V.1 Jehoiada was a take charge kind of man.  He was decisive in his actions to cleanse the present evil and turn people to Yahweh.  He dispensed with the evil woman Athaliah as firmly as Jehu had dealt with her mother Jezebel. 

Are we decisive in our actions to overcome evil in our lives and error in our ecclesias - do we mean business?

There are very few queens mentioned in scripture, especially as reigning over Israel or Judah. But Athaliah is there, as a terrible example. 

23:17  In these days of religious tolerance the way in which the prophets of Baal should warn us against any inclination we might have towards compromising what we believe ‘lest we offend’ others. Whereas Athaliah was not to be killed ‘in the house f the Lord’ 2Chron 23:14 no such concern was to be felt about the prophets of Baal who were killed ‘before the altars’ 2Chron 23:17. Likewise her followers were not spared ether 2Chron 23:14. Now this is not suggesting that we ride roughshod over the faith of others. But that we recognise error for what it is and have no part of it nor compromise our beliefs or practices.

23:2 The brining of the Levites out of the cities of Judah was part of the elaborate plans to secure the throne for Joash. It was certain that there would be trouble as soon as he was made king so Jehoiada wanted as many faithful, God fearing, men together to protect the fledgling king from Athaliah.

223:3 Notice the people recognise that it is God who sets up kings. By making reference to ‘the sons of David’ the people are recognising the promise of 2Sam 7:12

23:1-2 Major reforms do not come about by accident. Jehoiada, in going through Judah seeking out the Levites, was building a base of faithful men. Notice also that he did not do it alone He sought the help of others –the ‘captains of hundreds’.

2Chron 23:1 - in the following names perhaps is some encouragement for those serving God and the spector of God's judgment for the memorable/famous: "Azariah" [(5838) means "Jah has helped"], "Jeroham" [(3395) means "showing pity, compassionate"], "Ishmael" [(3458) means "God will hear"], "Jehohanan" [(3076) means "Jah has graced, Jah favored", "Azariah" [(5838) means "Jah has helped"], "Obed" [(5744) means "serving"], "Maaseiah" [(4641) means "work of Jah"], "Adaiah" (5718) means "Jah has adorned"], Elishaphat" [(478) means "my God has judged, God of judgment"], "Zichri" [(2147) means "memorable, famous"]. Some of the preceding was gleaned from The Story of the Bible by G.E.Mansfield, V.3,P.388.

2Chron 23:2-3;2Chron 24:1-3 - the congregation made a covenant in the house of God, the king's son shall reign, Jehoiada chose wives for Joash so the king was guided by the priest  (2Chron 23:8,11) and it perhaps echoed the king-priest rule of Melchizedek and of Christ when he returns (Gen 14:18-20;Psa 110:4;Heb 7:1-3).

2Chron 23:19;Rev 21:27;Eze 44:9 - no one allowed in the Lord's temple (then or in the future) who is unclean.

2Chron 23:16,17,20,21 - symbols of sin are destroyed/slain, a covenent made to be the Lord's, the king comes down to rule, all the people of the land rejoiced - perhaps we have an echo of Christ's return and reign on the earth.

4:10-18 the dream of the tree which was cut down was given to Nebuchadnezzar by God to show that He rules in the kingdom of men and that Nebuchadnezzar was in His control and not the other way round. The details of the dream draw on the tower of Babel.

4:11 reached unto heaven Genesis 11:4
4:11 all the earth Genesis 11:4
4:13 came down Genesis 11:7
4:14 scatter Genesis 11:8

This shows that Nebuchadnezzar was attempting to mimic the spirit of mankind at the time of Babel and was therefore bound to be brought low.

The removal of the tree is couched in language of the tower of Babel

V.32 Yahweh chooses whon He wants to fulfil His will (Rom 9:15,16).  He chose Nebuchadnezzar but the king had to be humbled and educated.  Although the most powerful leader of his time, he had to learn that Yahweh governs all (v.32). 

Yahweh invests a lot of time and interest in us just as He did Nebuchadnezzar.  We must allow Him to teach us; discipline us; mould us so that we will be accepted, by grace, into the kingdom (Rom 9:21; Heb 11:12).  Perhaps we will meet up with Nebuchadnezzar in the kingdom and we can compare notes.   

4:1  It is God,, not Nebuchadnezzar, who is able to pronounce ‘peace be multiplied unto you’. Peter 1Pet 1:2, 2Pet 1:2  making this point to the ‘church in Babylon’ 1Pet 5:13  is possibly making this contrast for us.

