2 Kings 18
Welcome to the Daily SOAP from New Hope. This is Paul Brooks, your guest host for today. I hope you are having a good day. Today we will explore 2 Kings 18.
2 Kings 18:3-7a: 3[Hezekiah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. 4He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones, broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) 5Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6He held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
Finally, a king who committed himself to the Lord. He “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” but notice the dramatic difference in the next part of the sentence: “just as his father David had done.” Previous accounts throughout 1 and 2 Kings name the immediate father of the new king. In fact, before Hezekiah, only Asa, the great-great-grandson of David, in 1 Kings 15, was attributed to be like “his father David.” Two other kings – Amaziah and Ahaz (in 2 Kings 14 and 16, respectively) were specifically called out as “unlike David.” This appears to be quite significant: Hezekiah emulated David. He destroyed the elements of idolatry; he trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; he held fast to the Lord and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord, who is faithful in all things, was with him. What Hezekiah undertook in the name of the Lord was successful.
Hezekiah, like Daniel, loved the Lord with all his being. He followed the commands the Lord had given Moses. He lived out the Shema, in Deuteronomy 6:4-5:
4Hear O Isreal: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
And he pointed to Jesus, who took this one step further in Matthew 22:37-40 when he spelled out The Greatest Commandment:
37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
The path for Hezekiah was not an easy one. Enemies continued to threaten Judah. When confronting Judah with a vast Assyrian army, the Assyrian field commander said to the people of Judah, “Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’” But Hezekiah and his people held firm. They trusted that the Lord would not abandon them, just like David, who wrote in Psalm 138:8:
The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of your hands.
What can we take away from this? Simply put, the most important relationship we have is with God. We are to love him with everything in our being. When we do this, we can trust Him. We are assured victory. It may be in His terms, not ours, but through Him we will prevail. We should consistently check the quality and amount of time we spend cultivating and enjoying our relationship with God. We can start by asking ourselves this: How has the past day or week reflected what we love and worship most? If “God” isn’t the object of that reflection, it’s time for an adjustment.
Let’s pray. Almighty God, your love is constant and true. We can trust that you will be with us in all things, for all time. In Jesus we see the ultimate example of how to love and worship you. Through your Holy Spirit, you are with us every second of every day. You never fail us. We know we fail to worship you and return your love from time to time. And yet, ever the Good Shepherd, you do not let us wander off too far. As our shepherd, rescue us from ourselves. Guide us back to you. Teach us how to keep our eyes on you and follow where you lead. In the name of the One who loves us, who leads us, who saves us: Jesus Christ. Amen.
Paul Brooks
2 Kings 17
2 Kings 17
Scripture: 14-15
14 But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”
Observations:
A disaster happened because the people of Israel abandoned God, forgetting how he'd saved them during the Exodus. They started to worship other gods and adopt foreign customs. They worshipped at high places, using sacred poles and pillars on hills and trees like the nations that God drove out of the land earlier. They worshipped idols and failed to listen to all the prophets, who commanded them to do the right thing and obey God's commandments. This is why the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed and why the people were sent away. Only the tribe of Judah remained intact (down in Judah). However, Judah didn't follow God's ways correctly either. The blame is placed on "the sins of Jeroboam." They led Israel astray and ultimately caused the exile in Assyria.
Application:
Is there a reason God wants you to worship him and be obedient to his way that leads to a life to the full? Upon looking at this scripture from 2 Kings, that is an overwhelming and confident YES! God knows we are easily distracted by the shimmering lights and noises that our culture often surrounds us with. But in the end, they won’t provide you with the joy and (yes)liberation that you can find in God. This was a Biblically sound reference to how we can fail in today’s postmodern extravaganza. There is a lot to follow! There is plenty of spirituality to suggest, but I find it more common where we mistake our want and desire in the conditioning that we need to be. Need to want. Need to have. None of it will matter in the end. That’s why God is so assertive in these stories to remind us that it’s his love and our obedience that will carry on and on and on. Whether it be eternally with him or by legacy to provide future generations to follow in this life.
Prayer:
God, we are naïve and senseless. We are sheep. That is why you sent us the Good Shepard. The one who can teach us that by staying close and true to you, that we will have an extraordinary life. A life worth living. And that is a wonderful thing that you have indeed blessed us with! We love you in all are brokenness. Amen.
