Tag Archive | 2 Kings

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 217

Aug5

Day 217 – Reading – 2 Kings 22-23, 2 Chronicles 34-35.

Read today’s Scriptures … ANYWHERE you find yourself this summer. Stay in the WORD!

 

2 Kings 22 and 2 Chronicles 34.

Josiah.  Judah’s last good king.  And he was very good.

Josiah DID what was right in the eyes of the LORD.  He WALKED in the ways of David, his father.  He DID NOT turn aside to the right or the left.  In the eighth year of his reign (at 16), he began to SEEK the God of David, his father. In the twelfth year of his reign (age 20), he began to PURGE and CLEANSE Judah and Jerusalem of all the idols. In the eighteenth year of his reign (age 26) he began to REPAIR the House of God.

Like I said, Josiah was a very good king. 

During the cleaning, the priest, Hilkiah, found the Book of the Law. (How long had it been buried under the trash and filth?)  It was brought and read to King Josiah by Shaphan, the secretary. (Most likely this was the book of Deuteronomy.)

When King Josiah heard the words of the Law … he TORE his clothes (in distress and grief). He COMMANDED the priest to go and INQUIRE of the LORD for him and all Judah, concerning the words of the Law he’d heard.

“For great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled (poured out) on us, because our fathers have not kept (obeyed) the words of the LORD (this book), to do according to all that is written in it concerning us.”

They went to Huldah the prophetess, who lived in Jerusalem, and she gave them a word from God.

  • “Tell the man who sent you to me, Thus says the LORD. ‘I WILL bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king.  Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands … my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched!'”
  • “BUT to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, the God of Israel, say, ‘Because you hear was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have humbled yourself before me and have torn your clothes and wept before me … I also have heard you.  Behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave IN PEACE, and your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring upon this place and its inhabitants.”

Then King Josiah gathered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem, and all the men of Judah and the inhabitants, plus the priests and Levites.  And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant that had been found.

And Josiah STOOD and MADE A COVENANT before the LORD, to WALK after the LORD, and KEEP His commandments and testimonies and statutes with all his heart and soul, to PERFORM the words of the covenant that were written in the book. 

He made all who were present join in, and they did.  He took away all the abominations that belonged to the people of Israel and made all serve the LORD their God.  

All his days they did not turn away from following the LORD, the God of their Fathers.  WOW. Amen!

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2 Kings 23 and 2 Chronicles 35.

 With renewed energy and purpose, King Josiah began to “clean house” in earnest.

  1. He found all the vessels made for Baal, Asherah, and the Hosts of Heaven that were in the temple, including in the Most Holy place … and burned them and threw the ashes in the Kidron fields.
  2. Then he deposed all the evil priests whom the kings before him had appointed. 
  3. He broke down the houses of prostitution used to worship the false gods. 
  4. He defiled Topeth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, SO NO ONE MIGHT BURN HIS SON OR DAUGHTER AS AN OFFERING TO MOLECH. —- (Topeth means “drum.”  Drums were beaten to drown out the screams and cries of the children being sacrificed!) 
  5. He removed and burned the golden statues of the horses and chariots of the sun, which the kings of Judah had dedicated and used to worship the sun. 
  6. He pulled down all the altars the former kings had made, broke them into pieces, and threw them in that valley of the dead.
  7. He defiled all the altars of Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom that Solomon built for his foreign wives.  He pulled them down and broke them into pieces, and then threw dead men’s bones on them.
  8. He tore down the altar at Bethel that Jeroboam had built (the golden calf), broke it apart, and burned it. 
  9. He went to Samaria (the capital of the old Northern Kingdom) and tore down all the shrines there, and sacrificed all the priests.

Then he returned to Jerusalem.  WHEW!

He called the Levites and told them to bring the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD back into the Temple. 

(King Josiah’s father, Manasseh, had taken the Ark of the Covenant out to put in that carved image he’d made. After his repentance, he took out the idol and threw it in the valley. But the Ark had never been replaced. See 2 Chron. 33:7 & 15.)

Then King Josiah restored all the holy priests and Levites to their positions (listed in the documents written by David and Solomon), and told them to get ready to slaughter the Passover Lamb.  Then the king and all the people “kept the Passover to the Lord their God (and the feast of unleavened Bread), as was written in the Book of the Covenant.  No such Passover had been kept since the days of the judges or during the days of the kings of Israel or the kings of Judah. 

Oh, and Josiah put away (killed) the mediums and necromancers, and ALL the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and Jerusalem … that he might establish the Words of the Law that were written in the Book that was found in the house of the LORD.

BEFORE him, there was no king who turned to the LORD with all his heart, all his soul, and all his might … nor did any like him arise after him.

Judah got a reprieve. But the LORD’s great burning wrath did not turn away from Judah, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had done (before repentance).  The LORD said, “I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the House for which I said, ‘My name shall be there.'”

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And then…. after all that Josiah did, and at the end of his reign … Neco, the Pharaoh-King of Egypt, set out to fight against the King of Assyria.

