Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter -- 2 Chronicles Part 1, Solomon's Pinnacle, revisited

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Whew, y'all, I've had some deadlines to beat but I can squeeze in a post this week.

We are going through the Bible looking at references to 'heart/ hearts' and we've come to 2 Chronicles...which is pretty much a repeat of 1 & 2 Kings, so we have a second look at the pinnacle of Solomon.  We have more detail about the dedication of the temple; chapters 5 - 7 cover that event and we do have some references there to check.  We begin with Solomon's dedication speech, which includes a bit of backstory.

"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.  But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart."   -- 2 Chron. 6:7 - 8, NIV 84.  ('heart'  is Strong's H 3824, lebab, in each instance; as we have seen, this is one of the most common Hebrew words for 'heart')  Of course, David was not the one to build the temple...that was declared to be Solomon's task...and they were celebrating its completion.

Then Solomon prayed an eloquent prayer, which was also an exhortation to the people about sin and its consequences...and God's mercy

"and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel -- each one aware of his afflictions and pains, and spreading out his hands toward this temple -- then hear from heaven, your dwelling place.  Forgive, and deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you know the hearts of all men)"  -- 2 Chron. 6:29-30 '(heart/ hearts' is Strong's H 3824 again)

"When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to a land far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captivity and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong and acted wickedly'; and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity where they were taken, and pray toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and toward the temple I have built for your Name, then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their pleas and uphold their cause.  And forgive our people, who have sinned against you."  - 2 Chron. 6:36-39 

The second passage is interesting; the second use of 'heart' in the NIV ('turn back to you with al their heart and soul') is Strong's H 3820, Leb, which is the other most common Hebrew word for 'heart', but the the phrase translated 'have a change of heart' is not uniformly translated using the word 'heart'.   The Hebrew there is Strong's H 413 - el.  , which is a preposition meaning, generally,  'to, towards' .   The ESV  reads 'if they turn their heart';  The NASB renders it 'If they take thought';  New King James is 'when they come to themselves' NLT is 'they might turn to you'; the Hebrew Names version is 'repent themselves'.

Lots of words from a little two character word; the connotation in English is that there has been reflection and consideration that leads to a reversal, in pretty much all the translations listed on the page in the Blue Letter Bible app (I have only included the more common ones).  Clearly, the Hebrew word has a lot more shade and color than comes across in the strict translation, that the change of heart is movement, action, with a direction...a movement towards...not a movement away.

Y'know, I had some idea of what I was going to say before I looked up the words.  I expected them all to be 3824/3820, which really are variations of the same word.  But 413 threw me a bit.  Wasn't expecting that.

But you know, the application still works.   God will deliver his people from their captivity if they confess their sin...ie, agree with him that they have done wrong...and repent; change direction, and cry out to him.  Now, it's got to be genuine.  All the way through and real.  That's why we have the word 'heart' there.  However, what struck me is that there are lots of forms of captivity that don't necessarily involve being carted off to a foreign land.  Some captivity is mental.  Some captivity is an addiction or some other bad habits.  Maybe it's self-loathing;  Maybe it's a relationship with a person who is...a bad influence.  What EVER.  

God can deliver from captivity.  When there is genuine confession and repentance.

After Solomon's prayer, fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice.

Now they once again had the holy fire of God to use in their lights and their offerings and their rituals.  All they have to do is keep the fire going...on the altar, or via the lampstand.  .Just keep relighting one from the other and the fire will be the holy flame from God.  Years down the road, it would still be the same fire, so long as it never was allowed to go out. 

That's not on topic but it just struck me fresh again. Holy fire is a real thing...

Then we see that

On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes,  joyful and glad in heart for the good things the LORD had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.   -- 2 Chron. 7:10 ('Heart' is H 3820 again)

Solomon then had a dream again, and God appeared to him and confirmed all that he had said.

"I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever.  My eyes and my  heart will always be there." -- 2 Chronicles 7:16; notice this is GOD'S heart in this verse.  And it is H 3820 also.

One more verse that shows Solomon's influence at the height of his kingdom...

All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart." -- 2 Chron. 9:23, 'heart' is also H 3820.

So much incredible good stuff from God to his people in these chapters.  But people are fickle and forgetful and...even Solomon forgot the exhortation he gave his people when the temple was dedicated.

Ain't nobody so high up they can't fall. And ain't nobody who's fallen so low that God will not hear and respond to a whole-hearted repentance.

Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Chronicles

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

In any attempt to read the Bible straight through, it seems I sail right along until I hit 1 Chronicles.

