We keep moving through the kings of Judah as recorded in 2 Chronicles. It’s a miracle that Joash becomes king since his grandmother Athaliah tried kill the entire royal family. I wrote about that as told in 2 Kings 11. The story is repeated in 2 Chronicles 23. And we have this positive opening to Joash’s reign:

Joash was seven years old when he became king; he was king for forty years in Jerusalem… Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased GOD throughout Jehoiada’s lifetime. (2 Chronicles 24.1, 2, MSG)

Joash decides to renovate the temple, which had fallen into disrepair. For reasons not clear, it took two tries:

The time came when Joash determined to renovate The Temple of GOD. He got the priests and Levites together and said, “Circulate through the towns of Judah every year and collect money from the people to repair The Temple of your God. You are in charge of carrying this out.” But the Levites dragged their feet and didn’t do anything.

Then the king called in Jehoiada the chief priest and said, “Why haven’t you made the Levites bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax Moses, servant of GOD and the congregation, set for the upkeep of the place of worship? You can see how bad things are—wicked Queen Athaliah and her sons let The Temple of God go to ruin and took all its sacred artifacts for use in Baal worship.” Following the king’s orders, they made a chest and placed it at the entrance to The Temple of GOD. Then they sent out a tax notice throughout Judah and Jerusalem: “Pay the tax that Moses the servant of GOD set when Israel was in the wilderness.” The people and their leaders were glad to do it and cheerfully brought their money until the chest was full. (2 Chronicles 24.4 – 10, MSG)

A bit weird, but as an Air Force officer, I’ve had to give orders more than once. “Sgt Robinson, I really do want you to time stamp the messages when they come in, not wait until you get ready to work on them! Just like I told you before.” “Yes, sir.”

As I’ve written before, telling is not teaching, listening is not learning, sending is not receiving, and now we add, “Giving orders is not the same as having the orders executed!” A good leader follows up. A success for Joash and his mentor, Jehoiada, whom Joash had to light a fire under:

The king and Jehoiada gave the money to the managers of The Temple project; they in turn paid the masons and carpenters for the repair work on The Temple of GOD. The construction workers kept at their jobs steadily until the restoration was complete—the house of GOD as good as new! (2 Chronicles 24.12, 13, MSG)

Unfortunately, Joash doesn’t finish well. Stay tuned.

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder… (2 Peter 1.12, 13, ESV)

Back to 2 Chronicles, I observed before that Judah had three good kings in a row (if you count Asa, who had a good start and a bad finish). But, in the spirit of “you’re only as good as your last play,” Jehoshaphat gets four chapters, starts and ends well, and then his son Jehoram:

Jehoram’s brothers were Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariahu, Michael, and Shephatiah—the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. Their father had lavished them with gifts—silver, gold, and other valuables, plus the fortress cities in Judah. But Jehoram was his firstborn son and he gave him the kingdom of Judah. But when Jehoram had taken over his father’s kingdom and had secured his position, he killed all his brothers along with some of the government officials.

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king and ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. He imitated Israel’s kings and married into the Ahab dynasty. GOD considered him an evil man. (2 Chronicles 21.2 – 5, MSG)

Not a good guy, he starts by killing his brothers and then marries into the Ahab dynasty. He was so bad that his story ends:

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21.20, ESV)

Then Jehoram’s son Ahaziah, another bad king:

The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, king. Raiders from the desert, who had come with the Arabs against the settlement, had killed all the older sons. That’s how Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah became king. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, but reigned only one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri. He lived and ruled just like the Ahab family had done, his mother training him in evil ways. GOD also considered him evil, related by both marriage and sin to the Ahab clan. After the death of his father, he attended the sin school of Ahab, and graduated with a degree in doom. (2 Chronicles 22.1 – 4, MSG)

All this got me thinking about good and bad kings…father to son to grandson, etc. Beginning with David (good), we have Solomon (good start, bad finish), Rheoboam (bad), Abijah (good), Asa (good start, bad finish), Jehoshaphat (good), Jehoram (bad), Ahaziah (bad). If we abbreviate G = good, B = bad, H = half good/half bad, we have:

GHBGHGBB – see the pattern?

