“But there are men for whom the unattainable has a special attraction. Usually they are not experts: their ambitions and fantasies are strong enough to brush aside the doubts which more cautious men might have. Determination and faith are their strongest weapons. At best such men are regarded as eccentric; at worst, mad.”[1]

The above sentiment of the late Mt. Everest climber, Walt Unsworth, is something anyone preparing to preach through 1 and 2 Chronicles might say when looking at their task. Some of your ministry colleagues might think you are becoming a little eccentric when you tell them you will be leading your congregation in a series on the Chronicles. Yet, the God-fearing madman in you, seeing 1 and 2 Chronicles as part of the inspired Scriptures, looks ahead at the challenge and hears only the charge: Preach the Word!

My intention is to make tackling what is a Mt. Everest for many into a journey over a small sand dune on a nice day at the beach.

Historical Background

Along with Ezra and Nehemiah, the Chronicles probably are the last books to be written in the Old Testament. The last dated event in 2 Chronicles is Cyrus’ decree to grant the Israelites (Judah) permission to return from captivity and exile in Babylon to Jerusalem (c. 538 BC; 2 Chron. 36:22-23). Thus, the book is probably written within decent proximity to the return to Jerusalem, once the editor could settle into routine life in his homeland.

In 2 Chronicles, the writer minimizes the failures of the Davidic sons. One follows Israel from the height of the Davidic monarchy under Solomon, to the fall of Jerusalem under Zedekiah with very little of the drama one sees in 1 and 2 Kings.

Important to 2 Chronicles is the presence of Solomon’s Temple, aka the First Temple. During Solomon’s reign, the Temple construction begins circa 966 BC (1 Kings 6:1) and is finished eleven year later, circa 955 BC (1 Kings 6:38). It remains the center of Israel’s worship through its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. One follows the prosperity or failure of Israel as one watches her and her kings’ actions toward the Temple and the prescribed activities that should take place in the Temple according to the Law of Moses.

Sermon Series

In 2 Chronicles, the Chronicler continues to place an emphasis on the Davidic monacrchy, as did the author in 1 Chronicles. However, differently than 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles focuses on the heart of the kings rather than the might of Israel.

I first propose a simple 2-week outline that would give a congregation the broadest strokes of 2 Chronicles so that they might have a roadmap through these very long thity-six chpaters. The title for the series is: God’s House and Her Leaders. And the following is the Big Idea for the series:

Israel and Judah’s kings’ heart toward the Lord determines the gradual demise of the nation and their own lives, but hopes in the Lord’s fulfillment of his words toward his hose and his people.

Thus, the preaching and the outline intend to declare how God’s people go from being the nation with the great presence of God in the Temple to a people overcome and taken captive by a secular nation. Here is a suggested outline for the overview:

Text: 2 Chronicles 1-9

• Title: The Successful Reign of a Frail Wise Man
• Big Idea: The greatness of Solomon’s reign above all kings of the earth—cf. 2 Chron. 1:1, 12; 2:5; 9:5-9, 11, 19; 22—blesses God, his people, and the nations, as Solomon seeks to please the Lord despite his evident flaws.
• Note: The wisdom of Solomon frames his successful exploits. Unfortunately, his flaws are immediately evident and intertwined with his prosperous reign, serving as bookends to the Solomon story (1:14-17; 9:13-28; cf. Deut. 17:16-17).

Text: 2 Chronicles 10-36

• Title: The Ruined Dynasty of the House of David
• Big Idea: David’s offspring’s relative obedience to the word of the Lord seems to find hope in one who restores the Passover.
• Note: Back and forth Israel’s kings vacillate between obedience and disobedience. Then comes Josiah with adherence to the Law. It looks like Israel will mend her ways and follow the Law—that is, until Josiah foolishly disguises himself for battle. Holding the Lord’s Supper in a manner pleasing the Lord rightly returns the gospel to the center of worship and life, but will not spare the foolish leader.

