TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 27
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding. - Proverbs 3:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
Writing history for the former exiles who had returned home, Ezra the priest had several key purposes for the books known today as 1-2 Chronicles. He wanted the people to remember and recommit themselves to their identity as God's people. He wanted them to understand clearly the requirements and implications of God's covenant. He wanted them to feel the glory of their history, including the golden days under Solomon. He wanted them to see the centrality of true worship in the life of the nation, as symbolized primarily in Solomon's temple. And at a more everyday level, he wanted them to learn from the mistakes of those who had gone before them.

In today's narrative, learning from the mistakes of those who had gone before him seems to be Jotham's main virtue. This was the main way in which he gained wisdom and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Specifically, he learned from the stubborn pride of his father, Uzziah, and didn't follow his example of blasphemously offering incense in the temple (v. 2). He would have seen that pride in action throughout his youth, including a decade of co-regency with his leprous and unrepentant father.

As a result of his steadfast obedience (v. 6), Jotham put together a modestly successful career as king. He started building projects. He won a victory over the Ammonites. In terms of peace and prosperity, he regained some but not all of the ground lost in Uzziah's later years. Unfortunately, however, he failed to solve Judah's heart problem—the people continued their “corrupt practices” of building altars in high places and worshiping idols.

While Jotham wasn't personally guilty of idolatry, the nation continued to illustrate a clear historical cycle, one which parallels the personal/kingly cycle summarized yesterday: Worship of false gods violated the covenant with the one true God. This brought judgment and disaster, which in turn brought on repentance and revival. The nation regained peace and strength.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Just as Jotham learned from the sins and errors of his predecessors, we hope you too have been learning from the mistakes of the wicked kings in 2 Chronicles, as well as taking away principles to follow from the good days of Solomon, Asa, and Jehoshaphat. Whether from good examples or bad ones, what are three specific lessons you've learned so far this month? Which one would you like to put into practice the soonest? What specific plans have you made for doing so?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 28
Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. - 2 Chronicles 28:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
As it does today, the abortion debate raged during the days of the Roman Empire. The basic argument was that children's rights were subordinate to the rights and needs of society and family. The Romans further adopted the Stoic belief that life begins at birth, meaning not “life” as such but the status of personhood. Abortion was common, but also opposed by some on various grounds, not including the rights of the fetus. The early Christians, by contrast, not only strongly opposed abortion but also took the rather revolutionary stance of seeing the unborn fetus as a person.

In one form or another, sacrificing children—often literally—has been a pagan religious practice throughout history. In today's reading, Ahaz was judged severely for joining in human sacrifices to the Ammonite god Molech (vv. 3-4). These were especially associated with the Hinnom Valley, south and west of Jerusalem, a location later known as Gehenna and used as a garbage dump. Largely because of such idolatrous practices, “Gehenna” became a synonym for “hell” (see Matt. 5:22). What did Ahaz do there? He worshiped Molech, Baal, and other false gods. He sacrificed his own children in the fire. He burned incense on the high places, with the implication that he also engaged in related sexual immorality. Not only was all this disobedient, but irrational as well. Why would anyone abandon a God who had given victory in order to worship gods who had been defeated?

God punished Ahaz through military defeats, but during this time He still remained faithful. He sent the prophet Oded to tell the northern kingdom of Israel that their victory over Judah was His doing, but that they had gone overboard. The leaders heeded these words and gave up their plunder and prisoners—they even gave them food, clothing, and transportation back home. Ahaz took no notice of this grace of God and made the additional mistake of making an alliance with Assyria. Though that failed as well, the king continued full steam ahead on his road to Gehenna (vv. 22-25).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Choose one concrete way to be salt and light in a society that often unjustly devalues life. You might volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center, as implied by today's illustration on abortion. You could also work to provide shelter and food for the homeless, helping to “rehumanize” those who've fallen through the cracks of the system. Another option might be to volunteer for an after-school tutoring program, aiding children in realizing their educational potential. Your pastor might suggest other ideas relevant to your community.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 29
Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your fathers. - 2 Chronicles 29:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Consider the many Christians who make a positive difference in the lives of young people. College and youth pastors on staff with churches often speak a timely word into the lives of students searching for meaning and purpose in life. The same is true for those on ministry staff with such organizations as Campus Crusade and the Navigators, as well as Christian English teachers who work in countries such as China. Christian camp counselors also often make a unique impact during formative summer programs. Christian writers and musicians may change the course of lives of young people they've never even met.

