Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of II Chronicles Chapter 17
Metaphysically Interpreting II Chronicles 17:1-19
17:1And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 17:2And he placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 17:3And Jehovah was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim, 17:4but sought to the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 17:5Therefore Jehovah established the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat tribute; and he had riches and honor in abundance. 17:6And his heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah: and furthermore he took away the high places and the Asherim out of Judah.
17:7Also in the third year of his reign he sent his princes, even Ben-hail, and Obadiah, and Zechariah, and Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah;17:8and with them the Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests. 17:9And they taught in Judah, having the book of the law of Jehovah with them; and they went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught among the people.
17:10And the fear of Jehovah fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 17:11And some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; the Arabians also brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he-goats. 17:12And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah castles and cities of store. 17:13And he had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem. 17:14And this was the numbering of them according to their fathers' houses: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the captain, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand; 17:15and next to him Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand; 17:16and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto Jehovah; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 17:17And of Benjamin: Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield; 17:18and next to him Jehozabad and with him a hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for war. 17:19These were they that waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.
May 30, 1915: II Chronicles 17:1-6
The metaphysician perceives at once that this is a lesson in development of good judgment. Jehovah, the great I Am, gives forth its idea of judgment, which is incorporated in man's consciousness and called Jehoshaphat. But Judgment is not a demonstration, but an idea in Divine Mind. The demonstration is in human consciousness, and the process is a problem in which many factors enter. Man's understanding of the Divine Idea, Judgment, is limited. He expands in this as in every other faculty, by use. In its infancy the faculty is not united to wisdom, and mistakes are made. But there is a monitor, or inner guide, that intuitively perceives the right. This is Jehu the “seer,” son of Hanani, the grace or expressed power of Divine Mind.
We are warned not to help nor love the ungodly desires or propensities. Under the Mosaic law of character cleansing, the most severe measures are recommended. Every enemy was slaughtered without mercy, and the most barbaric methods adopted in exterminating those who opposed Israel. This is but the parable; the enemies are false thoughts and error ways. These are to be utterly exterminated in thought and act.
Jehoshaphat's great work as king of Israel was the eradication of the temples and groves of Asheroth. These were the sacred shrines where the idolatry of the Phoenician Venus was practiced in licentious ways. Eadie's Biblical Cyclopaedia says: “Originally she was an Arcadian goddess, the mother and bride of Adonis. In Canaan, however, she became the mere reflection of the Sun-god, and was as such identified with the moon, her symbol in this case being the cow, whose horns resemble the crescent moon lying on its back.”
We perceive that Asheroth typifies human love, with its animal propensities. It requires fine discrimination to distinguish between human and divine love. All love is divine in its origin, but in passing through the lens of man's mind it is apparently broken into many colors. Yet, like a ray of white light, it ever remains pure. It is man's province to make its manifestations in his life just as pure as its origin. This requires painstaking discrimination and good judgment.
– UNITY magazine.
May 30, 1915: II Chronicles 17:9-13
Divine judgment can be established in every function of our organism by commanding that the various thought centers (cities) shall have a perpetual presiding thought of good judgment. This is the way to “set garrisons in the land.” False judgment thoughts often infest the various centers through which the bodily functions are carried on. You will find that your stomach center has a lot of arbitrary ideas as to what you should put into it. It may refuse to digest certain things that are good for your general health, and cheerfully work on other things that are detrimental. No two people agree on what they can digest, yet there should be, and is, a Divine Law of harmony in this respect, as in all others.
The “kingdom” must be established in good judgment; then the whole system, represented by Judah, will contribute to the upbuilding, and that man will have “riches and honor in abundance.”
– UNITY magazine.
October 13, 1918: II Chronicles 17:1-6
What in consciousness does “Judah” represent? “Judah” represents the inner life forces of man's being.
What does “Jehoshaphat” symbolize? “Jehoshaphat” symbolizes the development in consciousness of the Divine idea of Judgment.
What in consciousness is “Jehovah,” and how does man commune with Jehovah? “Jehovah” is the I Am, or Divine Mind identified in substance. Communication with Jehovah is established, when man, through dwelling in thought upon Divine ideas, harmonizes his thought realm with Divine Mind.
What does “Asherim” typify? “Asherim” typifies human love with its animal propensities. Through Jehoshaphat's allegiance to Jehovah, the inner forces (Judah) are purified. “He took away ... the Asherim out of Judah.”
October 13, 1918: II Chronicles 17:9-13
What is the essential teaching of the text of this lesson? The essential teaching of this text is that the establishment of judgment in the inner forces of the consciousness, through the I Am, overcomes all adverse ideas in the organism, and contributes greatly toward a peaceful and harmonious expression in both mind and body. “Mighty men of valor,” that is, dominant ideas of power, strength and judgment are established “in Jerusalem” (dominant center of consciousness at Solar Plexus), through the reign of Judgment founded in Divine Principle.
July 30, 1939: II Chronicles 17:1-6
What is meant by Jehoshaphat king of Judah strengthening himself against Israel? Israel here represents the intellect, which man is prone to allow to rule over him, when he is not on his guard to protect the intuitional powers of the subconscious mind. The intuitional powers are represented by Jehoshaphat (rectitude of Jehovah), meaning the development in consciousness of the divine idea of judgment.
What does Jehoshaphat's act of garrisoning the fortified cities that Asa his father had built represent? The forces that Jehoshaphat placed in the walled cities built by his father represent the positive powers that are established in man's organism, when the work of the healing properties of nature (Asa) is carried to completion. “All things work together for good to them” that keep the law of life.
What were the “first ways of his father David” that Jehoshaphat followed? As a youth David looked to God for guidance in all his ways, and it was then that he faithfully reflected divine love. He represents divine love individualized in human consciousness. Humility and trust were the “first ways” of Jehoshaphat's “father David.”
What advantage, if any, accrues to the leader who continues the plans and policies of his predecessor? The advantage of cumulative effects. Asa set in motion certain forces that tended to establish the kingdom of Judah in peace and power. Jehoshaphat confirmed and extended the work of his father instead of undoing it. Prosperity is a logical outgrowth of consistent, carefully considered thinking, rather than the result of radical change and experimentation.
When riches, honor, and abundance came to Jehoshaphat, his heart was lifted up. How does his experience differ from that of the average man who prospers and finds honor? The customary effect of riches and honor is to make a man proud of himself and his personal success. Jehoshaphat's “heart was lifted up in the ways of Jehovah,” which means that his judgment grew clearer than before, and his mind more sensitive to the indwelling Spirit of wisdom and love that he followed.
July 30, 1939: II Chronicles 17:9-12
Both Asa and Jehoshaphat “took away ... the Asherim out of Judah.” Why was the second removal necessary? The Asherim represent human love with its animal propensities. The insidious claims of the sense nature need to be denied out of consciousness constantly, otherwise they are prone to reinstate themselves before man is aware of their return.
Does peace depend in any measure upon education? Peace of mind depends upon self-knowledge, which does not come of itself to the personal or sense man. Education in the way of life leads man into the road to peace.
What is the meaning of Jehoshaphat's receiving tribute from the Philistines and the Arabians as well as from Judah? The purely physical forces (Philistines), although they are foreign to Spirit, and all unproductive forces (Arabians) come under the influence of the good and contribute somewhat to it, as man establishes his judgment in principle and learns to harmonize all his thoughts and powers.
What does the number seven thousand and seven hundred, twice repeated, symbolize? The number seven represents fullness. It is multiplied over a thousand-fold to show the power of man's loyalty to Jehovah to purify and exalt his inner nature beyond measure.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 01-09-2014
