Faithfulness and Teaching Rewarded

Background Scripture: 2 Chronicles 17
Lesson Scripture: 2 Chronicles 17:3-6, 9-13

Introduction

When Jehoshaphat’s father, Asa, began his reign, the prophet Azariah came to him and said, “Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them” (2 Chron. 15:3-4). Asa returned unto the Lord and began once again to draw the children of Judah and Benjamin out of idolatry. As a result, many from Israel came and joined Asa’s kingdom. When King Jehoshaphat began his reign, he found that the children of Judah were still in a state of faithless forgetfulness. God’s people were biblically illiterate and needed to be taught his will and way once more. Jehoshaphat and his subjects gave themselves to understanding and learning God’s Word. God, in turn, blessed them for their faithfulness and gave them rest from the nations around them.

Key Verse

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after (Heb. 3:5).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

Second Chronicles contains the seesaw history of the children of Judah as they struggled with idolatry and pagan worship. It tells of their continual falling back and then rising again as God’s prophets and the good kings were faithful in reminding them of their need. The chronicler, thought to be Ezra, wrote this book to remind God’s people of their past and to encourage them to be faithful. The key verse in this book could be “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).

Jehoshaphat was one of the good kings of Judah. He was a bold follower of God who carried out a national religious education program. He had the vision to see that the first step in bringing the people back to God was to reacquaint them with his Word. By doing this, he reversed the spiritual decline into which the people had fallen. As the people responded, there was a general revival and a renewed interest in serving God. They were being instilled once again with a sense of mission and commitment and gave themselves wholeheartedly to their Lord. As they received and meditated on the Word, it enkindled a flame within their souls that gave them power to lean on God and trust his way. The background scripture explains how Jehoshaphat built up his army and how he strengthened the cities of Judah, but this was not what kept the surrounding countries from invading. Jehoshaphat first followed in the ways of King David and gave himself to seek the Lord and had a heart to teach the people about God. Because of this, God strengthened him in the eyes of the countries round about, and the fear of the Lord fell upon them. How many times has God protected his faithful followers as they committed their hearts and lives to Him? As we draw close to God, we find there is direction for the trying times of life, be they big or small. The spiritual rewards of faithfulness today far outweigh the material blessings God bestowed upon those in the old covenant.

Practical Truths for Today

How well do you know the Bible, and how willing are you to apply its truth to your life? If our lives parallel the children of Israel as they struggled with idolatry, what will the reward be? The idols of our day call us away from worshipping and knowing God as we should. Wealth, pleasure, and self-fulfillment cause us to forget about God as we pursue our own interests. Under the old covenant, material blessing seems to have followed faithful living. In the new covenant, it is not so much that way. Today, material abundance often causes a leanness of soul and a lack of commitment to following God wholeheartedly. If we have extra beyond fulfilling our basic needs, we should carefully seek God’s will in what to do with it. The gospel places more emphasis on spiritual blessing and establishing a personal relationship with God by sacrifice and cross-bearing. No matter what our financial status is, we are able to show forth the fruit of God’s Spirit in our lives. Love is something we can all possess and give away freely.

All Christians need to spend time with God’s Word, meditating on it and letting the Spirit speak to our hearts. The doctrine of the Word forms the bedrock of the church. Doctrinal teaching on the new birth, nonresistance, nonconformity, the visible church, sanctification, the devotional head covering, and other Bible teachings need to be continually studied and taught by the ministry. Daily family devotions will also help in trying to live out a practical example of the true gospel way.

School boards need a vision of why we separated from the public school system. Our schools are an arm of the church’s teaching program, preparing our young children for life while protecting them from worldly influences. It should include not only the teaching of academics but also the instruction of biblical life skills.

Bible study evenings should encourage discussion and participation. Reaching into the practical challenges facing God’s people and focusing on the Word for the answers to life’s questions is more than merely sharing opinions.

Youth group ministry and service programs provide wonderful opportunities to teach our young people to give unselfishly of themselves as they reach out into the community to help with different projects. A youth leader’s vision should encourage the youth to consecration and to direct their energies toward serving their fellow man. The ministry of song is especially vibrant when it comes from young hearts dedicated to serving God. It is so encouraging to witness an enthused, vibrant, spiritual youth group.

It is imperative that the church has a solid, Christian education program. The teaching received through the ministry, through Bible study programs, and through daily family devotions gives us a foundational base to stand on in perilous times. Young fathers and mothers need vision to leave off pursuing financial success and focus rather on bringing up their families in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Reading and rereading the old familiar Bible stories to our little ones lays the groundwork for further study as they grow and give their hearts to the Lord. Older brethren need to be willing to share their wisdom and experience as it relates to the trying times we live in. The world is changing rapidly with each new advancement in science and technology. Technology is not our friend; its influence tends to numb our minds to deep thinking and meditation, leaving us vulnerable to the winds of doctrine that are in the world. The rewards of faithfulness will not be found in the advancing age we live in; rather, it will be found in dedicating our service to the Lord, laying down the idols of our day, and “submitting [ourselves] one to another in the fear of God” (Eph. 5:21). To have been faithful is a most noble commendation; that kind of testimony will have far-reaching effects and will encourage children and grandchildren to also be faithful and follow the Lord.

Questions

1. Can we have an unconsecrated area in our life and still have a testimony of being faithful?
2. What does it mean to have spiritual vision? How can we keep our eyes focused so that our hearts desire to uphold the ways of the Lord?
3. Is there a difference between reading or listening to God’s Word on an electronic device and holding the Bible in our hands?
4. Do we too easily excuse ourselves from deeper study of God’s Word because we are simply unwilling to discipline ourselves?
5. If Bible study seems dry, difficult, or unfulfilling, how can we counter that and revive an enthusiasm and love for learning?

Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).