| 2 CHRONICLES |
| Explanatory Footnotes - page 3 |
| 15:9 Attracting Converts from the North For the first 50 years after Jeroboam's rebellion, Israel and Judah fought a civil war. Judah was badly outnumbered, but had one great rallying point: God's temple in the city of Jerusalem. Many of the kings of Israel had built idols on "high places" as alternative worship sites to discourage their citizens from making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. But when a Southern king such as Asa launched a religious revival, members of the Northern tribes would sometimes come over to Jerusalem. 16:12 Bad Medical Advice King Asa suffered from a serious foot disease, which some scholars think was dropsy. The Bible criticizes his consultations with physicians because in those days "physicians" were pagan healers who used rituals that conflicted with the law of God. 18:6 A True or False Prophet? Looking back from a modern perspective, it is difficult to realize the confusion that surrounded ancient prophets. Which ones were true prophets and which were false? In this case, 400 prophets all insisted God said one thing: only one bold man contradicted them. King Jehoshaphat sensed a falseness in the 400 and insisted on listening to the true prophet. Yet, unaccountably, he failed to heed Micaiah's warning. The decision nearly cost him his life. See Deuteronomy 18:17-22 for advice on distinuishing true prophets from false. 20:6 A Model Prayer Second Chronicles contains two great prayers: Solomon's in chapter 6 and King Jehoshaphat's here. Commentators often point to this as a model prayer. Jehoshaphat began with adoration of God, reminded him of his promises, set forth a problem, and asked for help. Confident, Jehoshaphat thanked God for the answer even before it came. |
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