151 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned hath Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah, 2 a son of sixteen years was he in his reigning, and fifty and two years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Jecholiah of Jerusalem, 3 and he doth that which 'is' right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Amaziah his father did, 4 only, the high places have not turned aside—yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places. 5 And Jehovah smiteth the king, and he is a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwelleth in a separate house, and Jotham son of the king 'is' over the house, judging the people of the land. 6 And the rest of the matters of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 7 And Azariah lieth with his fathers, and they bury him with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Jotham his son in his stead.
8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah reigned hath Zechariah son of Jeroboam over Israel, in Samaria, six months, 9 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, as did his fathers, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 10 And Shallum son of Jabesh conspireth against him, and smiteth him before the people, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead. 11 And the rest of the matters of Zechariah, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. 12 It 'is' the word of Jehovah that He spake unto Jehu, saying, 'Sons of the fourth 'generation' do sit for thee on the throne of Israel;' and it is so.
13 Shallum son of Jabesh hath reigned in the thirty and ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigneth a month of days in Samaria; 14 and go up doth Menahem son of Gadi from Tirzah and cometh in to Samaria, and smiteth Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead. 15 And the rest of the matters of Shallum, and his conspiracy that he made, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel. 16 Then doth Menahem smite Tiphsah, and all who 'are' in it, and its borders from Tirzah, for it opened not 'to him', and he smiteth 'it', all its pregnant women he hath ripped up.
17 In the thirty and ninth year of Azariah king of Judah reigned hath Menahem son of Gadi over Israel—ten years in Samaria. 18 And he doth the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath turned not aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin, all his days. 19 Pul king of Asshur hath come against the land, and Menahem giveth to Pul a thousand talents of silver, for his hand being with him to strengthen the kingdom in his hand. 20 And Menahem bringeth out the silver 'from' Israel, 'from' all the mighty men of wealth, to give to the king of Asshur, fifty shekels of silver for each one, and the king of Asshur turneth back and hath not stayed there in the land. 21 And the rest of the matters of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 22 And Menahem lieth with his fathers, and reign doth Pekahiah his son in his stead.
23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah hath Pekahiah son of Menahem reigned over Israel, in Samaria—two years, 24 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that he caused Israel to sin. 25 And Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, doth conspire against him, and smiteth him in Samaria, in the high place of the house of the king with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the sons of the Gileadites, and he putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead. 26 And the rest of the matters of Pekahiah, and all that he did, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
27 In the fifty and second year of Azariah king of Judah, reigned hath Pekah son of Remaliah over Israel, in Samaria—twenty years, 28 and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, he hath not turned aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, that he caused Israel to sin. 29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel hath Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur come, and taketh Ijon, and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and removeth them to Asshur. 30 And make a conspiracy doth Hoshea son of Elah against Pekah son of Remaliah, and smiteth him, and putteth him to death, and reigneth in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. 31 And the rest of the matters of Pekah, and all that he did, lo, they are written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel.
32 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel reigned hath Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah. 33 A son of twenty and five years was he in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Jerusha daughter of Zadok, 34 and he doth that which 'is' right in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Uzziah his father did he hath done. 35 Only, the high places have not turned aside—yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places; he hath built the high gate of the house of Jehovah. 36 And the rest of the matters of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 37 In those days hath Jehovah begun to send against Judah Rezin king of Amram and Pekah son of Remaliah. 38 And Jotham lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David his father, and reign doth Ahaz his son in his stead.
161 In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah reigned hath Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah. 2 A son of twenty years 'is' Ahaz in his reigning, and sixteen years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he hath not done that which 'is' right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, like David his father, 3 and he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, and also his son he hath caused to pass over into fire, according to the abominations of the nations that Jehovah dispossessed from the presence of the sons of Israel, 4 and he sacrificeth and maketh perfume in high places, and on the heights, and under every green tree.