2 Kings 16
2 Kings 16 NIV
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A-haz King of Judah
Welcome to the daily SOAP from New Hope I’m Jaci and I am on staff here at New Hope Church, and today I will be your guest speaker. We are going to read from 2nd Kings chapter 16. If you haven’t taken a moment yet to read the chapter, you can click here, there’s a lot of interesting information here and it will help make a lot more sense. Today we’re reading about Ahaz and his reign. In summary Ahaz, began reigning when he was 20 and he did not follow the laws of God. He followed Pagan traditions of offering sacrifices and burned incense and even sacrificed his son. When Rezin king of Aram and Pecha son of Remaliah king of Israel marched against him, they did not defeat him; however, Ahaz needed help and contacted Assyria. This is where we'll pick up the reading:
Verse 7 through 11 reads, “Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, “I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.” 8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. 9 The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death. 10 Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. 11 So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus…”
Ahaz didn’t turn from his sinful ways until he was near defeat, at which point he called on the King of Assyria, not God, to help him out. Removing sacred items as a gift to persuade the king for help. Once they successfully repelled the attackers, he builds an altar for sacrifices to the Lord. While Ahaz ultimately received help, had he been using the tools and rules he sent to the King initially, he would have saved himself and his people a lot of heartache. I feel like this is a parallel to the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Someone who thinks they have a better way or who has turned away from what they know and learned the hard way to put their trust in God and his guidance for our lives. We should strive to give ourselves fully to the Lord daily, not only crying out to Him when we need help.
Let’s pray, “God help us soften our hearts to receive your guidance. Open our ears to hear you when we call on you. Give us wisdom to do the right things we are doing in your name. And show us your grace when we fail. And most importantly, give us the encouragement to echo your love and compassion to our neighbors. We ask all of this in the powerful and loving name of Jesus. Amen.”
2 Kings 15
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Scripture – 2 Kings 15:6: 6As for the other events of Azariah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of annals of the kings of Judah?
OK, I can hear the reaction through the internet – “What in the world is he thinking of? Why would he choose that verse to focus on? How is this possibly a word to guide us?” I confess it took this assignment to make me see the pattern that exists throughout the chapters we have read, as well as in this chapter.
Over and over, the Bible, this Book of all books, has relayed cautionary tales of the kings who led their countries, some for many decades. Azariah, for instance, reigned for 52 years. And he did, I guess, get 7 verses in the Bible for all of that – something you and I will never achieve. But how would you like his account to be your legacy?! He did some things “right in the eyes of the Lord” but neglected to address the high places where sacrifices and worship of other gods took place. He didn’t lead his people in the way he needed to. Significantly, most of his accomplishments weren’t worth mentioning.
He was afflicted with leprosy and separated from his family until he rested with his fathers in the end. He probably had a big state funeral. All he did that was written in the book of annals of the kings of Judah were probably recounted at his passing. By the standards of the world, Azariah was a big deal. But in our lesson, he was, well, not so much.
And in this short chapter alone, we read the same statement about two more kings of Judah and three more kings of Israel.
So how do we apply this?
First, recognize that each of us – you and I and everyone we know – is a leader in some capacity. People look at us and what we do, what we say, how we act. We influence others. As Christians, we are called to love God and love our neighbors. We put on our WWJD bracelets and try to live into the example of Jesus in our daily lives. In 1 Peter 2:4-5, we read this:
“As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
We are called members of a holy priesthood, which means we are to be more than consumers of Scripture, more than recipients of grace, more than Sunday worshipers. Those things are surely “right in the eyes of the Lord”. But we are called to do more. We are called to do the hard things, too. Such as boldly share the Gospel. Such as tell our story. Such as see the needs of the communities around us and leave our comfort zone and help, sometimes at great sacrifice, to help make more and better followers of Jesus Christ.
Second, recognize that we don’t have to do this on our own. We have the Holy Spirit to help us, if we will listen. We have the members of our church, our connect group, our Wesleyan Band group, our pastors, and others to help us learn more, stretch more, do more. We have God’s Word to help us, if we will open the Bible and actively search. We have the power of prayer – a first, last, always resource – at our constant disposal.
Third, recognize that we will not have all our deeds written in the earthly annals of great people. But they may be written on the hearts of others. They may be written in the legacy we help create. And they will be part of our ultimate performance review, where we hope to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Let’s pray. Almighty God, we strive to do what is right in your eyes. We know that under our own power, we will always fall short. Through your Holy Spirit, give us the awareness of the other things we are here to do for your Kingdom. Give us the wisdom to call upon the resources you give us to act once we are aware. Give us your eyes; give us your heart; give us your words; give us the spirit of sacrifice; and give us the knowledge that our hope is real, our purpose is clear, and our fate is secure in the hands of your grace. We pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
P.S. Happy Independence Day. As we celebrate the birth of our nation, remember also that we are members of a greater nation, and that Jesus Christ is the true source of our freedom and our hope for all time. We’ll give Peter the last word: (1 Peter 2:9-10)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
Paul Brooks
2 Kings 14
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2 Kings 14:11-14, Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about four hundred cubits long.[ He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
And the drama continues. Aram/Syria has been weakened considerably, which should have been quite a relief to both Israel and Judah. They could have used this time to get their act together, both spiritually and governmentally. But they don’t. Instead, they begin to torment one another.