Immediately after you preach this overview series, I would encourage you to consider launching into some of the most memorable stories in 2 Chronicles. In this way, you are inviting your members to see that 2 Chronicles is a very exciting book, filled with the gospel and chapter after chapter of truth extremely relevant and applicable for contemporary living. The foray into the extremely memorable stories allows you to say to your people during the series, “The entire book of 2 Chronicles is filled with pages of story, theology, and applications like this, and I encourage you to find and enjoy them by planting yourself in this book daily during this series.”

Text: 2 Chronicle 6:1-7:10

• Title: This is God’s House
• Big Idea: Solomon’s understanding of the Lord’s faithfulness and incomparable greatness above his house informs his intercession for the people of God’s house.
• Note: The points are simple, only awaiting your stylistic creativity: 1) God is the faithful builder of the house (6:1-17); 2) God is greater than the house (6:18-21); 3) God's eyes are upon his house (6:22-42); 4) God will be glorified in his house (7:1-10).

Text: 2 Chronicles 9:1

• Big Idea: The Queen of Sheba’s personal examination of the report of Solomon’s greatness takes her breath away, as he proves to excel all she heard about him and all of the kings of the earth, and mutually blesses and receives blessing from Solomon and his God, while his record continues through the prophets to Rehoboam.
• Note: This relatively long Big Idea statement reflects the results of the Queen’s decision to investigate the claims others have made of Solomon rather than give into skepticism or incredulity. She is the one blessed by the visit, even as she gives blessings to Solomon for his greatness. Readily, this passage allows for an evangelistic thrust to those who are skeptical about the claims we make of Christ. It also is ripe for the baptized, for often we have not explored fully the depths of the claims of Christ ourselves.

Text: 2 Chronicles 11

• Big Idea: Rehoboam’s acceptance of the splitting of the kingdom as God’s will allows him to experience a secure rule without going to war with his brothers.
• Note: This is a message about Rehoboam’s discerning obedience rather than his resignation or defeat. Wisely, the king accepts this “church” split—e.g., this splitting of the people of God into two peoples of God—as the decree of God; (one almost hears overtones of 1 Corinthians in this ancient passage—1 Cor. 1:12-13; 3:4-5; 11:18-20). The split does not paralyze Rehoboam, but encourages him, in humility, to strive for the prosperity of those remaining under his rule.

Text: 2 Chronicles 15

• Big Idea: Asa's wholly true seeking of the Lord rather than idols in response to the Spirit-filled charge of Azariah the son of Oded turns Israel's history away from brokenness in idolatry to 35 years of peace.
• Note: This passage is about reversing—or for some congregations, preventing—the dysfunctional cycle of evil within the corporate body of the people of God. Many churches with long periods of decline, rapid pastor turnovers, and/or departure from the gospel’s standards, need to hear an exposition of this passage.

Text: 2 Chronicles 22-23

• Big Idea: God’s ordained destruction of the wickedness of Athaliah and the house of Ahab—despite Ahaziah’s age and reception of evil counsel—raises Jehu, Jehoshabeath, and Jehoiada, in order to bring about peace in the land and the rejoicing of the people for the exaltation of God’s king.
• Note: You can explain this long passage in one sermon if you keep the focus on the subject of the passage—God’s ordained destruction of the wickedness of Athaliah and the house of Ahab. Four courageous movements take place in the story: 1) searching for and destroying Ahaziah, 2) keeping Joash in hiding for six years, 3) restoring the Levitical priesthood and army, and 4) executing Athaliah. It takes courage to remove powerful, sinful people from among the people of God (cf. 1 Cor. 5:1-13). It takes courage to protect God’s leaders so that holiness might be restored in God’s house.

Text: 2 Chronicles 29

• Big Idea: Hezekiah’s first year repair of the house of the Lord—its doors and vestibule—and consecration of the Levites, restores the service of the house of the Lord with joy and celebration by the king and the people, atoning for the past sins of the fathers of Israel that brought God’s wrath.
• Note: Fixing the edifice and restoring worship are not mutually exclusive! The two work in tandem to overcome an assembly’s history with God’s judgment.

