2 Chronicles / The Book of Records
? 2 Chronicles / The Book of Records
Bible Lesson – 20
The Fall of the Kingdom of Judah
After the reign of Solomon, the united nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms—North and South.
The Northern Kingdom of Israel began in 933 BC and came to an end in 722 BC. Its period of rule lasted 211 years.
The Southern Kingdom of Judah also began in 933 BC and continued until 586 BC, lasting 347 years.
In the Kingdom of Judah, 19 kings from the line of David and one foreign woman, Athaliah, ruled.
Among them, seven kings walked in ways pleasing to the Lord, like David.
Ten kings, like the kings of Israel, turned away from the Lord and engaged in idol worship.
Two kings, like Solomon, began well but failed spiritually toward the end of their lives.
Athaliah was the only woman to rule Judah.
Because God had chosen David, the Kingdom of Judah endured longer than Israel.
However, due to the later kings who did not fully follow the Lord, Judah eventually fell under Babylonian rule.
The Kingdom of Israel fell under Assyrian control (Samaria).
About 136 years after the fall of Israel, the Kingdom of Judah also came under Babylonian captivity.
When we examine the reasons behind the fall of both kingdoms, an important spiritual truth is revealed.
Reasons for the Fall of the Kingdom of Israel
All the kings who ruled Israel did not walk in the ways of God and worshiped idols.
The primary reason for this was:
A Kingdom Without a Temple
After the united nation of Israel was divided into North and South, Jeroboam, the king of Israel, feared that if the people went to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, they would return to the house of David (1 Kings 12:26–27).
Therefore, he prevented the people from going to Jerusalem.
Instead, he set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan and encouraged the people to worship them.
He appointed non-Levites as priests and instituted festivals not ordained by God.
The kings who followed Jeroboam continued these unauthorized forms of worship, completely turning the people away from God.
As a result, the kingdom fell under Assyrian control.
In short:
The people of Israel ignored the temple and failed to understand its importance.
The Condition of the Kingdom of Judah
In Judah, seven kings walked in ways pleasing to God.
The others did not follow the commandments of the Lord.
Yet, Judah had the temple; festivals were observed; priests and Levites served in the temple.
From time to time, spiritual reforms took place.
Reforms in Judah Usually Began in the Temple
Asa restored the altar.
Jehoshaphat sent teachers throughout the land to teach the Word of God.
Joash repaired the temple.
Hezekiah reopened the temple and revived worship.
Josiah repaired the temple and restored the Book of the Law to the people.
However, kings such as Athaliah, Manasseh, Rehoboam, Abijah, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Amon, and Jehoiakim aggressively promoted idol worship.
The temple existed, and priests were present.
Yet at times, the temple built by Solomon was shut;
The Book of the Law was hidden,
Sacrifices were not offered.
The fundamental reason for this was that the people emphasized rituals and lost a living relationship with God.
They boasted in priests, festivals, and the temple building,
but the temple lacked spiritual power.
In 1 Chronicles, the emphasis is on the importance of the temple in national life.
In 2 Chronicles, the emphasis is on the impotence of the temple in national life.
When worship became ritualistic, the temple lost its power.
Israel was destroyed without a temple.
Judah fell even though it had a temple and worship practices.
Lessons God Teaches Us Today
Our churches must not become mere buildings.
Just as God’s glory descended on Solomon’s temple, God’s glory must be manifested where we worship.
Just as the Book of the Law was lost in Judah’s temple, the importance of Scripture must not be hidden in today’s churches.
God’s Word and Bible meditation must never lose their God-given place.
As festivals and rituals in Judah became mere formalities, today traditions, rituals, and unbiblical festivals are beginning to rule churches, pushing Scripture aside.
Today, Formalism dominates many churches.
There is form, but no fire.
There is ritual, but no truth.
Church attendance, sacrifices, prayers, fasting, and festivals exist— but there is no repentance, no justice, no mercy, and no genuine relationship with God.
“These people draw near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips,
but their heart is far from Me.” — Isaiah 29:13
A deep study of 2 Chronicles clearly reveals these truths.
Just as God allowed Judah—once chosen by Him—to fall under Babylonian control,
if we walk the same path today, God will gradually allow us to fall under the power of our enemies.
It is good if churches recognize this and repent.
Otherwise, deceived by attractive promises of false prophets, churches will soon fall under the control of the enemy.
Ezekiel Shanmugavel
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