2 Chronicles 27:1-9 - Homilies By T. Whitelaw

A brief record of a bright reign.

I. JOTHAM , A GOOD MAN .

1 . Of honourable parentage.

2 . Of excellent character.

II. JOTHAM SUCCESSFUL KING .

1 . The duration of his success. Throughout his entire reign of sixteen years. If his father's reign was longer and more brilliant, his was more symmetrical and complete. If he was a more obscure monarch than his father, he was probably as good a man.

2 . The nature of his success.

(a) He restored and beautified the upper gate of the temple (verse 3), i.e. the northern gate, which led into the inner court ( Ezekiel 8:3 , Ezekiel 8:5 , Ezekiel 8:14 ), and was called "upper" probably because it stood upon higher ground than the gates upon the south ( Ezekiel 9:2 ). His reason for such architectural ornamentation most likely was, either that it formed the principal entrance to the temple (Bertheau), or that there the burnt offerings were washed; cf. Ezekiel 40:38 (Bahr). In beginning with the temple, Jotham observed the right order; first the things of God, and then those of man; first religion, and then business; first the claims of Heaven, and then those of earth.

(b) He added to the city fortifications. "On the wall of Ophel," which ran along the southern slope of the temple hill and joined the temple wall at the south-eastern corner, at the turning of the wall ( 2 Chronicles 26:9 ), where his father before him had raised erections, "he built much." As Solomon's palace, on the southern slope, was considerably lower than the temple, Jotham may have had a good deal of building.

(c) "In the mountains of Judah," on the military roads, he erected fortified cities or garrisons; and in the forests or wooded hills, where such "cities" could not be placed, he constructed" castles and towers" ( Ezekiel 40:4 ). Thus, while like a good man he honoured God, like a prudent sovereign he looked well to the safety of his kingdom.

3 . The explanation of his succces. Neither the wealth of his kingdom, which was "full of silver and gold" ( Isaiah 2:7 ), nor the size of his army, "The land [in his day] was also full of horses, neither was there any end of chariots" ( Isaiah 2:7 ), nor the splendour of his merchant navy, which consisted of ships of Tarshish ( Isaiah 2:16 ), accounted for the remarkable prosperity of this sovereign's reign. If, on the one hand, these were rather signs and results of the flourishing condition of the nation; on the other hand, they were ominous of, and contributory to, the nation's decay. Not only did these in no way diminish, but, on the contrary, fostered and increased the worst characteristics of the people—a love of luxury, which evinced itself amongst the women in a passion for finery and dress ( Isaiah 3:16-24 ), amongst the men in licentiousness and oppression, witchcraft and soothsaying ( Isaiah 2:6 ; Isaiah 3:9 ), amongst both in haughtiness and self-conceit ( Isaiah 2:17 ), a thirst for war ( Isaiah 2:7 ), and an infatuation for idolatry ( Isaiah 2:8 ). The real secret of the kingdom's prosperity lay in the piety of its king. Judah was blessed because Jotham "prepared [or, 'ordered'] his ways before the Lord"—a clear case of imputation of merit and of vicarious blessing. Jot. ham systematically and studiously guided his personal and official actions by a regard to the Divine Law, and Jehovah caused him to become mighty. Them that honour me I will honour" ( 1 Samuel 2:30 ). No piety likely to he either deep or permanent that does not spring from well-considered choice and lead to scrupulous obedience. A good man may pray, "Order my steps in thy Word" ( Psalms 119:133 ), knowing that "it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" ( Jeremiah 10:23 ), and that a good man's steps are ordered by the Lord ( Psalms 37:23 ); if a truly good man, he will try to answer his own prayer ( Psalms 101:2 ), in doing which he has God's encouragement ( Psalms 50:23 ). Rehoboam prepared neither his heart nor his way, and consequently went astray ( 2 Chronicles 12:14 ).

LESSONS .

1 . The best men are often the least known.

2 . A life short in years may be long in influence.

3 . The danger of inferring inward stability from outward prosperity.—W.