Behind the story of Hezekiah, there must have stood at least one such person. How could a wicked father like Ahaz produce a godly son like Hezekiah? God, ever caring for His people, must have had an “inside person” who influenced the development of the heir to the throne. From a human perspective, 2 Chronicles should be a record of steady decline and decay from the days of Solomon to the Babylonian conquest. Instead, we find a back-and-forth cycle in which God's faithfulness was the engine for every revival and human faithlessness was the cause of continued backsliding.

Hezekiah reigned from 729-686 B.C., though before 715 B.C. he was only co-regent with his father. Those were difficult years—the northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria in 722 B.C. But Hezekiah focused on worshiping the Lord and obeying the covenant. One of his first steps was to cleanse and rededicate the temple. After the dark days of Ahaz, the doors had to be opened and the entire temple repaired and purified. Once that formidable work was done, genuine worship began again, including burnt offerings, freewill offerings, music and singing, and the participation of representatives from throughout the nation. This renewal was brought about, as they all very well knew, not by their own efforts but by God's grace (v. 36).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Too often when it comes to fundraising, the church is tempted to follow the wisdom of the world in order to get “guaranteed results.” But there's a lot of fundraising wisdom in Hezekiah's actions, and God is the only one who can guarantee results. This is an area where you can pray diligently for your church leadership, that they would use godly wisdom to follow the Lord in the area of finances. You can pray, too, for your own financial attitudes and actions to be pleasing to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 30:1-31:1
The Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him. - 2 Chronicles 30:9
TODAY IN THE WORD
Pastor and theologian John Stott explained in The Contemporary Christian: “Protestants use a [certain] vocabulary to describe the continuously needed restoring and refreshing of the church. Our two favourite words are ”˜reform', indicating the kind of reformation of faith and life according to Scripture which took place in the sixteenth century, and ”˜revival', denoting an altogether supernatural visitation of a church or community by God, bringing conviction, repentance, confession, the conversion of sinners and the recovery of backsliders. ”˜Reformation' usually stresses the power of the Word of God, and ”˜revival' the power of the Spirit of God, in his work of restoring the church.”

Through Hezekiah, God brought both reformation and revival to Judah. In addition to renewing the temple (see yesterday's devotional), the king also renewed the celebration of the Passover. Setting aside recent strife in favor of a deeper covenant unity, he even invited people from what remained of northern Israel to come and join in. The letter he sent showed his heart: he wanted the entire nation to return to God, reunite in repentant worship centered around the temple, and be restored to the Lord's covenant favor. Though many mocked the messengers, some responded openly and humbly.

Hezekiah changed the date of Passover, mainly on practical grounds, since there was insufficient time to prepare the priests and gather the people. In fact, the Law was flexible on this point (see Num. 9:10-11). Despite the delay, many participants still had not purified themselves, but the king prayed for their forgiveness and God graciously “healed the people” (30:20). The entire occasion was a high point in post-Solomon Israelite history (30:26). This was no short-lived emotional rush, but a genuine recommitment followed by a zealous campaign to wipe out places and practices of idolatry. Hezekiah did everything with careful attention to the Law, following David's and Solomon's worship examples.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Sometimes spiritual revival or renewal involves rediscovering history and tradition. So we encourage you to read Christian History & Biography magazine. You'll find sample articles and an e-newsletter at www.christianitytoday.com/history, and a CD-ROM of back issues is available for purchase. The magazine's founder identified its key purpose: “We will develop a sense of continuity and see how the unfolding of God's purposes transcends any single generation, century, denomination, geography, or ideology.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 31:2-21
In obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. - 2 Chronicles 31:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
During the days, weeks, and months following 9/11, generosity abounded. Thousands of volunteers stepped forward to do whatever they could. A special Amtrak train with relief supplies left Washington for New York City. For weeks following the tragedy, truckloads of items such as boots and goggles for the rescue workers arrived from all over America. Corporations donated vehicles, computers, office supplies, and many other items needed during the recovery and clean-up period. By the first anniversary, the Red Cross reported receiving nearly $1 billion in 9/11 donations, serving 14 million meals at the site, and providing hundreds of thousands of health and mental health consultations.

