1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Life Audio. For more resources to help you in your 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,720 Speaker 1: walk with Christ, please visit us at Bible Study Headquarters 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 1: dot com. You're listening to the chapter today Audio Bible. 4 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Second Chronicles, chapter 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: twenty three, and we'll be reading from the new English translation. 6 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: In the seventh year, Jehodiah made a bold move. He 7 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: made a pact with the officers of the units of 8 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: hundreds Azariah son of jehoram Ishmael son of Jehochinnan Azariah 9 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 1: son of Obed, Messiah son of Adiah, and elisha Fat 10 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: son of Zikri. They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the 11 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as 12 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: the Israelite family leaders. They came to Jerusalem and the 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: whole assembly made a covenant with the King in the 14 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: Temple of God. Jehoyada said to them, the King's son 15 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: will rule just as the Lord promised David's descendants. This 16 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: is what you must do. One third of you priests 17 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath, will 18 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: guard the doors. Another third of you will be stationed 19 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: at the royal palace, and still another third at the 20 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: foundation gate. All the others will stand in the courtyards 21 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: of the Lord's temple. No one must enter the Lord's 22 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: temple except the priests and levites who are on duty. 23 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,880 Speaker 1: They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the 24 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. 25 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: The levites must surround the king. Each of you must 26 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter 27 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: the temple must be killed. You must accompany the King 28 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: wherever he goes. The Levites and all the men of 29 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 1: Judah did just as Jehoyada. The Priest ordered each of 30 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: them to took his men those who were on duty 31 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: during the sabbath, as well as those who were off 32 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 1: duty on the Sabbath. Jehoyada the Priest did not release 33 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 1: his divisions from their duties. Jehoyada the Priest gave to 34 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: the officers of the units of hundreds King David's spears 35 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: and shields that were kept in God's Temple. He placed 36 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in 37 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: his hand. They lined up from the south side of 38 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: the temple to the north side and stood near the 39 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: altar and the temple, surrounding the King. Jehoiada and his 40 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: sons led out the king's son and placed on him 41 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: the crown and the royal insignia. They proclaimed him king 42 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: and poured olive oil on his head. They declared, long 43 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: live the King. When Atheliah heard the royal guard shouting 44 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: and praising the king, she joined the crowd at the 45 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: Lord's temple. Then she saw the king standing by his 46 00:02:56,360 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside 47 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: the king, and all the people of the land were 48 00:03:02,760 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments 49 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: were leading the celebration. Atheliah tore her clothes and yelled treason, treason, Jehoyaa. 50 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 1: The priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, 51 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: who were in charge of the army, and ordered them 52 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: bring her outside the temple to the guards, put the 53 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: sword to anyone who follows her. The priest gave this 54 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: order because he had decided she should not be executed 55 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: in the Lord's temple. They seized her and took her 56 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:39,600 Speaker 1: into the precincts of the royal palace through the horse's entrance. 57 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: There they executed her. Jehoyda then drew up a covenant 58 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should 59 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: be loyal to the Lord. All the people went and 60 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: demolished the temple of Bail. They smashed its altars and idols. 61 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: They killed Matan, the priest of Bail, in front of 62 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: the altars. Jehoyada then assigned the duties of the Lord's 63 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: temple to the priests the Levites, whom David had assigned 64 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: to the Lord's temple. They were responsible for offering burnt 65 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to 66 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: the law of Moses and the edict of David. He 67 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: posted guards at the gates of the Lord's temple so 68 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. 69 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: He summoned the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, 70 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 1: the rulers of the people, and all the people of 71 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 1: the land, and he then led the king down from 72 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: the Lord's temple. They entered the royal palace through the 73 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: upper gate and seated the king on the royal throne. 74 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,559 Speaker 1: All the people of the land celebrated, for the city 75 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: had rest now that they had killed athaliah Let's pray. 76 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: Lord We thank you for your word, and we thank 77 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: you for the privilege of being able to look at 78 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: it today. But it's fascinating when we look into all 79 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: that took place in the lives of the kings and 80 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: of your people. As we go through the book of 81 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: Second Chronicles, Lord, we could see that you are continuing 82 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,559 Speaker 1: to fulfill your plan and work out the details through 83 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 1: which you were about to bring your son Jesus Christ 84 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 1: into this world. But Lord, we recognize that in the 85 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 1: midst of all of that, in the midst of everything 86 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: you were doing, there was always opposition to your heart 87 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: and to your will as it was being expressed among 88 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: your people. It seems that there are always people seeking 89 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: to take the life of the king, and there are 90 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: always people trying to usurp the leadership of the king. 91 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: But yet, Lord, you show yourself faithful to your people, 92 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: and you do that even now. You are faithful to 93 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: us as a reflection of your character. Your very nature 94 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: demands the fact that you are completely faithful to your people. 95 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: You can't be anything but that. So we're grateful Lord 96 00:05:55,360 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: for what that means. In our day to day lives. 97 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 1: We know, Lord, that in every life we experience and downs, 98 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 1: We experience trials and setbacks, but we know Lord that 99 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 1: you are constant, Your presence is right here with us, 100 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: and you work all things together for the good of 101 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,680 Speaker 1: those who love you. So Lord, we're grateful for that reality. 102 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 1: We're grateful that we are welcomed into your family through 103 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: faith and your son Jesus Christ. And throughout the course 104 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: of this day, we pray that our hearts would be 105 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: encouraged in knowing who you are and in reflecting on 106 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 1: the fact that you are genuinely and sincerely faithful to 107 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: your people in all contexts by your grace. Lord, we 108 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: pray that we would be faithful to you. But we 109 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,960 Speaker 1: know Lord that we struggle. So we rely on the 110 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 1: strength that's supplied to us through faith in Jesus Christ, 111 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: and we pray that you would be honored in all 112 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:46,160 Speaker 1: aspects of our lives. We just thank you for all 113 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: these things, Lord, and we thank you for your presence 114 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,799 Speaker 1: with us. We pray it all in Jesus' name. Amen.