As with 1 Chronicles, a lot of the stories in this book can be found earlier on in the Bible, in the Samuel and Kings books. Although the bad kings of the north aren’t mentioned, which means the narrative feels like there is much more balance, there is still war, threat, violence, and murder to be found within this book. But, we’re reading the Old Testament, so what’s new there?!

Anyway, here are a couple of passages I wanted to highlight.

In Chapter 20, we find a wonderful story about faith in the battle, or, as I like to think of it, in the tough times. King Jehoshaphat and his people were outnumbered. They said ‘We don’t know what to do, but we are setting our eyes on you’ to which God replied, ‘don’t be scared, the battle is not yours, it’s mine’. How reassuring. I don’t know about you, but so many times I take things out of God’s hands and just do it myself, or at least I try to! I’m sure I would be such a better person if I looked to God more and let the battles be his.

Later on, in Chapter 30, I was moved by the beautiful description of worship as Hezekiah restored the temple. All the people coming and fixing and clearing out and preparing to worship, followed by the praise and music and dance. It’s just wonderful. There’s one tiny line which I found interesting; ‘For the thing came about suddenly’. So often, I find God works like that. Things can be stuck for ages, and in this case it was the temple. But then suddenly, there is a shift, and it all changes, and in this story, the temple worship was restored.

My favourite verse was: 2 Chronicles 7.15-16: ‘My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

Sophia fell asleep listening to 2 Chronicles: twice.

With thanks to Pexels on Pixabay for the image.