An outpouring of generosity from people marked the revival we've been studying. Hezekiah's personal generosity led to financial openhandedness from the other leaders and the general populace. In fact, the giving was so great that the king had to appoint officials to be in charge of receiving gifts and distributing funds. Conaniah and Kore had quite a bit of work to do! The people brought “heaps” of tithes and freewill offerings for the maintenance of the temple and the support of the priests and Levites (v. 10). They followed the biblical principle of “firstfruits,” or giving to the Lord first instead of whatever was left over. No one can outgive God, though, and the kingdom prospered greatly during this time (v. 21).

There were at least two more key elements in this spiritual revival under Hezekiah. First, order (v. 2). The king organized the priests and Levites in divisions according to various categories of duties. The genealogical records were brought out (v. 18)—these were integral in tracking the identity of the covenant people. Such actions might seem ordinary, but they reflect a God-honoring desire to do worship “in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Cor. 14:40). And second, obedience. Hezekiah honored the covenant by trying to obey all that was written in the Law.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Hezekiah led the people of Israel toward spiritual renewal as a community, but the substance of that renewal consisted in individuals getting their hearts right with God. In light of today's reading, perhaps it's time for a personal rededication or recommitment on your part as well. If you have sin to confess, confess it and be forgiven. If you've given up meeting with God's people, head back to church (Heb. 10:25). If you've neglected prayer and the Word, return to these essential and joyful disciplines.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 32
Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart, as did the people of Jerusalem; therefore the Lord’s wrath did not come upon them. - 2 Chronicles 32:26
TODAY IN THE WORD
Ken Taylor, best known for The Living Bible and as the founder of Tyndale House Publishers, wrote when he was 87: “What, then, remains for me to do? That is what God must tell me. My remaining time, brief as it may or may not be, is always in God's hands. I will be His servant to the end, and then suddenly be transformed from a servant into a son! Then I can serve Him even better, and please Him even more . . . [I am] anxious beyond all things to enjoy Christ's love for me, to express my love to Him, and His love to others.”

These are words from a life deeply rooted in obedient faithfulness. Though he accomplished many things, Hezekiah unfortunately did not conclude as strongly as this. In today's reading, we find both a high of faith and a disappointing finish. The high of faith was Judah's defeat of Sennacherib and the Assyrians in 701 B.C. (a story also told in 2 Kings 18-20 and Isaiah 36-39). The king made prudent preparations, including repairing the city walls, forging new weapons, drafting new soldiers, and blocking the Gihon springs so that the enemy would have difficulty finding water. Yet while carrying out these responsibilities, he didn't put ultimate faith in them, but rather in the power of God (vv. 7-8). He understood that God's glory was the real issue at stake, as highlighted in Sennacherib's letter, which equated Israel's God with (conquered) idols from neighboring nations (vv. 14-15). As the narrative shows, God won a miraculous victory in answer to prayer.

Hezekiah's disappointing finish started, of course, with pride. He showed ingratitude and pride in response to a divine healing, though he repented of that. Later, when Babylonian envoys came to inquire about the miraculous sign God had given to confirm the healing—a golden opportunity to give praise to the Lord—Hezekiah instead showed off his treasures. Regrettably, he failed God's final test (v. 31).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The life of Hezekiah presents a veritable buffet of possible “Today Along the Way” applications. So we're going to lay out a small smorgasbord today and let you take your choice: (1) Give a special gift to your church, as the Israelites did toward the rebuilding of the temple. (2) Host a “worship feast” in your home and praise God with your friends. (3) Start keeping an answered prayer list or a gratitude journal, so as not to forget the good things the Lord has done for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 33
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. - Romans 1:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
In at least two war-torn countries, United Nations peacekeeping forces have been accused of sexually abusing children. In Liberia, young girls have been forced to exchange sex for food and other necessities. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, U.N. peacekeepers have had sex with local girls in exchange for eggs, bread, milk, or a dollar or two. Desperation, the trauma of war, the cultural dishonor of being a rape victim, plus the obvious power disparities, lead these girls to turn to prostitution or sexual slavery as the only way to provide for their families.