Text: 2 Chronicles 36

• Big Idea: The succeeding disobedience of the young last kings of Israel shortens their reigns to between three months and eleven years, but finds hope in the coming of Persia and the edict of Cyrus to return to the land.
• Note: I would suggest it would be wise to give your people a glimpse of Judah’s judgment and the hope of returning from exile. The Lord uses the kings of Egypt and Babylon to increase the depth of destruction upon Judah’s kings, gradually, until there is no remedy to avoid judgment for the kings and the nation. The Lord fulfills his word concerning his Sabbaths and yet has mercy on his people and his house.
• Note: Important in this last message would be to speak of how shocking it might have been to the audience to hear the catalog of sins, seemingly, that went unnoticed and unaccounted for in Judah—sins that rendered them worthy of the judgment of God. No generation in Israel would want to hear that list of sins, just as no modern congregation thinks of itself as a congregation that fails the Lord regularly. The revelation of sin and judgment is grace toward us (cf. Heb. 12:3-11).

Application

Each king’s attitude toward God, his word, and his Temple are important to the narrative of 2 Chronicles. Therefore, during this series, meditate often of your own role as leader in the revitalization and or strengthening of your congregation. In order to do so, instead of thinking in terms of “king” and “temple,” present 2 Chronicles in terms of “God’s leader” and “God’s house.” To see that the author highlights that Hezekiah reapirs the exterior to the entranceway and the vestibule of God’s house on his way to consecrating the Levites is important for pious church business meeting claims that improving the corporate worship should trump the repair of an entryway with peeling paint, moldy carpeting, or drafty doors and windows.

Ultimately, each of our sermons in 2 Chronicles must reveal God: They must reveal more of his character, his works, and his will. The sermons must point to the person and work of Christ, as 2 Chronicles is Chapter 14 in the sixty-six chapters of the full canon of the one story of redemptive history. That entire history has the promise of the Seed of the Woman as its faithful undercurrent (3:15); that history has the goal of the glory of God in Christ (Rom. 11:36; 15:4-7; 16:25-27).

Theological Themes

In 2 Chronicles, the lengths of the reigns of the kings, the ages of the kings at their asensions, and their companions are important parts of the story. With respect to length and ages, “three years” (13:2), “forty-first year” (16:13), “thrity-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem” (21:6 and repeated almost verbatim in 21:20), “one year” (22:2), and the like speak to decisions made in the youthful years of a king or across a short or long span for the people to endure.

Micaiah (13:2), Maacah (15:16), Abijah (29:1), and a host of other mothers awaken the reader to potential for interferance, colusion in evil, or the giving of wisdom to the son-king.

The godly host of officials in 17:7-9 represent the rightoues actions of the king toward his people. In contrast, making a marriage alliance with Ahab represents foolishness (18:1).

Moreover, very significant to interpreing each passage are the narrator’s comments on how a king dies and what takes place following his death. Does a king die with obedience or is obstinate toward the Lord? Does he die in exaltation or judgment? Is he buried in the City of David or outside of it? Narrative comments tell us the results of the king’s choices, thus indicating whether or not the king had God’s favor. Only the narration of the ending to Asa’s life reveals a people who do not discern the significance of the Lord’s judgment (2 Chron. 16:13-14).

My Encounter with 2 Chronicles

Second Chronicles should be another portion of the diet of expository preaching your people should enjoy. As inspired Scripture, it too reveals the will of God to believers. Faithful proclamation of its passages will fuel personal humility, mutual edification within a local body, and a zeal to see the Great Commissioned fulfilled. Preach a series to your people about “God's House and Her Leaders” and the role of their heart-choices before God play in their success or demise. As we faithfully preach 2 Chronicles, our people will see Christ as the only King whose heart follows God fully, and who, by grace, can help all believers and their churches to do the same.

Commentaries

Eugene Merrill, A Commentary on 1 and 2 Chronicles. Kregel Exegetical Library. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2015.

Richard Pratt, 1 and 2 Chronicles. A Mentor Commentary. Fearn, Tain Ross–shire, Scotland, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2006.

Martin J. Selman. 2 Chronicles. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove: IVP, 2016.

[1]. Walt Unsworth, Everest: A Mountaineering History, 3rd. ed. (Seattle: Mountaineers Books, 2000), 236.

Eric C. Redmond is associate professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois, and pastor of preaching and teaching at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois.