May 18, 2024 • 12 mins
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Ever felt like you're seeking answers to life's million-dollar questions? Join me, Pastor Brandon, as we venture into the heart of 2 Chronicles, examining the profound leaps of faith and wisdom in the ancient narratives that still resonate powerfully today. We're not just recounting tales from the Scripture; we're discovering the presence of God with those who remain steadfast in their faithfulness. As I unravel the context behind these Chronicles, attributed to Ezra, and delve into Solomon's intriguing story of divine favor at Gibeon, you'll find yourself captivated by the symbolism that speaks volumes about devotion and hope.
Dive deeper into your spiritual journey as we navigate the art of contented living through prayer and reflection. It's about recognizing our blessings - family, careers, health - and reorienting our prayers towards inner transformation rather than external change. Together, inspired by 2 Chronicles 16:9, we seek the strength to be faithful stewards of these gifts. This episode isn't just a lesson; it's an invitation to embrace the courage and wisdom needed to appreciate and honor your life exactly as it is, moving towards a place of fulfillment and profound contentment.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello everybody .
Welcome back to the BibleBreakdown Podcast with your host
, Pastor Brandon.
Today, 2 Chronicles, chapter 1,and today's title is the
Million Dollar Question theMillion Dollar Question.
And I am really excited to getinto 2 Chronicles because it is
not 1 Chronicles.
(00:21):
So if you're just now joiningus, we're going to get into all
that in just a moment.
But, as always, if you likewhat we're doing here, make sure
you like, share and subscribeto the podcast and to the
YouTube channel.
We are so close to getting to1,000 subscribers on YouTube, so
please help us.
And if you are a regularpodcast listener, please go over
to the YouTube channel.
Yours is always going to be myfavorite, so nothing's going to
change about that, but make sureyou go over there and subscribe
(00:44):
to our channel.
It's free to you, but it reallyhelps us in the old algorithm
things all right.
Also, where we all gathertogether is at the Bible
Breakdown Discussion on Facebook, and I love the work that they
are doing over there.
There's some folks over thereworking super hard and it is
just awesome that they justcontinue to encourage us with
these Bible breakdowndiscussions and devotions, and
(01:05):
they're probably also veryexcited that we're no longer in
1 Chronicles, and so if you haveyour Bibles, want to open them
with me to 2 Chronicles, 1.
Here's the thing.
So remember that originally, 1and 2 Chronicles was written as
one big book, and so they wereboth written, probably by a
scribe named Ezra, a priest, andnot only was it written from a
(01:30):
more priestly point of view, butit was also written toward the
end of the 70-year exile.
That had to happen because thenation of Israel and Judah kept
turning away from God and asthey were conquered by these
invading armies and as they wereleaving, 1 and 2 Kings and 1
and 2 Samuel was written, andreally a focus on the kingdom of
(01:51):
Israel, especially after theseparation.
You heard about what was goingon in Judah, but they're really
focused more on Israel and itwas talking about.
This is how we got in this mess.
The reason why we are now goingto exile is because we continue
to turn away from God, and youcould start to see how, in 1 and
2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, howit just kept getting more
(02:13):
negative and worse and worse andworse.
Right, Well, 1 and 2 Chronicleswritten by Ezra most likely is
when they're coming back now,and it was the idea of, yes, we
did these bad things, yes, thesebad things happened, but God's
bringing us back now and we havea place in this land and God
still wants us here.
And not only is it written froma point of view of a priest so
(02:35):
there's a lot more about theworship of God and all of that
wonderful stuff but also it'sfocusing more on Judah, which is
where David's throne was goingto continue to endure, and so
we're going to get more of thestory of Judah and not as much
from the story of Israel.
So there's some differentcomplexities, and 1 Chronicles
was all about them realizingthat they were where they were
(02:58):
supposed to be, that God hasbeen with them, and all of just
the connections that was there.
So it was a whole lot of names,a whole lot of just over and
over and over again.