No? Maybe you don’t see the pattern because there is no pattern!

As parents, some of us work hard to do the best we can to raise godly offspring. Some parents aren’t godly themselves and try to raise good people. Some parents don’t much care about their kids at all. Etc., etc. And some kids turn out good and some not so good.

And in my experience, there’s no apparent relationship. I know A LOT of godly people with one or more kids off the rails. And I know a few fathers who made no pretense of being Christ followers whose kids turned out beautifully.

I’m proud of all four of my kids who range in age from 51 to 44 as of this writing, and when I’m in a situation where someone tries to give me credit, I say, “I can’t take credit for any good that they’re doing, and I sure don’t want to take any blame when they mess up!”

It goes back to Genesis 3: Adam and Eve were in a perfect environment with a perfect God as their father, and then went off the rails (it’s called original sin). If we learn anything from our reading about the kings, it’s that “past performance is no guarantee of future results.”

When the son has done what is just and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezekiel 18.19, ESV)

It’s late October, but the temperatures are still running in the 60s and 70s, most unusual for a place where we could have had feet of snow by now. My large aspen is a bit confused. As of October 23 (left photo), most of its leaves are autumn yellow, but some are still green. The photo on the right, shot on October 28, highlights the yellow against the evergreens. Pretty cool.

My tree is spectacular, as is the large cottonwood not far from us. It’s slow to turn this year, also, but it’s managing a good show, too:

For as long as Earth lasts, planting and harvest, cold and heat, Summer and winter, day and night will never stop. (Genesis 8.22, MSG)

Did you see the replay of the spectacular “Hail Mary” touchdown pass by which the Washington Commanders beat the Chicago Bears Sunday? The Bears had just scored to go ahead 15 – 12 with 23 seconds left in the game. With two seconds left on the clock and the ball on the Commanders’ 48 yard line, quarterback Jayden Daniels scrambled around for nearly 13 seconds before launching a pass that went 65 yards in the air, coming down just shy of the goal line. A Bear defender tipped the ball back(?) into the end zone where only one player was waiting for it – a Commander. Oops. You can see the play here.

It shouldn’t have been successful. There should have been a defender behind where the ball was coming down instead of leaving a receiver open in the end zone. Oh well. But here’s what you didn’t see on that replay. The Bear that tipped the ball was too busy taunting the crowd when the play started to pay attention to what he was supposed to be doing:

Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson apologized Sunday night after he was seen taunting the crowd seconds before he and his teammates gave up a Hail Mary touchdown with time expired to lose to the Commanders 18 – 15.

Video posted on social media showed Stevenson pointing toward the stands and raising his arms in the air with his back to the line of scrimmage when the ball snapped. He was late to get to the play, then tipped the ball up… Stevenson posted:

“To Chicago and teammates my apologies for lack of awareness and focus. The game ain’t over until zeros hit the clock. Can’t take anything for granted. Notes taken, improvement will happen.” – ESPN, posted October 27, 2024

Lesson learned…too late for yesterday’s game. It’s a lesson-story on a number of levels, not least of which is what happened on the cross.

This event is captured beautifully in the allegory The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The wicked witch is very excited when she kills Aslan the lion, the Christ figure in the book, who has sacrificed himself to save Edmond. But her joy is short-lived. As Aslan explains after his resurrection:

“Yes!” said a great voice from behind their backs. “It is more magic.” They looked round. There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself...

“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward.” – from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

The devil wanted Jesus crucified:

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. (Luke 22.3, ESV)

But apparently Satan was unaware of what Jesus’ death would do:

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2.14, 15, ESV)

No doubt Satan celebrated too soon.

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3.8, ESV)

PS I mean no disrespect to Tyrique Stevenson who made a mistake and apologized. As far as I know there are no cosmic implications to the Bears’ defeat and Commanders’ victory. The story just reminded me of something that does have cosmic significance.

