June 23rd
Ordered Ways
2 Chronicles 27:6
So Jotham became mighty, because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God.
There are many ways to evaluate the legacy and life of someone. One can examine their accomplishment, their job performance, their relationship to their family, their reputation before others and even their spirituality. The assessment of their life is really relative to those who are analyzing it. Those in his family might say that he was a good son, a faithful husband and a loving father. His fellow employees might say he was a great coworker and a hard worker. His friends might say he was a great fun-loving guy who would do anything for anyone. Those in his spiritual community might respond that He loved the Lord and loved people. Ask different people and you could get varied and diverse perspectives of the person in question.
The kings of the Divided Kingdom were assessed in scripture by one criteria that is described by one of two declarations. Their reign was judged by their steadfastness and service to God. It was said of the “good” kings, “he did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father . . . had done” (2 Chron 27:2). But of the “bad” kings it was said, “he did not do what was right in the sight of the Lord his God, as his father . . . had done” (2 Kings 16:2). Notice their “Lord” was the same but the way they loved was not the same. Thus, their reign was judged no by their prestige, position, prodigy or prosperity, but by their relationship and response to their God.
In our text we are told the story of a “good” king names Jotham. He did was right in the sight of the Lord. As a result, God blessed him and enriched and expanded his kingdom. He became “mighty” in “all his wars and his ways” (2 Chron 27:7). What he achieved was substantial. He strengthened the walls of Jerusalem and built fortress and towers in the forests to provide protection for his people. He built cities in the mountains and fortified them against enemies. He was “mighty’ in that he developed a deep sense of stability and security among the people. He was “mighty” in conquering the surrounding enemy and establishing peace and prosperity in his realm.
Our text attributes his “mighty’ status to the way in which he “ordered his ways”. Every king of the kingdoms of Israel or Judah had to make a cognitive decision to either faithful follow the Lord as the preceding “good” kings had done or forsake the Lord as the “evil” kings had done. The selection that they made determine the path they would follow. Jotham chose to have his life “ordered” by the Lord. He committed Himself to seek and serve the Lord all days of his life. He guided his life and actions according to the word and will of the Lord. As such, he walked faithfully in the sight of the Lord.
His choice led to his conduct. He was steadfast immovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord (1 Cor 15:58). He didn’t turn to the right or to the left in his adherence to and obedience of God’s word (2 Chron 34:2). He drew people to the Lord rather than away from Him. He became mighty not because he amassed a great army, fortified his cities or had powerful allies, but because of the manner by which he “ordered his ways”. He didn’t order them according to the ways of men or that of the world, but according the ways of the Lord. That is what made him mighty.
Jotham is a man to emulate. It is simple to live life according to the societal norms, conforming to the cultural directives of the day. Jotham could have easily followed the crowd and "sacrificed and burned incense on the high places" (2 kings15:35) like everyone else, but he didn't. He chose to go counter to culture and "ordered his ways before the LORD his God." We should do likewise.
Today thank God that His has given us a way to order our life. Thank Him for the story of Jotham. Ask the Lord to help you order your life according to His word, His will and His ways. Ask Him to help you be mighty like Jotham.
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