Justin Houtz

2 Chronicles 16, Revelation 5, Zechariah 1, John 4

DateVersionReading Plan
December 14, 2024ESV (2016)M’Cheyne Plan 2024

2 Chronicles 16

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign in Judah, the king of Israel, Baasha, went up against Judah and built Ramah, “A city about five miles north of Jerusalem in the tribal territory of Benjamin. A military presence in Ramah would pose an imminent threat against Judah.” (FSB). Asa took silver and gold from the house of the LORD and his own house and sent them to the king of Syria, Ben-hadad. Asa requested that they form a covenant as there was between their fathers. The BBC points out that “Asa turned to the assistance of man instead of trusting in the arm of the Lord, as he had done earlier when invaded by the Ethiopians. He sent the Lord’s treasure to purchase the help of Ben-Hadad. The Syrian king then attacked … Israel from the north and forced Baasha to withdraw from Ramah in order to defend his northern border. Asa’s scheme apparently worked, but God was displeased.”

At that time, a prophet by the name of Hanani came to Asa and told him that because he relied on the king of Syria rather than the LORD, the king of Syria had escaped him. “This prophet reminded the king that God wanted Asa to depend on him and not on his own cleverness or on help from pagans. After Asa defeated the superior forces of the Cushites and Libyans he should have known that God rewards devotion with deliverance.” (CSB Notes). Hanani’s confrontation of Asa angered Asa and he put Hanani in the stocks in prison. Asa also extended his anger toward others, inflicting cruelties on some of the people in this time.

The Chronicler describes how the acts of Asa were written in the Book of the Kings of Judah. “The exact nature of the source is unknown, but it most likely is not the same work as the biblical 1–2 Kings.” (FSB). In the thirty-ninth year of Asa’s reign, he became diseased in his feet and although it was a severe disease, he did not seek the LORD but instead sought healing from physicians. Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign and was buried in a tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. “Even though Asa’s story ends with several failings, the honor he received in death corresponds with the positive assessment of him in 2 Chron 14:2.” (FSB)

Revelation 5

“5:1–14 This continues the throne-room vision initiated in Rev 4. Here, the glorified Christ is reintroduced as the slain Lamb, and He takes the seven-sealed scroll in preparation for judgment. Verse 2 asks who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals; the remainder of the chapter answers that question.” (FSB)

Upon the taking of the scroll in Rev. 5:8, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb and sang a new song that proclaimed Christ’s worthiness to take the scroll and open its seals. “The chorus widened [in Rev. 5:11] as many angels joined the living creatures and the elders, a choir numbering millions, perhaps billions, all participating in perfect harmony.” (BBC). The widening continues in Rev. 5:13 with now every creature in heaven, on earth and under the earth “heaping eternal blessing and honor and glory and power on God the Father and on the Lamb.” (BBC). It seems noteworthy to see how the praise expanded progressively until every creature was proclaiming Christ as worthy to receive all honor and glory. The BBC is helpful in this sense by saying that, “Believers will have already acknowledged Jesus as Lord; unbelievers will then be compelled to honor Him. Universal homage to the Father and the Son is an assured fact.” (BBC)

Zechariah 1

“As Haggai encouraged the returned Jewish exiles to rebuild the temple, Zechariah encouraged them to repent and renew their covenant with God. Such spiritual renewal would be necessary for the people to be ready to worship God once the temple was rebuilt (about 516 B.C.). He accused them of doing the very things their ancestors had done before the exile. He was concerned about social justice for widows, orphans, and foreigners. But as the people endured opposition from the non-Jewish inhabitants of Judea, Zechariah reassured them of God’s abiding comfort and care. God would continue his covenant with Israel.” (ESV Book Introduction)

John 4

John 4:13–14 (ESV) 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

“Whoever drinks of Christ’s blessings and mercies will never thirst again. Not only do His benefits fill the heart, but they overflow it as well. They are like a bubbling fountain, constantly overflowing, not only in this life but in eternity as well. The expression springing up into everlasting life means that the benefits of the water which Christ gives are not limited to earth, but will go on forever. The contrast is very vivid. All that earth can provide is not sufficient to fill the human heart. But the blessings which Christ provides not only fill the heart, but they are too great for any heart to contain.” (BBC)

These passages speak so strongly to the heart-filling satisfaction in Christ. Nothing on earth can compare to the fullness of joy we have in His presence. And yet, we choose to forgo His living water in lieu of drawing sustenance from earthly things. We seek these things thinking that they will supply the needs of our hearts, but this will require a constant return to a well that will never provide ultimate contentment. May we then see the insufficiency of these worldly pursuits and instead drink deeply of the living water of the Lord that we may become in Him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

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