Tag: chronicles

  • A River of Redemption Flowing from Eden – Justice

    A River of Redemption Flowing from Eden – Justice

    Contemplation of Justice by James Earle Fraser – US Supreme Court building

    Justice

    At the beginning of this series I outlined topics which included justice. Here we will explore their linked applications.

    • Commandment
    • Law
    • Justice
    • Judgment
    • Penalty and Sentence
    • Redemption

    Justice – n. 1) fairness. 2) moral rightness. 3) a scheme or system of law in which every person receives his/ her/its due from the system, including all rights, both natural and legal. – source: dictionary.law.com

    The multi-branched tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

    “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” – Genesis 2:17 CSB

    Paradise by Lucas Cranach the Elder – painter, draughtsman, printmaker and court painter – 1530

    We move now from relatively calm waters of Adam knowing the difference between good and evil to a more tumultuous current of original sin flowing through the generations.

    Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the LORD your God is giving you. – Deuteronomy 16:20

    Justice in the Egypt of Joseph and Moses

    Recent research from Yale Law, The Representation of Justice in Ancient Egypt, confirms concepts of justice learned by the Hebrews. I have quoted it extensively below.

    The concept of “law” and “justice” are intimately associated with the proper behavior of kings and were embedded in every royal ritual.

    https://www.egyptprivatetourguide.com/egyptian-facts/ancient-egyptian-justice-interesting-facts-law-ancient-egypt/
    Ma’at Ancient Egyptian goddess of justice

    Could common citizens expect an example of morality from their leaders? Even the Pharaoh and King?

    In a word, ‘yes.’ According to research of ancient civilizations predating Rome and Greece, a natural ‘connective justice’ was presumed in law.

    The imperfect branches of connective justice

    Again, the research of J.G. Manning in the Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities:

    Ma’at (“connective justice,”) governed personal moral behavior, as can be seen in religious texts, as well as the proper relationships between gods and men, between kings and society, and between individuals. Thus it literally connected everyone from the gods, through the king, down to the lowliest farmer. It was the mirror of the divine order of the world and also the foundation of private ethical behavior. Ma’at was the most persistent and pervasive idea in ancient Egyptian society.

    Importantly, the most visible and the longest lasting image of Ma’at in
    a private context, at least to the modem observer, is the famous “last
    judgment scene,” in which an individual faced his or her mortality by
    having his or her life deeds weighed in the balance against the symbol of justice, the ostrich feather, in front of all of the gods in Egypt.

    If found wanting, the person’s soul was devoured and his or her existence was extinguished. On the other hand, if found “true of voice,” one gained eternal bliss in the afterlife. This was not the public representation of state justice, but, rather a more intimate depiction of the expectations of private moral behavior.

    Do you recognize this universal connection to the truth in the Law given to Moses on Sinai by the Lord God?

    Delegated authority of the Law

    Application of law ultimately leads back to the same question Adam would have to judge after gaining ‘knowledge of good and evil.’ 

    What is right? Is this good or evil in the eyes of the Lord?

     Basic precedents of law include English Common Law and other fundamental documents.

    https://www.law.berkeley.edu/library/robbins/CommonLawCivilLawTraditions.html
    Sir William Blackstone
    • of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, … and secure the Blessings of Liberty … ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
      • The Bill of Rights & evolving societal amendments
    • Religious Law 
    Hammurabi a Babylonian code of law

    The contemporary legal systems of the world are generally based on one of four basic systems: civil law, common law, statutory law, religious law or combinations of these. However, the legal system of each country is shaped by its unique history and so incorporates individual variations.[1]

    A Stream Towards Justice

    We have examined the role of authority in the law. It is here that the roles of God, government, family and community all come into play.

    The basis of all law is the authority by which it is given. Justice requires effective application and fair administration of remedies by a righteous and impartial judge. – Roger Harned


    A commandment comes directly from Almighty God. Call it ‘religious law,’ but an absolute over-riding Authority connects God’s word to man’s actions.