The king of Judah challenges the king of Israel. Why in the world did he do this? Israel was larger and probably much stronger. It’s possible that Amaziah, the king of Judah, had gotten the big head after the defeat of Edom. It’s also possible that there was more to the story (read 2 Chronicles 25). Regardless, the confrontation was a disaster for Judah.
Israel’s army comes marching into Judah, tears down part of the wall surrounding Jerusalem, captures Ahaziah, takes some hostages, and plunders the silver and gold out of the temple. 2 Chronicles 25, God allowed this punishing defeat because King Ahaziah had adopted some Edomite gods after his defeat of Edom. But this would have certainly been humiliating for the king. It’s unclear but the text (when we look at 2 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 25 together) suggests that King Ahaziah may have been held as a hostage for years. While he may have officially still been the king of Judah, Ahaziah lost his grip on leadership of the nation.
God is serious about not worshiping other gods. I might venture to say that God holds his leaders even more accountable to living with integrity. Think about your life. My guess is that you don’t bow down and worship other gods, such as in this Old Testament text. But there are certainly lots of false gods all around us. What have we allowed to enter our lives that could be seen as a false god? What have we put before the one true God, Yahweh?
Let’s pray…Lord, Forgive us for the many times in which we have put other things in front of you. Help us have laser focus on who we are. We belong to you. We are a chosen people and a royal priesthood. We are yours. More of you and less of me, Jesus. Amen.
2 Kings 13
2 Kings 13:20-21, Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.[1]
In this chapter, we read about more king drama and the end of Elisha’s life. Be sure to read through the whole text to get the full effect of the chapter.
Our focus verses for today are particularly interesting to me. The prophet Elisha has died but not even death stops his ministry. His prophecy about Syria obviously plays out but he is still actually doing miracles. When a group of Israelites were burying a corpse, they are interrupted by a group of Moabite raiders. Hastily, they throw the corpse into Elisha’s grave, presumably on top of his bones. The dead man is revived. Elisha has continued to give life to Israel, even after death.
Let’s pray…Lord, We thank you that you are a God of miracles. For the people reading this devotional today, I’m sure that many of them need a miracle of some kind. Give them the courage to ask and the faith to believe that you can do anything. You are all-powerful and totally good. We need you, Lord, and we need your healing power in our lives. May it be so. In Your Name, Amen.
[1] House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 308). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
2 Kings 12
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2 Kings 12:19-21, As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
This chapter details the reign of King Joash. He did the right thing in the eyes of God, as long as the priest Jehoiada was instructing him. But he never removed the high places, which were local shrines where the people generally worshiped false gods. He made some attempts to rebuild the temple and even created a new system to collect funds for temple repair. Overall, the author is mostly positive about Joash.
Then, at the end of the chapter, we read about his demise. Just as he came to power in a coup, he is stripped of power with a coup. Our focus verses say that some of his officials conspired against him and assassinated him. His son succeeds him as king.
This was puzzling to me. Joash reigned for forty years. He was not perfect, but certainly far better than many of the kings who came before him. What happened? To get more details, we need to check out 2 Chronicles 24. Apparently, after the priest Jehoiada dies, Joash begins to allow idol worship again. He may have actually participated in it himself. To make everything a lot worse, Joash stones to death the priest (Jehoiada’s son) who spoke out against the idol worship. His arrogance is atrocious. As a result, God allows him to be wounded in a battle with the Syrians and his officials finish him off. He is quite unpopular by the time he dies.
Needless to say, Joash ends badly, tragically even. When he had Jehoiada telling him what to do, he did okay. But when forced to stand on his own, he fell hard. He allowed pride, arrogance, and greed to overwhelm him toward the end of his rule. His potential was unfulfilled, his purpose thwarted, and his legacy marred.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us stay the course and end strong, focusing on YOU and your purpose for our lives. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 11
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2 Kings 11:17-20, Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. All the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.
After King Ahaziah is killed, his mother, Athaliah (Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter), finds her way to the throne. She has all the royals killed, including her own grandchildren, to ensure that only she could rule Judah. The woman was pure evil.
