April 26, 2025 - 2 Chronicles 13-16

And so begins the years of a divided kingdom, Judah in the south and Israel in the north.  While the books of Kings more broadly tell the stories of all the kings, Judean and Israelite, Chronicles focuses on the kings of Judah.  These kings of the south are the descendants of David.  Though so often personally unworthy of being kings, they all were direct descendants of David.  Abijah, son and successor of Rehoboam, spoke out, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel!  Ought you not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons?” (13:4-5), thereby affirming the davidic dynasty and David’s eventual descendant as the rightful heirs of the covenant promises.  That’s not to say that all was well or that all the davidic kings were wholly righteous.  Oh my, they were not!  But nothing, absolutely nothing, could threaten the promises of God of a davidic dynasty and, ultimately, of Messiah who was born a descendant of David.  And so, in good days and bad, in times of darkness and in times of light, the day one of mourning or of joy, whatever the day might hold, we can trust the promises of God.  He has made good on the greatest promise of all; surely, he will be faithful in all other things.

Satan will not be shaken

By such a worm as I;

Then let me learn with David

To trust in the Most High;

To plead the name of Jesus,

And use the sling of prayer;

Thus armed, when Satan sees us,

He’ll tremble and despair.   –John Newton (1790)