2Ki 11:1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

 

Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, the notorious couple who brought Baal worship into northern kingdom Israel. She married Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram, king of Judah. She bore a hideous likeness to Jezebel her mother – bloodthirstiness, lust for power, and would kill anyone who stood in the way of her ambition. Athaliah was a bad influence on both her husband (King Jehoram of Judah) and her son (King Ahaziah of Judah). By her influence Jehoram was led to walk in the way of the kings of Israel (2Chronicles 21:6). She introduced Baal worship into Judah; just as her mother introduced it to Israel. Under God’s instruction, Jehu killed both the king of Judah and Israel in one day. Athaliah used the occasion of her son’s death to seize power for herself and reign over the land for six years. That power hungry woman wanted the throne for herself and would do anything to have it, even killing her grandchildren (v.1). What can we learn from Athaliah’s life? 1. Parenting. Athaliah was the product of her parents, Ahab and Jezebel. She was a murderer like her mother. She saw how her father was weak while her mother was strong and decisive. She saw the same weakness in her husband and son and decided no male was fit to rule the kingdom except her. Hence, she killed all of them. She grew up seeing her parents worshipping Baal; she worshipped Baal too and even brought Baal into Judah. Parents and even grandparents, our children are going to grow up doing or not doing things just as their parents and grandparents before them. Consider the following: (i) If a child grows up in a home lacking in family prayer and Bible study, how do you suppose that child, when he grows up, will act as a mom or dad with his family? Will he pray and read the Bible? (ii) If a child grows up in a home lacking spiritual commitment. He never sees his parents serving God and attending church faithfully. When he grows up, how much faith in God do you suppose that child will have?  Will he even remain in the faith? Athaliah stands as a sobering reminder for us today regarding parental influence: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Are we bringing our children closer to God? 2. Choosing a Spouse Athaliah’s husband (Jehoram) was raised in a godly home. His father Jehoshaphat and grandfather Asa were godly kings. What happened to their son, Jehoram? Why didn’t he too follow in the ways of his father and grandfather? I think the answer is simple—he married the wrong woman! When looking for a spouse, what do most people put on their “checklist”? They look for these: - Physical attributes (handsome or pretty) - Employment position (Professional or others) - Education level - Compatibility (what do we have in common) Where is God in the checklist? Do you remember Abraham’s criteria when searching a wife for his son Isaac? Was it beauty? Was it wealth? He said: “Thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell” (Genesis 24:3). He looked for a godly woman. Parents, what kind of sons and daughters do you want your children to be when they grow up? A child grows up in a home when God is honoured will honour God while a child grows up in a home where money is god will worship the same god. Proverbs 22:6 states: “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Which way are we bringing our children? How can we train our children to grow up being committed to God? BY OUR ACTIONS! By the way we live everyday of our lives! May we be the kind of parents that God wants us to be.

2Ki 12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

When the wicked Athaliah killed all the males who could ascend to the throne, one escaped her massacre. Joash was an infant when he was saved by her aunt Jehosheba (2 Kings 11:1, 2). Together with her husband Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 22:11), Jehosheba raised up Joash in the temple. Jehoiada was the high priest at that time. We see that Joash had a good mentor in Jehoiada. From that pious man, Joash received a pious education. Jehoiada would instil into the mind of this young king the principles of true godliness. Under the watchful eyes of Jehoiada, Joash maintained a life of uprightness in the sight of God. He was remembered for repairing the temple of God (v.4-12). Indeed, to have an early training of this kind is an enormous advantage: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). Unfortunately, though he had an early training in godliness, he kept it only when Jehoiada was with him to guide him. Something was lacking in that training for we learn that upon the death of Jehoiada, Joash listened to the counsel of the wicked princes and began to serve idols (2 Chronicles 24:17-18). What caused the change in Joash? Why did he forget his early training? I believe the problems are two. First, there is a problem with the training method. Joash was only seven years old when he became king. Probably in the eyes of Jehoiada, Joash was always that cute little boy and so he must take good care of him. Well, he did not bring up a man; he raised up a boy. It is a lesson for all of us who are mentoring a younger generation – DON’T DO EVERYTHING FOR THEM! The way to train a younger generation is to let them DO. Give them opportunities to lead, organise, and teach. We learned by doing and so must they. Let them make mistakes while we are around to correct them. Let them teach and preach while we are around to listen to see they are teaching the truth. When we are no longer around, who is there to correct them? Churches died when only the old preachers occupy the throne of the pulpit. They did all the preaching, teaching and organising. They did not let the men do anything. The men grow up not able to handle rightly the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). Churches died when the old preachers died. The second problem is with Joash’s character. Joash was weak. His strength came from Jehoiada. Jehoiada did everything for him! He was totally in reliance of Jehoiada. He lacked independence and firmness of will. While Jehoiada lived, he allowed himself to be led by him; and when this good priest and counsellor died, he began to lean to the noble princes and allow himself as readily to be turned into evil courses by the wicked nobles. He could not differentiate truth and error. The saddest part in growing up is to fail to grow up. I’m referring to maturity. Some people never mature in their lives. The apostle Paul told the Christians at Corinth: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). “Quit you like men” means “show yourself a man”. Be not like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). Be not like babes that can only drink milk (Hebrews 5:12-14). Young men and women, I pray you are not acting faithful because “Jehoiada” is around you. I pray you have matured under the tutorship of “Jehoiada” and have a faith which is your own to stand up against the wiles of the devil. May your faith abound more and more each day.