But remember God’s promise – a descendent of David will sit on the throne of Judah forever. What Athaliah failed to realize was that one of her grandsons, Joash, still just a baby, was hidden away by his nurse. At just the right time, the priest Jehoiada plans a counterrevolution, in which Athaliah is overthrown and Joash, all of age seven, becomes king. The priest presents the youngster with a copy of the covenant and King Joash is unanimously supported.
Our focus verses today refer to what happens after Athaliah is killed and Joash is made king. The priest Jehoiada makes a covenant between the Lord and the king and his people. There was also a covenant between the king and the people themselves. Obviously, the king was all of seven years old so Jehoiada does this on the king’s behalf. But the renewal of the covenant was essential because after the previous wayward kings, the people had totally forgotten who they were. Covenant renewal restores their identity, although it will be a long road to relearn what it means to be the people of God.
This covenant renewal also reminds the people of God’s promise to David. For the six years of Athaliah’s rule, it appeared on the surface that this promise had been disrupted. But by ensuring Joash’s safety, the line of David had stayed intact. The promise is, afterall, unbreakable.
Let’s pray…Lord, Thank you for your faithful, unbreakable promises. How scary it can be when we realize that we aren’t that different from the people of Judah. How often we forget who and whose we are. Help us always remember that we belong to you. We are set apart, a chosen people, a holy priesthood, your special possession. Help us remember that you love us but you also have expectations and standards. Help us, Lord Jesus, as we seek to be the people you called us to be. We need you. On our own we mess up over and over again. Help us, empower us, guide us. More of you and less of me, Jesus. Amen.
2 Kings 10
Scripture
2 Kings 10:10
Know, then, that not a word the Lord has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail. The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.
Observation
In both books of Kings, we see the history of the fall of Israel into exile. From the time of Solomon until the 10th chapter of 2 Kings, we see a succession of leaders who led Israel further and further from God. By the time we get to this chapter, Israel has split into two kingdoms, and Jehu, rules the north. At first sanctioned by God to rule, his blood thirsty and brutal ways (as we get a glimpse of in this chapter) will continue the downfall of the kingdom. In this chapter however, he is God’s next chance for the Israelites to get things right. God had spoken judgment upon the former leader Ahab because of his sins. In verse 10 above, we see that God will do what God says he will do. Ahab ends up paying with his life.
Application
This is a tough passage, but it is packed with many lessons for us. First, we know that God’s patience surpasses our understanding and that his grace is unfathomable, but we also know that God’s judgment will come. It’s not necessarily that God acts against us, it’s that he finally lets us suffer the consequences of our actions. Furthermore, as both Jehu and the long line of leaders before and after him demonstrate, we are being unwise if we cannot learn from other people’s mistakes. Over generations of rulers, they all sought to gain power and riches for themselves, and they never truly sought to return the people to God. So, for us, we should strive to repent of our sins, and cling to the God that loves us so much, he sent his son to die for us, that we might be forgiven for our failures and live a new eternal life with him.
Prayer
God, please forgive us where we fail you. Help us to cling to you and heed the lessons of your Word. Thank you for your love and grace and for making a way for us to get to you through Jesus. -Amen
2 Kings 9
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2 Kings 9:6-10, He then got up and went into the house, and the prophet’s servant poured the oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord, at the hand of Jezebel. For the entire house of Ahab shall perish, and I will eliminate from Ahab every male person both [c]slave and free in Israel. I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. The dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.
When Elijah died, there were a few things that God asked him to do that were left unfinished. Thus, it fell to Elisha to complete these tasks. In 1 Kings 19, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, telling him to anoint Elisha to take his place as prophet of Israel (this occurs later 1 Kings 19), anoint Hazael king over Aram (Elisha ends up completing this in 2 Kings 8), and anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi king over Israel. Elijah also prophecies that Ahab and Jezebel will both be killed and that the lineage of Ahab will be obliterated.
In today’s chapter, Elisha finishes up the given tasks. Jehu was a commander in King Ahab’s army. Elisha instructs a younger prophet to head to Jehu’s camp in Ramoth Gilead (not sure why Elisha doesn’t do this himself except that he may have been noticed too easily). Once there, the prophet was to inform Jehu that he would indeed become the next king of Israel and that this would happen in order to put an end Ahab’s line. The prophet announces this to the commander and then exits, leaving Jehu to figure out how this might occur.
It appears he doesn’t think too long about it because he actively seeks out King Joram (in the line of Ahab) and assassinates him. Both Israel and Judah were at war with Aram. When Jehu finds King Joram of Israel, King Ahaziah of Judah was with him. With no hesitation, Jehu kills them both with his bow. This means that both nations are stripped of their leaders, creating a dangerous power vacuum.