Dan 2:31,32,35,38,39,44,45 -- Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was the head of gold. As Peter Cresswell previously noted (Dan 4:34-37), Nebuchadnezzar at the end of his life worshipped God. The next empire was the Medo-Persian empire where Queen Esther, Mordecai (a type of Christ?) and her people were given mercy while the adversary Haman (sin?) was destroyed (Est 7:1-6). Next empire is Alexander the Great with the Greeks/Macedonians whose wisdom was as foolishness (1Cor 1:22-23) with their many gods, etc. And finally we have the stone (1Cor 10:4; Matt 21:42-44; 1Pet 2:4-8) crushing all the earthly kingdoms when Christ returns to establish the kingdom of God on earth. Believers should try to reflect Christ in hope of sharing his glorious nature and eternal life in the Kingdom  

Perhaps, the metals of these three empires have significance and they are all found in the tabernacle. Gold is thought by many to refer to a tried faith or a divine character/nature and it is possible we will see Nebuchadnezzar in the kingdom as he humbled himself towards the end of his life. Silver is thought by many to refer to mercy or redemption and this could be applicable to the situation in the book of Esther -- and of course we have the association of silver with the betrayal and sacrifice of Christ which offers believers mercy and hope of eternal life. The Greeks are symbolized by bronze/brass which is thought by many to refer to the flesh (our human nature which we must try to overcome) as opposed to that which is spiritual. 

4:3 In saying that God’s kingdom is ‘from generation to generation’ Nebuchadnezzar is contrasting his kingdom which will not continue because he will die.

4:12 Daniel’s description of the tree in which all fowls could dwell draws on the language of Eze 17:23

CHAINSAW ART

One of God's favorite things to do is to make things beautiful. A quick glance at his creation will confirm this for us. Along with his beautiful creation, God works hard to develop beautiful characters. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, was no exception.

All the way through the early chapters of Daniel, we see God challenging and developing Nebuchadnezzar to refine his character in order to make him into a man of God. The last refinement of Nebuchadnezzar's character was perhaps the most radical. To remove his pride, God prescribed seven years of madness to Nebuchadnezzar "until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes." (Dan 4:25)

It is interesting that it took "seven times" (v.24) or seven years for God's process to work out in the life of Nebuchadnezzar. Seven is the number of perfection. Over that seven year period, God was perfecting the character of Nebuchadnezzar. It wasn't an easy process. The vision described Nebuchadnezzar as a tree that had grown in pride. God's remedy was to cut it down, leaving the stum and roots intact. Once the chainsaw had done its work, the tree would grow back with it's flaws perfected and become a plant of beauty, the art of the God.

Jesus said that we are like branches that God needs to prune in order to make us more fruitful. (John 15 v 2) But while God's chainsaw marks on us may be painful or even humilating, they will make us perfect, a person of true beauty, a work of art, fit for his kingdom.

4:19 Daniel is renamed Belteshazzar by Nebuchadnezzar – Dan 1:7– However almost invariably he is referred to as Daniel with the explanation that his name was changed.

We appreciate that the gospel is firmly rooted in the Old Testament. It is useful to list the number of times that the Old Testament is quoted in the preaching and Ecclesial life of our first century brethren.

Vs.4,8,9 One of the immediate effects of the Holy Spirit was that men could speak in foreign languages. The purpose of this was that the gospel could be understood and spread to many peoples. 

Contrast this with those who claim to be able to speak in tongues today. The gibberish and mumbo-jumbo that they utter cannot be understood and has no meaning.  The gospel is not proclaimed and no one is edified.

V.21 Some people claim that, upon belief in Jesus, they receive the Holy Spirit and are saved.  Nothing else is required.  But at this time of the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit, Peter shows those present by what means salvation might be attained (v.38). 

Baptism is a confession of faith after a person has received an understanding of the gospel from the whole of scripture, both Old and New Testaments.  Jesus preached about Himself from the Old Testament (Luke 24:27). Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian Eunuch, starting from Isaiah (Acts 8:28,35). 

And so, just an oral assertion that Jesus is the savior is not sufficient.  Neither is an adherence to the New Testament at the exclusion of the Old Testament. 

Two Applications of Tongues?