2Ki 13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Elisha lived long; for it was now about sixty years since he was first called to be a prophet. This faithful prophet of God is now old and very sick. It just shows us that life is fragile. We are not here to live forever. James says: “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). Thank God if you are now a senior citizen. Many folks didn’t get to this age. The Psalmist says: “The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10, ESV). That Bible verse above says we get to 80 by reason of strength. Still, when compared to eternity, even the longest life is too short. James likens it to a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. The Psalmist says “they are soon gone and we fly away.” Life is fragile and fleeting. The Psalmist says life is “but toil and trouble.” Job concurs and utters: "Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble” (Job 14:1). We can’t but agree with them: Life is not a leisurely stroll, but a gruelling race. I recall the words of Jacob when Pharaoh saw him and was amazed at the sight of this old man who appeared in front of him. Pharaoh asked Jacob: “How old are you?” Jacob replied: “The days of the years of my sojourning are 130 years. Few and evil have been the days of the years of my life,” (Genesis 47:8, 9, ESV). Jacob called his life a sojourning (pilgrimage in KJV). He looked upon himself as traveller in this world toward another. And he described his journey here as few and evil. When we look into the life of Jacob, indeed, he did not have it easy. Yes, life is short and full of trouble. Time only goes forward, never back. As we grow older, our days seem to race by, each seeming to go faster than the one before. It seems like only two years ago that I finished college but today I am actually a grandfather. The leisurely days of youth have become a distant memory. Elisha was sick and dying. This great prophet of God became sick like others whom he had healed. Surprisingly, Joash, king of Israel, came to visit the prophet and lamented that this great man would soon die (v.14). Now, Joash was a wicked king in the sight of God and probably Elisha had rebuked him before of his wickedness (v.10, 11). Yet, Joash came and lamented that Elisha would be leaving this world. How interesting! Solomon says: “When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Barnes wrote: “Goodness has power to charm and win even enemies to itself” (Barnes’ Notes, e-sword). Joash might hate Elisha but he still had respect for this prophet. In Elisha, he saw a man who was upright and one who feared God. Secretly, I think he admired Elisha and probably wished they were not enemies. He realized the world would be losing one good man. He wished Elisha lived. Will we be missed by friends and enemies when we die? Will our enemies rejoice that we will be gone forever? Or, will they be praying that we live? The answer would depend on what kind of life we are living. Are we the kind of person that even our enemies would have to but respect us? Though they may not like us, they have to admit our death is a loss to the world. Think about it.

2Ki 14:10 Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?

In 2 Kings 14, Amaziah was the king of Judah. He began to rule when he was 25 and ruled for 29 years. Like his father, he was a good king that worshipped Jehovah God. He had the conspirators who murdered his father killed, but he mercifully did not kill their children (v.1-7). Amaziah made war with the Edomites and won. His next target was Israel. He sent messengers to Jehoash and challenged him to meet him face to face. But, Jehoash didn’t want to fight with him. He said Amaziah was proud because he had defeated Edom. He warned Amaziah he would be meddling to his hurt by going to war with him. He warned Amaziah not to look for trouble (v.8-10). But Amaziah would not listen. So, they met in battle at Bethshemesh. Israel crushed Judah, just like Jehoash said would happen. Jehoash captured Amaziah, marched to Jerusalem and broke down the city wall from Ephraim Gate to Corner Gate, a section about six hundred feet long, and took the gold and silver, as well as everything of value from the Temple and the king's treasury. He also took hostages, and then returned to Samaria (v.12-14). Why did Amaziah fail? The answer is in verse 10 just as Jehoash had said: “Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?” Thy heart hath lifted thee up — Here lies the root of all sins: Pride. Solomon says: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). glory of this, and tarry at home – Jehoash asked Amaziah to be contented with this glory he had in defeating the Edomites and to stay at home and enjoy his success. for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt - He warned him not to let his ambition ruin him. that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee - He warned him of the consequence; that it would be fatal, not to himself only, but to his kingdom, which he ought to protect. It was a piece of sound advice to Amaziah. Unfortunately, Amaziah would not listen. And, just as Jehoash had said, he did meddle to his hurt; he fell, and Judah fell with him. Amaziah looked for trouble and got himself hurt. Pride was his downfall. Just because he could defeat Edom, he thought he could defeat anyone. Proud people have full of ambitions. Their ambitions are the cause of their troubles.                                                                                                               Some folks enjoy going round looking for troubles. They make troubles everywhere they go. Troubles will turn around and trouble them: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7b). Peter says if we want peace, we must seek it and pursue after it (1 Peter 3:11). Amaziah played with fire and got himself burnt. As children of God, let us live peaceably with all men (Romans 12:18). Let us desire peace and pursue it. Our Lord says: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Hebrews 12:14 exhorts us to “follow peace with all men.” Don’t be troublemakers; be at peace with all men. Peacemakers will be blessed.