REMEMBER – Egypt was SOUTH of Judah, and Assyria was NORTH.  That meant that Neco and his army had to “pass through some of the land of Israel to get to the new Assyrian capital of Carchemish.  It seems Neco had no beef with Josiah and told the Jewish king to just let his army pass through.  

BUT… Josiah FEARED that Egypt and Assyria would somehow form an alliance, like two sides of a hamburger bun, with Judah in the middle as the meat – ready to be chomped from either side.   So … without consulting God as his great-grandfather Hezekiah had done, Josiah decided to intercept the Egyptian forces and fight for Judah.  

BAD DECISION. 

Josiah (and army) met Neco on the plain of Megiddo (Jezreel).  Almost immediately, Josiah was wounded by an arrow, shot by Neco himself. (The Egyptian wanted to get to Carchemish without losing any of his men or armaments. Josiah was a “bee buzzing around his head,” and he swatted him.

“I am badly wounded,” cried Josiah. His servants put him in the king’s second chariot (perhaps the “ambulance” rig?), and took him back to Jerusalem, where this godly king died.

All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 

Jeremiah, the prophet, also uttered a lament for him.

Then the people of Judah took Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, and made him king in his father’s place.

He reigned THREE MONTHS. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. 

Pharaoh Neco, seeing an opportunity, captured Jehoahaz and put him in prison at his base north of Lebanon. Ultimately, he was taken to Egypt, where he died. Meanwhile, Neco laid a tribute on Judah of 100 talents of silver and a talent of gold.  Neco made Eliakim, another of Josiah’s sons, king instead, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. 

King Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Neco. (He got the money from taxing his people, not from his own kingly storehouse.)

He reigned eleven years, and….. did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.  Another king came and took him away ….. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

The time had com…..   

(Thank you LORD, for Your patience and mercy.  We don’t deserve it. Thank you for delaying as long as you can for this world to bring wrath on us – because you “desire all to be saved.’  But eventually, the unrighteousness is full, and you WILL act. )

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Days 208 and 209

Jul28

NOTE: Sunday and Monday studies are posted together on MONDAY.

Day 208 – Reading – Isaiah 44 – 48.

Day 209 – 2 Kings 19, Psalms 46, 80, and 135.

Read today’s Scriptures.  PRAY and SING them too!

SUNDAY,

Day 208 – Isaiah 44.

(We are still in the section (chapters 40-66) that addresses Judah AS IF they were already in the Babylonian captivity, which in reality is perhaps 70/80 years off.)

Isaiah’s words from the LORD about the millennial kingdom are meant to encourage Judah.

  • But now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen! Thus says the LORD who made you, who formed you from the womb and will help you. “Fear not, O Jacob my servant, Jeshurun* whom I have chosen. “For I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring and my blessing on your descendants.”

*Jeshurun is an honored name for Israel, whose root meaning is “right or straight,” the opposite of the meaning of Jacob, which is “deceiver.”

  •  Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts, “I AM the first and I AM the last; besides me there is no god.  WHO is like Me? Let him declare it.”  “Is there a God besides me? THERE IS NO ROCK; I KNOW NOT ANY!”

After that, the foolishness of idol worship is portrayed.  They are nothing!  “The carpenter cuts down a cedar, or cypress, or oak.  It becomes fuel to warm him, roast his meat, and bake his bread. He also makes an idol out of it and worships and prays to it, even though it falls down on its face.”

But the LORD, the LORD, is Israel’s Redeemer.

  • “I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like a mist; RETURN TO ME, for I have redeemed you! 
  • Sing O heavens, for the LORD has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it.  FOR THE LORD HAS REDEEMED JACOB AND WILL BE GLORIFIED IN ISRAEL.”

And then the LORD speaks of the way future Persian king, Cyrus.  “He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose, saying. “Jerusalem shall be built, the Temple will have its foundation laid.”

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Isaiah 45.

The Lord continues about Cyrus, His anointed instrument.  God will use him to “subdue nations,” and “loose the belts of kings,” and “open doors and gates before him.”

God pledges to Cyrus, “I will go before you to level the exalted places, break in pieces the doors of bronze, cut through bars of iron, and give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places.”

WHY? 

For the sake of God’s servant Jacob, and Israel, His chosen.  AND… “That you may know that it is the LORD, the God of Israel, who called you by name.  And that the people will know that there is none beside me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.

“I have stirred him (Cyrus) up in righteousness, and I will make all his ways level; he shall build my city and set my exiles free.”   Here Isaiah is telling about a Persian King who will come to destroy Babylon and release the Jewish captives….. and the captivity hasn’t even happened yet!

Many sections in this chapter are glorious statements and praises to the LORD God. Read them and let your heart swell. 

Verse 22:  “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.”

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Isaiah 46.

The useless idols of Babylon are compared to the One True God.  “Bel (Baal) bows down, and Nebo (the Phoenician chief god) stoops and bows down. They cannot save themselves, and go into captivity. 

But God, who bore Israel before their birth, carried them from the womb, and will even to their old age and gray hairs, HE will carry and save them…. for He is God, there is no other like Him.  He will put salvation in Zion, for Israel His glory.

