2 Chronicles 27, Isaiah 9-12
“Jotham grew powerful because he walked steadfastly before the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 27:6).
Jotham could be considered to be an overlooked person in the Bible, but his accomplishments and example were great. He was young when he ascended to his position as a king: only 25 years old! However, at that point he had the spiritual maturity to humble himself before God unlike those around him. Because of that, he made a quiet yet profound impact on Israel during his reign (not to mention conquering the Ammonites).
We will take this example and then examine Isaiah 9-11. Here, we find once again that wrath will be upon the wicked in the form of judgement from God. The language in these chapters do not spare us from imagery of fire and death. These seem to allude to a judgement of the wicked that has not come completely to pass just yet.
Speaking of not coming to pass yet, prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 11 makes allusions to the (then) coming messiah: Jesus Christ. “In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious” (Isaiah 11:10). The root of Jesse spoken in this chapter is Jesus as he is in fact a descendant of Jesse according to the genealogy found in Luke 3. Here, we have a much more hopeful note to look to after the judgement that must pass. Importantly, that remnant that he will gather up is foretold in Isaiah 10:20.
“In that day the remnant of Israel,
the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.”
This “remnant of Israel” speaks of those who truly rely and trust in the Lord.
This brings us back to Jotham from 2 Chronicles 27. He sets an example for us as he walked steadfastly before the Lord, humbled himself, and put his trust in Him. Jotham overcame the war with the Ammonites with God on his side. Furthermore, the “remnants of Israel” were relented of the judgement that passed on the wicked, as they also walked with the Lord. If trusting in the Lord and setting your spiritual anchor with him allows for you to weather a calamity that only God can create, imagine what else you weather in your life if you put your trust in him!
Therefore, we must live like Jotham. Stay faithful, even when the world around you is falling apart. Order your life before God. Strength grows in obedience. Hold on to Isaiah’s vision. Jesus has come, and He’s coming again. In Him, we find light in our darkest moments. With that, we will only begin to understand the praise that adorns the short chapter of Isaiah 12:
“Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2)
-Colby Leggitt
Discussion Questions
- What does it look like for you to “order your ways before the Lord” in your current season?
- Are there areas in your life where you’re tempted to compromise instead of staying faithful?
- What does it mean to be still before the Lord?
Seek Grow Love 