1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: Life Audio, how do their friends and faithful listeners. Welcome 2 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,760 Speaker 1: to the Bible Explain podcast on this lovely Monday morning. 3 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: We're going to be in second Chronicles twenty four today 4 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: talking about the reign of King Joe Ash and what 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: we can learn about being a cheerful giver and servant 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: in God's kingdom based upon today's passage. Well, faithful listeners, 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: I hope you had a great weekend. I gotta tell you, guys, 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 1: I am having an absolute blast doing worship with my 9 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:37,760 Speaker 1: husband on Sunday mornings. It has been so much fun 10 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: to get up there once again and lead the audience 11 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: in worship. And it's not just me and my husband. 12 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: We have a team of really excellent people. We've got 13 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:50,560 Speaker 1: a lot of singers and some guitarists and a bassist 14 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: and drummers, and we even have a mandolin player, which 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: has been a lot of fun for my husband and I. 16 00:00:56,960 --> 00:01:00,840 Speaker 1: So we've been having a blast doing all that. So 17 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: you guys got to tell me what's been going on 18 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: with all of you. You can find my contact information 19 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: listed in the description of this episode, and of course, 20 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,919 Speaker 1: faithful listeners, if you ever have a prayer request, please 21 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: feel free to reach out anytime and let me know 22 00:01:13,880 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: what it is, and I will write you down in 23 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: my little prayer journal for the week. Now, faithful listeners, 24 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,639 Speaker 1: before we get into today's episode, please take a listen 25 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 1: to this quick message from a sponsor. All right, all 26 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 1: that being said, let's go ahead and read Second Chronicles 27 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: twenty four one through fourteen. As usual, I'll be reading 28 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: from the web. Joe Ash was seven years old when 29 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: he began to rain, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. 30 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: His mother's name was Zibiyah of Beersheba. Joe Ash did 31 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: that which was right in Yahwai's eyes all the days 32 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: of Jehoida. The priest Jehoeida took for him two wives, 33 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 1: and he became the father of sons and daughters. After this, 34 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: joe Ash intended to restore Yaway's house. He gathered together 35 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 1: the priests and the Levites and said them, go out 36 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,279 Speaker 1: to the cities of Judah and gather money to repair 37 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: the house of your God from all Israel from year 38 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: to year, see that you expedite this matter. However, the 39 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: Levites didn't do it right away. The king called for Joheida, 40 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 1: the chief, and said to him why haven't you required 41 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: of the Levites to bring in the tax of Moses, 42 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: the servant of Yahweh, and of the assembly of Israel, 43 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: out of Judah and out of Jerusalem for the tent 44 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: of the testimony for the sons of Athalia, that wicked 45 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: woman had broken up God's house. And they also gave 46 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: all the dedicated things of Yahwah's house to the bales. 47 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: So the king commanded, and they made a chest and 48 00:02:33,919 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: set it outside the gate of Yahwai's house. They made 49 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for 50 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: Yahweh the tax that Moses, the servant of God, laid 51 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: on Israel in the wilderness. All the princes and all 52 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: the people rejoiced and brought in and cast into the 53 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: chest until they had filled it. Whenever the chest was 54 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 1: brought to the king's officers by the hand of the Levites, 55 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: And when they saw that there was much money, the 56 00:02:57,080 --> 00:03:00,040 Speaker 1: King's scribe and the Chief Priest's officer came in and 57 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: emptied the chest and took it and carried it to 58 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 1: its place again. Thus they did day by day and 59 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: gathered money in abundance. The king and Jehoida gave it 60 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 1: to those who did the work of the service of 61 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: Yahway's house. They hired masons and carpenters to restore y 62 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: Alway's house, and also those who worked in iron and 63 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: bronze to repair y Always House. So the workmen worked, 64 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: and the work of repairing went forward in their hands. 65 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:26,400 Speaker 1: They set up God's House as it was designed, and 66 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,519 Speaker 1: strengthened it. When they had finished, they brought the rest 67 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,239 Speaker 1: of the money before the King and Jehoida, from which 68 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: were made vessels for y Always House, even vessels with 69 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: which to minister and to offer, including spoons and vessels 70 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in Yaoway's 71 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: house continually all the days of Jehoida. So if you 72 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: don't remember what happened in the last chapter, I highly 73 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 1: recommend going back and reading it for yourself and or 74 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: listening to the episode that we did on it last week. 75 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,440 Speaker 1: But essentially, joe Ash was seven years old when he 76 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: began to reign as king, which is stated here in 77 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,400 Speaker 1: verse one of our passage for today, and the reason 78 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: he was so young was because all of his brothers 79 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: had gotten killed off by Athaliah, who was the wicked 80 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 1: queen of Judah, and she was a foreigner in a 81 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,359 Speaker 1: sense because she was actually a Phoenician woman. She was 82 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 1: the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel up north in Israel, 83 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: so she had a Phoenician mother and a Jewish father. 