An Atheist Explores the Bible Part 80: How hard can it be to burn incense anyway? (2 Chronicles 26-30)

2 Chronicles 26-30
How hard can it be to burn incense anyway?

Welcome to another instalment of An Atheist Explores Sacred Texts (Bible version).
In this series I work my way chapter-by-chapter through the King James Bible, commenting on it from the point of view of the text as literature and mythology.
For more detail, see the introductory post http://bit.ly/2F8f9JT
For the online KJV I use, see here http://bit.ly/2m0zVUP

And now:

2 Chronicles 26
“Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.

This chapter covers the reign of King Uzziah, who is mostly pretty successful, defeating the Philistines and the Arabians, and taking tribute from the Ammonites. From this chapter, Uzziah instigates a lot of building projects, fortifying the walls of Jerusalem and building lots of towers throughout his land. He also arms the walls of Jerusalem with siege engines, which would seem to be an innovation but “cunning men” to cast arrows and stones.

However, Uzziah takes it upon himself to burn incense in the temple, when this is the job of the priests. Because of this he gets leprosy, and his son Jotham is made king in his last years. I remember being confused in a previous chapter about someone making an offering of incense and being punished for it, and wondering why – possibly it was Uzziah in Kings. This chapter at least explains what was wrong – usurping the role of the priests.

2 Chronicles 27
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.”

Jotham’s reign gets a very short chapter, and he doesn’t do much of note. He continues the work of his father, building more fortifications and continuing to get tribute from the Ammonites. He doesn’t spend much time in the temple (perhaps because doing so got his father leprosy) and it seems that the religious side of life slides a bit, but not to the extent that “sacred groves” and “abominations unto Baal” and the like get mentioned.

2 Chronicles 28
“Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.”

This chapter covers the reign of Ahaz, son of Jotham. Ahaz appeases the Assyrian gods, because he sees the Assyrians as stronger, therefore their gods must be stronger. No matter that it involves child sacrifice, amongst other things.

Under Ahaz’s rule, Judah is invaded by pretty much everyone; Philistines, Edomites and Israelites. Even though Ahaz sends tribute to the Assyrians for help, they don’t bother (in fact they see it that they may as well just help themselves to Judah’s treasures). However, Oded the prophet manages to secure the return of hostages by the Israelites by pointing out that God may be angry with Judah, but he’s not too happy with Israel either. Because of this, the prisoners are fed, clothed and returned home. When Ahaz dies, he isn’t buried in the sepulchre of the kings, but his son is still put on the throne.

2 Chronicles 29
“And said unto them, Hear me, ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place.”

Hezekiah, son of Ahaz, begins his reign. The bulk of this chapter, which is fairly lengthy, concerns the re-consecration of the temple. Hezekiah orders the Levites to clean out what Ahaz had done, and the chapter goes into a lot of detail about the rituals that they use, the sacrifices made and the songs sung (including words by David and Asaph the seer). Of note is that there are so many sacrificial animals that the ordinary Levites have to help out the priests, but by the end of the chapter the temple is considered consecrated again. Unlike the previous kings, Hezekiah’s reign doesn’t end at the end of this chapter.

2 Chronicles 30
“And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.”

Hezekiah ordains that there should be a proper celebration of Passover, which has not been done for a long time. He sends out letters across the land, inviting all-comers, including those living in Israel, under an offer of a truce for prior conflict. Most ignore him or laugh at him, but some of the tribes of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulon come to the temple. There are too many people to adequately purify, and some celebrate the Passover without being properly purified, but Hezekiah asks God for forgiveness, which is given. And everyone lives happily ever after. Well, perhaps not quite, but for the first time in many chapters there is rejoicing at the end.

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