At the end of the chapter, Jezebel is also killed and her body is eaten by the wild dogs, so badly marred that she could not receive a proper burial.
And it is done, the prophecy is fulfilled.
Let’s pray…Lord, It’s easy to read about these sinful kings from long ago and think we are so much better. Forgive us, Lord, for I know we are kidding ourselves. Help us not indulge in such arrogant assumptions. Search our hearts, Lord, and cleanse us. Reveal to us how to live our lives in ways that honor you. Help us seek holiness in all we do. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 8
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2 Kings 8:20-23, In his days Edom broke away from the rule of Judah, and appointed a king over themselves. Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he got up at night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; but his army fled to their tents. So Edom has broken away from Judah to this day. Then Libnah broke away at the same time. Now the rest of the acts of Joram and everything that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
This is a chapter filled with much drama. Besides the first narrative about the Shunammite widow having her home and land restored to her (a beautiful picture of God’s care for widows), the rest of the chapter is all about kings behaving badly. One king is killed by his lieutenant who then takes the throne. Other kings, even those with Godly fathers, were highly influenced by the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Over and over again, the kings disobey God, marry women who disobey God, and then create offspring who disobey God. It’s a vicious cycle.
In our focus verses, we find a brief description of how Edom broke away from Judah, the southern Kingdom. The kings, with their messy, dramatic lives, operating far out of God’s design, have made Judah a weak nation. Long gone are the days of David and Solomon. Now, Joram, king of Judah, can’t get control of his people, his nation, and its various regions. There is chaos in Judah. Things aren’t going to get much better…
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us stay in your design for our lives. I know we mess up a lot, our own lives can be filled with drama and disorder. Lord, create order where there is chaos. Order our lives and our hearts. Help us stay strong in you. More of you, less of me, Jesus. Amen.
2 Kings 7
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2 Kings 7:1-2, Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”
The officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?”
“You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it!”
At the end of yesterday’s chapter, we read about how the king of Aram and his large army laid siege to Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. This led to a famine and a great deal of anguish among the people. People were desperate, going so far as to resort to cannibalism. The king of Israel is horribly distraught and seeks out the prophet Elisha.
At the beginning of today’s chapter, we hear the prophet’s response. Elisha says that the Lord has spoken and that by that time tomorrow, there will be fine flour and barley available at affordable prices. The officer who was present with the king was highly skeptical and you can see his response in our focus verses for today. He says, “…even if the Lord should open the floodgates of heavens, could this happen?” Elisha declares that it will but that because of his cynicism and lack of faith, he wouldn’t get to enjoy any of it.
As we read through the chapter, we begin to see how God takes care of the situation. The Aramean army is scared off and the Israelites get to enjoy the plunder. Food becomes readily available and the siege is over. Once again, the Lord has spoken through Elisha.
Over the next week, we will continue to see Elisha at work. What’s fascinating to me is that Elisha served as prophet of Israel for six decades. His words were often unpopular and not always heeded, but he persevered. It takes a strong person to be a prophet. I wanted to mention that God is still giving people the gift of prophecy; certain people bring a message from God to his people. Just like in Old Testament days, prophets are often ignored, maligned, and/or pushed to the fringes. The reality is that rarely do prophets bring a message of approval. They typically bring a word from God that challenges the faith community and the religious leaders. I have known several people with the gift of prophesy, and they typically have a difficult time finding a church that accepts them.
Have you known someone with this gift? What’s been your reaction to it? If you haven’t known a prophet, how do you think you might respond? How does reading about Elijah and Elisha affect your view of prophets?
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us hear your message. Give us ears to hear. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 6
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2 Kings 6:18-20, As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.
After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
In this chapter, we see God continue to do miracles through the prophet Elisha. It appears that Elisha has developed a much more amicable relationship with the king of Israel. When Aram went to war with Israel, Elisha used his prophetic skills to warn the king of Israel when harm was eminent so he could be on guard. Not surprisingly, this frustrated the king of Aram who suspected he had a spy in his ranks. But one of his officers knew that it was in fact Elisha who was providing the king of Israel with the information he needed to protect himself. Thus, the army of Aram is sent to capture Elisha.
This brings us to our focus verses for today. The army of Aram has surrounded the town of Dothan, where Elisha was living in order to capture him. Elisha prays to the Lord, asking for the army to be struck with blindness and God does it. This allows Elisha to lead the army out of Dothan and into Samaria. Once in Samaria, the soldiers’ sight returns. The king of Israel asks Elisha if the men should be killed. But Elisha wants to show them mercy, so the king feeds them and sends them back home.