    Hebrew followers of Moses heard the Lord speak directly and were afraid. Even so, they disobeyed the direct command of God even before Moses later descended Sinai with the stone tablets – the Law, carved by the finger of God in stone.

    This inviolable Law would be carried in the Ark of the Covenant; not as reference, but as witness to their own promises to God. Yet many would violate (trespass) their solemn covenant promises to God many times and in many places throughout the long history of Israel.

    Penalty of the Law

    Even though prescribed specifically for certain violations in specific contexts of the Law, ‘penalty’ is not mentioned by name in the King James Version of the Bible. The overriding issue, simply, is innocence or guilt and not particularly the punishment.

    A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth transgresseth not in judgment. – Proverbs 16:10 KJV

    Have you ever considered that the ‘sentence’ of the court is the spoken judgement against the convicted violator of the law?

    Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. – Ecclesiastes 8:11 KJV

    Perhaps you have even noted the legal principle of a right to a speedy trial in the wise advise above.

    Now note the usage of the Hebrew root for the consequence of guilt:

    דָּם – dam

    • blood (342x),
    • bloody (15x),
    • person (with H5315) (1x),
    • bloodguiltiness  (1x)
    • bloodthirsty (with H582) (1x),
    • vr blood (1x)

    Again, this goes to the higher authority of Almighty God. Perhaps a good Biblical example of commanded penalty would be ‘capital punishment.’

    “Whoever sheds human blood,
    by humans his blood will be shed,
    for God made humans in his image.

    Genesis 9:6 CSB

    “But you, be fruitful and multiply; spread out over the earth and multiply on it,”[Gen. 9:7] God commanded Noah and his family who were spared by the judgement of the earth. 

    Looking upstream through the generational sins even in the time of Moses, redemption from bloodguilt against God hardly seems attainable. 

    Kings and Nations under God

    And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass. – 2 Chronicles 19:10 KJV

    reign of Jehoshaphat ~873–849 BC

    From later records of Israel (and Judah after David), we learn of the continued importance of the Law or Commandment of God to this ‘chosen’ nation. The above quote from 2 Chronicles is recorded in the time of Jehoshaphat, in the 9th century Before Christ.

    Note the distribution of authority given by King Jehoshaphat to others from 2 Chronicles 19:

    A King’s delegation of justice

    4 Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 5 He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of the land of Judah, city by city.

    6 Then he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for a mere mortal, but for the Lord, who is with you in the matter of judgment. 7 And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God.”

    8 Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem…

    • some of the Levites and priests
    • and some of the Israelite family heads…

    Delegated authority from the Lord to the King, then to officials responsible for religion, for community and for family. Even warning of how to manage outsiders (foreigners and servants), all under delegated authority of the Lord through others. Not freedom, as we know it. Certainly not license to choose whether to obey or defy any law or regulation. 

    10 For every dispute that comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether it regards differences of bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, or judgments—you are to warn them, so they will not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath will not come on you and your brothers. Do this, and you will not incur guilt.

    11 “Note that Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters related to the Lord, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all matters related to the king, and the Levites are officers in your presence. Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good.”

    God will judge

    God is a righteous judge
    and a God who shows his wrath every day. – Psalm 7:11

    He will judge your people with righteousness
    and your afflicted ones with justice. – Psalm 72:2

    Psalm 111:9 Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
    He has sent redemption to his people.
    He has ordained his covenant forever.
    His name is holy and awe-inspiring.

    To be continued…

  • Looking Back – The Evil Before US, a history from Ezra

    Ezra, Looking Back

    Ezra c. 450 BC

    Picture the priest Ezra speaking to the builders and worshipers in Jerusalem:

    You know well how we have come to this place and the work which is before us.