Yesterday’s Everyday Answer to Prayer sets up today’s everyday miracle. When I left the animal shelter and picked June up at her Music Teachers’ Conference, I texted: “Benji would like to meet you if you’re up for it.” June came to the car immediately and off we went.

After the visit, we went back to the hotel for a short rest before a 5p session at the conference. As we were leaving the hotel, June said, “I don’t have my portfolio and legal pad.” She had been using a distinctive Northwestern University legal pad holder and had left it in the room. “Do you want me to go back and get it?” “No, we’ll be late.”

Now, fast-forward to between dinner and a concert. We’re back in the room looking for the legal pad without success. June said, “I must have left it at the conference site in my excitement to see Benji.” So when we went to the concert, we looked in all the obvious places for the legal pad, again without success.

After the concert, preparing for bed, we combed the room again. No legal pad, so she was making plans for how she might track it down Saturday morning…

At 6a Saturday morning, in bed, June asks me, “Where did you find my legal pad?” I said, “What are you talking about?” She said, “Look. There’s the legal pad at the foot of the bed.”

How can that be? The bedspread was white. The legal pad’s holder was navy blue. If it had been there when we went to bed, we would have seen it. If I had found it in the middle of the night, I wouldn’t have put it there!

A quick visit from an angel is the only logical explanation.

Crazy? Rod Dreher has just come out with a new book Living in Wonder: Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age. I have it, but it just came out so I haven’t read it yet. Brad East, in his Christianity Today book review Make Christianity Spooky Again writes:

[We need to] bite the bullet and proclaim, fingers uncrossed, that God works signs and wonders in the world today, just as he did in the times and stories of Holy Scripture. In this view, angels intervene in mortal affairs; demons assault and possess unsuspecting sinners; terminal illnesses are healed by divine miracle; young men see visions; and old men dream dreams (Acts 2:17). None of these things ever ceased. Christians in the West merely lost the desire or ability to see them. – Brad East, emphasis mine

“Angles intervene in mortal affairs…” – I’ve written about this before.

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (Hebrews 1.14, NIV)

We interrupt this depressing series on the election for a couple of feel-good, answer-to-prayer stories.

Babo the Dog passed away just after Christmas 2022. Since then we’ve been saying to ourselves, “God will send us a dog when the time is right.” Coming up on two years, total strangers have counseled, “Don’t wait any longer; actively search.” When our daughter was here this summer, she found a potential dog at the Pikes Peak Humane Society in Colorado Springs. I went down there. A huge operation, and the dog I went to see was already gone.

Last week, I was preparing for the lesson on prayer for an upcoming discipleship class and reviewing John 16.24:

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (ESV)

So I prayed specifically, and the thought came to mind:

You’re going to be in Pueblo Friday while June is at a music teachers’ conference. Why don’t you check out the Pueblo animal shelter?

(Pueblo is a much smaller city than Colorado Springs, an hour south of us.) An online search brought up Paws for Life, and a site search on “small dogs” brought up Benji:

To make a long story short, I made an appointment for 2p, Friday afternoon, met Benji, filled out an application, and brought June over at 3p. They usually do a home visit, but we’re 60 miles away! They asked us to send a video of our house and yard, which we did as soon as we got home Saturday. They called right away on Saturday, told us we were approved, and I picked up Benji at 2p, Monday.

I think he finds his new home “acceptable.”

And he looks a bit better after a haircut! As we say in our (military) family: “Back in regs.” (A regulation haircut)

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights… (James 1.17, NIV)

As the election approaches, I need to remind us of what I wrote back in October 2020, before the last presidential election.

Wesley’s rules for voting, Bob’s paraphrase:

1. Vote for the person you judge most worthy.
2. Do not run down the other candidate.
3. Do not run down the guy who voted for the other candidate.

