2 Chronicles 24:4-11 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

A good intention well carried out.

I. THE CONTEMPLATED WORK .

1 . The reparation of the house of the Lord.

2 . The replacement of the dedicated things which had been bestowed upon the Baalim ( 2 Chronicles 24:7 ). Not the dedicated things Solomon had brought into the temple ( 2 Chronicles 5:1 ); the spoil, in articles of gold and silver, David had taken from his enemies ( 1 Kings 7:51 ), since these had been pillaged and carried off by Shishak ( 2 Chronicles 12:9 ); probably the silver, gold, and vessels dedicated by Abijah, Asa ( 2 Chronicles 15:18 ), and Jehoshaphat ( 2 Kings 12:18 ); the spoil taken by the first from Jeroboam ( 2 Chronicles 13:16 ), by the second from the Cushites ( 2 Chronicles 14:12 ), and by the third from the Ammonites ( 2 Chronicles 21:1-20 :25).

II. WAYS AND MEANS . Two plans for obtaining the money requisite for the undertaking.

1 . The plan that failed.

(a) The "money of the numbered," or, "of every one that passeth the numbering," i.e. the poll tax of half a shekel required of every Israelite as a ransom for his soul ( Exodus 30:12-16 );

(b) the "money of the persons for whom each man is rated," i.e. the sums arising from the redemption of devoted persons (Le 27:1-8); and

(c) "the money that it cometh into any man's heart to bring into the house of the Lord," i.e. the free-will offerings of the people. According to another interpretation (Bahr), only the two last sorts were intended, and the phrase, "money of the numbered," should be rendered "in current money" (Revised Version)—the reason for this instruction that the contributions should be in current money being, it is said, that the money "was to be paid out at once to mechanics for their labour" (Thenius).

(a) their dilatoriness in setting about the work entrusted to them—that the work should have been entrusted to them was the first mistake in the proposed plan;

(b) the difficulty they had in gathering in the money, which from the manner of its levying had the appearance of a compulsory payment—this the second mistake in the proposed plan; and

(c) the too lavish expenditure demanded by their own personal necessities (a legitimate charge upon the collected funds), leaving too small a balance for the work of temple-repairing—that the priests should have been left to distribute the taxes and offerings of the people between their own needs and the public requirements was the third mistake in the proposed plan.

"If self the wavering balance shake,

It's rarely right adjusted."

(Burns.)

The result was that in the three and twentieth year of Joash—the year of a new reign in Israel ( 2 Kings 13:1 )—the priests had done little or nothing in the way of repairing the breaches of the temple ( 2 Kings 12:6 ).

2 . The plan that succeeded.

III. THE WORK EXECUTED . From the money thus collected:

1 . The cost of materials was defrayed. "Timber and hewn stone," at least, had to be bought ( 2 Kings 12:12 ).

2 . The wages of workmen were paid. Masons, carpenters, and workers in iron and brass were hired.

3 . The necessary vessels were constructed. The surplus money, after meeting the above charges, was devoted to the manufacture of gold and silver utensils for the temple service. "So the workmen wrought," etc. (verse 13).

Learn:

1 . The duty of Christian giving, which may be inferred, a fortiori, from this example of the Hebrew Church.

2 . The superiority of the voluntary over the compulsory system of raising money for religious purposes, even should the latter be. deemed permissible.

3 . The propriety of financial boards, especially those connected with the Church, being above suspicion.

4 . The wisdom of aiming at simplicity in schemes for receiving the contributions of the faithful.

5 . The advantage of adopting such measures as shall place Church-treasurers beyond the reach of temptation.—W.