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Isaiah 47.

Isaiah foretells the humiliation of Babylon.  “Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne. For you shall no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind flour, put off your veil, strip off your robe, uncover your legs, pass through the rivers…. your disgrace shall be seen.  I will take vengeance, and I will spare no one. Our Redeemer — the LORD of hosts is his name — is the Holy One of ISRAEL.

“I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand (O daughter of the Chaldeans); you showed them no mercy; on the AGED you made your yoke EXCEEDINGLY HEAVY!!!

‘Now hear this …  “these two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure in spite of your many sorceries…”  “…there is no one to save you.”

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Isaiah 48.

And now, a bit of harshness for Israel, for their good.  God speaks to the house of Israel, who swore by his name and confessed him, but didn’t do it in truth or righteousness. 

“Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew, and your forehead brass… I declared things to you before they came to pass — so you wouldn’t say, “My idol told me. my carved and metal image commanded them.” 

And now “From this time forth I announce to you NEW things, hidden things that you have not known.”

God says he has refined them and tried them in the furnace of affliction – for His own name’s sake. 

  • “Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea……………..”
  • Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea, declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it, send it out to the end of the earth; say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!”

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MONDAY,

Day 209 – 2 Kings 19.  

Back to some history. This section is a repeat of what we read in Isaiah 37. Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, and his commander, Rabshakeh, came to harass Jerusalem and King Hezekiah. They also mocked and reviled the Holy One of Israel.  Hezekiah brought the threats before the LORD and prayed for help.

The LORD promises to send Sennacherib home, where he will be killed. (It happens.)

The LORD promises He will “defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”  And that night, the angel of the LORD goes through the Assyrian camp and kills 185K soldiers.  In the morning, there were only dead bodies. 

This chapter also recounts Hezekiah’s terminal illness, his prayer, and God’s adding 15 years to his life. 

But before YOU decide to pray to live longer, like Hezekiah pleaded, remember what the king DID with those extra years.  He foolishly (pridefully?) showed some well-wishing Babylonian emissaries ALL the treasures in his house and his realm, including the silver, gold, (precious stones), (costly vessels), spices, precious oil, (stalls for all kinds of cattle and sheepfolds), the entire armory, and everything in his storehouses (grain and wine). 

(NOTE:  The Babylonians – always interested in the cosmos – had heard – perhaps even experienced – the sundial going back those degrees, and had come to investigate – and… bring Hezekiah presents.)

When Isaiah heard what Hezekiah had done, he rebuked him for his stupidity and prophesied that EVERYTHING he had shown TO the Babylonians would one day be carried away BY the Babylonians. They would also take some of Hezekiah’s descendants, who would be made into eunuchs in the foreign king’s palace. 

“Oh well,” Hezekiah said. “At least there will be peace and security in MY days.”  Wow. How selfish!

(This story about Sennacherib, Hezekiah’s letter before God, and God’s actions, as well as Hezekiah’s foolishness with the Babylonian visitors, AND some of his later great accomplishments, are also written in 2 Chronicles 32, with a few more details.)

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Psalm 46.

  • “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear…”
  • “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 
  • “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire.
  • “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

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Psalm 80.

  • “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel … You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.” 
  • “… stir up Your might and come to save us!”
  •  “Restore us O LORD God of hosts! Let Your face shine, that we may be saved!”

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Psalm 135.

  • “Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD … Praise the LORD for the LORD is good; sing to His name, for it is pleasant!
  • “For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, he does..
  • “Your name, O LORD, endures forever, Your renown, O LORD throughout all ages.  For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants. 
  • “Blessed be the LORD from Zion, He who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!”

 

Journaling through the Bible Chronologically in 2025, Day 184

Jul4

Day 184 – Reading – 2 Kings 5 – 8

Read today’s Scriptures.  Do you see connections?

2 Kings 5.

The setting:

  • Syria
  • Samaria
  • the Jordan River

Characters:

  • Elisha the prophet,
  • Gehazi, Elisha’s servant,
  • Ben-Hadad II, King of Syria,
  • Naaman, supreme commander of the Syrian army, 
  • a young Jewish servant girl
  • King Jehoram/Joram, (2nd son of Ahab to rule Israel),

Naaman (meaning gracious and fair) was highly regarded by the king of Syria, DESPITE having leprosy. (Lepers didn’t seem to be shunned and isolated as they were in Israel.)  He had conducted many successful raids into Israel on behalf of Ben-Hadad II, and on one of them had brought back a young Jewish girl to be servant to his wife. 

One day, this little girl was brave enough to tell her mistress that Naaman could be healed if he went to the prophet in Samaria.  The wife told Naaman. The Syrian king gave him permission, and sent Naaman to Samaria with a letter to King Jehoram.  He also took looks of gold, silver, and fancy clothes to pay for the healing.

