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Bob Utley · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Utley points out that ""hadad" is an ANE storm god who gave rain for fertility (BDB 212). He is analogous with Ba'al, the Canaanite storm god. He is known by several names (ABA, p. 11) Hadad ‒ Amorites, Arameans (Syria) Adad ‒ Mesopotamia Hadda/Ba'al ‒ Canaan (Ras Shamra texts) Ramman/Rimmon ‒ 2 Kgs. 5:18 also (Syrian, Zech. 12:11 he was the war god of the Assyrians; his symbol was a young bull like Ba'al)." This background helps us understand why God would be so opposed to forming an alliance with a pagan worshipping king!
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Utley - the "eyes" of the Lord is anthropomorphic imagery. The phrase "move to and fro" (BDB 1001, KB 1439, Polel ACTIVE PARTICIPLE) is an idiom used several times in the OT. (1) here, to denote YHWH actively seeking those who have sought Him with their whole heart (2) of those who seek YHWH, Dan. 12:4; Amos 8:12 (3) for YHWH seeking one godly person in Jerusalem so as to spare it from judgment, Jer. 5:1 (4) in connection to YHWH restoring the temple under Zerubbabel, Zech. 4:10. See topic GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN Move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support (chazaq; Lxx - katischuo) - This is an anthropomorphism picturing God like a man who is constantly surveying the land, but the fact is that God sees everything, everywhere, all the time! Hanani describes the eyes of the Lord, scrutinizing the entire earth in search of men who will rely on Him (2Ch 16:8; contrast Mt 6:24, Jas 4:8). It is notable that the Hebrew verb strongly support (chazaq) is the same verb used in Azariah's command to King Asa in 2Ch 15:7+ ("be strong" = chazaq) and to which Asa obediently responded in 2Ch 15:8 ("he took courage" = again same verb chazaq). It follows that from the time of Azariah's warning, sometime after the 10th year of Asa's reign until the 36th year of his reign Asa's heart was completely the LORD's and Asa reaped Yahweh's promised support. He lost that strong divine support in the 36th year of his reign when his heart was no longer completely the LORD's! Oh, that we might all learn from the life of King Asa! Those whose heart (lebab; Lxx - kardia) is completely (shalem; Lxx - pleres - with nothing lacking) His - This is the heart of the matter regarding devotion to the LORD! What is fascinating is that the Hebrew word for completely (shalem) is the same word used to describe the heart of King Asa in 1Ki 15:14 ("the heart of Asa was wholly devoted" = shalem - see commentary)! So at one time Asa's heart was "completely His", but hearts are prone to drift. THOUGHT - We all do well to frequently recall Robert Robertson's great words in Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing even prayerfully singing to God "Let Thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, LORD, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, O take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above." Will you give your Holy God your heart wholly today? Will you lay aside that sin which so easily entangles you, so that you will be enabled by His Spirit to run the race set before you, running, running, running with endurance until your very last breath? (Heb 12:1+) Will you Run Like Heaven (play and ponder)? Study these passages on heart completely devoted to God - Job 1:1,8, Nu 14:24, 1Ki 8:61 1Ki11:4 1Ki 15:3, 14 2Ki 20:3 1Ch 12:38, 2Ch 28:9, 2Ch 29:9,19, 2Ch 15:17, 2Ch 19:9 2Ch 25:2 Isa 38:3. THOUGHT - Hanani's message is for all of us and it begs the question "Is my heart wholly devoted to the LORD or do I have a divided heart?" This is a very personal question, and it is one each of us should stand before our bathroom mirror and give an honest answer! If our heart is not wholly devoted to our Holy God, we would do well (I am speaking to myself beloved) to frequently pray Psalm 86:11b "Unite my heart to fear Your name." I also like the NIV rendering "Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear Your Name." And when we fear His Name, we will be more likely to turn