2 Kings 15:23-38 - Committed Devotion Against Corruption

2 Kings 15:23-38

Pekahiah Reigns in Israel

23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years. 24 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 25 Then Pekah the son of Remaliah, an officer of his, conspired against him and killed him in Samaria, in the citadel of the king’s house, along with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of Gilead. He killed him and reigned in his place.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Pekah Reigns in Israel

27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years. 28 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried them captive to Assyria. 30 Then Hoshea the son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck and killed him; so he reigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Jotham Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 27:1–9)

32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. 33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. 34 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done. 35 However the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. He built the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.

36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 37 In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah against Judah. 38 So Jotham rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

The unfortunate pattern of reigning in evil and in good continued with the kings of the Northern Kingdom, Israel, having more leaders our of Samaria pursuing evil against the LORD and their fellow followers while the leaders of Judah pursued doing what was good in the eyes of God out of Jerusalem where the house of the LORD had established the place for worship.  The northern kings faced raids from Assyria and conspiracy from within the corrupt government, while in Judah we read of lurking compromise left unchecked (the high places of pagan worship in defiance of the first commandment) yet with a general pursuit of doing good in other areas in God’s eyes.  The people were still not being led into holiness as they sacrificed and burned incense to idols in these remote high places as if God did not see them compromising pure worship in this double standard of devotion to Him and them.  The result was similar to the northern kingdom in that the LORD began to send adversaries against Judah as well for their refusal to turn completely to God and away from their not quite hidden idolatry.  The lesson for us is not to compromise the Lord in our walk of worship (Romans 12:1, 2, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 13, Corinthians 6:16, 19-20) in living for Him, as those leading and those following corrupt each body-temple from within (Acts 20:29-30, 2 Peter 2:1, 2) the body of Christ, the universal church.  We need to meet together specifically to encourage doing as it is written in scripture (Philippians 4:8, 9) and to warn each other (Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 5:6, Matthew 16:6, Romans 13:13-14) when that mindset begins to be corrupted by evil influences of the world, the flesh, and the adversary.  May Colossians 1:28-29 drive our life in devoted motivation to keep the truth in view that we may avoid and correct corruption of mind, body, and soul from within and without the body of Christ in these individual bodies designed for worship as the house of God in Jerusalem was and where He now resides (1 Corinthians 3:16, 2 Timothy 1:14), not allowing a worldly Samaria to enthrone our hearts and keep us from being God-pleasers.  Let us be committed to the rule of good and not evil on the high places outside God’s will and word.  This is committed devotion of true worship of our lives (Romans 12:1) to avoid sin’s corruption of outside rule over us.  Amen!

Kings 15:1-22 - Reigning in Evil and Good

2 Kings 15:1-22

Azariah Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 26:3–23)

1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king. 2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done, 4 except that the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 5 Then the LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death; so he dwelt in an isolated house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the royal house, judging the people of the land.

6 Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 7 So Azariah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Zechariah Reigns in Israel

8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. 9 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 10 Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck and killed him in front of the people; and he reigned in his place.

11 Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

12 This was the word of the LORD which He spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it was.

Shallum Reigns in Israel

13 Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. 14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; and he reigned in his place.

15 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he led, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 16 Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open.

Menahem Reigns in Israel

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. 18 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 19 Pul king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his control. 20 And Menahem exacted the money from Israel, from all the very wealthy, from each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and did not stay there in the land.

21 Now the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 22 So Menahem rested with his fathers. Then Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.