84 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,920 Speaker 1: But her father could have been a Phoenician man just 85 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: due to the fact that he did not actually follow 86 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: any of the principles of Yahwism or Judaism at all, 87 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: so he may as well have been Phoenician. It didn't 88 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 1: really matter. But anyway, Athalia was their daughter, and she 89 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: married into the kings of Judah. So she became the 90 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:53,599 Speaker 1: wife of King Jehoram, who was Jehashafat's son, and after 91 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:57,480 Speaker 1: she became his wife, she encouraged him to do all 92 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: sorts of terrible things, including possibly kill all of his 93 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: siblings off. And she also encouraged her sons to do 94 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: very very bad things as well. That's actually mentioned very 95 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 1: briefly here in verse seven of our passage for today, 96 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: it says for the sons of Athalia that wicked woman 97 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: had broken up God's house, and they also gave all 98 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:22,520 Speaker 1: the dedicated things of Yahway's house to the Bales, So 99 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: we know that Athalia and her sons actually trampled on 100 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:29,280 Speaker 1: God's house. They took all of the beautiful things out 101 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: of there that Solomon had made, and they gave all 102 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: those things to their idols, to their places of worship, 103 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: and totally mistreated and destroyed Yahway's house, so it was 104 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: in disrepair for many many years under Athalia. Now, all 105 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: of Athalia's sons except for one, ended up dying off 106 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: very quickly because the Syrians had actually came in and 107 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: killed all of the king's sons except for one, the 108 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: youngest of all the sons, who was named Ahazia, whre 109 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 1: Jehoram died. Ajazia became the next king, but he was 110 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 1: only king for one year. Because he was a terrible king. 111 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: God did not bless his reign. He died very quickly, 112 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 1: and when that happened, Atholia went nuts. Essentially, she killed 113 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: off all of her grandchildren and anybody who had claim 114 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: to David's throne because she wanted it for her family. 115 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,919 Speaker 1: She wanted it for herself, so she took it and 116 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: she reigned for close to seven years in Jerusalem. She 117 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: was the only queen that reigned in Judah's history, and 118 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: she was like the worst of the bunch, given a 119 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: bad name to women. But one of the babies, one 120 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:42,040 Speaker 1: of her grandchildren, actually survived, and this baby was named 121 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: joe Ash. And the reason he survived was because joe 122 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: Ash's aunt found him, Josepha says, among the corpses of 123 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: his brothers. And he was a very very young baby. 124 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,799 Speaker 1: He was still an infant. He still needed a nurse. 125 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: So when the aunt found him, she took him and 126 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 1: hid him in temple because she was actually the wife 127 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: of the high priest Jehoida, who were going to talk 128 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: about here quite a bit. So little joe Ash lived 129 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: in the temple for seven years until Athalia was dethroned. 130 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: She was dethroned because she was a terrible leader, and 131 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,240 Speaker 1: essentially people had enough of her. When they found out 132 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 1: that there was an actual heir to the line of 133 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 1: King David, they wanted nothing more to do with Athalia, 134 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: and that heir was little joe Ash that we're going 135 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: to read about today. So Athalia dies in the last 136 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: chapter and joe Ash becomes the king at seven years old. So, 137 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: starting in verse one of Second Chronicles twenty four, it 138 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: says joe Ash was seven years old when he began 139 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: to reign, and he reigned a forty years in Jerusalem. 140 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: His mother's name was Zibiyah of Beersheba. Now, we don't 141 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: know anything about joe Ash's mother other than her name, 142 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: because she didn't seem to be part of the story 143 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: when it came to raising him, because he was hidden 144 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: in the temple for so long. Unless the mother just 145 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: did not know that her son was alive, that could 146 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 1: have very well happened. She thought that her son died 147 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,680 Speaker 1: when Athalia went and killed all of the children, So 148 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: maybe she had a really exciting reunion with him after 149 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:10,920 Speaker 1: he became the king. I don't know, or she could 150 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: have died herself, potentially because Athalia was a nutcase and 151 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: just killed all sorts of people. But regardless, joe Ash's 152 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: mother was named Zibia and she was a Jewish woman. 