mid to lower Judah—defending against Egypt, not Israel.

Shishak takes these cities and approaches Jerusalem. The…

2 Chronicles 10 – Rehoboam goes to Shechem to be installed as king. When Jeroboam hears of it - he is down in Egypt - he returns and with him “all Israel came.” Jeroboam in an Ephraimite who was made overseer of the labor force of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh – Joseph’s descendants - under Solomon. According to 1 Kings 11:29-39, the words of the prophet Ahijah prophecies that he will one day rule over the ten tribes. He does and when his plot…

2 Chronicles 9 – The Queen of Sheba hears of Solomon’s fame and comes to Jerusalem “test him with hard questions” (9:1), to test the wisdom he was reputed to possess. She brings a great retinue carrying spices, gold and precious stones. He answers all her questions and impresses her so with the plenty of his court that she is overwhelmed. She recognizes the greatness of Israel’s Lord and gives Solomon many gifts: “9,000 pounds of god, great quantities of spices and precious…

2 Chronicles 7 – Fire comes down and consumes the burnt offering. Even the priests cannot enter the Temple “because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house” (7:2). The people’s prayer in response to the coming down of fire is to say, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (7:3). The offerings are made in the court before the Temple, for the altar could not hold all that Solomon offered. “For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of…

2 Chronicles 6 – Solomon prays, “O Lord, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever” (6:1-2).

Solomon recounts the word the Lord spoke to his father David promising him that even though he had not chosen a city heretofore nor a ruler to rule over his people, he now has chosen Jerusalem as his city and David to be ruler over his people Israel.

The Lord…