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Neither of the
books of Chronicles appears frequently in sermons and Bible studies, largely
because the books repeat stories found elsewhere. Much of the material in 2
Chronicles is a repetition of the stories told in 1 and 2 Kings, with a concentration
on the southern kingdom
of Judah. But they have a
unique and important perspective. God “had compassion on his people and
on his dwelling place,” says the writer of 2 Chronicles; “but they kept mocking
the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, until
the wrath of the Lord against
his people became so great that there was no remedy” (2 Chr 36:15-16). Although
God loved the Israelites and the temple, God’s judgment came down on the people
because of their unfaithfulness.
God took action in a surprising way, using a foreign king to advance the divine plan. According to 2 Chronicles, God “brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their youths with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or young woman, the aged or the feeble; he gave them all into his hand” (2 Chr 36:17). The prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel had spoken of the defiling of the temple by the Israelites, and now 2 Chronicles reports on the results: The Chaldeans “burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels” (2 Chr 36:19).
Then came the exile. The king of the Chaldeans “took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons … to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had made up for its sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfill seventy years” (2 Chr 36:20-21). Although the time of exile was full of pain and grief, it became a kind of a sabbath. In this period of sabbath rest, the land and its people became restored and ready for their next chapter. In time, “the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia,” and Cyrus sent the edict: “The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people …. Let him go up” (2 Chr 36:22-23). The foreign king Cyrus became the “messiah” (Isa 45:1) of the Jewish people.
The writer of 2 Chronicles knows that God is the supreme ruler, master of the universe, and the one who wields ultimate power. God works the divine purposes out, both inside and outside of Israel. In this case, God moved a foreign empire on behalf of God’s chosen people, and even this foreign king acknowledges that the God of Israel is “God of heaven” and the one who has given him “all the kingdoms of the earth” (2 Chr 36:23). In Christian theology, we refer to this as “the sovereignty of God.”
God’s sovereignty is easy to celebrate in good times, but it can be acknowledged in painful times as well. Historian Eric Washington of Calvin College has studied African American church history and discovered that many slaves found comfort in God’s sovereignty, even while in captivity. “Believing in God’s sovereignty gave slaves a way to see their suffering as redemptive suffering. They chose to see their suffering not in vain but as having a purpose in God’s sovereign plan. Many were led to Christ as slaves. They learned to trust in Christ through suffering. They rejoiced in Christ as they left slavery, whether through escaping, buying or being granted freedom, or emancipation.” From songs and spirituals that came out of the pain of slavery, it is clear that many people saw evidence of God at work throughout the journey from enslavement to freedom.
In the biblical story, God’s sovereignty was revealed first in Genesis, when God said to Abraham, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous” (Gen 17:1-2). God’s covenant was an “everlasting covenant” (Gen 17:7) which was good news for Abraham, and for us as well. God’s covenant is everlasting because God is sovereign, able to do exactly what God wants to do, in every time, place and situation. Abraham did not succeed in being blameless in his actions, nor did the people of Judah in the time of Jeremiah. But God Almighty proved to be the God of second chances, giving people the opportunity to turn from their errors and renew their covenant with God.
We can be thankful that God always takes the lead in this relationship. This was true for Abraham and also for the Israelites in exile when, out of nowhere, “the LORD stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia” (2 Chr 36:22). The Book of 2 Chronicles reminds us that God is always faithful, even when we are not. God never breaks God’s faithful and loving relationship with us, even though we often fall into faithlessness. This story is one of the Bible’s greatest hits because it affirms that our promise-based relationship with God is stronger than any human failings. Our Almighty and Sovereign God can work in unexpected ways — even through King Cyrus of Persia — to save and restore God’s covenant people.
Questions:
1. Where have you seen God taking action in surprising ways?
2. What does the sovereignty of God mean to you?
3. How has God been faithful to you, even in bad times?
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