King Jehoram  was shocked and thought Naaman’s request was a way to quarrel with him. But Elisha heard about it and told the king of Israel to send Naaman to him, “That he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Naaman goes, but is insulted that Elisha’s servant gives him the prescription for healing.  Not only does Elisha not come out to mee him, but he says to dip in the Jordan River seven times and he’ll be healed.

“I’m not doing that! Aren’t there better rivers in Syria?  And the guy didn’t even come out to talk to me in person. Doesn’t he know who I am?”   And Naaman gathered his company and his gifts and began to leave.  But…. one of his men asked if it wasn’t “worth a try” since they’d come all this way? 

Naaman relented and dipped in the muddy Jordan 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 times … and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child. He was “clean.”

He went back and tried to pay Elisha with all the treasure, but the prophet of God refused. GOD had healed Naaman, not Elisha. He was only the messenger.  And so Naaman headed back to Syria, a changed man, praising and worshipping the God of Israel.  Until…..

Greedy Gehazi, thought HE could use some of that loot.  On his own, he ran to Naaman, told him a lie (the master changed his mind because unexpected guests had come), was greedy and accepted two silver talents and two changes of extravagant clothing. Then Gehazi deceived his master and hid his loot from Elisha (who could see through walls and across miles) and then lied to him right to his face.  Of course Elisha confronted Gehazi about it, and in the end, the servant (and his descendants) got Naaman’s leprosy.

(UGH!  What lessons learned!!)

  • A lesson about “instant” and “far-reaching” results to greed, lying, and deception (Gehazi)!
  • A lesson about humility and obedience (Naaman). 
  • A lesson learned about boldness to speak out for the LORD, no matter where you live (the slave girl)

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2 Kings 6 and 7.

The Setting:

  • By the Jordan River
  • Syria and Samaria
  • Dothan, north of Samaria

The Characters:

  • Elisha
  • “Sons of the Prophets”
  • Ben-Hadad II, King of Syria
  • King of Israel
  • four lepers

The group of student prophets came to Elisha and wanted to build a bigger lodging place down by the Jordan.  Elisha agreed and went with them.  While chopping wood, on young man heaved a mighty blow with his “borrowed” axe, and the head came off. The piece of iron went flying right out into the Jordan River.  Oh, no!  OH, NO! cried the man. 

NOTE: The man was responsible for the axe he borrowed. Moses’ Law said that if an item was LOST, the borrower would have to make full restitution. (Exodus 22:7-15)  The poor student prophet had no money for an axe, that’s why he borrowed it. He could NOT pay the price of a new one.  .

Elisha took pity on him, asked where it had gone in, then cut off a stick and threw it into the water.  THE IRON AXEHEAD FLOATED!.  The young prophet dashed into the water to get it.  A Miracle!

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Now this is kind of funny.  Wherever the Syrian King planned to attack Israel, God gave Elisha a “heads-up” and he told the king of Israel so they could be ready, or move away.  This happened again and again until the Syrian king was pulling his hair out.  “There must be a spy among us!”

But one of his servants said, “No, m’lord. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel. HE tells the king of Israel the words you speak in your bedroom.

The king ordered, “Go, see where he is that I may seize him.

“Behold, he’s in Dothan,”

So the Syrian army with horses and chariots surrounded the city. Elisha went out early that morning and saw them.  But his servant was terrified. “WHAT SHALL WE DO???”

“Don’t worry,” said the prophet of God. “Those who are with US are more than those who are with THEM.  And he prayed that the LORD would open the servant’s eyes. 

When the LORD did, the eyes of the young man saw, and behold, the mountain was FULL of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

When the Syrian army attacked, Elisha prayed that God would strike them with blindness.  Then Elisha went to the Captain and said, ” You are going the wrong way. Follow me and I’ll take you to the man whom you seek.”

And he led them right into the middle of Samaria.  Then he prayed that their eyes were opened, and they were.  EEK!!  And King Jehoram came out and said, “SHALL I KILL THEM ALL?”

“No,” cried Elisha.  “Set bread and water before them and then talk to their leader.”  King Jehoram went over and above. He served them a great feast.  And when they were full and drunk, he sent the away to their master.

And… (get this) “The Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.”

(That’s what comes from obey God and loving (being kind) to your enemies. HA!!  (a good lesson learned!)

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2 Kings 8.

Remember the Shunammite woman? Elisha came and restored her young son to life after he died of an illness.  Elisha had also said that she was to move away because a famine was coming for SEVEN years.  She listened to him and moved to the land of the Philistines. Now she was back after those years. She asked the king to have her land restored.  And, what do you know!  Elisha’s servant Gehazi just happened to be there talking to the king.  The king had asked to hear of some miracles of Elisha, and BEHOLD there was the woman and her son.  And so, the story told, the king restored the woman’s land to her, PLUS all the crops that had grown in the last 7 years.

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The Elisha went to Damascus the capital of Syria.  King Ben-Hadad II was sick.  The king sent Hazael, his servant, to ask Elisha if he would live or die. (He sent 40 camel-loads of goods along too.)

Hazael asked for the king, “Will he recover from this sickness?”