Some reflections from today’s text:
-When in doubt, show mercy. God is a merciful God. We are called to be merciful people.
-Err on the side of grace. We’ve been shown immense grace; let’s be sure to demonstrate it to others.
-Believe that God is on your side. Your God loves you and wants the best for you. Trust in that.
Let’s pray…Jesus, Help us be merciful in all we do as you were merciful with us. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 5
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2 Kings 5:14-18(NIV)
5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a]2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
The kingdoms of Aram (Syria) and Israel had been fighting off and on with one another for several years. In chapter 5, we read of the intervention by a young Hebrew girl, enslaved during a raid between the kingdoms, on behalf of her master. The young girl told Naaman's wife he should see the "prophet who is in Samaria." The king of Aram was happy to intercede for his commander and ordered lavish gifts sent with Naaman along with his letter. (One commentary equates the value of the gift today to be more than $700 million!)
God gave every king of Judah and Israel prophets to guide them and bless his kingdoms. However, the kings of Israel wanted prophets of other gods who would "tell them what they wanted to hear, and not what God said. King Jehoram, a weak and corrupt king, had no relationship with the prophet Elisha and detested him. It was a mutual admiration society as Elisha had no respect or regard for Jehoram. Word got to Elisha of Jehoram's anxiety-ridden behavior and the tearing of his garments in verse eight. He inquired of Jehoram why he had torn his garments instead of sending for him. The remainder chapter shows that Elisha instructed Naaman to immerse himself in the Jordan River seven times to heal his skin condition.
As people of the New Testament covenant, the application of this chapter to our faith journey is like Jehoram's. We have a helper and deliverer available anytime, anywhere, with more power than Elijah or Elisha. Yet, how often do we react like Jehoram and attempt to figure things out for ourselves, "go it alone"? If we are honest with ourselves and God, too often. Philippians 4:6-7 clearly instructs us: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and hour minds in Christ Jesus."
Prayer: Lord God, Your Word tells us to bring our burdens, our anxiety, our fears – everything, every big or little thing to you. You are the creator of the universe so nothing, absolutely nothing, is too trivial, too big, or impossible for You. Why do we think we can “fix it ourselves”? Forgive us when we react like Jehoram. Forgive us for failing to take You at Your Word. Forgive us for our lack of faith. Forgive us for not coming to You first! In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Becky Jordan
2 Kings 4
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2 Kings 4:1-2, The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
This is really a beautiful chapter. The stories we find here demonstrate God’s power and his desire to care for those who are suffering and in need. Throughout the Biblical narrative, God walks closely to the poor and vulnerable. In this chapter, God works through the prophet Elisha to provide for an impoverished widow, resurrect a young boy, and feed hungry prophets. Be sure to read through the whole narrative.
Our focus verses highlight one of the miracles that God did through the prophet Elisha. A widow of a deceased prophet comes to him quite distressed. After her husband passed, she has significant debts to pay and no way to pay them. She is worried that the creditor will come to take her two sons as payment. Debt slavery was not uncommon in ancient civilizations. When the poor could not pay their debts, they were often forced into physical labor to repay them. Debt slavery could last years (it wasn’t as if there was any accountability). We see throughout the Old Testament the prophets speaking out against the oppression of the poor and this would have certainly constituted oppression!
The prophet Elisha sees the woman’s desperation and quickly moves into action. First, he asks her what she has; she has a little olive oil. Next, he tells her to ask her neighbors for as many jars as possible. Once the jars are in place, he has her fill them up. The olive oil continued to flow for as long as there were empty jars. Then, she could sell the oil and pay her debts, protecting her boys from being forced into slavery.
I love how God uses something the woman already has – olive oil – to provide a solution to her problem. I can’t help but think, even when we feel like we have nothing of value to offer, there is always something. God has gifted us with talents and resources that we can use to solve our own problems and make an impact in the world. Obviously, we can’t do this on our own. We need God to work through us and in us. We may also need to lean on the body of Christ for help and wisdom. But God will provide for us what we need. Trust in that.
Let’s pray…Almighty God, You are the Great Provider and Sustainer. We give you glory and praise for the ways you care for us. Help us use what you have so generously given to impact change in our lives, in our communities, and in our world. Fill us with your spirit and wisdom. We need you, Lord. And please, send us Godly people to mentors and come alongside us. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 3
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2 Kings 3:16-20, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”
The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
While Elisha had clearly taken the place of Elijah in serving as the Lord’s prophet to Israel, he had yet to prove himself. In this chapter, we see God speak clearly and powerfully through Elisha.