These three kings of Israel reigned in doing evil in God’s eyes, while this one king in Judah still rei in doing good to please the LORD.  More would follow as history unfolded, with a tendency to do more evil than good over the generations of kings and citizens to follow.  Here we see that Judah still held on to doing more good than the southern tribes of Israel who had split long before from the people once united in serving and worshiping their God before the people meant to be driven out of the promised land helped drag them away from the loving God with their false imaginary gods of carved idolatry and blatant immorality of defiance to their Creator and true King.  Such evil companions corrupted (Psalm 1:1-2, 1 Corinthians 15:33-34, 2 Corinthians 6:14) good habits of righteous living over time.  In Judah, however, Azariah ruled by aiming the direction of his life and example for the people to follow God in doing good, but it was not enough to stop the people from sacrificing and burning incense to idols in the hills.  His heart was corrupted enough that he was not a man fully after God’s own heart as king David’s (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) was.  His son Jotham judged Judah in his place when he was isolated with leprosy for allowing the people to follow dead idols and violate the first commandment.  If only Azariah had done more to reign in evil by doing good in the direction of his rule and not just his personal life!  We see then that our example is critical to influence others to do good and keep them from evil as the apostle Paul wore in places like 1 Corinthians 4:16, 11:1 to imitate God (Ephesians 5:1) in the process as God-pleasers (Romans 12:1, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:4) instead of fitting in with the world as (Galatians 1:10) man-pleasers.  Do we aim to fully please Gods and not fit in as we please men and offend our Lord?  May we choose to learn from these examples (Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11) to let the peace of God rule our hearts according to His word by the enabling power of His indwelling Spirit, running the race to be well-pleasing to Him until we join Him together before His face forever.  We should choose to reign in evil to avoid or stop it completely, not being ruled under it, and let God’s good ways rule us. 

2 Kings 14:23-29 - Our Names Remain in His Book

2 Kings 14:23-29

Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel

23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years. 24 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 25 He restored the territory of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from Gath Hepher. 26 For the LORD saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter; and whether bond or free, there was no helper for Israel. 27 And the LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did—his might, how he made war, and how he recaptured for Israel, from Damascus and Hamath, what had belonged to Judah—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 29 So Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. Then Zechariah his son reigned in his place.

Jeroboam followed in the unfortunate footsteps of Jeroboam who led Israel into sin by idolatry and the accompanying ritualistic immortality that inevitably followed turning their backs on God to worship works of their own hands.  Even so, the LORD restored territory to the northern kingdom nation of Israel as promised through the prophet Jonah (2 Kings 13:5, 23) because He saw the suffering of His sinful people who were still chosen as a nation by Him.  He did not blot them out of His sight and inheritance as their sins earned them (Romans 6:23), but He showed grace and mercy instead because of their calling, a mere shadowy portent of the fullness of grace shown to us now in Christ.  Jeroboam did not stop the sins of his fathers, yet was still used by God to help the nation and its people in a nationalistic sense of prosperity.  Such is how grace is shown like the sun on the ungodly as well as the righteous (Matthew 5:45, Acts 14:16-17) by our great and gracious Lord God Almighty.  He will not blot out our names (Exodus 32:32, Isaiah 43:25, Acts 3:19, Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 20:12, 15) from the Lamb’s Book of Life because of His promise of grace sealed in the covenant of His Son’s lifeblood sacrificed for our sin for all time!  Our names remain in His Book of Life once written there by Him because His new covenant promise is impossible to be broken, even by our sin.  We are not removed once written by Him due to our sin, for He holds us in His hands (John 10:28) of grace.

2 Kings 14:1-22 - Everyone Answers for his own Sin

2 Kings 14:1-22

Amaziah Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 25:1—26:2)

1 In the second year of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, became king. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like his father David; he did everything as his father Joash had done. 4 However the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

5 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, that he executed his servants who had murdered his father the king. 6 But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, in which the LORD commanded, saying, “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin.”

7 He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war, and called its name Joktheel to this day.

8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.” 9 And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

11 But Amaziah would not heed. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went out; so he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. 13 Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh; and he went to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—four hundred cubits. 14 And he took all the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did—his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 16 So Jehoash rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

17 Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 19 And they formed a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20 Then they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. 22 He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king rested with his fathers.

When Amaziah ascended to the throne of Judah, he himself did what was right in God’s eyes but did not stop others from worshiping dead nonexistent gods on the high places.  He then held the murderers of his father to account by putting them to death, yet he did not do so to their children because they did not have guilt in the matter and were not held accountable for their parents sins.  Everyone answers for his or her own sin and not for another’s as it is written in Deuteronomy 24:16, except in the larger picture of all humanity as guilt bearers of Adam’s original sin nature passed to us all (Romans 3:23, 5:12, 14, 18) in our corrupted spiritual DNA as it were.  We all will face the judgment seat (Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10, Acts 17:31, Revelation 20:12, 15) of Christ and only those who are found not accountable by reason of grace in the atoning death and life of Jesus will be spared eternal judgment (1 John 4:18) as the accountability through the first Adam is negated (Romans 5:15, 17) in the second.  As to our accountability for our earthly ancestors apart from Adam, we are not held to account for their sins, just our own, and in Christ they can be forgiven forever through repentance and faith to be reconciled to God our Father forever through His Son in the reassuring power of the Spirit who makes us holy as He is.  Earthly kings may be killed for their sins as Amaziah was, but our eternal King of all kings lives and reigns forever with we who are in Christ and His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) in the kingdom extending beyond this world into the next.  We have each therefore answered for our own sin in personal faith in Christ who takes away the sin of this world (John 1:29, 1 John 2:2) and not collectively or by physical inheritance.  This is our certain hope of life in Christ.