5 Then doth Rezin king of Aram go up, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, to Jerusalem, to battle, and they lay siege to Ahaz, and they have not been able to fight. 6 At that time hath Rezin king of Aram brought back Elath to Aram, and casteth out the Jews from Elath, and the Aramaeans have come in to Elath, and dwell there unto this day. 7 And Ahaz sendeth messengers unto Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur, saying, 'Thy servant and thy son 'am' I; come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who are rising up against me.' 8 And Ahaz taketh the silver and the gold that is found in the house of Jehovah, and in the treasures of the house of the king, and sendeth to the king of Asshur—a bribe. 9 And hearken unto him doth the king of Asshur, and the king of Asshur goeth up unto Damascus, and seizeth it, and removeth 'the people of' it to Kir, and Rezin he hath put to death.
10 And king Ahaz goeth to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Asshur 'at' Damascus, and seeth the altar that 'is' in Damascus, and king Ahaz sendeth unto Urijah the priest the likeness of the altar, and its pattern, according to all its work, 11 and Urijah the priest buildeth the altar according to all that king Ahaz hath sent from Damascus; so did Urijah the priest till the coming in of king Ahaz from Damascus. 12 And the king cometh in from Damascus, and the king seeth the altar, and the king draweth near on the altar, and offereth on it, 13 and perfumeth his burnt-offering, and his present, and poureth out his libation, and sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings that he hath, on the altar. 14 As to the altar of brass that 'is' before Jehovah—he bringeth 'it' near from the front of the house, from between the altar and the house of Jehovah, and putteth it on the side of the altar, northward. 15 And king Ahaz commandeth him—Urijah the priest—saying, 'On the great altar perfume the burnt-offering of the morning, and the present of the evening, and the burnt-offering of the king, and his present, and the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, and their present, and their libations; and all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice, on it thou dost sprinkle, and the altar of brass is to me to inquire 'by'.' 16 And Urijah the priest doth according to all that king Ahaz commanded.
17 And king Ahaz cutteth off the borders of the bases, and turneth aside from off them the laver, and the sea he hath taken down from off the brazen oxen that 'are' under it, and putteth it on a pavement of stones. 18 And the covered place for the sabbath that they built in the house, and the entrance of the king without, he turned 'from' the house of Jehovah, because of the king of Asshur. 19 And the rest of the matters of Ahaz that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 20 And Ahaz lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers, in the city of David, and reign doth Hezekiah his son in his stead.
31 And there was a man of the Pharisees, Nicodemus his name, a ruler of the Jews, 2 this one came unto him by night, and said to him, 'Rabbi, we have known that from God thou hast come—a teacher, for no one these signs is able to do that thou dost, if God may not be with him.' 3 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born from above, he is not able to see the reign of God;' 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, 'How is a man able to be born, being old? is he able into the womb of his mother a second time to enter, and to be born?' 5 Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say to thee, If any one may not be born of water, and the Spirit, he is not able to enter into the reign of God; 6 that which hath been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which hath been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 'Thou mayest not wonder that I said to thee, It behoveth you to be born from above; 8 the Spirit where he willeth doth blow, and his voice thou dost hear, but thou hast not known whence he cometh, and whither he goeth; thus is every one who hath been born of the Spirit.' 9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, 'How are these things able to happen?' 10 Jesus answered and said to him, 'Thou art the teacher of Israel—and these things thou dost not know! 11 'Verily, verily, I say to thee—What we have known we speak, and what we have seen we testify, and our testimony ye do not receive; 12 if the earthly things I said to you, and ye do not believe, how, if I shall say to you the heavenly things, will ye believe? 13 and no one hath gone up to the heaven, except he who out of the heaven came down—the Son of Man who is in the heaven. 14 'And as Moses did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so it behoveth the Son of Man to be lifted up, 15 that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during,
16 for God did so love the world, that His Son—the only begotten—He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during. 17 For God did not send His Son to the world that he may judge the world, but that the world may be saved through him; 18 he who is believing in him is not judged, but he who is not believing hath been judged already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
(Read John 3:1-21)
Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore came in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are many Nicodemites. But though he came by night, Jesus bid him welcome, and hereby taught us to encourage good beginnings, although weak. And though now he came by night, yet afterward he owned Christ publicly. He did not talk with Christ about state affairs, though he was a ruler, but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation, and went at once to them. Our Saviour spoke of the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth, and at once directed Nicodemus to the source of holiness of the heart. Birth is the beginning of life; to be born again, is to begin to live anew, as those who have lived much amiss, or to little purpose. We must have a new nature, new principles, new affections, new aims. By our first birth we were corrupt, shapen in sin; therefore we must be made new creatures. No stronger expression could have been chosen to signify a great and most remarkable change of state and character. We must be entirely different from what we were before, as that which begins to be at any time, is not, and cannot be the same with that which was before. This new birth is from heaven, Numbers 21:6-9. In this observe the deadly and destructive nature of sin. Ask awakened consciences, ask damned sinners, they will tell you, that how charming soever the allurements of sin may be, at the last it bites like a serpent. See the powerful remedy against this fatal malady. Christ is plainly set forth to us in the gospel. He whom we offended is our Peace, and the way of applying for a cure is by believing. If any so far slight either their disease by sin, or the method of cure by Christ, as not to receive Christ upon his own terms, their ruin is upon their own heads. He has said, Look and be saved, look and live; lift up the eyes of your faith to Christ crucified. And until we have grace to do this, we shall not be cured, but still are wounded with the stings of Satan, and in a dying state. Jesus Christ came to save us by pardoning us, that we might not die by the sentence of the law. Here is gospel, good news indeed. Here is God's love in giving his Son for the world. God so loved the world; so really, so richly. Behold and wonder, that the great God should love such a worthless world! Here, also, is the great gospel duty, to believe in Jesus Christ. God having given him to be our Prophet, Priest, and King, we must give up ourselves to be ruled, and taught, and saved by him. And here is the great gospel benefit, that whoever believes in Christ, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and so saving it. It could not be saved, but through him; there is no salvation in any other. From all this is shown the happiness of true believers; he that believeth in Christ is not condemned. Though he has been a great sinner, yet he is not dealt with according to what his sins deserve. How great is the sin of unbelievers! God sent One to save us, that was dearest to himself; and shall he not be dearest to us? How great is the misery of unbelievers! they are condemned already; which speaks a certain condemnation; a present condemnation. The wrath of God now fastens upon them; and their own hearts condemn them. There is also a condemnation grounded on their former guilt; they are open to the law for all their sins; because they are not by faith interested in the gospel pardon. Unbelief is a sin against the remedy. It springs from the enmity of the heart of man to God, from love of sin in some form. Read also the doom of those that would not know Christ. Sinful works are works of darkness. The wicked world keep as far from this light as they can, lest their deeds should be reproved. Christ is hated, because sin is loved. If they had not hated saving knowledge, they would not sit down contentedly in condemning ignorance. On the other hand, renewed hearts bid this light welcome. A good man acts truly and sincerely in all he does. He desires to know what the will of God is, and to do it, though against his own worldly interest. A change in his whole character and conduct has taken place. The love of God is shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost, and is become the commanding principle of his actions. So long as he continues under a load of unforgiven guilt, there can be little else than slavish fear of God; but when his doubts are done away, when he sees the righteous ground whereon this forgiveness is built, he rests on it as his own, and is united to God by unfeigned love. Our works are good when the will of God is the rule of them, and the glory of God the end of them; when they are done in his strength, and for his sake; to him, and not to men. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a subject to which the world is very averse; it is, however, the grand concern, in comparison with which every thing else is but trifling. What does it signify though we have food to eat in plenty, and variety of raiment to put on, if we are not born again? if after a few mornings and evenings spent in unthinking mirth, carnal pleasure, and riot, we die in our sins, and lie down in sorrow? What does it signify though we are well able to act our parts in life, in every other respect, if at last we hear from the Supreme Judge, "Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity?"