We're shocked to read of such things. To prey on children is horrifying at any time, but under these circumstances is especially despicable. When Ezra wrote about idolatry among God's people, he conveyed this same sense of utter abhorrence for sin. As different as Hezekiah was from his father Ahaz, so, unfortunately, was his son Manasseh different from him. Manasseh seemed intent on committing as many forms of idolatry and wickedness as he possibly could. He rebuilt the high places. He set up Baal altars and Asherah poles. He worshiped the “starry hosts” and other elements of nature (cf. Deut. 4:19). He sacrificed his sons to Molech. He even engaged in sorcery and other occult practices. To make things worse, he worshiped idols in the temple itself!

The sin of the people of Judah at this time actually exceeded the sin of the Canaanites whom God had judged in the original conquest under Joshua (v. 9; cf. Deut. 18:9-13). So it's little wonder God punished these covenant-breakers with a loss in battle. At this, Manasseh repented, was restored by God, and tried to undo his previous evils. By this time, however, he was able to make little impact on the nation in general (v. 17), and apparently none on his son Amon (v. 23). The horrifying lessons were surely clear to the original readers of 2 Chronicles after the Exile, just as hopefully they are for us today.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Just like cleats keep you from slipping and sliding on an athletic field, Scripture memorization keeps you from slipping and backsliding spiritually. For that reason—to avoid taking a single step down the path of Manasseh and Amon—we recommend memorizing 1 Corinthians 16:13 and Hebrews 12:1-3. The first is a short but potent reminder: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” The second is for more ambitious memorizers and reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 34:1-13
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. - Exodus 20:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Who or what is a leader? President John Quincy Adams answered: “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” As Josiah matured into a godly king, he ably fulfilled this definition of leadership. His actions inspired the nation back to faith and a true covenant relationship with the Lord.

After Amon was assassinated—perhaps Manasseh's repentance had done some good after all, since the people couldn't stand his son's wickedness—Josiah was placed on the throne as an eight-year-old boy. This was likely a situation similar to Joash's, with godly influences and mentors wielding power in the palace, though in this case we're not told who the “Jehoiada and Jehosheba” might have been.

Josiah began to seek the Lord relatively young, at the age of 16, and by age 20 he was confident enough to use his royal power to oppose the nation's idolatry. The first step was to clean house. His battle against idolatry reads like a military campaign: He went out, fought, conquered, then returned to Jerusalem. And he made a thorough job of it—even in translation, the verbs make an amazing list of acts of destruction. He tore down, cut to pieces, smashed, broke, scattered, burned, purged, and crushed to powder, and for good measure he scattered the ashes on idolators' graves as a warning to the people not to start up the false worship again after he'd left. He was zealously ruthless for the glory of God!

The second step was to repair the temple and thus fill the spiritual vacuum (cf. Luke 11:24-26). Again, the priests and Levites purified and organized themselves for genuine worship. Again, the tithes and gifts of the people were used to rebuild a Temple that stood in ruins. This time, not only the people of Judah were involved, but also the remnants of the northern kingdom, especially people from the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh (v. 9).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you in a position of leadership? If you are, whether in your church, community, workplace, or home, carve out some time today to place your leadership position in service to the Lord. He establishes leaders to accomplish His purposes in His timing. If you are not in leadership, you can serve God by praying diligently for those He has placed over you, and by seeking to follow their godly direction. God desires humility from both leaders and the people they serve.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 34:14-33
Your statues are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. - Psalm 119:111
TODAY IN THE WORD
The work of Theodore Seuss Geisel, popularly known as Dr. Seuss, testifies to the power of the written word. His classic children's book, The Cat in the Hat, celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year! You probably know the book, but what you might not know is that Dr. Seuss originally wrote it to teach kids to read and to help them enjoy reading. He was required to work from a very short list of beginner-level words, and the project took him one-and-a-half years. The final story used a mere 236 words.

The power of God's written Word is on display in today's narrative. The “Book of the Law” found during the temple renovations was probably the entire Pentateuch, though some scholars think it was only Deuteronomy. Had there really been enough time to lose it since the days of Hezekiah? Yes, given how wicked Manasseh and Amon had been, but it's still somewhat amazing that such a vital sacred book could have been lost by the time Josiah took the throne. In just a handful of generations, specific knowledge of the covenant had been lost, so much so that it seems the king was hearing its provisions for the first time. It's almost as if the covenant were “born again” in this episode!