And, yes, it was just as hardto read as it was for you to
have to hear, right, but we madeit through it.
And now in 2 Chronicles, we'regoing to hear a whole lot more
of the stories that happened andthe different things that was
(03:18):
going on.
And if I were to kind of sum up1 Chronicles, it was all about.
We all have a past, but if Godis with you, there's always hope
.
Well, 2 Chronicles, now thatwe've talked about everybody's
uncle, everybody's aunt,everybody's in-law and out-law
and everything else, and westart getting into the stories
of what happened.
If I were to give this a theme,it would be that God is with
(03:41):
those who are faithful, thatwhen we are faithful, God is
with us.
When we are not faithful, Godstill remains faithful, but he
can't always be close to andhe'll sometimes take his hands
off of us.
Hey, you want to do this byyourself?
Okay, and then judgment willcome, but God is faithful to
those who are faithful.
And so we're going to jumpright into 2 Chronicles 1 with a
(04:04):
story we've heard before, butwe're going to hear it from the
point of view of a priest andthe point of view of really
focusing on the nation of Judah,and it's going to be about
Solomon.
So, if you're ready, chapterone, second Chronicles.
And if you're like I think I'veheard this before, you have,
but it's from the point of viewof now they're coming back in,
and this is where the promise ofGod really took the next step.
(04:26):
You ready?
Here we go.
Verse one says this Solomon, sonof David, took control of his
kingdom for the Lord.
His God, was with him and madehim very powerful.
Solomon called together all theleaders of Israel, the generals
and the captains of the army,the judges and all the political
and clan leaders.
Then he led the entire assemblyto the place of worship at
(04:50):
Gibeon, for God's tabernacle waslocated there.
This was the tabernacle thatMoses, the Lord's servant, had
made in the wilderness.
David had already moved the arkof God from Kiriath-Jerim to
the tent that he had preparedfor it in Jerusalem, but the
bronze altar made by Bezalel,the son of Uri and the grandson
(05:10):
of Hur, was there at Gibeon infront of the tabernacle of the
Lord.
So Solomon and the peoplegathered in front of it to
consult the Lord.
Now pause.
So what he's saying is is,instead of having all of the
different elements, like, theyhad this basin where they would
wash their hands, and they had atable of showbread that
represented the presence of Godand an altar of incense and all
(05:31):
these other things, you had toget in your mind that they had
the Ark of the Covenant and theyhad the bronze altar where they
would do sacrifices.
That was all that was there atthe time, and so they come up to
this bronze altar to consultwith the Lord.
Verse 6 says this there, infront of the tabernacle, Solomon
went up to the bronze altar inthe Lord's presence and
sacrificed 1,000 burnt offeringson it.
(05:54):
That's a lot.
Verse 7,.
That night, God appeared toSolomon and said what do you
want?
Ask, and I will give it to you.
So hold on to that and we'llcome back to it.
Then Solomon replied to God youshowed great and faithful love
to David, my father, and now youhave made me king in his place.
Oh Lord, God, please continueto keep your promise to David my
(06:18):
father, for you have made meking over a people as numerous
as the dust of the earth.
Give me the wisdom andknowledge to lead them properly,
for who could possibly governthis great people of yours?
And then God said to Solomonbecause your greatest desire is
to help your people and you donot ask for wealth, riches, fame
(06:39):
or even the death of yourenemies or a long life, but
rather you ask for wisdom andknowledge to properly govern my
people.
I will certainly give youwisdom and knowledge that you
requested, but I will also giveyou wealth, riches and fame such
as no other king has had beforeyou or will ever have in the
(07:00):
future.
Then Solomon returned toJerusalem from the tabernacle at
the place of worship in Gibeonand he reigned over Israel.
Solomon built up a huge force ofchariots and horses.
He had 1,400 chariots and12,000 horses.
He stationed some of them inthe chariot cities and some with
him in Jerusalem.
(07:22):
The king made silver and goldas plentiful in Jerusalem as
stone.
