Justin Houtz

2 Chronicles 13, Revelation 3, Haggai 1, John 2

DateVersionReading Plan
December 12, 2024ESV (2016)M’Cheyne Plan 2024

2 Chronicles 13

Abijah began to reign over Judah in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam (northern kingdom). There was war between them, Abijah going out to battle with 400,000 men and Jeroboam with 800,000 mighty warriors. Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim and spoke Jeroboam and all Israel. Opening his speech, he said that they were to know that the LORD God of Israel had given the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons. He confronted Jeroboam for rebelling against Rehoboam when Rehoboam was young and irresolute. “Abijah depicted Rehoboam as a helpless youngster who was deceived by the manipulative Jeroboam. This made it sound as though the split of Solomon’s kingdom was brought about by Jeroboam, who had schemed to grasp the throne.” (CSB Notes)

Abijah continued in his speech by challenging Jeroboam in his understanding that he would be able to withstand the kingdom of the LORD because he had a great multitude. Jeroboam had driven out the priests of the LORD and the “members of the tribe set apart for religious service.” (CSB Notes). In stark contrast, Judah had not forsaken the LORD, their priests were sons of Aaron and Levites who were conducting themselves in proper worship and sacrifice to Him. Abijah thus calls for the sons of Israel not to fight against the LORD because they will not succeed.

In this time, Jeroboam had sent an ambush to come around behind Judah for attack, positioning them in both front and back of Judah. When Judah saw that the battle was in front and behind, they cried out to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets, the men raised a battle shout and God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. Jeroboam sustained a great blow and 500,000 of Israel fell slain. The Chronicler makes clear that Judah’s victory was due to their reliance on the LORD.

Abijah persued Jeroboam and took several cities. Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah. The LORD struck Jeroboam down and he died, but Abijah grew mighty; taking fourteen wives, twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. The Chronicler describes how the rest of the acts, ways and sayings of Abijah are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

2 Chronicles 13:4–5 (ESV) 4 Then Abijah stood up on Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim and said, “Hear me, O Jeroboam and all Israel! 5 Ought you not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?

“A covenant of salt refers to a binding promise that cannot be broken (Nm 18:19); the term may be derived from the Middle Eastern practice of two parties reassuring each other of their goodwill by consuming a bit of salt together.” (CSB Notes)

Revelation 3

Jesus commissions John to write to the angel of three remaining churches of the seven: Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. To the angel of the church Sardis, Jesus through John confronts her reputation of being alive with the reality that she is dead and that He had not found her works complete in the sight of His God. Yet, there were still some people who had remained faithful, walking with Him in white, for they are worthy. “A remnant of a few people in Sardis had remained faithful to the Lord. To be dressed in white was to wear the garments of the one who conquers (see note at 2:7) whose lifestyle was worthy both of heaven (7:9) and of returning with Christ at his second coming (19:14).” (CSB Notes).

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia, Jesus through John “commended the faithful works of this small congregation, in spite of their little power.” (CSB Notes). Because they had kept His word about patient endurance, He would keep them from the hour of trial that is coming. They are to hold fast to what they have so that no one may seize their crown. The one who conquers will be made a pillar in the temple of His God. “The one who conquers (see note at 2:7) is promised a permanent place in the temple in God’s eternal city, the new Jerusalem. This “temple” is actually the Lord himself and the Lamb (21:2, 22).” (CSB Notes)

To the angel of the church in Laodicea, Jesus through John identifies her lukewarmness, that she is neither hot nor cold. “The Lord would have preferred it to have been extreme in its indifference or its zeal. But no—it was lukewarm enough to deceive people into thinking that it was a church of God, and so disgustingly lukewarm about divine things as to nauseate the Most High. Furthermore, the church was characterized by pride, ignorance, self-sufficiency, and complacency.” (BBC). Those whom He loves He reproves and disciplines. Jesus will grant the one who conquers to sit with Him on His throne, the same throne that He conquered and sat down with His Father on His throne.

Haggai 1

“1:1–11 The opening verse of Haggai establishes the time and place of Haggai’s ministry. Haggai was a contemporary of the prophet Zechariah. Both prophets addressed the remnant in Jerusalem—those who had returned after the Babylonian exile of the Jewish people, around 520 BC—and encouraged the people to finish rebuilding the temple. The message in Hag 1:2–11 reflects the content Haggai preached in Ezra 5:1 that inspired the people to resume work on the temple (compare Hag 1:12 and Ezra 5:2).” (FSB)

“1:12–15 Haggai’s message inspires the correct response: Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the rest of the people restart their work on the temple. The project resumes on the 24th day of the sixth month, several weeks after the oracle of Haggai 1:1–11 (dated to the first day of the sixth month).” (FSB)

John 2

John 2:3–4 (ESV) 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

“The reply of the Lord to His mother seems cold and distant. But it is not as strong a rebuke as would seem to us. The word woman used here is a title of respect, similar to our word “lady.” When the Lord asked, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?” He indicated that in the performance of His divine mission, He was not subject to instructions from His mother, but acted entirely in obedience to the will of His Father in heaven. Mary had wanted to see Jesus glorified, but He must remind her that the time for this had not yet come. Before He would appear to the world as the all-conquering Christ, He must first ascend the altar of sacrifice, and this He did at the cross of Calvary.” (BBC)

John 2:10 (ESV) 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”

“At this particular wedding, the best wine came last. There is a spiritual meaning in this for us. The world commonly offers people the best it has to offer at the outset. It holds out its most attractive offers to young people. Then when they have wasted their lives in empty pleasure, the world has nothing but dregs for a person’s old age. The Christian life is the very opposite. It gets better all the time. Christ keeps the best wine until the last. The feast follows the fast.” (BBC)

John 2:23–25 (ESV) 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

“Although many believed in Him, yet Jesus did not believe (same word in Greek) in them. That is, He did not commit Himself to them. He realized that they were coming to Him out of curiosity. They were looking for something sensational and spectacular. He knew all men—their thoughts and their motives. He knew why they acted the way they did. He knew whether their faith was real or only an imitation.” (BBC)

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