2Ki 15:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.

This statement should get all fathers to sit up and think about how they are influencing their children in their faith: “And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done.” Azariah did right in the sight of God because of the godly influence of his father Amaziah. Parents, it should be obvious that both of you exert different kinds of influence to your children. Mothers exert the softer side of human nature on them. Fathers exert the specifically masculine influence upon them, especially on the sons. Fathers, you are the male role models for our sons. Fathers, it is by your leadership in the homes that your sons learn about leadership. By being strong, you teach your sons how to be strong. By being honest and just, you teach them to be upright in this wicked world. By loving your wife, you teach them how to love and respect women. By your diligence in providing for the family, you teach them responsibilities. What about spirituality? As fathers, you are also uniquely positioned to shape your son’s faith. God make fathers responsible for the spiritual training of their children: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). Fathers, paste Deuteronomy 6:7 on the door of your house: “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Let it be a reminder of your responsibility in teaching your children godliness. Don’t live to regret later in life when your children depart from the Lord. It will be too late to ask yourself: “I don’t understand what went wrong!” Well, did you show your children how to be faithful by your active participation in the church? Solomon wrote: “My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). Solomon knew long ago that children are watching and following what’s going on in the family. Your children are observing your ways. Unfortunately, the evil ways they see stay with them. When sons see their fathers abusing their mothers, they will treat women the same way. When they see their fathers not attending church, they will follow. When they see their fathers not serving God, they will grow up the same. When they do not see their fathers praying and studying the Bible, they grow up not praying and studying the Bible. What happens next? They fall away! I’m addressing to all fathers: Fatherhood is your greatest responsibility in this life. It’s going to be hard, but it’s your responsibility. And being a father means doing your duty. You should not just be concerned about your children’s baptism; you should be concerned if they remain faithful to God. It is easy to persuade them to get baptised; the difficult part is ensuring they keep their faith to the end. And, fathers have to walk with them and show them how to remain faithful until death (Revelations 2:10). Are you leading your sons and daughters spiritually? While almost any man can father a child, but not every man knows how to be a father. Sadly, the average father spends less than 10 minutes a day one-on-one with his child. Family times should not be centred just around the dining table or in front of the TV. Family times should include spending time together with God. King Azariah followed what his father Amaziah had done. Your children will follow what you are doing. Are you leading them to God?

2Ki 16:14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

In 2 Kings 16, we read the ungodly reign of King Ahaz.  Ahaz did not follow the ways of Jehovah God. He did much evil and followed the worship of the pagans (v.1-4). Under his reign, the Syrians successfully revoked. Ahaz, instead of seeking help from God, he paid a bribe to TiglathPileser king of Assyria, to help him fight Syria. TiglathPileser complied and attacked Damascus, capturing the city and killing the king of Syria (v.5-9). When Ahaz met the victorious king of Assyria in Damascus, he saw a pagan altar and fell in love with it. He commanded Urijah the priest to make a copy of it. Urijah finished the altar before Ahaz came back from Damascus. Upon his return, Ahaz made sacrifices on the altar to the gods of Damascus. He even desecrated the Temple of God by removing the brazen altar and replaced it with the new altar he had made. Ahaz offered all the sacrifices on the new altar (v.10-17). 2Chronicles 28:23 explains why King Ahaz was attracted to the worship he saw in Damascus: “For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me.” “Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me.” Ahaz, the king of Israel abandoned the true God of Israel to follow the gods of the Syrians because he felt their gods were better at helping them. He wanted the same god too. Before we condemn him, let us ask ourselves first: Do we serve God for benefits too? Many in this world serve God for personal benefits. Many are attracted to the gods of this world because they believe they offer better results financially and emotionally than the Lord we serve. For example, they serve the god of prosperity because they believe he could give them wealth. Do we serve God for personal gain? Is it a right reason to serve God? Is God pleased if His worshippers come to Him because they only want to receive blessings from Him? I think you know the answer. Have you ever had a “friend” who only wanted friendship with you because he could reap benefits from you, like you would pay for meals every time he dined with you? Do you want such kind of friend? Do you think he is a true friend? I’m sure you do not want such kind of friends. As soon as you no longer have the very thing that they want from you, they disappear. Unfortunately, some people behave the same way towards God. They seek God for what He can do for them and not for who He is. They don’t really want God; they only want what God can give them. They don’t seek to have a genuine and obedient relationship with God. In short, they don’t have faith. They are really seeking the gift and not the Giver of the gift. After Jesus had fed the 5000, many followed Him because they wanted bread (John 6:26). Like the 5000 who followed Jesus for food, some today follow God because they want “bread”. They want the physical “bread” but not the Giver of the “bread”. We must not be like Ahaz or some of the 5000 who followed Jesus because they were only interested in satisfying their fleshly and temporary desires. At the Judgment Day, the Lord will say: “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:23b). Only true faith saves: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is” (Hebrews 11:6). Do you have true faith?

