How we cite our quotes:
Quote #7
Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? They have lived in it, and in it have built you a sanctuary for your name, saying, "If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry to you in our distress, and you will hear and save." See Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you have given us to inherit. (2 Chronicles 20:7-11, NRSV)
Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying, If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help. And Now behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit. (2 Chronicles 20:7-11, KJV)
Jehoshaphat appeals to God to rescue Judah from the invaders who are trying to take back the land of Judah. He reminds God that he gave this land to Abraham's descendants forever and that Israel had built him this really nice Temple for just an occasion like this—to pray for deliverance. The king makes a pretty savvy argument here: don't do this for us, do it for yourself, since your house is here.
Quote #8
Some time afterward Joash decided to restore the house of the Lord. He assembled the priests and the Levites and said to them, "Go out to the cities of Judah and gather money from all Israel to repair the house of your God […] For the children of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had even used all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord for the Baals." (2 Chronicles 24:4-5, 7, NRSV)
It came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair the house of the Lord. And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of your God […] For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of the Lord did they bestow upon Baalim. (2 Chronicles 24:4-5, 7, KJV)
The way the king treats God's house—the Temple—says a lot about the way God will treat that king. Here, King Joash is repairing the damage that was done by Athaliah and company. Joash makes arrangements for everyone in Judah to contribute to the building fund. Making this a project for everyone probably cemented the idea of Jerusalem and the Temple being the national home. Everyone could take pride in the restored Temple. Kind of like you feel when you go to Washington, DC and think "my tax money paid for this." Well, your parents' tax money, anyway.
Quote #9
Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, and cut in pieces the utensils of the house of God. He shut up the doors of the house of the Lord and made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. In every city of Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the Lord, the God of his ancestors. (2 Chronicles 28:24-25, NRSV)
Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the Lord, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem. And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers. (2 Chronicles 28:24-25, KJV)
Here's an example of what not to do. King Ahaz shuts down God's house, which means it's closed for business. No way prayers can be answered. Fortunately, his son Hezekiah reversed all this and reopened the Temple as soon as he got the throne. You can see that the Chronicler intended these verses to be pretty shocking. Cutting up the holy vessels in the Temple—the chutzpah!