I mean, basically the first 9 chapters are genealogies, which is pretty dry reading, but it also is a retelling of everything that was just read in the first 7 books of the Bible, albeit from a slightly different viewpoint.  So suddenly, I bog down, lol.  It takes some pushing to get through the Chronicles.

I suddenly remembered that repetition about halfway through 1 Kings as I was working my way along looking at 'Heart/Hearts', and I wondered if I should have been also looking at the parallel passages in 1st and 2nd Chronicles as I went through the history of the United and Divided kingdom instead of just doing the books in order.  Well, too late then.

So, here we are at 1 Chronicles, looking at the verses containing 'heart/hearts' and there's going to be some overlap of what we have already talked about.   There are not many verses so I think I can make a coherent post of them all. Gonna give it a go, anyway.

First up...we have Michal's reaction to David's raucous celebration as the Ark of the Covenant is brought into Jerusalem

As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.  -- 1 Chron. 15:29 ('Heart' - Strong's H 3820 , Leb, which we have seen used repeatedly),  which is an almost exact quote of 2 Sam. 6:17.   Michal lost whatever respect she had for David that day.  She didn't understand his zeal for the Lord, and I honestly don't think she cared to.  But she had been through a lot herself, which I talked about in the post from 2 Samuel that mentioned this event.  Her trauma may have influenced her actions and opinions.  Michal had had very little say in what happened to her throughout her life...but ultimately her own choice to scorn her husband cost her whatever chance she had to have a significant place in history.

David wrote a psalm to commemorate the occasion, snippy wife aside; it's recorded in 1 Chron. 16: 8 - 36 and we see a reference to 'hearts'  pretty quickly there-in:

"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."  -- 1 Chron. 16:10 ('Hearts' -  Strong's H 3820 again)  The whole psalm is full of praise and I encourage you to give it a read.

The other verses have to do with the transfer of power from David to Solomon, and the preparation David did for the building that Solomon was to do.

Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon, "I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God." -- 1 Chron. 22:6-7.  ('Heart' - Strong's H 3824, Lebab, which we have also seen repeatedly).  But, David is told through the prophets that he has too much violence in his history and that his son Solomon would be the one to build the house. So David assembled the resources and the craftsmen, and instructed the leaders of the people to support Solomon in his building.

"Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.  Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God , so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD." -- 1 Chron. 22:19 ('Heart' - Strong's H 3824 again).

That just struck me as I was typing it...I had kinda read it as 'set your heart and soul to building the temple' but that's not what it says.  It says to set the heart and soul to seeking God.  Because, apparently, seeking God will result in the leaders having the wisdom to build, the favor of the people, the ability, etc. to actually do the work.  Don't start by building...start by seeking.  THEN start building.

We read virtually the same account later in the book; David calls an assembly of all the officials of Israel.

King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people.  I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood."   - 1 Chron. 28:2-3  ('Heart is Strong's H 3824 again).

David went on to relate that God had chosen Solomon to be king after him, and that Solomon would build the house for the Ark.  He charged the Israelites to be careful to follow all the commands the Lord had given them.  Then he turned to Solomon

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." -- 1 Chron. 28:9. ('Heart' is Strong's H 3820)

Whoa.  Lookit that right there.  'The LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.'.

Read that again.  And maybe again.  We can fool others...we can even fool ourselves...but there's no fooling God.  He knows EXACTLY what our motives truly are.  "God knows my heart" is frequently a justification that someone will give to excuse behavior that may not exactly match up to the standard Jesus set for us...but the truth is, God DOES know the heart and he knows, better than that individual might, what's really going on.  It's time for the people of God to be honest with ourselves and own our actions and attitudes that are based in self-deception.  

David concluded his transfer of the kingship to Solomon with a prayer, and he reiterates that point again in that prayer:

"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.  All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent.  And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.  O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you."  -- 1 Chron. 29: 17-18 ('Heart/ Hearts - Strong's H 3824)

God tests the heart; integrity (no deception of others or one's self) pleases him. So David's prayer is that the people would always have hearts loyal to God.  Because a heart that's loyal will be a heart that does the right things.

Blogging Bible Study - The Heart of the Matter : 2 Kings

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

2 Kings has really only a few mentions of heart/ hearts so we'll look at all of them today...

The first mention isn't until chapter 9, so there's a fair amount of action that happens before we get to it. But in chapter 9,  Jehu was anointed to be king over the northern tribes, and he consequently took it upon himself to complete the prophesied destruction of the house of Ahab.  Ahab had died, his son Ahaziah had died, so Ahaziah's brother Joram was now king over the northern kingdom.  Jehu took a chariot to where Joram was, arriving at the same time as Jehoshaphat's grandson Ahaziah (yeah, I double checked.  Same name), who had succeeded his father Jehoram as king over the southern tribes and was technically Joram's nephew,  as his mother Athaliah was Joram's sister.  Jehu rode right up to the other two; it just so happened that they met at the field of Naboth...which Jezebel had obtained for Ahab by having Naboth killed on false accusations several years earlier.  