2Ki 17:41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children's children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

2 Kings 17 sees the end of the kingdom of northern Israel. Verse 7 to 23 records the reasons for her fall. The main reason was the entire nation forsook the commandments of God and serve Baal. God raised up the king of Assyria to conquer and deport the entire nation to foreign lands. The king of Assyria brought people from other provinces in his kingdom and placed them in the cities of Samaria. Then, a strange thing happened to the people: The new settlers were visited by lions. The settlers regarded this as a punishment from the deity of the land whom they did not worship. Therefore, they asked the king of Assyria for a priest to teach them the right and proper manner of worship to this God of the land so as not to offend Him (v.24-27). The king of Assyria complied and sent an Israelite priest out of exile to teach them about the God of the land. Unbeknown to him, the priesthood of the kingdom of Israel was corrupt. Therefore this nameless, corrupt priest taught the new inhabitants of the land a corrupt religion. He was not interested in worshipping the one and only true Jehovah God. Hence, the priest-for-hire did not tell the new inhabitants of the land that they must only worship the LORD God of Israel. The result is, the inhabitants continued to make gods of its own (v.28-41) The author seems to contradict himself in verse 33 and 34. “They feared the LORD and served their own gods” (v.33).  “They feared not the LORD” (v.34). The question is: Did they fear Jehovah God or not? The answer is this: They were afraid of Jehovah who had sent lions among them and therefore they offered him a sort of worship that he might not thus afflict them, but they continued to serve their own gods and devoted themselves affectionately to them. But in another sense, “they feared not the LORD” in the sense they did not follow His commandments and ordinances (v.34b). To acknowledge Jehovah together with other gods is in reality, not acknowledging Him at all. Our Lord says: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23, 24). True worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth. “In spirit” refers to the attitude when one comes to worship God; he must be sincere, in faith, and with reverence. “In truth” refers to the manner the worship is conducted. The worship must be according to God’s commandments. Men cannot worship God in any ways they deem fit. The new inhabitants of Samaria worshipped God not according to His statutes and ordinances (v.34). God was displeased. Our Lord says all worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth. It is not up to man to decide how to worship God. God has specific instructions on the manner to worship Him. He did not let the Hebrews worship Him in whichever ways they deemed fit; He specified the method to worship Him in the Old Testament. Do you think that God did not give us a pattern in the New Testament? When He said we MUST worship Him in truth, obviously, He has specified the method. Today, many have the audacity to change the manner of worship because they fear not the LORD. They care little about offending God because they fear not Him. What about you? Do you fear God? Are you worshipping Him only in the ways He has specified? Think about it.