153 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: It says that joe Ash did that, which was right 154 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: in Yaway's eyes all the days of Jehoida, the priest, 155 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 1: now Jeheida was the high priest who helped raise joe Ash. 156 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 1: He was Joash's uncle. Actually through marriage. It says Jehoida, 157 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: the High Priest, took for joe Ash two wives and 158 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: he became the father of sons and daughters. Now, of course, 159 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: we know that it is wrong for a king, or 160 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: really for anybody to have more than one wife, and 161 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: we know that based upon other scriptures in the Bible, 162 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: that it is sinful and wrong to live in a 163 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: polygamous situation or a polygynous situation. So I don't know 164 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: what the high priest took two wives for joe Ash. 165 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:04,800 Speaker 1: It's actually a little bit shocking to me that he 166 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: thought that was a good idea. Now, it could be 167 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: that because of how corrupt the kings had become by 168 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,320 Speaker 1: this point, you know, having tons and tons of wives, 169 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: because wives were like a thing you collect back in 170 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:21,120 Speaker 1: these days, it could be that Jehoida thought that this 171 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: was better than most kings because it was the social 172 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: norm for a king to have multiple wives. In fact, 173 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: I would imagine that kings in these days, if they 174 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 1: didn't have multiple wives, would be very much looked down on. 175 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: So maybe Jehoiita was thinking in those terms that if 176 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: Josh only has two wives and that's it through the 177 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: rest of his life, he's doing better than most kings, 178 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: while still upholding the social norm. But still a sin 179 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: is a sin, as we know in Deuteronomy chapter seventeen 180 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: the rules for kings. Kings were not supposed to multiply 181 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 1: wives to themselves. A multiple is more than one, and 182 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 1: I will say that every single time we talk about 183 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 1: the king's marrying more than one woman. But anyway, joe 184 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: Ash is getting older, and it says in verse four 185 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: that after this, joe Ash intended to restore Yahweh's house. Now, 186 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: based upon his story that we discussed very briefly, think 187 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: about why he would want to do that. He lived 188 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: in the temple for the first seven years of his life, 189 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: and I don't know about you, but those are really 190 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:27,240 Speaker 1: formative years. Like I remember my old address as a 191 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: little kid. I even remember my phone number as a 192 00:10:30,200 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 1: little kid. You know, the house you grow up in, 193 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: if it's a healthy environment, is a very special place 194 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: to a child. And I can imagine that joe Ash 195 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: felt that way about the temple that was actually his 196 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: home for the first seven years of his life. So 197 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: he has a special connection to the House of God. 198 00:10:47,360 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: And he saw growing up the problems that were happening 199 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: in the temple. He saw what Johoida had to deal with, 200 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: He saw how the temple was in disarray. Maybe he 201 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,320 Speaker 1: saw Thalia's henchman coming in and taking things out of 202 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: the temple. So he decides he wants to repair the temple. 203 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 1: So in verse five, it says he gathered together the 204 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,559 Speaker 1: priests and the levites, and he said to them, go 205 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: out to the cities of Judah and gather money to 206 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: repair the House of your God from all Israel from 207 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: year to year. See that you expedite this matter. Now, 208 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 1: notice that joe Ash gathers It says both the priests 209 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: and the levites together. Priests were always levites, but levites 210 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:31,440 Speaker 1: were not always priests, so there were two different classifications 211 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: of people associated with the temple. But the Levites did 212 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: generally have jobs in the temple, not necessarily as priests, 213 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 1: but in other roles and other tasks. So the levites 214 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: that weren't priests were also very important to the functionality 215 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 1: of the temple. So joe Ash gathers both the priests 216 00:11:51,720 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: and the levites together, and he tells them go out 217 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: into all of Judah and in Jerusalem and gather money 218 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: so that the temple can be rebuilt after all this time. 219 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:04,920 Speaker 1: And then it says in verse five, however, the Levites 220 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: didn't do it right away. And I love that verse 221 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 1: because the author of Second Chronicles is throwing shade on 222 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: the Levites. He's like, yeah, the priest did it, but 223 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,719 Speaker 1: the Leevites, you know, they took their time, even though 224 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 1: the king said that they needed to go fast. So 225 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: the author blames the Levites, which is kind of funny. 