When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?"

"How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"  

Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, "Treachery, Ahaziah!" Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders.  The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot. - 2 Kings 9:22 -24 (Heart: Leb  Strong's H 3820, which we have seen often. In this case...the physical organ).

Jehu had Joram thrown on the field of Naboth, fulfilling a prophecy that the blood debt of Naboth would be paid on that very plot of ground.  Jehu also killed Ahaziah, Joram's kinsman and ally, which touched off a blood bath in Jerusalem instigated by Ahaziah's mother, but that story doesn't involve the word heart/hearts so...another time.

So Jehu obliterated the house of Ahab and became king over Israel.  God was pleased with what he had done and promised him that his descendants would rule over Israel for 4 generations.

Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the low of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit.  -- 2 Kings 10:31 (Heart: Lebab, Strong's H3824, which we have also seen often.)

I believe that, if Jehu had torn down those altars that Jeroboam built, God would have kept his house in power in Israel.  But...he didn't.  So his dynasty was limited to 4 generations.  Which, incidentally, was the longest time any one family line ruled in the Northern Kingdom. Treason, murder, and coups were the typical way of succession in Israel. It was a violent era.  But Jehu's line ruled through his son Jehoahaz, grandson Jehoash, great-grandson Jeroboam II and great-great-grandson Zechariah...who was the 4th generation.  None of the kings following Jehu served God, but God kept his promise to Jehu.  Zechariah ruled for 6 months...and then was assassinated.  Roughly 20 years later, after a series of coups and assassinations, the Assyrians attacked and defeated Israel, forcing the people into exile and bringing foreigners in to replace them.

Meanwhile, in the Southern Kingdom, the lineage of David continued unbroken, with a slight hiccup when Athalia seized power, but it was soon set to right and Joash was anointed king, returning rule to David's line,  There were kings who served God, and kings who didn't, and kings who started well but got sideways.  Hezekiah, who followed God,  saw God deliver them from the same Assyrians who overran Israel. But neither Hezekiah's son nor his grandson were righteous, which led the people into deep error.  Hezekiah's great-grandson, Josiah, however, had a heart for God and, in restoring the Temple, found the Book of the Law.  He had the book read and was alarmed at what he heard, for the people had not kept that law.  Huldah the prophetess, however, had a word from God; Josiah's heart had been seen.

"Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard.  'Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.' "   2 Kings 22:18-19 (Heart is  H3824 again)

Huldah assured Josiah that the calamity spoken about would not happen in his lifetime.  Josiah looked to inspire the people to forsake their false gods and had the Book of the Law read to them.

The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD -- to follow the LORD and to keep his commandments, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book.  Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. -- 2 Kings 23:3 (Heart here is H 3820...the center of the will)

After that, revival swept through the land; Josiah and the people tore down all the altars in the high places; Josiah even destroyed and defiled the altars that Jeroboam had built at Bethel, which fulfilled a prophecy made at the time it was built.  After the land was cleansed, they observed Passover.

Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did -- with all his heart and with all his soul  and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. -- 2 Kings 23:25 (Heart:  H 3824)

However, for all that the people jumped on Josiah's bandwagon and followed him in tearing things down, it seems there was no genuine repentance happening; nowhere do we read of the people mourning as Josiah had done when the Law was read to them. It inspired them to  get religious and zealous, but not repentant.  God did not relent on the consequences of the idolatry, which they resumed immediately when Josiah died; perhaps even because Josiah died.  Three of Josiah's sons and one of his grandsons ruled over a period of about 22-23 years, but none of them actually served God or even listened seriously to the prophets.  Mattaniah, whom the Babylonians renamed Zedekiah, rebelled against Babylon and in the ensuing battle and siege the Babylonians defeated him and Judah utterly, and Judah went into captivity.

We will be revisiting this story again at least two more times, but what struck me today was the incredible religious zeal of the people in Josiah's revival.  Things actually changed for a bit; which is a sign of a real move of God BUT...there was no repentance accompanying it, so the moment things didn't go as the people expected (IE, Josiah died in battle) they completely abandoned their law-following practices and went back to what they'd been doing all along.

Because while their actions matched the king's, their hearts...did not.