zion’s fire magazine preview
INSIGHT FEATURE
A Pattern for Problem Solving
Written by Dr. Gary Cohen
As the time for the Old Testament feast of Passover approaches, we are reminded of its fulfillment in Jesus, the Lamb of God. Looking back, did you realize that there was a time when the Southern Kingdom of Judah, in its capital Jerusalem, did not observe the Passover? Is this possible? Yes! Wicked King Ahaz, who reigned in the years surrounding 717 B.C., had fallen so far in his pursuit of pagan gods that he demanded that the doors of the Temple be barred shut (2 Chronicles 28:23-25). For those readers who may be somewhat less familiar with the Scriptures – particularly concerning King Ahaz, they should be aware so as not to confuse King Ahaz with King Ahab. Ahab was the sixth king of the Northern Kingdom, known as Israel, and Samaria its capital. King Ahab’s evil wife, Jezebel, led him deeper into the sin of Baal worship. King Ahaz, was the twelfth king of the Southern Kingdom, known as Judah, and its capital Jerusalem, who followed pagan gods and closed the Temple in Jerusalem. Both names in English begin with “A” and are four letters long; both were very evil, so if one gets them mixed up, it is understandable. King Hezekiah, evil Ahaz’s son, despite his father’s wickedness, turned out to be a righteous ruler – and for that his mother certainly should be hailed as one of the wonderful mothers of the Bible. Hezekiah, in fact, was thought by the ancient rabbis to be Israel’s most righteous king, yet in his youth he inherited a country with major problems. How he confronted these problems is recorded in 2 Chronicles, Chapters 30-32, a model passage for our study. By observing how he handled the diffi cult situation into which he came, we are provided with a pattern of problem solving that we can use, both as a nation and individually, when we too are confronted with difficult or “impossible” situations. Sometimes the problems facing us are so numerous or discouraging that we remain immobile simply because we do not know what to do first. Let us observe what Hezekiah did. This passage also provides an ideal threechapter reading for family devotions after dinner through an entire week – when Dad and Mom can ask the children, “What was the problem here? And what did King Hezekiah do in this case? What can we learn from this?”
A Pattern for Problem Solving
Written by Dr. Gary Cohen
As the time for the Old Testament feast of Passover approaches, we are reminded of its fulfillment in Jesus, the Lamb of God. Looking back, did you realize that there was a time when the Southern Kingdom of Judah, in its capital Jerusalem, did not observe the Passover? Is this possible? Yes! Wicked King Ahaz, who reigned in the years surrounding 717 B.C., had fallen so far in his pursuit of pagan gods that he demanded that the doors of the Temple be barred shut (2 Chronicles 28:23-25). For those readers who may be somewhat less familiar with the Scriptures – particularly concerning King Ahaz, they should be aware so as not to confuse King Ahaz with King Ahab. Ahab was the sixth king of the Northern Kingdom, known as Israel, and Samaria its capital. King Ahab’s evil wife, Jezebel, led him deeper into the sin of Baal worship. King Ahaz, was the twelfth king of the Southern Kingdom, known as Judah, and its capital Jerusalem, who followed pagan gods and closed the Temple in Jerusalem. Both names in English begin with “A” and are four letters long; both were very evil, so if one gets them mixed up, it is understandable. King Hezekiah, evil Ahaz’s son, despite his father’s wickedness, turned out to be a righteous ruler – and for that his mother certainly should be hailed as one of the wonderful mothers of the Bible. Hezekiah, in fact, was thought by the ancient rabbis to be Israel’s most righteous king, yet in his youth he inherited a country with major problems. How he confronted these problems is recorded in 2 Chronicles, Chapters 30-32, a model passage for our study. By observing how he handled the diffi cult situation into which he came, we are provided with a pattern of problem solving that we can use, both as a nation and individually, when we too are confronted with difficult or “impossible” situations. Sometimes the problems facing us are so numerous or discouraging that we remain immobile simply because we do not know what to do first. Let us observe what Hezekiah did. This passage also provides an ideal threechapter reading for family devotions after dinner through an entire week – when Dad and Mom can ask the children, “What was the problem here? And what did King Hezekiah do in this case? What can we learn from this?”