The valuable cedar timbers wasas common as sycamore trees that
grow in the foothills of Judah.
Solomon's horses were importedfrom Egypt and from Cilicia.
The king's traders acquiredthem from Cilicia at the
standard price.
At that time, chariots fromEgypt could be purchased for 600
(07:44):
pieces of silver and horses for100 pieces of silver.
They were exported to the kingsof the Hittites and the kings
of Aram.
So in other words, the Bible issaying that God answered his
prayer and in some, because heanswered the million dollar
question correctly.
Now, as we get ready to end ourtime together because really
(08:05):
you've got homework, that's theonly way I can do this.
Think about for a moment.
You get the chance of alifetime.
A lot of times, especiallyduring that time when kings
would rise to power.
They would say the reason why Irose to power is because God
willed for me to be here.
Therefore, I'm awesome.
You know they would come in andjust take over and just just.
(08:25):
Everyone in the world has beenwaiting on me.
Just sometimes and it's a lotof times it, too, it's because
of the way these people havebeen raised.
But they've been raised withthis king complex, God, complex
to where they just came in andthought everything was going to
be in their lap, but not Solomon.
Think about it for a moment.
David had led these people foryears and years and he led them
(08:47):
through so many things.
And so the people of Israel man.
They were with David.
They had watched him rise fromnothing, watched him battle so
many things, and he watched thegreatness of his father and
forging this kingdom together.
And now it's his turn.
And you know a lot of times andyou can see this in a lot of
like business, different thingsIf you have someone who's been a
(09:10):
CEO or the president of acompany and they have been the
president of that company for along, long time usually the
person who takes their placedoesn't do real well, because
people are really used to theway that other person led.
And so you kind of you know,you kind of have this next
person and they're like, well,the other guy did it this way,
the other guy did this way, andthey, they usually end up kind
of not being able to be verysuccessful and it's the next guy
(09:32):
that has success.
And so I wonder if some of thishad already been going on.
But Solomon's looking at thisand he's going I can't be my dad
, I have no idea how to do thisman, Look at what the Lord has
given me the opportunity to do.
But it doesn't just feel likean opportunity, it feels like a
weight.
I don't want all of the riches,I don't want all the fame, I
want to be able to honor whatthe Lord has put in my hands.
(09:53):
And so the answer to hisquestion was what do you want?
He said God, help me to honorwhat you've put in my hands,
Help me to honor the lane you'veput me in, the job that you've
given me.
He didn't ask for everythingelse.
He asked for that.
And when he said that, God saidthat's a good answer, I can use
(10:13):
that.
And so here's my question foryou, and here's the homework.
When is the last time and I'msaying this to me as much as I
am to anybody else when is thelast time that you just simply
said God, help me to honor youwith what you've put in my hands
?
Because, if you think about itmany times, we're not praying to
be faithful, we're praying forGod to change something change
(10:34):
my kids, change my job, changemy spouse.
Lord, help us change my health,change whatever.
But when is the last time wesaid, God, I don't want you to
change anything else, I want youto change me.
I want to be able to honor whatyou've given me.
I want you to help me to honorthem.
Crazy kids.
Help me to be in a place tohonor my spouse.
Help me to honor the job thatyou've given me.
(10:57):
Help me to be faithful withwhat you've given me.
I wonder if we started to lookat the world around us not as a
mistake waiting to be fixed, butas an honor waiting to be
received, I wonder how much itwould change our world.
Let's pray together right now.
God, thank you so much for 2Chronicles.
Lord, thank you that it is not1 Chronicles.
We're so thankful for everyword in your word.
(11:18):
But, Lord, we're ready to getout of that one.
I'm so thankful for it.
I'm thankful for what you'regoing to teach us as we journey
through 2 Chronicles togetherand, Lord, I pray you will help
us, Lord, to see the worldaround us as a gift, as a
blessing, to realize, Lord, thatwe have an opportunity to
answer that million-dollarquestion today.