2Ki 18:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

Hezekiah remains the only king of Judah who has received the highest commendation for his faith in God: “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him” (v.5). These were good kings in Judah before Hezekiah - Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Uzziah. And after him was Josiah. They were great men of faith; but Hezekiah’s faith exceeded them all. Hezekiah’s faith in God is without equal. Hezekiah’s faith in God was not a mere idle profession. His actions proved his faith: “He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it” (v.4). Many profess to believe in God and that’s all there is about their faith; it’s all mere idle profession: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works” (James 2:18). Hezekiah’s faith was not like theirs. True faith does not consist merely in having a head filled with the doctrinal truths of God. It does not consist in the mere strict observance of the outward forms of religion. No doubt, truth and practices are important, but they are not there is to religion. True faith lies in practising the faith once delivered to the saints: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). True faith is seen in the whole life: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). It is the dedication of the heart and life to God (Luke 9:23). Some possess only head knowledge of the word of God. They know much about the Bible. Yet, they are not present when the church is having a gospel meeting or Bible seminar. Neither were they present at the funeral wake of a church member. They have heads filled with the knowledge of the doctrinal truths but not hearts filled with love. Christ wants us to be born again: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This rebirth or “born again” does not begin and end at baptism. It begins at baptism and it ends when life ends. The result of the rebirth is a changed life: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12: 2). What made Hezekiah so different from others is his faultless faith: “For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses” (v.6). What action comes to our minds when we see the word “clave”? We see someone holding on to a certain thing so tightly and wouldn’t let go; like a child holding on to his toy. Some clung to God, but not for long. They were faithful for a time; they had failed to persevere. Hezekiah had a better record: He held fast (clave) to the profession of faith to the end. God wants us to be faithful until the end of our lives (Revelations 2:10). Hezekiah’s faith is praiseworthy because it is sincere and enduring. Can it be said of our faith? Is our faith praiseworthy?

2Ki 19:7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.

In the 14th year of Hezekiah's rule in Judah, King Sennacherib of Assyria invaded Judah. He sent three of his most trusted officers with a great army to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. And when they came, they began to boast how great the Assyrian army was that none of the gods of the nations they conquered could save them. They mocked the Jews and boasted their God Jehovah would not be able to deliver them either (2 Kings 18:13-37). In 2 Kings 19, we see Hezekiah was disturbed by the words of the three Assyrians. The prophet Isaiah told him not to worry and he said that Sennacherib won't even be able to shoot a single arrow against Jerusalem. Sure enough, in the middle of the night, an angel of God went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. When the others got up in the morning, they saw all the dead bodies. Thereafter, Sennacherib departed and returned to Assyria (v.1-36). What can we learn from 2 Kings 19? One lesson is: Man proposes but God disposes. We can make whatever plans we want, but in the end, God is the one who decides what actually happens, whether they fail or succeed. In this case, Sennacherib boasted he would destroy Jerusalem and Hezekiah and his God could not stop him. He had great plans; but he underestimated God Jehovah. Jehovah is not like the gods of the nations. God determined he should not succeed. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:9: “A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”                                                           1. The men of Babel wanted to build a tower that reached up to heaven; God confounded their language and caused them to disperse (Genesis 11). 2. Joseph’s brethren intended to get rid of him for good; God took him and preserved him for good. 3. Jonah had no desire to preach to the men of Nineveh; God would not allow him to have his way. 4. Haman’s one purpose in life was to destroy the entire Jewish nation; God turned his plan around and he was destroyed instead (Esther 7). Proverbs  19:21 says it well: “There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” Put God in our plans. When we submit our proposal to God, He can do four things to it: 1. Reject it because it is not good for us. 2. Accept it because it is good for us. 3. Refine it and make it better. 4. Give us something different but better. I like this verse: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).                                                                                                                                     When God rejects your plans; expect something better coming your way. It may not come immediately; but it will come. Joseph had to wait 13 years in an Egyptian prison for his life to turn around; he became the prime minister of Egypt. Be patient. When you look back today, I’m sure you are glad that things did not happen the way you wanted. You agree now that the end is unexpected. “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6). Let God direct your paths.

2Ki 20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. Isaiah the prophet said to him: "Thus says the LORD: “Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover”” (v.1). What does it mean to set one’s house in order? It means Hezekiah is to make his will, choose his successor, and settle the affairs of his family and kingdom. Hezekiah cried unto the LORD. He was still young and he did not want to die. God gave him 15 more years. Hezekiah had 15 years to set his house in order before his eventual death (v.1-6). Question: Did Hezekiah set his house in order during the 15 years extension of his life? Two significant events tell us he did not set his house in order. 1. During the 15 years, his life was lifted up with pride. The Scripture wrote of him: “But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up” (2 Chronicles 32:25). He became exceeding rich and had much gold, jewels, cattle and sheep, and much corn and oil in his store houses (2 Chronicles 32:27, 28). Worldly riches tend to induce pride in most men. When the king of Babylon sent spies from Babylon to search out Jerusalem and the kingdom of Hezekiah, Hezekiah was much too glad to show them all the riches in his kingdom: “There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not” (v.13). How foolish! Isaiah told Hezekiah that everything he had showed them, they would come and take all and nothing would be left (v.17). Pride! You moved into a posh mansion and invite all your friends to come and see. Pride! You bought a brand new posh car and move round the city to show everyone. Pride! You bought a five figure sum handbag and show it to the other women at the party. Hezekiah showed off his riches like anyone. The underlying reason is pride. God hates a proud heart: “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:5a). The way to deal with riches is to acknowledge they are from God and be thankful for them (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 2. In those 15 years Hezekiah brought forth the most ungodly king in the history of Israel; his name was Manasseh. Manasseh filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not pardon (2 Kings 21:16). The result of Hezekiah’s 15 years brought forth Manasseh, and the result of Manasseh’s sin brought forth Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon. What a disastrous 15 years! Hezekiah did not bring up his son in the ways of the LORD. Perhaps he had been spending too much time accumulating riches to the neglect of his house. He failed to set his house in order. Parents, take heed: Your children are more important than your riches. You don’t have to worry they cannot pay for their homes and food. Somehow, they will manage. They will make enough money to raise their family. Your most important work is to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God (Ephesians 6:4). You should be more concerned about their eternal home than the earthly one. God was remarkably kind to Hezekiah, telling him that his death was near. Not all people are given the time to set their houses in order. Make use of your remaining time and set your house in order.