226 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: And it could have been, you know, I don't know 227 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: why the Levites didn't expedite the matter. It could be 228 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: that they felt awkward going door to door to ask 229 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: for money to rebuild the temple. It could be that 230 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: the people's trust in the Levites and also in the 231 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 1: priests was very low at this time. It's kind of 232 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: talked about a little bit more in Second Kings twelve, 233 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: verse six. It says, but it was so that in 234 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: the twenty third year of King joe Ash, the priests 235 00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: had not repaired the damage to the house. Then King 236 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: joe Ash called for Jehoida, the priest, and the other 237 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: priests and said to them, why aren't you repairing the 238 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,360 Speaker 1: damage to the house now? Therefore, take no more money 239 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 1: from your treasurers, but deliver it for repair of the 240 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: damage to the house. So the priests consented that they 241 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: should take no more money from the people and not 242 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: repair the damage to the house. So second King actually 243 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: does say that the priests indeed collected money from the people. 244 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: So it is true that the Leevites, for whatever reason, 245 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: we're struggling to complete this task, either through fear of 246 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: going door to door and asking for money, which would 247 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 1: be my problem. There is no way I'd want to 248 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 1: knock on somebody's door and ask them to give money. 249 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: I can understand that. But it could also be for 250 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 1: whatever reason, you know, the Leevites were disorganized, possibly corrupted 251 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: at this point, or just downright lazy, quite honestly. Going 252 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:47,920 Speaker 1: back to Second Chronicles twenty four, it says in verse six, 253 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: the king called for Jehoida, the Chief, and said to him, 254 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:53,560 Speaker 1: why haven't you required of the Levites to bring in 255 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: the tax of Moses, the servant of Yahweh, and the 256 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: assembly of Israel out of Judah and out of Jerusalem 257 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: for the tent of the testimony. So he asks Jehoida, 258 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 1: the high Priest, He's like, why haven't you done this? 259 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:07,119 Speaker 1: Like I thought you were pretty gung ho about restoring 260 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: the temple, and yet you haven't required the levites to 261 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,680 Speaker 1: actually do this thing that I commanded all these years ago. 262 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,040 Speaker 1: So now the king is like, this is going to 263 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: get done. He says in verse eight. The king commanded, 264 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: and they made a chest and set it outside at 265 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 1: the gate of Yahweh's house. They made a proclamation through 266 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for Yahweh the tax 267 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:31,880 Speaker 1: that Moses, the servant of God, laid on Israel in 268 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 1: the wilderness. Now this could be talking about the Temple tax, 269 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:40,800 Speaker 1: which is discussed in Exodus chapter thirty, verses fourteen through sixteen, 270 00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: which says everyone who passes over to those who are 271 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 1: counted from twenty years old and upward, shall give the 272 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:49,360 Speaker 1: offering to Yahweh. The rich shall not give more, and 273 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 1: the poor shall not give less than half the shekel. 274 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: When they give the offering to Yahweh to make an 275 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 1: atonement for your souls. You shall take the atonement money 276 00:14:57,320 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: from the children of Israel and shall appoint it for 277 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: the service of the ten of meeting, that it may 278 00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh 279 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: to make atonement for your souls. So that is what's 280 00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 1: called the Temple tax, and it was instituted during the 281 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: days of the kings, and I believe when the Israelites 282 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: came back from the Babylonian takeover, they also reinstituted the 283 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: temple tax. And there's also evidence of it happening in 284 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: the days of Jesus as well, because one of the 285 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: Pharisees goes up to I believe one of Jesus's disciples 286 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: it might have been Peter, and demanded the temple tax 287 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: from them. So right here it could be that joe 288 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: Ash was requiring the people to do the temple tax 289 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: that had been talked about in Exos chapter thirty. But 290 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: I actually am not sure if that's what this is 291 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: because it says in verse ten that all the princes 292 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:49,840 Speaker 1: and all the people rejoiced and brought in and cast 293 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 1: into the chest until they had filled it. And usually 294 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: people don't get all that excited about taxes, like required taxes, 295 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: so I kind of am