Josiah was a spiritually discerning leader. He realized immediately the importance of the scroll and how the nation had already broken the covenant and stood under judgment. Tearing his robes showed he comprehended fully the seriousness and sorrow of their sin (v. 21). He led the people in a formal pledge renouncing idols and rededicating themselves to the Lord. Thanks to his leadership, during his lifetime they “did not fail to follow the Lord” (vv. 32-33). The message from the prophetess Huldah indicated that his repentance and humility in response to the Word postponed God's judgment on Judah. The interaction of human choices and divine sovereignty remains a mystery, but obedience is always the best choice.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Josiah's revival was firmly anchored in the power of God's Word. Recognizing the importance of the Bible is surely one reason why Today in the Word is a regular habit for you, too. Our next month's topic will begin soon, a book study on 2 Corinthians. Why not start preparing now? We suggest the entry for “Corinthians, First and Second.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 35:1-36:1
The Passover had not been observed like this since the days of the prophet Samuel. - 2 Chronicles 35:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
These days, our world is filled with rankings. U.S. News & World Report issues its annual, controversial rankings of colleges, universities, and graduate schools. CNN and Money magazine make a list of the “100 Best Places in America to Live.” Sports Illustrated compiles “power rankings” of major sports teams. Forbes, as we've mentioned before, lists the richest people in the world. We're daily bombarded with lists of the best movies, best books, best music, best cars, best restaurants, best investments, best news stories, best places to retire, best places to vacation, and best new gadgets.

Interestingly, Josiah was ranked as the best king Judah had had, presumably during the era of the divided kingdom. Second Kings 23:25 says: “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” His spiritual accomplishments were impressive. He rebuilt the temple and placed the ark in its proper place. He reorganized the worship duties of the priests and Levites and started offering sacrifices again. He led the people in renewing the covenant, including outpourings of gifts and freewill offerings. Perhaps most significantly, he also celebrated Passover. This was the first Passover since Hezekiah, and the only Passover since Samuel's day to be celebrated exactly according to the Law (v. 18).

After a long and successful reign, Josiah died on the battlefield. The Babylonian army was on its way to defeat a weakened Assyria. Egypt wanted to go to Assyria's aid, but Josiah, who favored Babylon, tried to cut them off. Why did the king go to his doom? Apparently he couldn't believe that God would speak to him through a foreigner (v. 21). At the battle of Megiddo (“Armageddon” means “mountain of Megiddo”), he was shot down by Egyptian archers. Jeremiah, whose public prophetic ministry dates from this event, lamented the fallen king.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In 2 Chronicles, we see a strong correlation between revival and giving. That's why today's application is to do additional Bible study on the virtue of generosity. Passages you should take a look at include Exodus 36:1-7, on the Israelites' gifts to build the tabernacle; Matthew 6:1-4 and Luke 21:1-4, on Jesus' guidelines concerning generosity; and 2 Corinthians 8-9, on the generosity of the Macedonians and the motivations for cheerful giving.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Chronicles 36:2-23
As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. - Psalm 125:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
A typical book or movie review does not give away key plot points, and certainly does not tell the ending. Reviewers can discuss events, characters, and themes in general terms, but courtesy dictates that climaxes and conclusions not be revealed. If they wish to discuss such things, they put a “spoiler warning” at the top of their column. Then readers can choose not to read the review, so as to experience the book or movie with a fresh and open mind, or to go ahead and read it, if suspense is not a main factor for them.

At the conclusion of 2 Chronicles, Ezra placed a major “spoiler”—a look into the future telling that defeat and exile would be followed by restoration and rebuilding (vv. 22-23). In Ezra's historical narrative, the downward spiral of Judah's history was drawing to a close and the nation would be conquered by Babylon in 605 B.C. A 70-year captivity would begin, extending to 535 B.C., when the foundations of the new temple would be laid. These facts were well known to his post-exilic audience, so the real purpose of the “spoiler” was to make sure they understood their place in the story. By looking into the “future,” when that was the present of his original hearers and readers, Ezra brought home the historical lessons and exhortations of his narrative. In fact, the end of this book was a bridge to his next book, as verses 22-23 are the same as Ezra 1:1-3.