2 Kings 13:1-25 - Disobedience and Repentance to Life

2 Kings 13:1-25

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

1 In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not depart from them.

3 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days. 4 So Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 Then the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before. 6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the wooden image also remained in Samaria. 7 For He left of the army of Jehoahaz only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Joash his son reigned in his place.

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, but walked in them.

12 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13 So Joash rested with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Death of Elisha

14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”

15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. 19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”

20 Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

Israel Recaptures Cities from Syria

22 And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.

24 Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place. 25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz recaptured from the hand of Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times Joash defeated him and recaptured the cities of Israel.

The rule of Jehoahaz and Jehoash, kings of Judah and Israel, both ended up in reigns of evil against all that the nation of the LORD stood for.  Israel was called to serve and worship God alone as the commandment told them, but sin split the nation into two parts.  For a while Judah in the south held onto obedience to the word of God longer than the northern Israel, but in the end their sin natures overwhelmed their leaders who led them into idolatry and immorality, both direct violations of disobedience (Exodus 20:3-5, 14, 17) to the Laws of God.  They both as leaders should have been examples (1 Peter 5:4-5) to the people of the LORD, but led them into idolatry their own worship of lifeless statues and imaginary gods as if to spite God who in turn would smite them for their blatant disbelief of the truth in their disobedience to it and to Him.  Israel in the north was handed over for discipline to Syria and was given temporary deliverance until their refusal to repent from that evil haunted their existence as a nation which was intended to be under God, not lifeless idols of man’s imagination.  When Jehoash died, Jeroboam took over the throne.  Judah likewise continued in the old ways of sinful disobedience until Jehoash died and Jeroboam took over.  Then the obedient prophet Elisha who set the example of obedience to the leaders died.  A hint of the resurrection to life is hidden in the narrative of a dead man who was buried with Elisha and came to life as a promise of obedience to the word of God which is now spiritually the gospel (John 5:24) of obedience through faith in repentance from sin in turning from it to hearing and obeying Him.  This is a lesson of correction from disobedience through repentance to life for us all in Christ until the resurrection to life. 

2 Kings 11:1-21 - Renewed Covenant of Commitment

2 Kings 11:1-21

Athaliah Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 22:10–12)

1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. 3 So he was hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Joash Crowned King of Judah (2 Chronicles 23:1–11)

4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the escorts—and brought them into the house of the LORD to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king’s son. 5 Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house, 6 one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down. 7 The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD for the king. 8 But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”

9 So the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King David, that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house. 12 And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah (2 Chronicles 23:12—24:1)

13 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD. 14 When she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”

15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the LORD.” 16 So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.

17 Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people, and also between the king and the people. 18 And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD. 19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house. 21 Jehoash was seven years old when he became king.

Jehu had killed the brothers of Ahaziah (2 Kings 10:13-14) who was the king of Judah after eliminating the family of Ahab.  But then Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead and destroyed all the royal heirs except for Joash who was saved and hidden by her sister Jehosheba for six years while Athaliah reigned after eliminating the competition.  Finally, on the seventh year, Jehoiada the priest had Joash crowned instead as the only surviving heir to the throne of Judah while Athaliah had the audacity to call it treason out loud after her murderous ascension to power.  Jehoiada had her taken outside the house of the LORD, away from the holy meeting place of God to be summarily executed outside of His house for her crimes.  This sparked a return to holiness among God’s people there in Judah as the priest called for a renewed covenant of commitment to follow the LORD and worship Him only, destroying the blasphemous temple of Baal (lifeless god of the Canaanites) and its priest that had been leading the people of God astray into violating the first commandment with such spiritual adultery and the resulting immortality and destruction that accompanied that false worship which brought God’s wrath down on the leaders who propagated it.  The people responded with “long live the king” when Joash (meaning “given by the Lord”), or Jehoash as he was also named, was crowned as the seven year old child king and the idolatry was destroyed as the godless had tried to end the king of righteousness in the line of David to whom the promise of the Seed was given through the tribe of Judah, the Messiah-Christ to come as the true King of all Righteousness, the Lion (Isaiah 11:1-2, Micah 5:2, Hebrews 7:14, Revelation 5:5) of the tribe of Judah.  This renewed covenant of commitment to the Lord did not last for long among the earthly Judah, but the new covenant in the sacrificial lifeblood of the Seed lasts forever as we are found in His righteousness and not that of sinful men and women.  Long live the King of kings and Lord of all lords! 