not sure that's what this 296 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: is talking about. It could actually be talking about the 297 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: gifts that were given to Moses when he was first 298 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: going to build the ten of Meeting. In Exodus thirty five, 299 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: verses four through nine discuss this. It says Moses spoke 300 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 1: to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying 301 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 1: this is the thing which Yahweh commanded, saying, take from 302 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,120 Speaker 1: among you an offering to Yahweh, whoever is of a 303 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: willing heart, let him bring it as Yahweh's offering, gold, silver, bronze, blue, purple, scarlet, 304 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 1: fine linen, goat's hair, ramskins, dyed red sea cow hides, 305 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 1: acasha wood oil, for the light spices, for the anointing oil, 306 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 1: and for the sweet incense, onyx stones and stones to 307 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: be set for the ephod and for the breastplate. So 308 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 1: that was a willing offering that the people in the 309 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:51,920 Speaker 1: wilderness were to give for the completion of the ten 310 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: of meeting. So it could be that that is what 311 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: Joe Ash is talking about here when it says in 312 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 1: verse nine of our passage that the people were to 313 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 1: bring in for Yahweh the tax that Moses, the servant 314 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: of God, had laid on Israel in the wilderness. It 315 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,400 Speaker 1: was a willing gift, and that is why the people rejoiced, 316 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,320 Speaker 1: because they saw that the king was actually serious about 317 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:19,200 Speaker 1: fixing up the temple, and the people were excited. And 318 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: it actually said that they did in fact bring their 319 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: money to this chest which was sitting right next to 320 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 1: the altar, and it sounds like anybody could give. Any 321 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: person that wanted to bring money could bring as much 322 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: as they wanted for the renewing of the temple. But 323 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: everybody was so excited that it actually implies that it 324 00:17:39,560 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 1: was filled every single day verse eleven. Whenever the chest 325 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: was brought to the king's officers by the hand of 326 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 1: the levites. And when they saw that there was very 327 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: much money, the King's scribe and the Chief Priest's officer 328 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: came and emptied the chest and took it and carried 329 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 1: it to its place again. They did this day by 330 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: day and gathered money in abundance. So that's how excited 331 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: the peace people were. They were bringing money and filling 332 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: this chest every single day, and they gathered money in abundance, 333 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: is what it says. So the king followed through. He 334 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: didn't just take this money for himself. He actually gave 335 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,280 Speaker 1: the money to Johoida, who gave it to the work 336 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:18,840 Speaker 1: of the service of Yahway's house, is what it says 337 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:23,120 Speaker 1: in verse twelve. They hired masons and carpenters to restore 338 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 1: Yahway's house, and also those who worked on iron and 339 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:30,159 Speaker 1: bronze to repair Yahway's house. So the workmen worked and 340 00:18:30,200 --> 00:18:33,600 Speaker 1: the work of repairing went forward in their hands. They 341 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 1: set up God's house as it was designed and strengthened it. 342 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,440 Speaker 1: So now the temple is back to its original design. 343 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 1: Its original design was made during the days of King Solomon. 344 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: Remember we talked about that at the beginning of Second Chronicles, 345 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: how beautiful the temple to God actually was, just overlaid 346 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: with gold and so many beautiful instruments in it, and 347 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: how everything was just built and constructed to the highest 348 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: degree of excellence. That is what King joe Ash did 349 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: for God's temple. So it says in verse fourteen, when 350 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,119 Speaker 1: they had finished, they brought the rest of the money 351 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,479 Speaker 1: before the King and Jehoida, from which were made vessels 352 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:14,439 Speaker 1: for Yaway's house, even vessels with which to minister and 353 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: to offer, including spoons and vessels of gold and silver. 354 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: They offered burnt offerings in Yaway's house continually all the 355 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: days of Jehoida. So there are certainly a few things 356 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: that we can take away from this passage for today. 