As we read the sorry tale of the last kings of Judah, the historical cycle comes into focus once more: “The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked God's messengers, despised his words and scoffed at his prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy” (vv. 15-16).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Here's an easy application: Hope! Or maybe it's not so easy. Maybe you've hit rock bottom and are really struggling. Maybe you've been, as it were, defeated and carried into captivity. Let the conclusion of 2 Chronicles encourage you with the fact that our faithful God is in control and His promises are rock-solid sure. That's the best and only basis for hope. “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him” (Ps. 126:6; cf. Ps. 90:13-17).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:1-2
You know the depth of my love for you. - 2 Corinthians 2:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
Have you ever had to write a very painful letter? Perhaps you have a child who has strayed from the Lord, or a dear Christian friend who is resisting the Lord in some way. You know the anguish that goes into writing such a letter. This depth of emotion is exactly what we find in 2 Corinthians, our focus for this month. This is one of Paul's most personal letters. As Bible scholar Scott Hafemann writes, “To know this letter is to be moved by Paul's life.”

The relationship between Paul and the Corinthians was complicated and often painful. Having spent eighteen months in Corinth (Acts 18:11), Paul continued to correspond with these believers. In fact, what we know as 2 Corinthians is actually one of at least four letters that Paul wrote to the Corinthians. The first letter warned against sexual immorality and is referenced in 1 Corinthians 5:9. The second letter, what we know as 1 Corinthians, was most likely in response to a letter from the Corinthians (see 1 Cor. 7:1). At the same time, however, Paul had also received disturbing reports from Chloe's household (1 Cor. 1:11) and Apollos (1 Cor. 16:12).

So Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, delivered by Timothy. Despite this letter, serious problems continued. So Paul wrote a third letter, the painful, tearful letter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:4. Apparently, this letter had the effect Paul intended, for Paul was greatly encouraged by the news that Titus brought upon his return from delivering this letter (2 Cor. 7:13). Even so, Paul had many more things to say, which brings us to what we know as 2 Corinthians. Clearly Paul never gave up on this troubled church!

With this background, it might be surprising that Paul identifies these believers as “saints”—there don't seem to be many halos on these people! The Bible, however, uses “saint” to refer to those who are set apart for God's purposes. Despite serious problems in Corinth, these were still God's chosen ones.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Letters often “comes alive” when we know the circumstances under which they were written. For example, Paul's status as an apostle was challenged in Corinth, which explains why he added “by the will of God” to the title apostle in verse 1. Using a Bible dictionary or handbook, take some time during this month's study to learn about ancient Corinth and the situation Paul faced with the church there. If you are using a study Bible, be sure to read the introduction to 1 Corinthians as well as 2 Corinthians.

[Soldier4Christ]

Suffering

Theodicy is the term theologians use when referring to the problem of evil. The fundamental question of theodicy asks why a good and sovereign God permits evil to exist. The apostle Paul grapples with this question in the first chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians, viewing it from a very personal perspective. Paul's aim was not to justify God's behavior in his own mind, but to help the Corinthians understand God's purpose in the hardship that he had experienced while ministering in Asia (2 Cor.1:8 ). The language Paul uses to describe his own suffering is comprehensive, speaking of distress (v. 6), “hardships,” and “pressure” (v. 8 ). Although the precise circumstances are no longer known, it is clear that Paul viewed them as a virtual death sentence at the time (v. 9).

God's purpose in Paul's suffering was twofold. First, God used it to teach Paul dependence upon Him (v. 9). The difficulties we face are not intended to put a barrier between us and God but to drive us into His arms. Second, Paul also saw a larger purpose behind the troubles he faced: individual suffering also has corporate value. Paul was not the only one who learned about God as a result of the things Paul suffered. The Corinthians benefited as well. Paul was able to comfort others and encourage them to endure based on his own experience of being comforted by God (vv. 4, 6).

Paul's theology of suffering was Christ-centered. He saw his personal suffering as an extension of the suffering of Christ (v. 5), not in a redemptive sense, but as an overflow of the experience of Christ. Elsewhere Paul speaks of the “fellowship” of Christ's suffering (Phil. 3:10). Paul's hope for ultimate deliverance was rooted in the truth of Christ's resurrection (v. 9). While the apostle viewed his troubles through the lens of divine sovereignty, he was no fatalist. Paul was confident in the power of prayer to help those who suffer (v. 11).