Well, Elisha knew the sad truth.  YES, Hazael would recover from the illness, but this messenger, Hazael, would kill him and become king in his place.  Elisha saw with grief all the horrible things that the new king Hazael would do to Elisha’s people, Israel. (Set fortresses on fire, rip open bellies of pregnant women, dash the little ones to pieces.)

“WHAT?” cried Hazael.  “Am I but a dog to do such a thing??”

“The LORD has shown me.”

Back in the king’s chamber, Hazael told Ben-Hadad he would recover … then suffocated him to death. He then became king of Syria.

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Next, we see a repeat of the story in Judah (2 Chronicles 21:4-20). Jehoshaphat dies and Jehoram his son becomes king in Judah (south).  He was evil like Ahab (Jehoram’s wife was the daughter of Ahab), but God did not destroy him for the David’s sake and the “promised Lamp” to come.

He died and Ahaziah his son reigns for one year. His mother was the wicked Athaliah. He got sick and died.

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The history of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah is so discouraging. Israel has only wicked kings, but because of the intermarriage with the house of Ahab, the evil invades Judah too, until the wicked Athaliah is killed (Chapter 11).

 

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 196 & 197

Jul15

    Day 196 & 197—We are in the SEVENTH month of Bible reading, continuing in Israel’s history and Isaiah.

(Note: SUNDAY’s and MONDAY’s readings are combined.)

    Day 196 – 2 Chronicles 28, 2 Kings 16 – 17. (The evil, sin, and final exile of the northern kingdom of Israel)

2 Chronicles 28 describes the reign of Ahaz in Judah, who walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, worshiping false gods and even burning his sons as offerings to them. 

King Ahaz battled the Syrians and lost a significant number of people who were taken captive to Damascus.  Ahaz also battled King Pekah of Israel and lost 120K men of valor to him IN ONE DAY. 

It’s interesting that when the King of Israel took 200K captives of the people of Judah, God, through the prophet Oded, made him feed them, give them back their things, and send them home. Israel was NOT ALLOWED to take captive any of God’s own people.

King Ahaz of Judah also sent to Tiglath-Pilezer, king of Assyria, for help in fighting against Edom, who had invaded them from the southeast and taken captives. The Philistines had also invaded them from the west.  Desperate, King Ahaz took treasure from the Temple and palace to give to the Assyrian king, but it did not help him.

.Ahaz desperately sacrificed to all the gods he knew, “but they were the ruin of him and all Israel.”  He died but was not buried in the tombs of the kings of Israel.  And Hezekiah, his son, reigned in his place.” 

WHEW!

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2 Kings 17 describes the final demise of the northern kingdom.  Hoshea was the last king in Israel and reigned nine years.  Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, fought with him and won, making him pay tribute. After a couple years, King Hoshea stopped paying, so the Assyrian king came to Samaria and besieged it for three years.  Then, he captured Hoshea and carried the Israelites away to Assyria. 

As an epitaph, this chapter lists the reason for Israel’s end.  They had sinned against the LORD their God and feared other gods, and walked in the customs of the pagan nations. They built high places, set up idols to worship, and provoked the LORD to anger.  The LORD warred against them by every prophet and seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes.”  But they would not listen.

They despised his statutes and covenant. They went after false idols. They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God. They made metal images and Asherah and worshiped the host of heaven. They burned their sons and daughters as offerings. They used divination and omens. They sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD.

THEREFORE, THE LORD WAS VERY ANGRY WITH ISRAEL AND REMOVED THEM FROM HIS SIGHT. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.  So, Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria to this day. 

Then, the king of Assyria brought people from all over his empire and settled them in the cities of Samaria. They took possession of the cities and lived there. The Assyrian king sent back a false priest to teach them “the ways of the LORD,” but those ways had long been corrupted. 

This was the beginning of the “Samaritans,” whom the Jews hated in the New Testament. 

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    Day 197 -Isaiah 13 – 17. (Oracles, or prophecies against five surrounding nations)

Babylon is first on the list of nations with predictions 100 years in the future. God not only judges his own people, but He judges the nations because of their rebellion. “i will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.” 13:11,  and “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.” 13:19

Then, a promise of hope for exiled Israel.  “For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel and will set them in their own land.”   “When the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon….” 14:1 and 3. 

Assyria next gets a message from the oracle. “…I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountain trample him underfoot, and his yoke shall depart from them, and his burden from their shoulder.” 14:25

Philistia follows. “Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you, that the rod that struck you is broken, for from the serpent’s root will come forth an adder, and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.” 14:29

Moab gets two chapters from an oracle. Harshness, with bits of mercy because of Israel’s distant relation to Moab. “But now the LORD has spoken, saying, ‘In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, despite all his multitude, and those who remain will be very few and feeble.” 16:13.

Damascus is last in this section. “Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and become a heap of ruins.”   “Gleanings will be left in it, as when an olive tree is beaten – two or three berries in the top of the highest bough, four or five on the branches of a fruit tree, declares the LORD God of Israel.” 17:1,6.