    In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 

    “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

    – Ezra 1:1-2

    Looking Back before US

    Our focus in Ezra’s story today begins in ‘the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam.’  Ezra chronicles time beginning with genealogies from Adam to the tribes of Israel.  Then he proceeds to the united kingdom of David and Solomon. Finally he reveals a story from about five hundred years before the construction of the second Temple.

    If today you and I looked back 500 years we would record important events of the 16th century.  From our contemporary perspective it would compare to chronicling the turbulent times of Martin Luther.

    Our forefathers fled wars in Europe which had caused the deaths of 10-20% of the population. Therefore colonies of the new world became a promised land for those persecuted for varying religious beliefs.

    Visit this link for more well-researched history of a pre-colonial America.  

    Return now to Ezra’s perspective of history looking back as if you were telling the story of the US in the 1600’s. Once again, imagine Ezra telling the story. 

    A Story from Israel’s Past

    While we rebuild the Temple of the Lord let me tell you a story from the chronicles of our history.

    2 Chronicles 13:

    Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam… 9 Have you not driven out the priests of the Lord, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes for ordination with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are not gods… so there fell slain of Israel 500,000 chosen men.

    Imagine: a half million men chosen by God fell on the battlefield due to the sins of Israel.

    2 Chronicles 14:

    Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David.

    And Asa his son reigned in his place. In his days the land had rest for ten years. 2 And Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. 3 He took away the foreign altars and the high places and broke down the pillars and cut down the Asherim 4 and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment…

    Do we 'Seek the LORD..and keep the law and commandment?'

    9 Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots, and came as far as Mareshah.


    Many of their fathers had been slain on the battlefield and now a defeated army of Israel must face a million mighty warriors.


    10 And Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the Valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. 11 And Asa cried to the Lord his God,

    “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.”

    12 So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled. 13 Asa and the people who were with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopians fell until none remained alive, for they were broken before the Lord and his army.

    Ezra’s lesson to a people looking back

    2 Chronicles 15 English Standard Version (ESV)
    Asa’s Religious Reforms

    The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin:

    The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.

    3 For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law, 4 but when in their distress they turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.


    Do we do that?  In our current distress will we turn to the Lord?


    5 In those times there was no peace to him who went out or to him who came in, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. 6 They were broken in pieces. Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress.

    7 But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”

    Asa Takes Action

    8 As soon as Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded:

    • he took courage
    • and put away the detestable idols..
    • and he repaired the altar of the Lord..
    • 9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin..
    • 10 They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. 11 They sacrificed to the Lord on that day..

    12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soul,

    13 but that whoever would not seek the Lord, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. 14 They swore an oath to the Lord with a loud voice and with shouting and with trumpets and with horns.

    15 And all Judah rejoiced over the oath, for they had sworn with all their heart and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.

    16 Even Maacah, his mother, King Asa removed from being queen mother because she had made a detestable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the brook Kidron. 17 But the high places were not taken out of Israel.

    Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days. 18 And he brought into the house of God the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels. 19 And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

    Looking Back – Ezra’s lessons for US 

    Americans and others tend to look back only briefly at history with eyes that will not see. And any mention of Christ Jesus or the Lord God will quickly repulse those with ears which refuse to hear.

    We evaluate our present dilemma in terms of who we think has wronged US.

    Justice and righteousness fail in our palaces of partisan politics where mention of the Lord is anathema to reelection.

    A cynical nation cries out to the masses without one plea to Almighty God. Do we not justify our ungodly actions and inattentive inactions by a tolerant accomodation of our own self-righteousness? 

    Why do we not cry out to the God of our founders? (That is what King Asa did when he faced certain defeat.) 

    WE THE PEOPLE have forgotten the Lord. Surely the decline of our nation will outpace the fall of forgotten mighty empires.

    As Lesson for US from Ezra Looking Back

    Will it take a leader of another nation to lead US back to the Lord? That was the history behind the story Ezra tells here. 