Paul's theology of suffering in this letter is more practical than theoretical. He does not tell us exactly how a righteous and loving God is able to work through evil and affliction. Instead, he assures us of God's ultimate control and good purpose behind the bad things that come into our lives. The One we worship is “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles” (vv. 3-4).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:3-7
You are a gracious and merciful God. - Nehemiah 9:31
TODAY IN THE WORD
According to Nigerian pastor Michael Okonkwo, author of Controlling Wealth God's Way, “[M]any are ignorant of the fact that God has already made provision for his children to be wealthy here on earth. When I say wealthy, I mean very, very rich . . . It's not a sin to desire to be wealthy.”

No doubt the Corinthian church would have loved this message. As you may recall from our September study through the book of Acts, Corinth was a wealthy commercial center. It attracted fortune seekers from all over the Roman Empire. The city's emphasis on status, wealth, success, and power spilled into the church. Many believed they were already experiencing the eternal blessings promised in Scripture. The gospel was about success, not suffering. In fact, Paul's extensive sufferings caused some to doubt that he was truly an apostle.

This explains why Paul focused so much on suffering in these opening verses of his letter. Most likely, Paul had his own sufferings primarily in view. To challenge the Corinthians' faulty ideas, Paul linked his own suffering with Christ's suffering (v. 5). Far from disqualifying Paul as a true apostle, his sufferings affirmed his unity with the Lord.

Yet Paul's focus on his own sufferings certainly didn't exclude others' suffering. If Jesus Christ and His apostles had to suffer, then surely no believer is exempt. The Corinthians needed to be reminded of this essential aspect of the Christian life.

Given the reality of suffering, today's passage offers three helpful lessons for coping. First, we see that only one perspective truly counts in suffering: there is no limit to the comfort that God provides. Indeed, He is the very source, or Father, of compassion. Second, God not only comforts us, but enables us to comfort others. Like most things in life, it's difficult to share something with others that we've not already experienced. Third, suffering is not some random event or streak of bad luck. Instead, suffering is God's means of producing patient endurance.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Certainly God wants the best for His children. Yet the gospel is not about what we can get in life, but rather what we can give—our very lives. And in a fallen world hostile to God, that often involves various kinds of suffering. So we need never be ashamed of those (including ourselves) who suffer. Instead, today's passage exhorts us to comfort others as we've been comforted. It's interesting to note that the English word for comfort comes from a Latin word that means “make strong together.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 1:8-11
I will show him how much he must suffer for my name. - Acts 9:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
On New Year's Eve 1943, German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote the following from a Nazi prison: “I believe that God can and will bring good out of evil, even out of the greatest evil. . . . I believe that God will give us all the strength we need to help us resist in all time of distress. But he never gives it in advance, lest we should rely on ourselves and not on him alone.” Perhaps Bonhoeffer had the words of the apostle Paul from today's passage in mind.

Yesterday we saw that Paul's suffering caused some to question his apostolic status. The desire to correct the Corinthians' erroneous thinking probably explains why Paul continued to focus on his suffering for a few more verses. Not only had Paul suffered as Christ had suffered, but his experience in the Roman province of Asia took him to the brink of death. The “sentence of death” (v. 9) could indicate some type of imprisonment, or it could be used figuratively to indicate the severity of Paul's suffering. Yet it was precisely at this point that he experienced God's resurrection power (v. 9). It's no coincidence that Paul's words here remind us of Jesus' suffering on the cross and the power of God who raised Him. The status- conscious Corinthians might have equated power with wealth and success. Instead, Paul showed that God's power was revealed to those who desperately depended upon Him.

Scholars aren't really sure which hardship Paul had in mind in this passage. There are several possibilities, although perhaps the most likely is the riot against Paul in Ephesus, led by the silversmith Demetrius (see Acts 19:23-41). Some have suggested an imprisonment not mentioned in Acts, but alluded to in 2 Corinthians 11:23. Others have suggested some severe illness that nearly took Paul's life. Whatever may have been the circumstance, it taught Paul the utter futility of relying upon oneself and the need to rely on God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Corinth was filled with self-made people. Among its citizens were many freed slaves who had worked hard to make a name and fortune for themselves and their families. Such an environment nurtured an independent, self-reliant mindset. For those who live in the United States, this is a familiar way of thinking. Many people believe that “God helps those who help themselves” is found in the Bible! Instead, today's passage teaches us that God sometimes uses severe hardship to show us that we must depend fully upon Him.