away from evil as did Job. In Job 1:1 we read "There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil." From the context, why did Job turn away from evil? (cf Pr 8:13, Pr 14:16, 27 Ne 5:15 Job 28:28 Ps 34:11-14 Ec 12:13 2Co 7:1) Utley "whose heart is completely His" This is an idiom for complete faith, obedience, and devotion. It was first used in various phrases in Deuteronomy (cf. Deut. 4:29; 6:5; 7:9; 10:12; 11:1,13,22; 19:9; 26:16; 30:2,6,10,16,20). It then was used in the historical books for occasions and actions of certain people. (1) Solomon ‒ 1 Kgs. 8:23 (2) Josiah ‒ 2 Kgs. 23:3 (3) soldiers of David ‒ 1 Chr. 12:38 (4) David counsels Solomon ‒ 1 Chr. 28:9 (5) the people as they brought an offering for David's plans for the temple ‒ 1 Chr. 29:9 (6) YHWH's obedient servants ‒ 2 Chr. 6:14 (7) used of those who repent ‒ 2 Chr. 6:38 David
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Utley notes that "This is the opposite of YHWH's promised "rests" for His obedient covenant partners (i.e., Exod. 33:14; Deut. 3:20; 12:10; 25:19; Josh. 1:13,15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1; 2 Sa 7:1,11; 1 Kgs. 5:4; 1 Chr. 22:9,18; 23:25; 2 Chr. 14:6,7; 15:15; 20:30)." Payne - At one stroke Asa thereby sacrificed the results of his own piety (cf. on 2 Chronicles 15:18) and of God’s blessing (2 Chronicles 14:13–14); he induced a pagan ruler to an act of perfidy (2 Chronicles 16:3); precipitated a pattern of Syrian intervention into the affairs of Israel that would have disastrous results throughout the succeeding century (cf. 2 Kings 10:32–33; 12:17–18); and in the most serious deviation of all, he departed from the Lord by placing his primary trust in ‘the arm of flesh’ (Jeremiah 17:5).” (BORROW EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY ) J. A. Thompson: The two periods of Asa’s life are here contrasted. Early in his reign when he relied on the Lord, a great army (Cushites and Libyans) with many chariots and horsemen were delivered into his hand (2Ch 14:9-15). Now in the latter period of his reign, despite appearances, he was a defeated man. He had done a foolish thing, and henceforth war would plague him (cf. 1 Sam 13:13). God knows what is happening in the hearts of all people. He supports those who are wholeheartedly committed to him, but he will not support those who carelessly reject his sovereignty and lean on another. (1, 2 Chronicles: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Heart (03824) leb and lebab note that this discussion also includes the closely related noun lebab -03824) sometimes refers to a literal heart (Ex 28:29, 1Sa 25:37, 2Ki 9:24), but most often is used figurative to refer to what I term the "control center" of our being. Think of an Air Traffic Controller and how dysfunctional, even destructive it is when the controllers fail to function as they should. Just as a healthy human heart is at the center of the body and absolutely essential for physical life and health, so too a healthy spiritual heart (intellect, emotion, will) is at the center of one's inner being (soul) and is vital for a healthy soul, serving as the "fountain" of all moral attitudes and actions. Our spiritual heart thus controls out actions and our actions determine our habits, which in turn determine our character. When God measures the ''worth'' of a man's life He puts the measuring tape around his heart, not around his head. Be a man after God's Own heart (Acts 13:22) We must continually "post a guard" at the doorway of our heart, so that every avenue for sin's entry is blocked. Richard Watson - The Hebrews regarded the heart as the source of wit, understanding, love, courage, grief, and pleasure… The heart is said to be dilated by joy, contracted by sadness, broken by sorrow, to grow fat, and be hardened by prosperity. The heart melts under discouragement, forsakes one under terror, is desolate in affliction, and fluctuating in doubt. To speak to any one's heart is to comfort him, to say pleasing and affecting things to him. The heart expresses also the middle part of any thing: "Tyre is in the heart of the seas," Ezekiel 27:4; in the midst of the seas. "We will not