With God, help me be faithfulwith what you've put in front of
(11:40):
me.
I pray you'll give us thecourage, the boldness and the
wisdom to do that today.
In Jesus' name, we pray Amen.
And what God's Word says in 2Chronicles 16, verse 9, the eyes
of the Lord search the wholeearth in order to strengthen
those whose hearts are fullycommitted to Him.
When God sees your faithfulness, it makes him smile and he will
(12:03):
reward it.
I love you.
I'll see you tomorrow for 2Chronicles, chapter 2.
Well, hello everybody .
Welcome back to the BibleBreakdown Podcast with your host
, Pastor Brandon.
Today, 2 Chronicles, chapter 1,and today's title is the
Million Dollar Question theMillion Dollar Question.
And I am really excited to getinto 2 Chronicles because it is
not 1 Chronicles.
(00:21):
So if you're just now joiningus, we're going to get into all
that in just a moment.
But, as always, if you likewhat we're doing here, make sure
you like, share and subscribeto the podcast and to the
YouTube channel.
We are so close to getting to1,000 subscribers on YouTube, so
please help us.
And if you are a regularpodcast listener, please go over
to the YouTube channel.
Yours is always going to be myfavorite, so nothing's going to
change about that, but make sureyou go over there and subscribe
(00:44):
to our channel.
It's free to you, but it reallyhelps us in the old algorithm
things all right.
Also, where we all gathertogether is at the Bible
Breakdown Discussion on Facebook, and I love the work that they
are doing over there.
There's some folks over thereworking super hard and it is
just awesome that they justcontinue to encourage us with
these Bible breakdowndiscussions and devotions, and
(01:05):
they're probably also veryexcited that we're no longer in
1 Chronicles, and so if you haveyour Bibles, want to open them
with me to 2 Chronicles, 1.
Here's the thing.
So remember that originally, 1and 2 Chronicles was written as
one big book, and so they wereboth written, probably by a
scribe named Ezra, a priest, andnot only was it written from a
(01:30):
more priestly point of view, butit was also written toward the
end of the 70-year exile.
That had to happen because thenation of Israel and Judah kept
turning away from God and asthey were conquered by these
invading armies and as they wereleaving, 1 and 2 Kings and 1
and 2 Samuel was written, andreally a focus on the kingdom of
(01:51):
Israel, especially after theseparation.
You heard about what was goingon in Judah, but they're really
focused more on Israel and itwas talking about.
This is how we got in this mess.
The reason why we are now goingto exile is because we continue
to turn away from God, and youcould start to see how, in 1 and
2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, howit just kept getting more
(02:13):
negative and worse and worse andworse.
Right, Well, 1 and 2 Chronicleswritten by Ezra most likely is
when they're coming back now,and it was the idea of, yes, we
did these bad things, yes, thesebad things happened, but God's
bringing us back now and we havea place in this land and God
still wants us here.
And not only is it written froma point of view of a priest so
(02:35):
there's a lot more about theworship of God and all of that
wonderful stuff but also it'sfocusing more on Judah, which is
where David's throne was goingto continue to endure, and so
we're going to get more of thestory of Judah and not as much
from the story of Israel.
So there's some differentcomplexities, and 1 Chronicles
was all about them realizingthat they were where they were
(02:58):
supposed to be, that God hasbeen with them, and all of just
the connections that was there.
So it was a whole lot of names,a whole lot of just over and
over and over again.
And, yes, it was just as hardto read as it was for you to
have to hear, right, but we madeit through it.
And now in 2 Chronicles, we'regoing to hear a whole lot more
of the stories that happened andthe different things that was
(03:18):
going on.
And if I were to kind of sum up1 Chronicles, it was all about.
We all have a past, but if Godis with you, there's always hope
.
Well, 2 Chronicles, now thatwe've talked about everybody's
uncle, everybody's aunt,everybody's in-law and out-law
and everything else, and westart getting into the stories
of what happened.