357 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: The first thing we can take from this is obviously 358 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: that it's good to give with a cheerful heart. God 359 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: does not want us to give because we've felt guilted 360 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: or manipulated in some way. He wants us to give 361 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: willingly and cheerfully. That is what scripture tells us that 362 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: God says. He says, I love a cheerful giver. And 363 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: you can see here how everything changed when people started 364 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: giving cheerfully. At first, you know, years are going by 365 00:19:56,119 --> 00:20:00,199 Speaker 1: without any money getting collected for the temple because the 366 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: priests were going door to door and the levites weren't 367 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: even doing their jobs, and people weren't giving willingly. It 368 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,600 Speaker 1: sounds like it almost felt more forced. You know, when 369 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: a priest shows up at your door and it's like, hey, 370 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 1: are you willing to give? That feels a little bit 371 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: more guilt induced, right, And so they weren't gathering funds 372 00:20:18,359 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: in that way. It wasn't until they put an optional 373 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: box next to the altar that is when they started 374 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 1: getting donations because people gave cheerfully and not out of obligation, 375 00:20:30,359 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 1: but out of a willing heart. And what was also 376 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,479 Speaker 1: really good about that is the people were going to 377 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:40,959 Speaker 1: the temple and seeing the problems with it. You know, 378 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 1: the priests weren't just going door to door and talking 379 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: about the problems. The people were seeing them with their 380 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: own eyes, and I'm sure the priests were saying like, yeah, 381 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,240 Speaker 1: we need to fix up this temple. Like look at 382 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: this hole in the wall over here. Look how we 383 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 1: don't have any more candlesticks or spoons. Look how they've 384 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 1: all been taken and given to the bails. We've got 385 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 1: nothing here for y'all. And when the people saw with 386 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: their own eyes what was happening, they wanted to give. 387 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:09,080 Speaker 1: They gave cheerfully, And that's very, very important. You know, 388 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: people don't want to give out of obligation. They want 389 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 1: to give willingly and cheerfully, and that's what God wants 390 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,359 Speaker 1: us to do as well. So we need to find 391 00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:21,439 Speaker 1: that cheerful heart to give and not feel guilted or 392 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:26,959 Speaker 1: manipulated into giving. Each person should give what they want 393 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: to give to God. So that's the main thing we 394 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: can learn from our passage for today. Now, faithful listeners, 395 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: there's one last thing I think we can learn from 396 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 1: today's passage, which I will talk about right after a 397 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: word from our sponsor. Now, the last thing I want 398 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 1: to say about today's passage is it kind of reminds 399 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: me of Matthew nine thirty five through thirty eight. This 400 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,360 Speaker 1: is from the ESV version. It says, and Jesus went 401 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 1: throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues 402 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: and proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every 403 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,680 Speaker 1: disease and every affliction. When he saw all the crowds, 404 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, 405 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 406 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 1: the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, 407 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send 408 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: out laborers into his harvest. That versus discussing how there 409 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 1: are so many things that could be done for God's kingdom, 410 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: for like the advancement of God's kingdom, but very few 411 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: people to actually accomplish the task. And the reason there's 412 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:34,639 Speaker 1: very few people is because very few are willing to 413 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 1: do it, just like the Levites discussed in our passage 414 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: for today, who were unwilling to go door to door 415 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:42,760 Speaker 1: for whatever reason, whether it was a good reason or 416 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: a bad reason, they were unwilling to do it. They 417 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 1: were not true workers and that's what Jesus talks about here. 418 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 1: He says the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 419 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:55,120 Speaker 1: So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send 420 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: out laborers into his harvest. So not only do we 421 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,359 Speaker 1: need to learn to be cheerful givers, but we also 422 00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: need to learn how to be cheerful laborers as well. 423 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 1: We need to be people that are willing to go 424 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 1: out and advance God's kingdom, however that might look, whether 425 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:16,199 Speaker 1: it's volunteering at your church on Sunday mornings, or evangelizing 426 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: to somebody, whatever it might be. There are not enough 427 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 1: laborers out there for how plentiful the harvest could be. 428 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: So we need to pray for other people to become 429 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: cheerful givers and cheerful laborers and servants. And we also 430 00:23:30,119 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: need to pray for ourselves that we become cheerful givers 431 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 1: and cheerful laborers and servants. Well, Faith listeners, I hope 432 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: you have a fantastic and wonderful rest of your day, 433 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: rest of your Monday. I will see all of you 434 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: guys tomorrow for the last episode of two Timothy, Happy Listening, 435 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 1: and God bless. I just want to take a second 436 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 1: to thank the team at Life Audio for their partnership 437 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: with me on the Bible Explain podcast. In fact, if 438 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: you go to audio dot com you will find dozens 439 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got 440 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.