There is a fair amount of drama in this chapter. It begins by introducing Joram, Ahab’s son, who succeeded him as king of Israel and while not as wicked as Ahab, Joram was still a sinful king. Then, the narrative focuses on an issue with Moab, which has decided to no longer pay tribute (in the form of sheep) to Israel. This angers Joram so he partners with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to squash the Moabite rebellion. But their joint armies soon run out of water and food. In order to figure out what’s going on, Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the Lord to shed light on the situation. This is when Elisha is called in.
It’s clear that Elisha has significant animosity toward Joram. He knows he is a sinful king who does not honor the Lord and he really doesn’t want to offer his advice. The presence of Jehoshaphat, a man of God, calms him down and he finally agrees to offer prophecy. God speaks powerfully through Elisha, saying that he will fill the land with pools of water so they can all drink. That is exactly what happens. Water fills the land by morning time. In an interesting twist, the Moabites see the sun hit the water and believe that the pools are filled with blood, thinking the armies of Israel and Judah have slaughtered each other. So the Moabites are caught off guard when the two armies (Israel and Judah) rise up and fight. Moab is defeated.
Probably the most distressing aspect of the chapter is the last portion of text. In a desperate attempt to win, the Moabite king sacrifices his first-born son on the city wall, thinking it may appease the false god Chemosh. Of course, the Israelites are outraged at the sight.
Evil comes in all forms. From Joram to the Moabite king, evil is present in our world. From my human perspective, I often wish God would just swoop down and just eliminate all the evil in the world so that suffering and pain could be banished for good. I mean, God is all-powerful. But that isn’t the way God operates. Plus, the reality is that we are all a complex mix of good and evil. It’s important for me to remember that God dealt with evil through the quiet strength of the cross. And we trust that he is still dealing with evil in ways that we can’t see or understand. Eventually, we know that Jesus will return and deal with evil for good. Until then, we seek to be light in a dark world.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, May we be your light in those ugly, dark places. May we shine the light of Christ in ways that point people to you. Give us the courage, strength, and motivation to seek after you. Help us not fear evil for we know that you are with us. More of you, less of me. Amen.
2 Kings 2
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2 Kings 2:11-12, As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two.
In this chapter, we find Elijah taking his mentee/student on a farewell tour to greet the prophets at Bethel, Jericho, and Gilgal. Elijah will soon leave the earth; that much is repeated multiple times. It almost seems that Elijah wants to take this final journey alone but Elisha insists on staying with his master. As the chapter progresses, Elijah is taken to heaven (our focus verses illustrate the powerful way Elijah ascends) and Elisha becomes the one in charge.
Some thoughts:
-The Elijah and Elisha relationship is a really special one. Elijah has mentored and poured himself into the younger student. As a result, Elisha is now ready to lead. Who might God be calling you to mentor?
-Godly leadership often involves making hard decisions and sacrifices. We have seen that in Elijah’s ministry and we will soon see it in Elisha’s ministry. Is God calling you to a hard decision? Has he asked you to make a sacrifice for his Kingdom and you are dragging your feet or hesitant?
-Godly leadership is repaid in unexpected ways. Elijah and Elisha had a bond and were very much dedicated to God and one another. They were like father and son. Elijah’s ministry bore much fruit in unexpected ways over his years as a prophet. In the end, God brought him directly into heaven – no long, extended dying process. Godly leadership is hard but it also has many rewards.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Guide us as we try to be the people and Godly leaders you call us to be. Help us do whatever it takes to serve you. May we be fruitful people. In Your Name, Amen.
2 Kings 1
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2 Kings 1:1-4, After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.” But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went.
Today, we begin 2 Kings, which continues 1 Kings without any kind of break. We immediately find that the clash between Elijah, a prophet of Yahweh, and the Israelite monarchy continues. Despite past warnings, Ahaziah, the king of the Northern Kingdom, is worshiping and consulting with other gods. Thus, Yahweh, the one true God will continue to demonstrate that he is supreme.
In today’s chapter, Yahweh demonstrates his power and supremacy through the sending of fire. Make sure you read the whole text. The king has become injured and wants to see if he will recover from his injury. He sends some messengers to consult the god, Baal-Zebub, to provide guidance on his recovery. One has to stop and wonder what in the world he was thinking. Why is he intentionally snubbing Yahweh to consult a false god?