If I were to give this a theme,it would be that God is with
(03:41):
those who are faithful, thatwhen we are faithful, God is
with us.
When we are not faithful, Godstill remains faithful, but he
can't always be close to andhe'll sometimes take his hands
off of us.
Hey, you want to do this byyourself?
Okay, and then judgment willcome, but God is faithful to
those who are faithful.
And so we're going to jumpright into 2 Chronicles 1 with a
(04:04):
story we've heard before, butwe're going to hear it from the
point of view of a priest andthe point of view of really
focusing on the nation of Judah,and it's going to be about
Solomon.
So, if you're ready, chapterone, second Chronicles.
And if you're like I think I'veheard this before, you have,
but it's from the point of viewof now they're coming back in,
and this is where the promise ofGod really took the next step.
(04:26):
You ready?
Here we go.
Verse one says this Solomon, sonof David, took control of his
kingdom for the Lord.
His God, was with him and madehim very powerful.
Solomon called together all theleaders of Israel, the generals
and the captains of the army,the judges and all the political
and clan leaders.
Then he led the entire assemblyto the place of worship at
(04:50):
Gibeon, for God's tabernacle waslocated there.
This was the tabernacle thatMoses, the Lord's servant, had
made in the wilderness.
David had already moved the arkof God from Kiriath-Jerim to
the tent that he had preparedfor it in Jerusalem, but the
bronze altar made by Bezalel,the son of Uri and the grandson
(05:10):
of Hur, was there at Gibeon infront of the tabernacle of the
Lord.
So Solomon and the peoplegathered in front of it to
consult the Lord.
Now pause.
So what he's saying is is,instead of having all of the
different elements, like, theyhad this basin where they would
wash their hands, and they had atable of showbread that
represented the presence of Godand an altar of incense and all
(05:31):
these other things, you had toget in your mind that they had
the Ark of the Covenant and theyhad the bronze altar where they
would do sacrifices.
That was all that was there atthe time, and so they come up to
this bronze altar to consultwith the Lord.
Verse 6 says this there, infront of the tabernacle, Solomon
went up to the bronze altar inthe Lord's presence and
sacrificed 1,000 burnt offeringson it.
(05:54):
That's a lot.
Verse 7,.
That night, God appeared toSolomon and said what do you
want?
Ask, and I will give it to you.
So hold on to that and we'llcome back to it.
Then Solomon replied to God youshowed great and faithful love
to David, my father, and now youhave made me king in his place.
Oh Lord, God, please continueto keep your promise to David my
(06:18):
father, for you have made meking over a people as numerous
as the dust of the earth.
Give me the wisdom andknowledge to lead them properly,
for who could possibly governthis great people of yours?
And then God said to Solomonbecause your greatest desire is
to help your people and you donot ask for wealth, riches, fame
(06:39):
or even the death of yourenemies or a long life, but
rather you ask for wisdom andknowledge to properly govern my
people.
I will certainly give youwisdom and knowledge that you
requested, but I will also giveyou wealth, riches and fame such
as no other king has had beforeyou or will ever have in the
(07:00):
future.
Then Solomon returned toJerusalem from the tabernacle at
the place of worship in Gibeonand he reigned over Israel.
Solomon built up a huge force ofchariots and horses.
He had 1,400 chariots and12,000 horses.
He stationed some of them inthe chariot cities and some with
him in Jerusalem.
(07:22):
The king made silver and goldas plentiful in Jerusalem as
stone.
The valuable cedar timbers wasas common as sycamore trees that
grow in the foothills of Judah.
Solomon's horses were importedfrom Egypt and from Cilicia.
The king's traders acquiredthem from Cilicia at the
standard price.
At that time, chariots fromEgypt could be purchased for 600
(07:44):
pieces of silver and horses for100 pieces of silver.
They were exported to the kingsof the Hittites and the kings
of Aram.
So in other words, the Bible issaying that God answered his
prayer and in some, because heanswered the million dollar
question correctly.
