2 Chronicles 27
In this chapter Jotham personally is without reproach: "He did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that his father Uzziah had done; only he entered not into the temple of Jehovah" (2 Chron. 27:2). The Word compares his reign at its beginning to that of Uzziah who was so "marvelously helped"; his reign differs from it in that he does not imitate the pride of his father who wanted to usurp the holy priesthood's place in the temple. Uzziah had begun his career by taking heed to the prophetic word and he had prospered, but he had forsaken the Word when in his prosperity he had put his confidence in himself and had become puffed up. Jotham was well aware of the consequences of his father's behavior and took care not to follow the same path. It is a great blessing to have eyes and ears attentive to the Lord's ways. "The fear of God" properly consists of this, and we can say that this fear characterized Jotham's life. Through Zechariah, his father might perhaps have had more understanding in the visions of God had he entered into the knowledge of divine revelation sooner. Yet, precious as this knowledge was, it had not prevented Uzziah from a very serious fall. It is all-important for us to remember this truth. Jotham carefully avoided that which had caused his father's ruin, that is, disobedience to the Word of God which he nevertheless knew so well; he "prepared his ways before Jehovah his God"; he walked uprightly according to the word of the prophet Micah who began to prophesy under his reign: "Is Jehovah impatient? are these His doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?" (Mic. 2:7). We are also told that "Jotham became strong." Uzziah, likewise, at the beginning of his reign "became exceeding strong" (2 Chron. 26:8). Strength always accompanies obedience; but it becomes a snare when we consider it as our strength. This is what happened to Uzziah: "He was marvelously helped, till he became strong" (2 Chron. 26:15). In contrast to Uzziah, Jotham saw his strength fully maintained, because he "prepared his ways before Jehovah his God." Psalm 50 tells us: "To him that ordereth his way will I show the salvation of God." To prepare one's way is to fashion it after an unchangeable model, just as one sets a clock according to a regulator. Jotham prepared his way according to the thoughts God had expressed concerning His Anointed; he sought to be like this God-given model and he succeeded.
As usual, that which was lacking in him with regard to the Lord's service is not given us in Chronicles, but the book of Kings tells us: "Only, the high places were not removed: the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places" (2 Kings 15:35). Doubtless Jotham, who prepared his ways, had no fellowship with the high places, but he lacked the necessary authority to forbid them to the people. Here we clearly see that if the king's moral condition was good, that of the people was bad: "The people still acted corruptly" (2 Chron. 27:2). We see the same thing in 2 Kings 15: "The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places." Thus it was primarily the condition of the people that provoked the Lord's displeasure and necessitated His discipline. The book of Micah as well as Psalm 50 already quoted, expose this throughout. The state of the people is in question in the prophet, not that of the king. Micah began to prophesy under Jotham and tells us of the people, of their leaders — chief men and princes — of their prophets, without even mentioning the king. Read Micah 1:9; 2:2,3,8-10; 3:1-2,5-12; 6:2-5; 7:2,3,18; everywhere you will find the state of the people presented as the principal cause of judgment. This will be what characterizes prophecy from this point onward until the end. Prophecy will address itself to the people and lay bare their condition. Up to this point the numerous prophets mentioned in Chronicles address themselves to the king; but when prophecy, proclaimed under the kings, is written rather than spoken, it presents the condition of the people themselves and the powers that constitute the people. In that day the people were no longer excusable. In presence of Jotham's godliness and faithful walk, should not their conscience have spoken to them? The opposite took place.
Jotham's godliness is shown in a very interesting way in the defense of the house of God. Uzziah (2 Chron. 26:9) had built towers to protect the city; Jotham built towers to protect the temple. "He... built the upper gate of the house of Jehovah, and on the wall of Ophel he built much" (2 Chron. 27:3). Ophel, situated in the southwest of Jerusalem, connected the king's gardens, etc. with the temple. Jotham completed the defensive works Uzziah had neglected: "He built cities in the hill-country of Judah, and in the forests he built castles and towers" (2 Chron. 27:4). Lastly, he made war against the king of the children of Ammon who doubtless (cf. 2 Chron. 26:8), were refusing to recognize Judah's suzerainty. During the three years following Jotham's victory they paid him a heavy tribute. His strength had its source in his godliness, and godliness was precious enough to him to keep him from exalting himself.
Chronicles intentionally omits a fact reported in 2 Kings 15:37: "In those days Jehovah began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah." This fact is connected with Judah's sin; it is against Judah that God sends these enemies, and not against Jotham; but in Chronicles the beauty of this reign would have been weakened if the aggression of Israel and Syria could have been interpreted as being due to some unfaithfulness in the king. In the midst of the ruins of the kingdom in Judah our hearts are made glad at Jotham's example. Let us imitate him and prepare our ways before our God!