This pattern is taken from II Chronicles. The Books of Chronicles were originally one. The narrative begins with Adam and is brought down to the restoration of Judah from captivity. It is the history of all that has gone before, briefly rewritten. Their purpose is more than mere historical repetition or completion, however. Their ruling idea is that human kingdoms must represent God-rule. Only while He is recognized and reverenced can there be prosperity. The key verse, "The Lord is with you, while ye be with him" (II Chron. 15:2), brings out this thought. The attitude of the kings toward the King of kings is shown to be the key to natural history, with its rewards or penalties. The Books of Kings as a record of history. Chronicles as a philosophy of history. In the former, idolatry is treason against the Supreme Being; in the latter, it is apostasy from the Covenant God.
Max Muller says: "To my mind the great epochs in the world's history are marked not by the foundation or destruction of empires, by the migration of races, or by French revolutions. . . . The real history of man is the history of religion. . . . This is the foundation that underlies all profane history; it is the light, the soul and life of history; without it all history would be profane." From Prince's Christian History these words are taken: "It concerned New England always to remember that she is a religious plantation and not a plantation of trade. The profession of purity of doctrine, worship and discipline is written upon her forehead."
I think Israel's finest hour was at the dedication of the temple that Solomon built, when the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house. Solomon's reign was characterized by great leadership, by great prosperity, peace and security. However, it was during this reign that the pattern of apostasy began to appear and develop—"For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father" (I Kings 11:4).
Of Rehoboam, the next king, it was said that "for three years he and the people walked in the way of David and Solomon" but later it was said that "he forsook the law of the Lord, and all his people.” And still later, “he did evil because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord." You will also recall that he forsook the counsel of the old men. It was in his reign that the kingdom was divided and the narrative in II Chronicles now follows the Kingdom of Judah and it is there that we pursue the pattern (II Chron. 10-12).
It is recorded of King Joash that: "He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But after the death of Jehoiada they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers" (chap. 24).
"Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart." He later toned away from following the Lord and bowed down to the gods of the children of Seir (chap. 25).
Uzziah experienced a long reign. "As long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper. His name spread abroad; for he was marvelously helped till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction, for he transgressed against the Lord his God" (chap. 26).
Manasseh, another king of Judah, "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord has cast out before the children of Israel. He made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err and do worse than the heathen" (chap. 33). And of his son Ammon it was said: "He transgressed more and more" (chap. 34).
And finally Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, "did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God and humbled not himself . . . stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. The Lord . . . sent . . . messengers . . . because he had compassion on his people. . . . But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy." The Chaldees came and destroyed Jerusalem, killed many of the people and took a remnant captive to Babylon (chap. 36.)
Now Juda had some good kings with varying degrees of godliness. There was Abijah, Asa, Jehosaphat, Hezekiah, Manasseh after he “repented and humbled himself greatly before the Lord,” and Josiah. But the tendency was toward evil and it was never checked for more than a decade or two.
The outlines of this pattern can be seen in our modern society. There are divided hearts, unprepared hearts, a forsaking of the godly counsel of revered men of God. There are men of expedience who serve God while there are saintly influences near; backslidden people who live worse than those who have not known God; children who transgress more and more. And finally those who will not humble themselves, who are stiff-necked and hard-hearted, who mock God’s servants, despise their words and misuse God’s prophets. When their numbers increase the wrath of God will fall upon us.
I am sure that there are lessons in this history of Judah for us. “They are written for our admonitions, upon whom the ends of the world have come” (I Cor. 10:11). Following this pattern will result in apostasy in our day.
Brethren, I am concerned about the conditions of the times in which we live. There is grave danger that a great nation, a nation that has known much of the grace of God, is following the pattern that leads to apostasy. There is straying from the old paths, a losing sight of the ancient land marks. We are adrift from our moorings. There is danger of our being engulfed by lawlessness, swamped by wickedness and swallowed up in a whirlpool of iniquity, and overwhelmed by such an apostasy as no enlightened nation has ever experience.
--L. J. Reckard 1960
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