fear though the mountains be carried into the heart (middle) of the sea," Psalms 46:2 .The heart of man is naturally depraved and inclined to evil, Jeremiah 17:9 . A divine power is requisite for its renovation, John 3:1-11 . When thus renewed, the effects will be seen in the temper, conversation, and conduct at large. Hardness of heart is that state in which a sinner is inclined to, and actually goes on in, rebellion against God. HEART - page 1262 in the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery online Acted foolishly (05528)(sakal) means to be a fool, to act foolishly. Having or showing a lack of good sense, judgment, or discretion. It means acting in an indefensible manner, without reason, in foolish haste (Ge 31:28); especially in disobeying God's instructions (1Sa 13:13; 1Ch 21:8; 2Ch 16:9). Uses an idiom, Saul would later say "Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error.” (1Sa 26:21). Complete Biblical Library - Occurring eight times in the OT, the verb sākhal has cognates attested in Arabic, Syriac and Akkadian. When used in the Niphal (passive) stem, the verb means "to act foolishly" in disregarding the counsel or prescription of the Lord. Saul's impatience, for example, prompted him to offer a burnt offering without waiting for Samuel to arrive at Gilgal. Samuel charged, "You have acted foolishly" in not keeping the Lord's command (1 Sam. 13:13). Similarly, David acknowledged his folly of numbering the people. In committing this sin, he aligned himself with human security rather than with God's strength (2 Sam. 24:10; cf. 1 Chr. 21:8). Asa of Judah sought an alliance with Ben-Hadad of Syria against Israel instead of relying on the Lord's power. Hanani the seer rebuked him, "You have acted foolishly in this" (2 Chr. 16:9). When sākhal occurs in the Piel stem, it suggests the idea that God frustrates, or brings to nothing, false counsel. For example, David's prayer that the Lord would "make foolish" Ahithophel's counsel to Absalom (2 Sam. 15:31) was answered in dramatic fashion (17:14, 23). In Isa. 44:25, sākhal (with the alternate spelling sākhal) is used to describe how God "makes foolish" the counsel of diviners and false prophets. In contrast, the word of his servants comes to pass (v. 26). The two uses of sākhal in the Hiphil depict mistakes in judgment. Laban accused Jacob of "acting foolishly" by running away without a proper farewell (Gen. 31:28). When David spared Saul's life a second time in the wilderness of Ziph, the king confessed that his pursuit of David had been ill-advised. He said, "I have sinned... and I have acted like a fool" (1 Sam. 26:21). Sakal - 8v - acted foolishly(2), acted...foolishly(1), done*(1), done...foolishly(1), foolishly(1), foolishness(2), make(1), played the fool(1). Gen. 31:28; 1 Sam. 13:13; 1 Sam. 26:21; 2 Sam. 15:31; 2 Sam. 24:10; 1 Chr. 21:8; 2 Chr. 16:9; Isa. 44:25 C H
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Utley observes that "There is no parallel in 1 Kgs. 15:23-24. This appears to be some kind of memorial (cf. 2 Chr. 21:19; Jer. 34:5) and not CREMATION. The use of "spices" strongly implies a burial. In 2Ch 21:9 Jehoram was not honored by fire because of his dishonorable reign as king. Related Resources: Discussion of Death and Funeral Rites - BORROW Ancient Israel by Roland de Vaux What does the Bible say about cremation? Should Christians be cremated? | GotQuestions.org Raymond Dillard: The fire accompanying his burial was not cremation, but rather a memorial and honorific rite customarily attending the death of kings (21:19; Jer 34:5). (2 Chronicles, Volume 15 - Page 127) Gustafson - Both 2 Chronicles 21:19 and Jeremiah 34:5 indicate that it was usual to have a burning at the burial service of a king. Even though Asa finished so badly, he was one of Judah’s best kings and the people honoured him at his burial. Jehoshaphat, another of Judah’s good kings, followed Asa. Asa’s best years (when relying on God) had a good influence on his son. No other Judean king did as well in following his father in virtue as Jehoshaphat. (What the Bible Teaches - 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles) G Campbell