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 187

Jul5

    Day 187—We are in the seventh month of Bible reading, continuing with the history of Israel (North and South)

    Day 187 – 2 Kings 14, 2 Chronicles 25. (the southern king, Amaziah)

Both chapters today are mostly about Amaziah, the king of Judah in the south. His father, Joash, had been killed by his servants, so Amaziah killed them, but not their sons, according to God’s law in Deuteronomy 24:16. He was kind of a good king, but his heart was not wholly the LORD’s.

Amaziah assembled an army to attack Edom in the south. He didn’t think he had enough men, so he hired 100K from the northern kingdom for a huge price.  However, a man of God came to him, saying the LORD was not with Israel and Judah could be strong on their own. ‘Send the soldiers of Israel home.”

Amaziah obeyed, although he wasn’t happy about the money he’d spent. But God gave them the victory over Edom.  However, those disgruntled northern soldiers raided the cities of Judah on the way home, killed 3K people, and also took spoils (what they thought they’d have reaped in a war).

Meanwhile, Amaziah FOOLISHLY brought back some of the gods from Edom, set them up, and worshipped them with offerings.  (WHAT??)  Of course, the LORD was angry with him and sent a prophet to rebuke him. Amaziah was NOT happy with that and interrupted the prophet with “Stop with that. Who made you a royal counselor? Do you want me to kill you?” 

But the prophet got in a few last words. “God has determined to destroy you because you have done this (the Edomite idols) and not listened to my counsel.”

Sure enough, when Amaziah picked a fight with King Jehoash/Joash in the north and went to war with them, he was soundly defeated.  The king of Israel captured Amaziah and brought him back to Jerusalem. While there, he broke down 60 feet of the city’s wall and seized all the gold and silver and vessels in the temple and the king’s treasuries. He also took hostages back to Samaria.

Then, there was a conspiracy against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. They chased him there and killed him. He was brought back and buried in the City of David.  The people then took his son, the 16-year-old Azariah/Uzziah, and made him king.

Meanwhile, the northern king Jehoash/Joash died, and his son, Jeroboam 2nd, became king. He reigned 41 years and did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. But BECAUSE the LORD saw Israel’s affliction was very bitter, and because he had NOT said He would blot out their names forever, He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam 2nd. Jeroboam restored the border of Israel to approximately its extent in Solomon’s time. He controlled Damascus, Syria, and Moab.  (The Syrians were weak at that time because of attacks by the Assyrians.)

Were you surprised to see Jonah’s name here?  He was the prophet who didn’t want to preach to the Assyrians, so he ran away (but eventually obeyed, and the Assyrians repented).  But Jeroboam’s expansion north was “according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel which He spoke by his servant Jonah.”

When Jeroboam died, his son Zechariah reigned…. for six months.

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 185

Jul3

    Day 185—We are NOW in the seventh month of Bible reading with the history of Israel and its prophets.

    Day 185 – 2 Kings 9 – 11. (the prophesied bloody vengeance on the house of Ahab)

In Chapter 9, Elisha sends a younger prophet to anoint Jehu as the northern kingdom’s king and instruct him to destroy all the remaining men of the house of Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Jehu quickly gathers an army and rides furiously in his chariot to Jezreel.

King Jehoram was healing from a battle wound, and Ahaziah, king of Judah (a son of a marriage alliance with Ahab), was visiting him. These two kings set out to meet Jehu, but seeing he wasn’t coming in peace, they turned their chariots and fled. Jehu drew his bow and shot Jehoram in the back, clear to the heart.  They threw his body on the plot (vineyard) previously owned by Naboth, as prophesied. Then Jehu went after the southern king and shot him also.  He died at Megiddo. They buried him in the City of David. 

Then Jehu went after Jezebel, who put on her makeup to greet him. A couple servants tossed her out the window, and she was trampled to pieces by Jehu’s men’s horses. The remaining pieces of her were scattered abroad like dung. 

In Chapter 10, Jehu also makes sure the seventy other sons of Ahab, who were being schooled by elders and guardians, are all killed. On his way out of Jezreel, Jehu meets relatives of Ahaziah, the southern king with Ahab’s blood, and kills all of them. Then, arriving at Samaria, “Jehu struck down all who remained to Ahab, till he had wiped them out, according to the word of the LORD that He spoke to Elijah.” 1 Kings 21:21

Next, Jehu gathers all the prophets, worshipers, and priests of Baal into the house of Baal. He surrounds the place with his soldiers, then tells these mighty men to go in and slaughter them all. They burn the pillar of Baal and demolish the building….. making it a latrine (outhouse) to this day.

Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel….. but he did nothing to the golden calf idols at Bethel and Dan.  However, since he did well in his commission to eliminate Ahab, God promised he would have a relative on the throne of Israel for four generations.  He was king for 28 years and died. His son, Jehoahaz, became the new northern king.

Chapter 11 describes how the baby, Joash, who had escaped the murderous actions of his grandmother Athaliah (Ahab’s daughter) and was hidden for six years, is brought out at age 7 by the godly priest, Jehoiada, and anointed King of Judah. The guards are summoned and told to kill Athaliah.  Then, Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they should be the LORD’s people. Then, all the people went to the house of Baal, tore it down, and broke it into pieces, as they did with all the altars of Baal. 