    And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily.. – Ezra 7:21

    Ezra was living in Babylon when in the seventh year ( c. 457 BCE) of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, the king sent him to Jerusalem to teach the laws of God to any who did not know them. source

    In the 20th year of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, (445/444 BC), Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king. Learning that the remnant of Jews in Judah were in distress and that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, he asked the king for permission to return and rebuild the city.


    Ezra tells of a King Asa, five centuries earlier, who the Lord used to restore Jerusalem (for a time). Then Nehemiah follows with the proclamation from Artaxerxes, king of Persia, to rebuild Jerusalem.

    Yet Israel will again turn from the Lord and captive Israel will await a Messiah to save them from evil.

    When will the nations of these last days remember the love of the Lord?

    For the Messiah Jesus has come to us. He was sacrificed for our sins and rose from the grave in victory! And our Lord will return on the clouds in victory over sin and death. Jesus calls out to the downtrodden souls of humble sinners.

    God rules over the nations and loves our worship and praise. He came to us in Person in Christ Jesus.

    When will you look up and cry out to the Lord? 

     

  • Looking Back – Chronicles of the Years

    “So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. – 2 Chronicles 15:6 NKJV

    Chronicles is more than just recording the history of the hebrew people. Kings and other historical books of the Bible record the events of a nation. Why would someone write out a history of events which will only be read by generations to come? God knows.

    In Looking Back – Nations in the eyes of the LORD we examined history from the perspective of God. Why would the LORD allow His chosen people to fall into captivity? In fact, the Lord had warned Israel to keep her covenants since the time of Moses. 

    We observed that events predicted by Prophets would be like someone in pre-colonial days accurately predicting the amazing power of the United States today.

    The Lord knows what will happen, revealing future events to Prophets. Surely the Lord holds power over the nations and reveals events impacting His chosen people Israel.

    The Lord had a hand in the fall of Jerusalem many times and also in the rebirth of Israel in the 20th century.

    Two Perspectives – Looking Ahead and Looking Back

    Looking back on the nations by the Lord always comes from an all-knowing perspective of everlasting to everlasting. ‘God only knows,’ would be man’s best expression.

    Human perspectives of mankind measured in years can look ahead in speculation or back in retrospection. The chronicles of years of mortal men record history as it happened or as events take place presently. Some Prophets with longevity like Daniel reveal the future from the Lord, then live to record some fulfillment. Even the Psalmists reveal prophesy from the Lord in songs of present praise or lament.

    Moses chronicles the journey of the Hebrew people to and from slavery in Egypt. Yet the Lord reveals not only the Law through Moses, but also prophesy as Moses records history.

    Do the warnings of Deuteronomy not reveal precisely how Israel would turn away from the Lord? 

    The book of Kings records the history of a United Israel and division into the kings of Judah and kings of Israel. Kings reveals which kings ‘did evil in the sight of the Lord’ or what good they accomplished. It continues with defeats, captivity and restoration in an account nearly parallel to Chronicles.

    So what’s the difference in these two books? (One scroll practically reads like the other.)

    1 & 2 CHRONICLES
    The ACTS of the Old Testament

    I want to attribute the apt description above and following explanation of this historical book [a single scroll in Hebrew] to Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

    WRITER: Probably Ezra. There is a striking resemblance in style and language to the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Evidently Chronicles was written during the Babylonian captivity… probably between 450 and 435 B.C.


    Ezra records events which go back to and before the chart above, again, like you or I might do to record historic events for centuries preceding us. Again, Dr. McGee observes:

    COMMENT: Many treat Chronicles and Kings as if they were “Cabbages and Kings.” Are the Chronicles a duplication of Kings? Although they cover the same ground from Saul to Zedekiah, they are not duplications…

    In Kings, the history of the nation is given from the throne; in Chronicles, it is given from the altar. The palace is the center in Kings; the temple is the center in Chronicles. Kings records the political history; Chronicles records the religious history…

    Kings gives us man’s viewpoint; Chronicles gives us God’s viewpoint (note this well as you read Chronicles; it will surprise you).


    To be continued…

     

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