2 Chronicles at a Glance

This book records the reign of King Solomon, the tragic civil war following his death when Israel’s ten northern tribes broke away from the southern two tribes (Judah and Benjamin), and the reigns of Judah’s 20 rulers after the revolt, beginning with Rehoboam (first king) to Zedekiah (final king) at which time the city of Jerusalem is destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.

Bottom Line Introduction

WHAT HEAVEN REALLY THOUGHT OF JUDAH’S KINGS!

The book of Second Chronicles is the official version of heaven’s evaluation, both of Solomon, and of the 20 rulers in Judah following the tragic civil war.

The book opens in Jerusalem with the determination of King Solomon to build the first Temple. The book closes in Persia with the decree of King Cyrus to build the second temple.

Facts Regarding the Author of this Book

1. Who? Ezra. He was a gifted Bible teacher, priest and scribe (Ezra 7:1-6, 10) who led the second of three Jewish returns from Persia to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:27, 28).

2. What? The books of 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, and Ezra.

3. When and where?

a. 1 & 2 Chronicles: 460 B.C. from Persia (?)

b. Ezra: 450 B.C. from Jerusalem

4. Why?

a. 1 Chronicles: to record the genealogies of the patriarchs, the 12 sons of Jacob, the reign of David and his preparations in regards to the Temple.

b. 2 Chronicles: to record the reign of Solomon and the kings of Judah (only) from Rehoboam to Zedekiah.

c. Ezra: to record the first two returns of the Jews from Persia back to the Holy Land

5. To whom?

a. 1 and 2 Chronicles: the southern kingdom of Judah

b. Ezra: the returning Jewish remnant

Key Events

1. God's gift of wisdom to Solomon

2. Completion of the first temple

3. Dedication of the first temple

4. Solomon's glory as attested to by the Queen of Sheba

5. Israel's civil war and the beginning of Rehoboam's wicked reign

6. Beginning of Asa's reign

7. Beginning of Jehoshaphat's reign

8. Queen Athaliah's bloody reign

9. Beginning of Uzziah's reign

10. Ahaz's wicked reign

11. Beginning of Hezekiah's reign

12. Salvation of Jerusalem by the death angel

13. Manasseh's bloody reign

14. Beginning of Josiah's godly reign and the discovery of the book of Moses in the temple

15. The fall of Jerusalem

Key Individuals

1. Solomon: son of David, Israel's third king and builder of the Temple

2. Rehoboam: son of Solomon, first king of the two tribes (Judah and Benjamin) following the division of the kingdom

3. Jeroboam: first king of the ten northern tribes following the division of the kingdom

4. Asa: Judah's third king and the first righteous one

5. Jehoshophat: Judah's fourth king who instituted a national religious education program

6. Ahab: seventh king of the northern tribes, husband of Jezebel, who was killed in battle with the Syrians

7. Micaiah: godly prophet, imprisoned by Ahab, who predicted the wicked king would be killed in battle

8. Jahaziel: Judean prophet who reassured frightened King Jehoshophat that he would be supernaturally delivered from his enemies

9. Athaliah: seventh ruler of Judah who murdered all of David's descendants except one who was hidden from her, and would, later herself be executed by the palace officials

10. Joash: the baby saved from Athaliah's blood purge who would become Judah's eighth king

11. Zechariah: godly high priestly son of Jehoiada who was stoned to death by his own people for fearlessly denouncing their sins

12. Uzziah (also called Azariah): tenth king of Judah, a good and successful ruler, but who was punished with leprosy by God for attempting to intrude into the office of the priesthood

13. Ahaz: twelfth ruler of Judah, a godless one, but the first person to hear the prophecy regarding the virgin birth of the Messiah (see Isa. 7)

14. Tiglath-pileser (also called Pul): Assyrian king who initiated the first deportation of the Jews in the northern kingdom

15. Hezekiah: thirteenth king of Judah, godly and powerful ruler who saw Jerusalem's enemies supernaturally slain by God and was later healed of a fatal disease by the Lord

16. Sennacherib: Assyrian king whose troops that had surrounded Jerusalem were killed by God and whom himself was later murdered by his own sons

17. Manasseh: fourteenth king of Judah, the most wicked of all until his glorious conversion

18. Josiah: sixteenth king of Judah, perhaps the most godly one, during whose reign a copy of the Pentateuch was discovered in the Temple