Now, as we get ready to end ourtime together because really
(08:05):
you've got homework, that's theonly way I can do this.
Think about for a moment.
You get the chance of alifetime.
A lot of times, especiallyduring that time when kings
would rise to power.
They would say the reason why Irose to power is because God
willed for me to be here.
Therefore, I'm awesome.
You know they would come in andjust take over and just just.
(08:25):
Everyone in the world has beenwaiting on me.
Just sometimes and it's a lotof times it, too, it's because
of the way these people havebeen raised.
But they've been raised withthis king complex, God, complex
to where they just came in andthought everything was going to
be in their lap, but not Solomon.
Think about it for a moment.
David had led these people foryears and years and he led them
(08:47):
through so many things.
And so the people of Israel man.
They were with David.
They had watched him rise fromnothing, watched him battle so
many things, and he watched thegreatness of his father and
forging this kingdom together.
And now it's his turn.
And you know a lot of times andyou can see this in a lot of
like business, different thingsIf you have someone who's been a
(09:10):
CEO or the president of acompany and they have been the
president of that company for along, long time usually the
person who takes their placedoesn't do real well, because
people are really used to theway that other person led.
And so you kind of you know,you kind of have this next
person and they're like, well,the other guy did it this way,
the other guy did this way, andthey, they usually end up kind
of not being able to be verysuccessful and it's the next guy
(09:32):
that has success.
And so I wonder if some of thishad already been going on.
But Solomon's looking at thisand he's going I can't be my dad
, I have no idea how to do thisman, Look at what the Lord has
given me the opportunity to do.
But it doesn't just feel likean opportunity, it feels like a
weight.
I don't want all of the riches,I don't want all the fame, I
want to be able to honor whatthe Lord has put in my hands.
(09:53):
And so the answer to hisquestion was what do you want?
He said God, help me to honorwhat you've put in my hands,
Help me to honor the lane you'veput me in, the job that you've
given me.
He didn't ask for everythingelse.
He asked for that.
And when he said that, God saidthat's a good answer, I can use
(10:13):
that.
And so here's my question foryou, and here's the homework.
When is the last time and I'msaying this to me as much as I
am to anybody else when is thelast time that you just simply
said God, help me to honor youwith what you've put in my hands
?
Because, if you think about itmany times, we're not praying to
be faithful, we're praying forGod to change something change
(10:34):
my kids, change my job, changemy spouse.
Lord, help us change my health,change whatever.
But when is the last time wesaid, God, I don't want you to
change anything else, I want youto change me.
I want to be able to honor whatyou've given me.
I want you to help me to honorthem.
Crazy kids.
Help me to be in a place tohonor my spouse.
Help me to honor the job thatyou've given me.
(10:57):
Help me to be faithful withwhat you've given me.
I wonder if we started to lookat the world around us not as a
mistake waiting to be fixed, butas an honor waiting to be
received, I wonder how much itwould change our world.
Let's pray together right now.
God, thank you so much for 2Chronicles.
Lord, thank you that it is not1 Chronicles.
We're so thankful for everyword in your word.
(11:18):
But, Lord, we're ready to getout of that one.
I'm so thankful for it.
I'm thankful for what you'regoing to teach us as we journey
through 2 Chronicles togetherand, Lord, I pray you will help
us, Lord, to see the worldaround us as a gift, as a
blessing, to realize, Lord, thatwe have an opportunity to
answer that million-dollarquestion today.
With God, help me be faithfulwith what you've put in front of
(11:40):
me.
I pray you'll give us thecourage, the boldness and the
wisdom to do that today.
In Jesus' name, we pray Amen.
And what God's Word says in 2Chronicles 16, verse 9, the eyes
of the Lord search the wholeearth in order to strengthen
those whose hearts are fullycommitted to Him.
When God sees your faithfulness, it makes him smile and he will
(12:03):
reward it.
I love you.
I'll see you tomorrow for 2Chronicles, chapter 2.
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