Then, all the people of the land (Judah) rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword in the king’s house. 

Dead and done, all you of Ahab.  Thank God!

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 184

Jul2

    Day 184—We are NOW in the seventh month of Bible reading – halfway through the year. Praise God!  Hopefully, we have established a good habit that will continue to December 31st and beyond!

    Day 184 – 2 Kings 5 – 8. (God working His grace through Elisha’s “double portion”)

1 Kings 5. Here is the familiar story of Naaman, an Israeli servant girl, and Elisha. Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Syria. In a recent war with Israel, he acquired a young girl who became a servant to his wife.

Naaman had leprosy, and this little girl told his wife he should visit the prophet (Elisha) in Samaria and be healed.  Naaman requested leave and got it, plus a note to King Jehoram in Samaria and a large payment from his personal wealth. Naaman went to King Jehoram, who was terrified, thinking the Syrians were seeking a quarrel with him. 

But Elisha heard of it and sent a note to Naaman. “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be clean of leprosy.“

But Naaman was insulted and said he could bathe in a Syrian River. He gave up and headed home when one of his men told him, it was really “nothing” to bathe in the Jordan. Why not try it.

Naaman reconsidered, bathed in the river, and became healed. (It’s a wise leader to listen to his servants.) 

In gratitude, he tried to give all his wealth to Elisha, but the prophet declined, wanting the man’s gratitude to go to God alone.  But Elisha’s servant thought he might enjoy some of it and ran after Naaman with a story that Elisha had unexpected guests, and some of that loot would be helpful. Naaman gladly gave the servant a sizable gift. When Elisha heard of his greed and lying, Naaman’s leprosy was immediately transferred to the servant.  

1 Kings 6. The next story tells how Elisha retrieved an iron axe head a young prophet was using when it flew off and fell into the river. God, through Elisha, made the axe head float!

Elisha often told King Jehoram about specific movements of the King of Syria’s army, which Israel could avoid and be safe. The Syrian king thought he had a mole, but his servants told him about Elisha. He sent his army to get rid of the snitch. 

Elisha’s servant was terrified to see that hoard coming to get his master.  But Elisha asked God to open his eyes.  Behold, the hills surrounding Elisha were full of horses and chariots of fire protecting Elisha.  When the Syrian army approached, Elisha asked God to make them blind, then he led them to Samaria. King Jehoram asked if he should kill them all, and Elisha said he should feed them a great feast instead.  After that “the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.”

Later, a severe famine hit Israel. They had begun to eat their own children! The king sent to kill Elisha, blaming him for the famine. Elisha told him there would be food aplenty the next day, but the king’s main Captain in charge did not believe him. Elisha countered, “You shall see it with your own eyes but not eat it.”

And it happened this way. The Syrians encircled Samaria, but in the night, God caused a noise of chariots coming. It scared the Syrian army, and they fled in fear, leaving their tents, supplies, horses, and donkeys.  Four lepers decided to investigate – either way, they would die either from starvation or by soldier swords. But they found the camp deserted and ate their fill.  Then they told the king, and sure enough, when the crowds came out to gather the spoil, there was food aplenty.

But that Captain was trampled to death by the people rushing out the gate to get the food.

2 Kings 8. In this chapter Elisha was in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Ben-Hadad, the king was sick and he sent to Elisha to discover if he would get well. Elisha said he would, but that he would then die, and it happened that way. He got over the illness, but Hazael killed him. Elisha wept at this prediction because he knew the horrors Hazael, as king, would do to Israel in war.

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 182 & 183

Jul1

    Day 182 & 183—We are NOW in the seventh month of Bible reading and HALF WAY through the year!  Hopefully, we have established a good habit that will continue to December 31st and beyond!

(Note: SUNDAY’s and MONDAY’s readings are combined.)

    Day 182 – Obadiah, Psalm 82 – 83. (Judgment on the enemies of God and Judah)

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. The prophet speaks against Edom (the people of Esau, twin brother of Jacob) for attacking what is basically their family.

Jehoshaphat successfully defeated one attack when God told him to go to battle against Edom with singers!!  Edom rebelled under Jehoram’s reign but was conquered again in Amaziah’s reign.

Their part in Judah’s exile to Babylon was most grievous. The Edomites caught any runaways and gave them to their captors.  Obadiah prophesies against the nation.

“Will I not on that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau? And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from Mount Esau will be cut off by slaughter.  Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever.”

And in the future kingdom age, “The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble, they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau, for the LORD has spoken.”    

Both Psalms 82 and 83 speak about God’s judgment on behalf of the weak and needy and on those who oppress them. “They say, Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!  For they conspire with one accord; against You, they make a covenant – the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites…”   “Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace, that they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD, are the Most High over all the earth.”