Simple to write, hard to do, especially when believers on both sides tell you that you can’t be a believer if you’re not voting the way they think you should. I wrote about this phenomenon in Following Jesus?, written January 2020. I concluded that blog this way:

Maybe we should all spend more time following Jesus than trying to decide if the other guy is following Jesus.

So tend to your knitting. You’ve got your hands full just taking care of your own life before God. (Romans 14.12, MSG)

When Peter saw [John], he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21.21, 22, ESV, emphasis mine, different context, same principle)

Re the election, vote, but remember:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Romans 13.1, ESV)

Yesterday I shared the poem Life Goes On to remind us not to despair when things don’t seem to go our way (and in less than two weeks, things won’t go “our way” for half the country!). As the election approaches, what are we to do?

My friend Bill Mowry has one answer, maybe THE answer: PRAY. That’s what the apostle Paul said, and he lived in a time much more antagonistic to the Christian faith than we do. Bill writes:

The first-century church grew up under an occupying military force. Rome controlled Israel, Jerusalem, and most of the known world. Signs of Roman power were everywhere. The early church took root under the leadership of the Emperor Nero, the immoral ruler who institutionalized the persecution of the early church. The church had no legal standing and was shunned in a climate dominated by the ancient gods — the pagan deities of Rome and Greece. A failure to worship the gods was a traitorous act towards the state. Paul knew that the church was living in treacherous and dangerous times.

How did the Apostle Paul encourage the church to engage in this oppressive political and social arena? Here’s his charge: “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers . . . be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Bill goes on:

The phrase “first of all” speaks to that which is of greatest importance. The church’s priority list should have prayer for government leaders, whether Democrat or Republican, as one of its top priorities…Prayer is an exercise of trust and authority. Do I trust in the political process or in the God who stands behind the process? Prayer speaks to authority. When I pray, I recognize the authority of our Lord over the transient authority of political rulers. Rome is no longer a dominant force and Nero’s name lives in infamy. However, Christ’s church continues to grow (Matthew 16:18)!

“Rome is no longer a dominant force…” reminds me of something Andy Stanley pointed out a few years ago. What would the first-century Christians cowering in the catacombs have thought if you told them that within 200 years, EVERY building in Rome would have a cross on it?

Let’s pick up another snippet from Bill Mowry’s essay:

Let’s skip down to 1 Timothy 2:8 and consider how we should pray: “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling . . .”

How should we pray? First, we lift “holy hands” signaling a posture of surrender and worship. Second, we pray without anger or quarreling. It’s amazing how prayer can dissipate anger — even my anger with politicians who take positions I’m vehemently opposed to. Prayer lifts me to God’s perspective (Luke 1:52) renewing or rebuking my attitudes in the process…We do not disciple men and women to embrace our political positions or preferences. Instead, we teach them the radical strategy of prayer, exercising a re-thinking of trust and authority. We model praying for our political leaders, not only for those we like but for those we may disagree with.  – Bill Mowry, Mixing Politics with the Great Commission, October 11, 2024. I recommend the essay in its entirety.

The Apostle Peter reminds us:

Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order. It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government. (1 Peter 2.13 – 17, MSG)

As we approach the national election in the US where surely half of the people will be disappointed/angry/apoplectic (choose one!), it’s good to remember:

Life goes on

Here are excerpts of a poem by that title by Howard Thurman, a black megachurch pastor in the 1940s. For him, life was difficult – I quoted him in a blog on Ruth 3: The Disinherited.

Excerpts of “Life Goes On” by Howard Thurman (bullets allow me to single-space the lines)

• During these turbulent times
• we must remind ourselves repeatedly that life goes on…
• The wisdom of life transcends our wisdoms;
• The purpose of life outlasts our purposes;
• The process of life cushions our processes.

• The mass attack of disillusion and despair,
• distilled out of the collapse of hope,
• has so invaded our thoughts
• that what we know to be true and valid
• seems unreal and ephemeral…

• Let us not be deceived.
• It is just as important as ever
• to attend to the little graces
• by which the dignity of our lives
• is maintained and sustained.