2Ki 21:11 Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols.

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king (v.1). This means that he was born during the additional fifteen years extension that was given to Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:6). Sadly, Hezekiah's prayer for more years to live brought about the birth of this wicked son. Those additional fifteen years brought Judah one of its worst kings. Hezekiah’s good and glorious reign was followed by one of exactly the opposite character. Manasseh, his son and successor, reversed his entire religious policy, and returned to the wicked practices of his grandfather Ahaz. He rebuilt the high places that Hezekiah his father had destroyed. He also erected altars for Baal and made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had done, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. He desecrated the Temple of God by erecting altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the Temple (v.1-9). Manasseh did worst than anyone before him: “Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him, and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols” (v.11). What a contrast from his father. Hezekiah was the best of his kind (2 Kings 18:5) while his son, Manasseh, was the worst of his kind, even exceeding the Amorites who were the pioneers (v.11). We see that the good kings of Judah were very good while the bad kings were very bad. The climax of wickedness was reached in Manasseh. He had a good father, yet he outstripped in ungodliness all the kings before and after him. The question that comes into our minds is this: How could such a godly king like Hezekiah give birth to such an ungodly and wicked son? One reason I can think of is this: He lacked the godly guidance from his father. He became king at the age of twelve. It means he lost his father at a very young age. How could a twelve year old boy rule the kingdom? He was too young and vulnerable to be king. My guess is that he was depending on those around him to guide him. Were those “counselors” like Hezekiah? One lesson we can learn is this: A righteous father does not always produce a righteous child. Things are not so straightforward: godly fathers may not always produce godly sons while ungodly fathers may not necessarily produce ungodly sons. In the kings of Judah, we see godly sons from ungodly fathers and ungodly sons from godly fathers. Manasseh was one of the most wicked men mentioned in the Bible and, yet, his father was the godly Hezekiah. In contrast, Josiah was the son of an ungodly father (Amon) and yet, he stands out in Bible history as one of the most eminent kings of Judah (2 Kings 21:1, 2). Josiah addressed idolatry and made sweeping reforms (2 Kings 23). His grandfather was Manasseh. Many a godly parent has gone to their grave sorrowing over a child that did not turn out as desired. Is it always the parent’s fault? Well, not in all cases, as we see in the kings. Children sometimes forget their godly training and choose the path of ungodliness. Jacob and Esau were from the same parents. They had the same training. Unfortunately, Esau chose to be like the Canaanites. As parents, we must always remember that bringing up a child into this world is a great spiritual responsibility that demands much prayer, thought, and provision, both material and spiritual (Ephesians 6:4; Proverbs 22:6). Yes, this is no guarantee that we will bring up godly children; but at least we can say we have done our part. We will be blameless in the Day of Judgment when we have done our best to bring up godly children. We need to be like Job who daily prayed for his children (Job 1:5).

