2Kings 4:38 – 15:26

Overview

King Joash Obeyed God

Today’s reading was challenging because there was so much turmoil with different kingdoms fighting and to many kings to count that reigned for short periods of time.  Just about every one of them failed to follow God and his commandments.  Instead, they worshiped Baal, and the golden idols as well as the high places with incense.  There were only a few kings that pleased God.  Jehu did everything that God instructed him to do.  He had a zeal for the Lord and he kills Jezebel, and rids the land of all the priests of Baal.  Ahab’s family is also destroyed.  But, Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam (worshiping the golden calf), which he had caused Israel to commit.  Joash was the youngest king at 7 years old.  He commissioned to rebuild the temple and he did follow the Lord in all his ways and was pleasing to God.  He did not get rid of the high places though.  Later we learn that Elisha dies of a long term illness.  Jehoash, son of Joash also followed God and was pleasing to him except he too did not get rid of the high places.  The reading concludes with several more kings being killed or, assassinated.  In every case, these kings were disobedient to God.  This was not a good time to be living in Israel.

Scripture – 2Kings 8:16-19

16 In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. 18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. 19 Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

 

Observation

The past few days of reading has clearly shown us that when God’s people sin and worship other gods and do not keep his law, life is bad for everyone.  Other than David, every other king except Joash and Jehoash worshiped false gods.  Even though terrible things were happening and the people were not following God, we read that He kept his promise to maintain a “lamp” for David and his descendants.  As evil as the people were and as much as they deserved it, God would not completely destroy them because of his promise.

Application

We have a faithful God who keeps His promises.  We are not much different than the Israelites we have been reading about.  We put other things before God and we fall away from Him.  As much as we sin against our Lord, he still loves us and desires for us to be obedient towards him.  He wants to have a relationship with us and He can and will cause/allow circumstances in our lives so that our attention is brought back towards him when we go astray.

Prayer

Father, keep me close to you.  I praise you for being the almighty God who loves us and cares about us.  Protect us from our weaknesses and strengthen us in your promised found in your Holy Word.