Exhortation Station

While reading in 2 Chronicles, I was struck by a passage about Jotham, one of the kings of Judah —

2 Chronicles 27:1-6
Jotham was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Jerushah the daughter of Zadok. ² He did right in the sight of YHWH, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; however he did not enter the temple of YHWH. But the people continued acting corruptly. ³ He built the upper gate of the house of YHWH, and he built extensively the wall of Ophel. ⁴ Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and he built fortresses and towers on the wooded hills. ⁵ He fought also with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed over them so that the Ammonites gave him during that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand kors of wheat and ten thousand of barley. The Ammonites also paid him this amount in the second and in the third year. ⁶ So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways before YHWH his God.

Though we are not given extensive details about Jotham’s life, we are told that he “ordered his ways before Yahweh his God.” I think this phrase conveys something important about Jotham’s character. It seems indicative of a posture in which every decision is placed in subjection to Yahweh’s instruction.

I am reminded of a passage in Psalm 16 —

Psalm 16:7-9
I will bless YHWH who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. ⁸ I have set YHWH continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.

And in Psalm 18 —

Psalm 18:20-22
YHWH has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. ²¹ For I have kept the ways of YHWH, And have not wickedly departed from my God. ²² For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me.

For something to be continually before you, you must abide close to it. While Israel journeyed through the wilderness, Yahweh went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. Whenever the cloud rested over the tabernacle, the camp of Israel stayed in one place, whether it was two days, one month, or a year. When the cloud moved, the camp immediately set out (Numbers 9:15-23). Had Israel either moved when the cloud rested or remained stationary when the cloud moved, they would have departed from Yah’s presence and protection.

Sadly, the children of Israel often did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6) rather than ordering their steps before Yahweh.

Psalm 106:6,7,13,14
We have sinned like our fathers, We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly. ⁷ Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses, But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea…¹³ They quickly forgot His works; They did not wait for His counsel, ¹⁴ But craved intensely in the wilderness, And tempted God in the desert.

The narrow path is one which requires our steady attention to Yah’s guidance. If we either rush ahead or fall behind, we risk losing our way. As it says in Proverbs 19:2, “he who hurries his footsteps errs.” We get excited. We grow anxious and restless, so we cobble together a hasty decision in the pressure of the moment. Or, we cower when Yahweh has given a clear instruction outside of our comfort zone. Let’s ask Yahweh to reveal those things that we must be especially diligent to surrender to Him daily, whether it be the cravings that drive us toward presumptuous action or the fears that restrain us from all-out obedience.

Don’t plow ahead with your own agenda. Seek Yahweh, patiently waiting for Him to reveal His counsel. When He gives the signal, stop waiting. Move. Step out in trusting obedience, keeping His ordinances before you.

Let us set Yahweh continually before us. Let us order our ways before Him. May our eyes look to Yahweh with careful focus as the eyes of servants look to the capable hand of their master.

Psalm 123:2
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, As the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, So our eyes look to YHWH our God, Until He is gracious to us.

(Bible passages NASB 1995; Hebrew transl. added)