2 Crônicas 15
Wayne Barber · Citado em PreceptAustin
2 Crônicas 15
Barber - "Those difficult times were a consequence of having forsaken the Lord. God permitted those acts in order to compel His people to seek Him. When they did, He helped them" (2 Chronicles: God's Blessing of His Faith People) THOUGHT - No God, no peace. Know God, know peace! This axiom was true in ancient Israel and is true today in our lives. Seek first the King of Shalom and you will experience the peaceful fruit of righteousness, from the Righteous One. 2 Chronicles 15:6 “Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. nation: 2Ch 12:15 13:17 Mk 13:8 Lu 21:9,10 God: 2Ch 33:11 36:17 Jdg 2:14 Ps 106:41 Isa 10:6 Am 3:6 Lu 21:22-24 DIVINE DISTURBANCES Nation was crushed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every kind of distress. 2 Chronicles 15:7 “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.” KJV 2 Chronicles 15:7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. BGT 2 Chronicles 15:7 καὶ ὑμεῖς ἰσχύσατε καὶ μὴ ἐκλυέσθωσαν αἱ χεῖρες ὑμῶν ὅτι ἔστιν μισθὸς τῇ ἐργασίᾳ ὑμῶν LXE 2 Chronicles 15:7 But be ye strong, and let not your hands be weakened: for there is a reward for your work. NET 2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and don't get discouraged, for your work will be rewarded." CSB 2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong; don't be discouraged, for your work has a reward." ESV 2 Chronicles 15:7 But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." NIV 2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded." NLT 2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded." NRS 2 Chronicles 15:7 But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." NJB 2 Chronicles 15:7 So be strong, do not be discouraged, for your deeds will be rewarded.' NAB 2 Chronicles 15:7 But as for you, be strong and do not relax, for your work shall be rewarded." YLT 2 Chronicles 15:7 and ye, be ye strong, and let not your hands be feeble, for there is a reward for your work.' strong: Jos 1:7,9 1Ch 28:20 Ps 27:14 Isa 35:3,4 Da 10:19 1Co 16:13 Eph 6:10 your work: Ge 15:1 Ru 2:12 Ps 19:11 58:11 Mt 5:12,46 6:1,4,6,18 10:41,42 Lu 6:35 Ro 4:4,5 1Co 3:8,14 9:17,18 1Co 15:58 Col 3:24 Heb 6:10 Heb 10:35 2Jn 1:8 Related Passages: Joshua 1:7; 9+ “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. (1:9) “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Jeremiah 31:16 Thus says the LORD, “Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded,” declares the LORD, “And they will return from the land of the enemy. THE REWARD FOR BEING STRONG & COURAGEOUS One could also title this verse "Faithfulness in reform finds favor with God." But you - A strategic term of contrast. An about face so to speak, turning from disturbances to Yahweh. Azariah wanted Asa and all of God’s people to profit from the Israel's past mistakes alluded to in 2Ch 15:3-6. In light of their mistakes, you (Asa and his people) don't make the same mistakes. Be strong (chazaq - command; Lxx -ischuo - aorist imperative) and do not lose courage (Literally ="let not your hands drop, fail or be weak"), for (term of explanation) there is reward for your work - But you be strong - chazaq - A command to be resolute and show indomitable spirit which would be necessary to persevere in the face of the people's opposition to Asa's reform measures. In the Septuagint "be strong" (Septuagint = ischuo) is in the aorist imperative and "do not lose courage" is present imperative with a negative meaning, stop losing courage (Septuagint = ekluo) or don't begin to lose courage. THOUGHT - This same charge is given to believers today, Paul commanding "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord." (1Cor 15:58+) "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love." (1Co 16:13-14+ - all 5 verbs present imperative) EXHORTATION TO BE STRONG IS FREQUENT IN THE BIBLE - (IF YOUR SPIRITUAL STRENGTH IS SAGGING A BIT TODAY, YOU MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME AND READ THROUGH THESE "BE STRONG'S" MAKING SURE TO EXAMINE THE CONTEXT. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOU WILL BE SPIRITUALLY STRONGER AFTER THIS BRIEF, SIMPLE EXERCISE. AND BE SURE AND WRITE DOWN YOUR OBSERVATIONS SO YOU CAN REFRESH YOUR MEMORY IN DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS TO COME!) Deut 31:6–7, 23; Josh 1:6–7, 9, 18; Josh 10:25, 1Ki 2:2, 1 Chr 22:13; 28:10, 20; 2 Chr 32:7; Ps 27:14; Ps 31:24, Hag 2:4; Zech 8:9, 13; 1Co 16:13 Eph 6:10 and 2 Tim 2:1 Bob
2 Crônicas 15
Barber - Azariah inspired Asa to seek God afresh. Perhaps with such a significant victory behind them Asa and his men may have had lurking in their hearts the thought, “Now we can ease up on our devotion to the Lord and enjoy the fruits of our labors.” (The Hebrew text reads, “let one’s hands drop.” Such an attitude had to be resisted.) This temptation is very real. Few will admit to having experienced it, but it is especially subtle after we have received some significant blessing. (2 Chronicles: God's Blessing of His Faith People) W Gustafson remarks that "It is probable that Azariah’s message gave Asa the necessary spiritual strength and courage to remove his grandmother from her position as queen mother and destroy her idol (2Ch 15:16)." (What the Bible Teaches - 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles) There is reward for your work - God gives Asa ample motivation to carry the reforms which He knows will not necessarily be easy or popular. Idols are very "sticky" and the people had become accustomed to worshipping a "god" that did not make any demands on their morality or ethical behavior! THOUGHT - Paul alludes to this same principle (REWARD) which is basically divine blessing for choosing godliness over worldliness, first commanding us to "discipline yourself for godliness" (1Ti 4:7+) and then describing the reward declaring "bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1Ti 4:8+) Are you reaping the rewards of godliness in this life? And remember you reap them not only in time but in eternity! If that's not enough motivation to make personal reforms I don't what is! Azariah's exhortation and promise recall Paul's command to the saints at Corinth "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord (AKA YOU WILL BE REWARDED!) (1Co 15:58+) Frederick Mabie: The prophet’s admonition to Asa to “be strong” is a function of one’s spiritual – not physical – fortitude in times of challenge and uncertainty. This spiritual dimension of being strong is seen in Asa’s response (“he took courage,” v.8) as he embarks on leading the people in worship and spiritual renewal (vv.8b-15). (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary: 1 Chronicles-Job - Page 224) THOUGHT - Spiritual reformation is never easy. Believers have three firmly entrenched adversaries (the world, the flesh and the devil) and all 3 will fight not only independently but together to foil and frustrate any and all our attempts at reformation (aka progressive sanctification). The truth is we cannot accomplish personal reformation relying solely on our own strength, but must continually rely on the indwelling Spirit to supply the supernatural desire and power to carry out the reforms (Php 2:13NLT+). Who's winning the reformation battle in your (my) life beloved? Adam Dooley reminds us this book was being read by the post-exilic Jews - It is not difficult to see how powerfully this message would have resonated with Jews coming out from under Persian rule. The key to their rebirth was a renewed dependence on the Lord. (See Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Chronicles) C H