2:1-11 - The gifts on the day of pentecost (50 days after passover and possibly hinting at the future Jubilee) included the vs. 3,4 gift of tongues glossa (1100) which suggests a tongue and by implication a language (specifically one naturally unacquired). In vs.6 we find the mention of each hearing in his own language dialektos (1258). In vs.8 we find Galileans apparently speaking in a tongue dialektos (1258) which indicates a language or dialect apparently used to edify foreigners each listening in their own local native language apparently at the same time. In vss.9-11 we find the various languages named with vs.11 tongues (1100) depicted in a collective apparently simultaneous sense. There is no mention of an interpreter here as knowledge is being imparted and received in each recipient's own languages.

Dialektos seemingly refers to the individuals (foreign or native) each listening in their own more common tongue or language while glossa seems to have the flexibility to refer to tongue or tongues and apparently has a broader application even including foreign languages not recognized by those present (except the interpreter).

In 1Cor 12:10  do we have a second application of tongues? Is this a tongue not recognized by those present (except for an interpreter) but still an actual language? Here we have those with the gift of speaking in and others with the gift of interpreting tongues (1100). In Acts there was no interpreter necessary. Slightly off topic,  1Cor 13:8,13 may be suggesting a time when the gift of tongues (1100) is no longer available. In 1Cor 14:2,4,5,6,7,9,27,28 does it suggest tongues (1100) in a second application as a language not understandable to those present, not for edifying others but oneself, and that an intermediary interpreter and other limiting conditions are needed for any edification unless it is a directly spoken language(s) as in the first of application noted in Acts? It would be easier to abuse intentionally or unintentially a second application (if not type) of speaking in tongues requiring an interpreter and Paul cautioned regarding its use.

Two Types of  Lord

2:34-36 - David is not asended into the heavens and says the Lord Kurios (2962) said to my Lord (2962) the Greek having meanings such as supreme in authority, controller, Mr., God, Lord, Master, Sir. These same names for God and Christ could create confusion except that this is a quote from Psa 110:1 where two clearly different words for Lord are used thus making a clearer distinction between God and Christ. The first Lord (3068) is the Jewish national name for God and the second Lord adon (113) means sovereign, controller (human or divine), lord, master, or owner.

I love reading this chapter and thinking about Peter and the way he inspires the crowd. The idea of this lowly fisherman getting up, addressing the crowd and finally fullfilling all that Jesus saw in him. It give us hope that we to can reach our true potential when we fully offer ourselves to our Lord. 

2:36 In speaking of Jesus and ‘Christ’ the disciples are asserting that Jesus is now the anointed one. That is Messiah as spoken of in the Old Testament Dan 9:25,26

2:46‘singleness of heart’ was a characteristic of the believers in the first century. We will see evidence of this through out the early chapters of Acts. However much of the letters written in the first century was devoted to combating disunity. So we see that whilst baptism produces the initial enthusiasm for harmony as time passes the flesh reasserts it’s grip. This is so true in our lives.

2:9-10 Peter was a major speaker at Pentecost. This list of places from which visitors had come to Jerusalem to keep the feat matches quite closely the list - 1Pet 1:1 – thus we see this event in Acts provides a group of individuals who became believers to whom this same apostle Peter wrote later

 Hell - part 1 of 2 [lesson 10 of 20 gleaned from "Outline of Basic Bible Teachings" by Wes Booker (for part 2 see September 1, 1Corinthians 15)]

I. HELL in the Old Testament. The Old Testament word - SHEOL = the grave. This Hebrew word "sheol" is translated "grave" 31 times, "hell" 31 times, and "pit" 3 times. In Hebrew it means 'the unseen state' (Young's concordance). By following the word through every place that it occurs, it can be seen that the word should always ber translated as "grave". Jon 2:2;Ecc 9:10;Eze 32:27;Psa 16:9-10 compare with Acts 2:25-32

     A. All go to sheol, or the grave, at death - Psa 49:12-14;Psa 89:47-48;Gen 37:34-35 (Jacob);Isa 38:10 (Hezekiah)

     B. Sheol can receive parts of the body and other inanimate objects - Gen 37:35;42:38;Psa 141:7;Isa 14:11,15;Jon 2:2;Num 16:29-33;Eze 32:27

     C. In sheol there is complete unconsciousness and inactivity - Psa 6:4-5;31:17;Isa 38:18-19;Ecc 9:10;Job 14:11-13

2:24 Being ‘loosed from the pains of death’ echoes David’s hope as voiced in Psa 18:3-4