19. Hilkiah: high priest who found the Pentateuch in the Temple

20. Huldah: prophetess who counseled King Josiah in regards to the discovery of the Pentateuch

21. Cyrus: Persian monarch who allowed all interested Jews to return from Persia and Babylon to Jerusalem

22. Jeremiah: one of Israel's greatest prophets who predicted the return of the Jews to Israel

23. Zedekiah: Judah’s final king.

Key Places

1. Gibeon: location of the Tabernacle during Solomon's early reign

2. Jerusalem: Solomon's capital

3. Ezion Geber: Solomon's seaport on the Red Sea

4. Kidron Valley: where Kings Asa and Hezekiah burned Judah's pagan idols

5. Samaria: capital city of the northern Israelite kings

6. Hinnon Valley: where godless Judean King Manasseh sacrificed his own children to devilish gods

7. Valley of Megiddo: where godly Judean King Josiah was killed in battle with the Egyptians

Unique Features

2 Chronicles records for us at least 24 events which are not found in either 1 or 2 Kings, even though both these books describe the same time period. These events are:

1. The musical celebration at the Temple dedication (2 Chron. 5:12-13)

2. The miracle at the end of Solomon’s prayer (7:1-3)

3. The appointing of special singers by Solomon (8:14-16)

4. The return of the godly Levites to Judah after the civil war (11:16-17)

5. The temporary humbling of Rehoboam (12:2-8, 12)

6. The victory of Abijah over Jeroboam (13:2-20)

7. Asa’s victory (14:9-15; 15:1-7)

8. The renewal of a covenant under Asa (15:9-15)

9. The early accomplishments of King Jehoshaphat (17:1-18)

10. Jehoshaphat’s prayer of victory (20:1-30)

11. The posthumous message from Elijah (21:12-15)

12. The stoning of Zechariah (24:20-22)

13. Uzziah’s success in war (26:6-14)

14. Uzziah’s sin and punishment (26:16-21)

15. Hezekiah’s cleansing of the Temple (29:3-26)

16. Hezekiah’s preparation for the Passover (30:1-27)

17. Hezekiah’s further reforms (31:2-21)

18. The conversion of Manasseh (33:11-20)

19. Josiah’s early reforms (34:3-7)

20. Josiah’s keeping of the Passover (35:1-19)

21. Details of Josiah’s death (35:20-25)

22. The causes of the Babylonian Captivity (36:13-16)

23. The duration of the Babylonian Captivity (36:20-21)

24. The return proclamation (36:22-23)

In essence, 2 Chronicles includes the following unique features:

1. The longest public prayer in scripture (6:12-42)

2. The final of five instances where supernatural fire from God consumed the offering. Those are:

• As seen by Moses and Aaron (Lev. 9:24)

• As seen by Gideon (Judg. 6:21)

• As seen by Elijah (1 Kings 18:38)

• As seen by David (1 Chron. 21:26)

• As seen by Solomon (2 Chron. 7:7)

3. The second occasion when the Glory Cloud filled the house of God (2 Chron. 5:14). For the first, see Exod. 40:34.

4. The first official announcement that Jerusalem (mentioned over 750 times in the Bible) was the city God chose to place His name (6:6). See also 12:13; 33:1.

5. Three of the most desperate prayers regarding the threat against Jerusalem and God’s subsequent answer are recorded in this book:

• Asa’s prayer (14:11-15)

• Jehoshaphat’s prayer (20:5-17)

• Hezekiah’s prayer (32:20-22)

6. The only battle in history won by a singing choir (20:21, 22)

7. First example of a nationwide Bible teaching program (17:5-9; 30:1-12)

8. Only Old Testament instance when Israel killed its own high priest (24:20-22)

9. The second of two occasions where God punished a king for attempting to intrude into the office of the priesthood:

• Saul’s attempt (1 Sam. 13:8-14)

• Uzziah’s attempt (26:16-21)

10. The greatest conversion story in the Old Testament (33:18, 19)

11. The greatest Old Testament Passover (33:17, 18)

Comparison with Other Bible Books

Exodus:

• Among the numerous parallels between the building of the Tabernacle and the building of the Temple:

• As Bezalel was designated by name to build much of the Tabernacle (Exod. 31:2), so Solomon was designated by name to build the Temple (1 Chron. 28:6).

• Both Bezalel and Solomon were from the tribe of Judah.

• Both Bezalel and Solomon were guided by the Spirit in their work (1:1-12; Exod. 31:3).

• The glory of God appeared at the dedication of both Tabernacle and Temple (7:1; Exod. 40:34).

Titles for and Types of Jesus

1. Lord God of Israel (6:14)

2. The Good and Merciful God (7:3)

3. The Lover of Israel (9:8)

4. The Lord upon His Throne (18:18)

5. The God of Battle (20:14-22)

6. Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (30:6)

7. The God of Unlimited Mercy (33:1-19)

8. The God of the Word of God (34:14-21)