2Ki 22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

Josiah became king of Judah at the age of eight (v.8). He walked in the way of Jehovah God. He was remembered for repairing the Temple of God. We read in 2 Chronicles 34:3 that “in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father; and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the Asherim, and the graven images, and the molten images.”                                                                           “In the eighth year of his reign” means he was only sixteen years old. Josiah was full of zeal for God at this age when most teenagers would rather do their own things. It is unbelievable! Why do I say so? It is because his father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh, were the worst kings in Judah. They undo every good thing that his great-grandfather Hezekiah had done. They brought back every single idol that Hezekiah had put away. The fact that Josiah was able to follow in the footsteps of his great-grandfather and not in his father and grandfather is amazing. The young Josiah saw the worship of God neglected all these years by his father and grandfather. He began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places and the idols. Then in the eighteenth year of his reign—when he was twenty-six years old—he began to repair the house of the Lord which had been long deserted and neglected. In the process of restoring the temple, the high priest Hilkiah found the "Book of the Law" (v.8). For 57 years under Manasseh and Amon, that Book of the Law sat in the Temple collecting dust. No one bothers about it. No one misses it. Every one forgets about its existence. Shaphan the scribe read the Book of the law to King Josiah who listened attentively to the words of the Law. When he heard that the people had neglected the worship and commandments of God, he rent his clothes. King Josiah made a vow to keep all the laws written in it (v.10-13). The Book of the Law was lost in no other place but in the very Temple of the Lord! Sad, isn’t it? The Temple of God should be the place where the word of God was preserved and read often but it was lost in the very place which supposedly was the safest place. It happened then, it is still happening today. The Word of God is lost in many “churches”. The Word of God is lost due to neglect. Many so called “Christians” do not know the Word of God. Many more do not study the Word of God. The Word of God is lost in the hands of Christians. I taught some visitors from denominational background. Many didn’t even know how to turn to the passages of the Bible. Most were so ignorant about the Bible. When I mentioned there is only one church that Jesus built, they looked at me with big eyes like saying: “Huh. Are you sure? I thought all churches are the same.” When I mentioned baptism, it seemed like a new word to them. How about us? Is the Word of God lost among us? Is it lost in you? The Word of God is lost through neglect by those who should be preserving and telling it to the world. Unfortunately, too many Christians do not know the doctrinal truths found in the Bible. It may be due to lack of studying the Word of God from the Bible. The Bible sits idly in their homes. What should they do? Perform a spring cleaning like Josiah! The New Year is only a few days away; it’s a good time to resolve to make things right with God. Let the Word of God be our daily bread each day: “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

2Ki 23:25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

This seems to be a contradiction. Why did God praise Josiah that “like unto him was there no king before him”, when the same commendation was said of Hezekiah, “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him” (2 Kings 18:5)? The answer is this: Hezekiah outdid Josiah in some things, but Josiah outdid Hezekiah in others. To Hezekiah was ascribed trust: “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel.……he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses” (2 Kings 18:5, 6). Whereas, to Josiah was ascribed his zeal for God: “And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might” (v.25). Hezekiah excelled in faith. Josiah, as we see in this chapter and in the previous chapter (2 Kings 22), excelled in works. Josiah’s whole life was one of activity – he repaired the temple and made sweeping reforms to purge idolatries out of Judah. He was fervent in weeding out idolaters, and all kinds and appearances of idolatry, not only in Judah, but also in Israel (v.4-20). Josiah also extended his reformation to Bethel and Samaria. He was the only king to completely demolish the altars for the golden calves erected by Jeroboam in Bethel, thus fulfilling the prophecy about him 300 years before he was born (1 Kings 13:2). Josiah was an amazingly unique king considering that he was only 8 years old when he became king, and his father (Amon) and grandfather (Manasseh) were the worst kings Judah ever had. One would expect Josiah to follow in the footsteps of his evil fathers. Yet, he didn’t! Amazing still, he was more zealous than the good kings that were before him. There were a few good kings before him but none that responded so thoroughly to God’s commands to remove idolatry. His dedication and zeal were unrivalled. Josiah lived in an evil day and managed to stay righteous. We too, are living in the evil days. The things that are happening around us serve to distract us from God. The internet, the smartphone, the sensual entertainment, the moral changes in society, and our work, are drawing us away from God. Sadly, many once faithful Christians have let the world take away their faith. Josiah was a king. A king would be very busy running the affairs of his kingdom. Yet, Josiah was able to be zealous in God’s business. This tells us that one is never too busy to serve God. It is a matter of will. When there is a will, there is a way. We have members who are very busy in their careers, yet they can be busy in the house of God. On the other hand, we have members who have lots of time on their hands but are not busy in the house of God. The issue is not about being busy but about attitude. Those who love God also love to serve Him: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?” (Luke 2:49b). I pray that all among us have the zeal of Josiah. God wants us to be “fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11b). The apostle Paul exhorts: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Are we a workman of God? Are we abounding in the work of God? Let us be about our Father’s business.

2Ki 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.

