Jotham Reigns in Judah

 

2 Chronicles 27:1-9

August 23, 2023

Jotham Reigns in Judah

Jotham was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok.  And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah had done, except he did not enter the temple of the Lord. But the people still followed corrupt practices.  He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord and did much building on the wall of Ophel.  Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills.  He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. And the Ammonites gave him that year 100 talents[a] of silver, and 10,000 cors of wheat, and 10,000 of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and third years.  So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.  Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.  He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.  And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

 Jotham, became mighty, because he built a great army, accumulated massive wealth, and had only good talented people around him, No, that was not why he became mighty.  Verse six holds the keys to success, “So, Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the Lord his God.”  As I look at the landscape of the nations of our world is there a leader that ordered his ways before the Lord his God?  Where is the fear of the Lord, Our first Bush as President said the USA was a thousand points of light.  And Ronald Reagan stated, “America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere."  Have you noticed that the light is getting dimmer by the day?  Our nations need Jesus, for in Christ alone is Truth and Life, and our nation is bankrupt in the area of truth.  If you read this, please pray that once again we as followers of Christ will let our lights shine before men so that they will glorify our Father in heaven.

From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice