2 Chronicles 27: Steadfast Stride

2 Chronicles 27: Steadfast Stride

Chapter Summary by Matthew Henry: Here is a very short account of the reign of Jotham, a pious prosperous prince, of whom one would wish to have known more: but we may better dispense with the brevity of his story because that which lengthened the history of the last three kings was their corruption in their latter end, of which we have had a faithful account; but there was no occasion for such a melancholy conclusion of the history of this reign, which is only an account, I. Of the date and continuance of this reign, 2Chronicles 27:1,8. II. The general good character of it, 2Chronicles 27:2,6. III. The prosperity of it, 2Chronicles 27:3-5. IV. The period of it, 2Chronicles 27:7,9.

I. Verse 1: “Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother's name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.” Remember in the previous chapter, Jotham’s father, Uzziah, had leprosy because he disobeyed God and stepped into the priestly role in the Temple, so “Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land” (verse 21).

II. Verse 2: “He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done, but unlike him he did not enter the temple of the LORD. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices.”

A.  It seems that in the years while his father lived with leprosy, Jotham was learning a lot about being a good, wise ruler.

1.  More importantly, he learned from his father’s sin; we know he learned from it because he did not repeat it.

2.  The influence we have on our children is strong, and it’s incredibly important to give them good examples to follow, but, as flawed men and women, we must pray that they are wise enough to learn from our errors as well, so that our own blunders are not repeated. Jotham followed his father’s excellent example and was certain not to repeat his father’s mistake of doing things his way rather than God’s.

B.  Even with a excellent example and leader, and even with great men of God like Isaiah, Hosea, and Micah preaching to them, the people chose their corrupt practices over their God.

1.  It’s important to note that the chronicler points out that the people continued their corrupt practices. It wasn’t a new development. Years previously, they had started the slow fade of accepting the ways of the world around them…

2.  …and that’s exactly what happens to all of us as we allow a little of the World here, and a little of the World there into our priorities. The next thing we know, we’ve compromised a little here, and a little there, and before long, we continue building on those corrupt practices. L In Galations 2:5, Paul writes that “we did not give in to them for a moment.” We can’t give in for even one moment, or the devil is given a foothold in our lives.

III. Verses 3-5: “Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD and did extensive work on the wall at the hill of Ophel. He built towns in the Judean hills and forts and towers in the wooded areas. Jotham made war on the king of the Ammonites and conquered them. That year the Ammonites paid him a hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand cors of barley. The Ammonites brought him the same amount also in the second and third years.” Like his father Uzziah, Jotham was successful, and many might assume his success came from all of his “extensive work”: building, military accomplishments, and bountiful tributes paid by conquered enemies; however, the secret to his success is explained in verse six. Jotham isn’t given any of the glory!

IV. Verse 6: “Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the LORD his God.”

A.  The chronicler admits that Jotham was, indeed, powerful; but his power came from how he walked. Where did he walk? He walked before his King. Now, that doesn’t mean he was in front; this is the idea of bowing before a king…below him…humbled and submissive. That’s the beginning of how we’re to walk before our God.

B.  Another word the Chronicler uses to describe Jotham’s walk and that tells how we’re to walk is the adverb steadfastly. What is our Christian walk supposed to look like? Well, perhaps a list of synonyms would help. Steadfast means persistent, with conviction, unwavering, unfaltering, loyal, faithful. That’s how we’re to walk before our God!

C.  Jotham is the only king who has nothing negative written about his reign. I’m quite certain he wasn’t a perfect man, but the general way he conducted his life led history to record only positive traits. What would people write about you and me?

What a claim to fame…

for history to have nothing negative

to record about the way

we conducted ourselves

as His royal priesthood

in His Kingdom

and

to be truly powerful

because we walk

steadfastly

before our God.