• Birds still sing;
• the stars continue to cast their gentle gleam
• over the desolation of the battlefields
• and the heart is still inspired
• by the kind word and the gracious deed…

• To drink in the beauty that is within reach,
• to clothe one’s life with simple deeds of kindness,
• to the movement of the spirit of God
• in the quietness of the human heart
• and in the workings of the human mind—
• this is as always the ultimate answer to the great deception. – Shared by Nancy Small, Associate Director for Spiritual Direction Initiatives, Office of Ignatian Spirituality, USA East Province of the Society of Jesus

Good stuff: “It is just as important as ever to attend to the little graces by which the dignity of our lives is maintained and sustained…the heart is still inspired by the kind word and the gracious deed.”

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. (Psalm 46.1 – 3, ESV)

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2. 14 – 16, ESV)

Jehoshaphat gets four chapters of coverage in 2 Chronicles. Yesterday, we looked at chapters 17 and 19 (chapter 18 is a repeat of 1 Kings 22). Except for the alliance with Ahab, Jehoshaphat is doing a good job, but chapter 20 opens with a bang:

Some time later the Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: “A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. (2 Chronicles 20.1 – 2, MSG)

What to do? Pray, of course!

Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed. He went to GOD for help and ordered a nationwide fast. The country of Judah united in seeking GOD’s help—they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to GOD. (2 Chronicles 20.3, 4, MSG)

Jehoshaphat prayed the promise of God’s power and protection (See 2 Chronicles 20.3 – 13), and God moved Jahaziel to confirm the promise with specific directions:

Then Jahaziel was moved by the Spirit of GOD to speak from the midst of the congregation…He said, “Attention everyone—all of you from out of town, all you from Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat—GOD’s word: Don’t be afraid; don’t pay any mind to this vandal horde. This is God’s war, not yours. Tomorrow you’ll go after them…You won’t have to lift a hand in this battle; just stand firm, Judah and Jerusalem, and watch GOD’s saving work for you take shape. Don’t be afraid, don’t waver. March out boldly tomorrow—GOD is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20.14 – 17, MSG)

“You don’t have to lift a hand…” Wow. But you do have to march out boldly. So they did. Early the next morning, and they opened the day with singing praise to God!

They were up early in the morning, ready to march into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they were leaving, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen Judah and Jerusalem! Listen to what I have to say! Believe firmly in GOD, your God, and your lives will be firm! Believe in your prophets and you’ll come out on top!” …Jehoshaphat appointed a choir for GOD; dressed in holy robes, they were to march ahead of the troops, singing,

Give thanks to GOD, His love never quits. (2 Chronicles 20.20, 21, MSG)

And that was it…

As soon as they started shouting and praising, GOD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir as they were attacking Judah, and they all ended up dead. The Ammonites and Moabites mistakenly attacked those from Mount Seir and massacred them. Then, further confused, they went at each other, and all ended up killed. As Judah came up over the rise, looking into the wilderness for the horde of barbarians, they looked on a killing field of dead bodies—not a living soul among them. (2 Chronicles 20.22 – 24, MSG)

Back in the day, Don Francisco set a number of Bible stories to music, and thanks to YouTube, they’re accessible. What a country! Don does a very nice job with 2 Chronicles 20 in this song. Please click the link: it’s worth the four minutes. For the song, Don uses an adapted version of the King James translation:

Praise ye the LORD; his mercy endureth for ever and ever. (2 Chronicles 20.21, KJV)

Not a bad lesson, when in trouble, praise the Lord!

Jehoshaphat then led all the men of Judah and Jerusalem back to Jerusalem—an exuberant parade. GOD had given them joyful relief from their enemies! They entered Jerusalem and came to The Temple of GOD with all the instruments of the band playing. When the surrounding kingdoms got word that GOD had fought Israel’s enemies, the fear of God descended on them. Jehoshaphat heard no more from them; as long as Jehoshaphat reigned, peace reigned. (2 Chronicles 20.27 – 30, MSG)