2 Kings 10:18-36 - Doing Right from the Heart

2 Kings 10:18-36

Worshipers of Baal Killed

18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much. 19 Now therefore, call to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu acted deceptively, with the intent of destroying the worshipers of Baal. 20 And Jehu said, “Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it. 21 Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into the temple of Baal, and the temple of Baal was full from one end to the other. 22 And he said to the one in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out vestments for them. 23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal, and said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24 So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men on the outside, and had said, “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escapes, whoever lets him escape, it shall be his life for the life of the other.”

25 Now it happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them; let no one come out!” And they killed them with the edge of the sword; then the guards and the officers threw them out, and went into the inner room of the temple of Baal. 26 And they brought the sacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them. 27 Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the temple of Baal and made it a refuse dump to this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.

29 However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan. 30 And the LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

Death of Jehu

32 In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel; and Hazael conquered them in all the territory of Israel 33 from the Jordan eastward: all the land of Gilead—Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh—from Aroer, which is by the River Arnon, including Gilead and Bashan.

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 35 So Jehu rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place. 36 And the period that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Jehu had successfully accomplished the word of the LORD in ending evil Ahab and his descendants as God’s promise against their blasphemous evil demanded for the justice of righteousness and holiness as leaders of His people.  But he did not care to obey God’s word in his own life, keeping the golden calf idols to lead the people astray in misdirected worship in violation of the words of the first commandment.  He did not walk in the word of the LORD with all his heart in stark contrast to king David before him who was remembered for being a sincere follower of the LORD by being a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Psalm 89:20, 27-28, 29, Acts 13:22, 23), and whose lineage was the Seed of promise In the Messiah to come who would keep every word (Matthew 5:17, Romans 10:3-4) of God perfectly as we cannot (Romans 3:23, 6:23) as sinful fallen creatures.  Jehu did some things right in God’s sight and earned the right for his descendants to lead from the throne after him, but he did not live from his heart in obedience to the word of the LORD; he loved by the letter and not spirit in true worship (John 4:23, Romans 8:4, 2 Timothy 2:15, 1 John 3:24) as we are all called to do, then and now.  To lead His people we must aim to be men after God’s own heart in true and willing obedience, not just to check compliance boxes in word alone, nor allow sin to continue in our hearts in shared worship, but to worship in spirit and truth with devoted lives in hearts and minds.  We are to remember the contrast between Ahab and David and aim the direction of our lives in the heartfelt upward call (Philippians 3:12-13, 14) in Christ in doing what is right from the heart as we did from the start of our salvation’s journey of sanctification.  Doing Right should be from the Heart instead of by the letter of outward compliance alone.

2 Kings 10:1-17 - Prophetic Accountability of the Ungodly

2 Kings 10:1-17

Ahab’s Seventy Sons Killed

1 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who reared Ahab’s sons, saying:

2 Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and weapons, 3 choose the best qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Look, two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we stand?” 5 And he who was in charge of the house, and he who was in charge of the city, the elders also, and those who reared the sons, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your sight.” 6 Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying:

If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.

Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. 7 So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

8 Then a messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”  And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”

9 So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these? 10 Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what He spoke by His servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining.

Ahaziah’s Forty-two Brothers Killed

12 And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way, at Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?”

So they answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah; we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”

14 And he said, “Take them alive!” So they took them alive, and killed them at the well of Beth Eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

The Rest of Ahab’s Family Killed

15 Now when he departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab, coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is toward your heart?”

And Jehonadab answered, “It is.”

Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16 Then he said, “Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.” So they had him ride in his chariot. 17 And when he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.