His messengers are met by Elijah the prophet who expresses God’s anger at the situation. Through Elijah, God makes it clear that Ahaziah will not recover but rather will die in his bed. In an attempt to get more clarity (or possibly a new prophecy), the king sends several groups of soldiers to summon Elijah. The first two groups are consumed by fire. Ahaziah, clearly not learning the lesson, sends a third group. This group pleads for mercy from Elijah, as they know their lives are in danger. They are allowed to live, Elijah addresses the king, and Ahaziah dies shortly after.
What are we to make of this? I don’t understand why the king of Israel insisted on consulting Baal rather than Yahweh. But what I do know is that God wants us to always consult him first. When we are in trouble, instead of trying to figure it out ourselves, God desires that we reach out to him FIRST. God loves us, God truly wants the best for us, and God wants to lead us in his direction. We may think we are so much better than Ahaziah but in many ways, we do exactly the same thing. We may not consult a false god, but we try to do life on our own. Yet, we have a God who is powerful and good. Seek God first. Listen. Obey.
Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us seek you and your Kingdom first in all we do. We love you and we desperately need you. Guide us, lead us, direct us. Amen.
Jude
Scripture
Jude 1: 3-4
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Observation
In the Letter of Jude, Jude warns us of the dangers of false prophets and in the key verses above, he asks us to “contend for the faith that was once delivered”. Jude does not define these prophets false teaching, but instead points to their worldly way of living. He indicates that they believe God’s grace has given them a license to do things that God has called sin. Jude says that this means they have rejected Jesus and his teachings and warns the Church to reject their teachings. He then tells us more about how to contend for the faith once delivered. He describes the Church as God’s new temple and tells us to build our lives on the good news of the Gospel. That is, that the one and only sinless God robed himself in flesh, led a sinless human life, died the death we deserved, rose from the dead three days later, and now offers us forgiveness and eternal life by agreeing with him that what he calls sin, is sin, and we are all guilty of it, then turning from those sins to enter a relationship with him. Jude tells us to live these new lives in Christ with a dedication to prayer and a love for God that leads to obedience. Through this process, he will sanctify us and make us more like him.
Application
So how do we apply these truths to our lives now? First, it is vitally important that we have entered this relationship with Jesus. In fact, it is the most important thing that can happen in our lives. Then, we must lead lives of obedience to God. How are we supposed to know what God expects of us so we can be obedient? We must dwell in his Word so we can know of the “faith once delivered” and we must live lives of prayer, so the Holy Spirit can “guide us into all truth” John 16:13.
Prayer
God, please help us to live lives of prayer and obedience. Holy Spirit, please speak to us through your Word. Please lead us into all truth and help use contend for the faith once delivered. Jesus, help us to know the truth and help us to hold the truth in your grace. We love you Lord, and we thank you for being the way, the truth, and the life.
3 John
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3 John 1:9-10, I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
John’s third letter is the shortest book in the Bible. Unlike 2 John, which is addressed to a whole church, this letter is addressed to an individual named Gaius but also includes references to two other people – Diotrephes (the troublemaker) and Demetrius (probably the bearer of the letter). There isn’t a lot of theological meat in the letter but it does give insight into church dynamics, particularly personality conflicts and the fact John fears his authority is being dismissed.
If you read through the text (and I hope you all do), the general sense of the letter is one of encouragement and praise up until we get to today’s focus verses. It seems there is a problem that John feels the need to address. Diotrephes is refusing to host the missionaries that John is sending to the church; a failure to show hospitality would have been shocking in their culture and certainly embarrassing for John. The phrase “who loves to be first” might be better understood as the one who wants the authority for himself. His refusal of the missionaries wasn’t just a rejection of the missionaries but truly disrespect and rejection of John himself. Plus, Diotrephes is spreading gossip and refusing to welcome other believers. He is ruling the church with an iron fist. No wonder John feels the need to address this issue immediately. This has the potential to destroy the young church and damage their witness for Jesus in the community.
I know this will be shocking but ambition, arrogance, and gossip still have a tendency to find their way into the church (I know, gasp!) They are just as damaging, just as destructive, just as heart-breaking today as they were then. I’m guessing that all of us know at least one person who was hurt by a church-goer who was too heavy-handed, patronizing, dehumanizing, or just plain mean. People leave churches all the time because of these things. For me, it is literally painful to think about. And yet, I totally get it. Churches are filled with humans and humans are sinful. So what’s the answer? How do we get a group of sinful people to live the faith and not be all about themselves? The only answer is Jesus within us. It was the only answer in John’s day and it’s the only answer now. We must actually have the desire and the motivation for Jesus to transform us, I mean really change our hearts. We have to repent of our selfishness, humble ourselves, and allow God to use us as HE pleases.
Let’s pray…Jesus, How we need you. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. More of you and less of me. Amen.