May 7

Journey-through-the-Bible-with-us

READING FOR MAY 7, 2026: 2 CHRONICLES 33, 2 CORINTHIANS 9. PSALM 39:7-14 

2 CHRONICLES 33 During the first nine verses of this chapter, Ezra recounts the horrendous acts from 2 Kings 21 of King Manasseh. Then we learn some new and intriguing information starting in verse 11. God, Himself, sent commanders from Assyria to capture Manasseh out of Jerusalem and bring him to Babylon. This sounds much like when the United States recently sent soldiers to Venezuela to kidnap their president, Nicolás Maduro. In this case, God acted mercifully because Manasseh humbled himself and came to know that the Lord alone is God. Thus, God brought Manasseh back to Jerusalem.  Has the Lord ever gotten our attention in such a dramatic way?  It still happens. 

Now a completely changed man and king, Manasseh went about strengthening the defenses of the city as well as placing commanders in all Judah’s fortified cities. Even better, he removed all the altars to foreign gods, including those placed in the house of the Lord.  Finally, he ordered the people to serve the Lord God of Israel.  It might not be possible to order others to serve the Lord, given the freedom God has given each person made in his image. The peo- ple did offer sacrifices to God alone, but did so at the high places, not in the temple. Manas- seh’s about face shows we are never too far gone for God to save us. Paul’s epic conversion is another verification of this hopeful truth. Don’t give up praying for those lost loved ones. 

The chapter ends with a retelling of Manasseh’s death and burial, the short reign of his son Amon, Anon’s assassination, and the installation of his 12-year-old son Josiah as king. All these details are the same as found in 2 Kings 21, which was studied on May 5, 2026. The super-young Josiah will surprise us in the upcoming chapters. 

2 CORINTHIANS 9 Paul writes that it is superfluous to write about the project for which he is raising funds, so unfortunately, we don’t get more details about the need in Jerusalem.  We do know it is important enough for Paul to send his associates ahead of him to prepare for giving the offering. This highlights the importance he places on this gift. Not only is he hoping for a generous gift, but he is equally concerned about the attitude that accompanies the gift. This entire giving process has become something of an index of their spiritual maturity.

Here is an important question to consider: How can we cultivate cheerfulness in our giving? The text gives some hints: 

  • Know the recipients of our gifts will glorify God because of our generosity (vs. 13);
  • Know the recipients of our gifts will in turn become our prayer supporters (vs. 14);
  • Always keep in mind we are all recipients of the gift of salvation through Jesus (vs. 15).
  • Know that God will give us sufficient grace to meet our own needs (vs. 8);
  • Know that God will give us even more to give, multiplying the ultimate harvest (vs. 10);
  • Know that our gifts will increase the net thanksgiving going to God (vs. 12);

READING FOR MAY 7, 2026 CONTINUED: 2 CORINTHIANS 9, PSALM 39:7-13   

LET’S GET READY NOW FOR OUR NEXT OFFERING WITH A SMILE!

PSALM 39: 7-13 David concludes this Psalm with an unexpected request: Please turn away from me, God! This is not prayed very often in church. What prompts this request? In verses 8 and 12, one could infer David admits to sinning. Thus, he appears to believe he is undergoing God’s discipline. In fact, the discipline was so severe that he fears perishing from it unless God relents. Why might David be right in this case about God’s discipline while Job’s friends were wrong? Job’s friends did not know the circumstances of Job’s testing and did not appreciate Job’s excellent character.  David had a history of prayerful self-examination and received interventions when needed from associates such as Nathan the prophet.  Likely he was indeed experiencing pain administered by God—for his own long-term good and God’s glory. 

Here is a passage that might not be popular in many devotional books, but is extremely important for making sense of the Christian life:  “You have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are punished by Him; For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,  And He punishes every son whom He accepts.’  It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12: 5-11).