Right in verse 1, the Chronicler reminds us that the reason for the destruction and exile of Judah was the sin of unfaithfulness. This means that the Jews worshipped gods other than Yahweh, which, of course, were not real gods, but entities which either do not exist or are demonic. It also could mean that they worshipped Yahweh in name only. They prayed to Him but they had a different concept of who He was, a concept drawn from selfish desires, pride, ego and/or pagan idolatry.
Such a concept is quite popular today in our western culture. When people talk about God they do not mean God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible or in creation. They have redefined God so that His chief aim is not His glory, but the glory of the individual. The god worldly people like to worship wants them to be happy and self-fulfilled. The god people worship wants them to be free from guilt so this god has few rules and there are few sins. In the Christian Church, God also has been redefined as one who wants His children to be rich, successful and problem-free as well as one who fulfills all our desires.
If those who are guilty of unfaithfulness are blessed, they will experience the Lord’s discipline. They will be given a second-chance as the Lord gave to the returning exiles. They will be entrusted with leadership roles and gifts as were the Levites. This will happen even though they have sinned. This is because the Lord delights in showing mercy giving those He loves a second chance, or even a third or fourth. Those shown mercy, as the gatekeepers here, will respond with humility and zealously take on more duties in a desire to exalt the Lord. Mercy is God’s delight. This is more than we can say of human beings who rarely extend mercy toward anyone though they demand it for themselves.
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