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    Day 183 – 2 Kings 1 – 4 (Northern kings, Elijah/Elisha)

Chapter 1. King Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, is now reigning in Israel, and he was evil in God’s sight like his father, Ahab.  One day, he fell through the lattice of his upper chamber and lay ill.  And, being raised in a house where 400 evil prophets were fed by his mother, he immediately sent someone to ask Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron (Philistines), whether he would recover or not. 

But Elijah met the messengers and asked in astonishment, “IS IT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT GOD IN ISRAEL THAT YOU INQUIRE OF BAAL-ZEBUB??? Tell the king he will not get well but DIE.”

King Ahaziah did not like this and asked about the man. Sure enough, he knew Elijah from all his mother and father’s tales and sent men to bring him back.  But the captain and 50 men received fire from heaven after they demanded Elijah to come to the king. Another set was sent with the same results. When the third captain arrived with his 50 men, he knelt before Elijah and humbly begged the prophet to go to the king.  Elijah did – with the same message – and soon after, Ahaziah died.  

And Ahaziah’s brother Jehoram reigned. (Ahaziah had no sons. This was another son of Ahab.) (Don’t be confused. Jehoram was the name of both the king of Israel and the king of Judah after Jehoshaphat died. Some Bible translations call this northern king “Joram.”)

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Chapter 2. Now that Elijah had finished the tasks God had given him, it was time for the LORD to “take him up to heaven by a whirlwind.” Elisha sensed this and refused to leave his mentor, desiring the “double portion” of the Spirit he was promised. Elijah tested his resolve three times, but Elisha stayed close by. 

At one point, Elijah crossed the Jordan River by rolling up his cloak and striking the water to make it part.  Soon, “chariots of fire and horses” separated them, and Elijah went up in a whirlwind. “My father!” Elisha cried twice and saw him no more. Then he picked up the cloak that fell from Elijah and returned to the Jordan River. When he struck it, the water parted for him.

The group of prophets who had been following him saw this happen and knew that the spirit of Elijah was now on Elisha. The men of a nearby city also learned this truth, for when they told Elisha that the water was bad, Elisha took a bowl of salt, threw it into the water, and healed it. 

On his way to Bethel next, some little boys of the city mocked him. As a prophet, Elisha should have been a Nazarite and not have cut his hair. But it seems that Elisha was bald. (Hair loss, not a razor). “Hey, bald head!” the jeered.  Elisha turned around and cursed them (for mocking a prophet, not just him).  And a couple of mama bears came out of the woods and ate those 42 rude boys. WOW!!

Elisha then visited Mt. Carmel – perhaps to see the site of the great contest between his mentor’s God and the priests of Baal.  Then he went down to Samaria, where the kings of Israel lived.

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Chapter 3. Moab had been paying tribute to Israel after their last big defeat. But after King Ahab died, he rebelled. King Jehoram with his army went to King Jehoshaphat and said fight Moab with me. They also went to Edom and got that king to join them around the bottom of the dead sea. By the time they got to Moab, they were dying of thirst.

How to solve this problem: Ask a prophet. A servant of Jehoram suggested Elisha, so the three kings went to him. However, Elisha was not willing to help them until he saw the godly King Jehoshaphat with them.

After a musician played, the spirit of the LORD came on Elisha and he told them that the LORD would make streams and pools of fresh water for them and their livestock. He would also help them beat Moab and take all their cities. The next morning, water came up from the south (how weird!) and filled every the country.

The Moabites heard this, suited up for war, youngest to oldest, and went out at dawn. The morning sun shining on the massive lake of water looked like blood to them, and they thought the three kings had massacred each other, so they charged. But, when they came to the camp, Israel struck them till they fled.

They chased them, taking cities as they went. When King Mesha saw this, he took his crown prince and sacrificed him as a burnt offering on the wall for luck. He then took 700 of his best soldiers and charged.

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Chapter 4 describes a few more instances of God using Elisha. The first concerns the widow of one of the prophets who was being hounded by creditors. A loan shark was coming to take her two children; she only had a single jar of oil. Elisha told her to borrow as many jars and vessels as she could. Then she was to close the door and began filling all of them from her one jar. She did, and the oil never ran out until ALL the borrowed vessels were full. She used that oil to pay her debts and to live on the rest.

The second instance was when Elisha visited a wealthy woman of Shunem. She fed him, and her husband prepared a spare room for him to stay when he passed. He was so pleased that he asked her what he could pray about her. She desired a son. Elisha prophesied she would have a son the following year. One day, many years afterward, word came to Elisha that the woman’s son was dead. She hurried to him and begged him to return to her house. He did and prayed for the young man. He returned to life!

The third instance was when Elisha stayed with some prophets during a famine. Some poison herbs were accidentally cooked into the stew, and they got sick. “There’s death in that pot!” they cried. But when Elisha threw a little flour into the pot, it became harmless.

Lastly, a man came and donated twenty small loaves of barley bread and some grain to the prophets. But they asked how this little could feed 100 men. Elisha, foreshadowing an incident with Jesus, said to give it to them to eat and there would be some left. He did; they ate, and there were leftovers, according to the word of the Lord.