Here is more prophetic accountability for the ungodly of the lineage of Ahab.  His offspring had continued his evil against the LORD and Elijah had previously warned of their end (1 Kings 21:21, 29) to come.  Now the time had come at last after the end of Ahab and Jezebel at the hand of Jehu.  The seventy sons of Ahab were beheaded by those who were watching over them at the word of Jehu when those elders refused to set others over them as kings.  Jehu then addressed the town by saying nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab through Elijah; all came to pass (Joshua 21:45, Numbers 23:19) and they had a hand in it through their elders to honor God’s vengeance on them.  Then Jehu finished the task by eliminating killed the rest of the house of Ahab and all his great men, close acquaintances, and even his corrupt priests.  He then took David’s nephew Jehonadab (“Jehovah is willing”) as a witness to the final elimination of the lineage of Ahab in his zeal to honor the LORD and the word of God as was promised.  This shows us that the Lord takes His name and honor seriously, for He is alone to be worshipped and not to be disbelieved and disobeyed through pursuit of evil and leading others to other gods as Ahab and his descendants had done.  It is a reminder by their example (1 Corinthians 10:6, 1 Peter 2:21-22) to pursue holiness to the Lord with undivided worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24, 1 John 3:24) above all others.  We are warned about using these temples of our bodies for idolatry (1 Corinthians 3:16-17, 6:10, 20, 2 Corinthians 6:15-16) as those like Ahab and Jezebel and their offspring did.  May we set the example to our own children to serve the Lord only and honor Him with our lives worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, Philippians 1:27) to eternal life.  There will be a day of reckoning which we all face; in Christ we have an eternal hope, but may still bring shame and loss of rewards (1 Corinthians 3:14-15, 16-17) that could instead honor Him if we continue in such sin without constant repentance (1 John 1:9) to walk worthy of our calling.  May we therefore take this account to heart and aim to leave both physical and spiritual (2 Timothy 1:2, 5, 2:2) offspring after us according to the faith we walk out. 

2 Kings 9:14-37 - Prophetic Death of the Ungodly

2 Kings 9:14-37

Joram of Israel Killed

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had been defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael king of Syria. 15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, “If you are so minded, let no one leave or escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.” 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was laid up there; and Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17 Now a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company of men.”

And Joram said, “Get a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, ’Is it peace?’”

18 So the horseman went to meet him, and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’”

And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn around and follow me.”

So the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger went to them, but is not coming back.”

19 Then he sent out a second horseman who came to them, and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’”

And Jehu answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn around and follow me.”

20 So the watchman reported, saying, “He went up to them and is not coming back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously!”

21 Then Joram said, “Make ready.” And his chariot was made ready. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot; and they went out to meet Jehu, and met him on the property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?”

So he answered, “What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?”

23 Then Joram turned around and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!” 24 Now Jehu drew his bow with full strength and shot Jehoram between his arms; and the arrow came out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up, and throw him into the tract of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when you and I were riding together behind Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this burden upon him: 26 ‘Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, and I will repay you in this plot,’ says the LORD. Now therefore, take and throw him on the plot of ground, according to the word of the LORD.”

Ahaziah of Judah Killed (2 Chronicles 22:7–9)

27 But when Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled by the road to Beth Haggan. So Jehu pursued him, and said, “Shoot him also in the chariot.” And they shot him at the Ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Then he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 28 And his servants carried him in the chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the City of David. 29 In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king over Judah.

Jezebel’s Violent Death

30 Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window. 31 Then, as Jehu entered at the gate, she said, ”Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?”

32 And he looked up at the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” So two or three eunuchs looked out at him. 33 Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot. 34 And when he had gone in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for she was a king’s daughter.” 35 So they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and the corpse of Jezebel shall be as refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, “Here lies Jezebel.”’”

This passage looks at the prophetic death of the ungodly sons of Ahab; namely, Joram of Israel’s and Ahaziah of Judah, along with Jezebel the idolatrous wife of Ahab.  Her death fallen from a height ended in being devoured by dogs and her remains left by them in the field as Elisha told us (1 Kings 21:23-24) beforehand.  The sons were buried in the plot of land which she and Ahab had stolen by proxy murder from Naboth before.  God’s word of vengeance held them all accountable and they paid the price dearly in ignominious ends.  This then is a warning for us all against idolatry and immorality.