Josiah was the last of the good kings that walked in the way of God. With his death, Judah sank deeper into idolatry. At that time, Babylon was the rising foreign superpower and Jehoiakim had become king of Judah. Due to their idolatry, God sent the Babylonians to destroy Judah. The inspired writer says this punishment is mainly because of Manasseh's sins and for all the innocent people he killed (v.1-4). We do not know much about Jehoiakim apart from this account in 2 Kings 24. However, in Jeremiah 36, we are told that God told Jeremiah to take a scroll and write down all the prophecies He's spoken so far against Judah, Israel, and the nations. God said perhaps it'll get the people of Judah to mend their ways when they hear of the judgment that will follow them (Jeremiah 36:1-4). Therefore, Jeremiah called a man named Baruch and spoke the messages the LORD had given him. While he spoke, Baruch wrote the messages on a scroll. After this, Baruch read the scroll in the Temple of the LORD to all the people who were there. Later, he was sent to read it to the ministers in the king’s court. When the ministers heard the word written on the scroll, they said: “We must tell King Jehoiakim about these messages on the scroll” (Jeremiah 36:16, CEV). The ministers took the scroll and Jehudi read it to King Jehoiakim. He had only read two or three columns when Jehoiakim grabbed the scroll, cut it into pieces and threw them into the fireplace. His ministers urged him not to burn the scroll but Jehoiakim would not listen (Jeremiah 36:19-25). Sadly, Jehoiakim persisted in his defiance and suffered the consequences. Defeated by the Babylonians and dragged away in chains, he apparently died on his way to or in captivity in Babylon. Jehoiakim apparently thought he was accountable to no one. However, God would have the last word. The lesson of King Jehoiakim applies to all of God’s ministers and all people: He who would attempt to destroy God’s Word will himself be destroyed. God’s word will judge men in the last days regardless whether they like it or not. Jehoiakim may have destroyed God’s words contained in the scroll. However, God’s words will abide forever (1 Peter 1:25). For centuries, men have tried to destroy the word of God. Nevertheless, God’s word is still everywhere today. God’s word cannot be broken nor destroyed. The Bible is either the word of God or the word of man. If it is the word of man, we can ignore it. If it is the word of man, it has no power to save man and whatsoever things it says and promises are lies. But for us who are Christians, the first thing every Christian must fully believe is that the Holy Bible is truly the inspired and infallible Word of God. Paul affirms this truth: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16a). There is no other book on this earth that contains direct words from God. There is no other book on this earth that can save men (John 5:39). Since the Bible is the infallible word of God, we must believe it and take heed to every warning it has uttered. We must not be like Jehoiakim, who instead of taking heed to the warning, cut the scroll of the word of God and burned it. God’s word must be held in reverence by all. Is the Word of God precious in our sight? The Psalmist says: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103). May we treasure the word of God and keep it in our hearts (Psalm 119:97).

2Ki 25:24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah. He ruled 11 years in Jerusalem. He did not walk in the way of God. In the ninth year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came with all his army against Jerusalem and laid siege to it. The city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. As a result of the war, a severe famine broke out in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. Zedekiah and all the men of war fled out of the city. The Babylonian army pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. They captured Zedekiah and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah. They slew his sons before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon (v.1-7). Nebuchadnezzar ransacked Jerusalem, took the people away, and left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen. He appointed a man called Gedaliah to be the governor of Judah. Gedaliah called on the people that remained in Judah to serve the king of Babylon and it would be well with them (v.24). Gedaliah spoke the truth. It was the right thing to do but it was hard to accept. Yes, it is hard to submit to the oppressors. However, the Babylonians were doing the work of God in bringing this judgment upon Judah. Judah had departed from God and in spite of God’s warning, refused to take heed and return to God. Therefore, to resist the Babylonians was to resist God. It was better to humble one’s self and submit to the judgment of God brought through the Babylonians than to rebel and suffer a worse fate. Sadly, certain of the Jews rebelled and killed Gedaliah (v.25). The fall of Judah and Jerusalem was a warning for all time to all nations. God had been very patient with Judah and Israel. He had given them ample warnings. But they refused to listen. They had to pay a price for their sins. Every message God sends us is for our good. Some of it may seem unloving. This is because He loves us and is warning us about the consequences for disobeying Him. To neglect it is to neglect our eternal salvation: “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him” (Hebrews 2:1-3). If it is worth God’s while to speak to us, it is worth our while to listen. God speaks because He has an important message for us. Therefore, it is worth to listen when God speaks. Habakkuk 2:20 says: “But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” Habakkuk couldn’t understand why God would judge a sinful nation (Judah) by an even more sinful nation (Babylon). God reminds him of His own wisdom and strength, and of His ultimate triumph over the wicked. Habakkuk realizes God is always right. God may seem to be unloving but the things He is doing are good for His people. Therefore, the whole earth should be silent in His presence and show Him respect – Don’t argue with God – just listen and obey. Judah and Israel failed to listen when God spoke; they suffered for their neglect. Likewise, we cannot escape when we neglect His warnings and instructions (Hebrews 2:1-3). God speaks; let us listen and obey.

Phm 1:11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me.

Philemon is Paul’s shortest letter. It is a private letter written by the apostle Paul to a man called Philemon. The purpose of this letter is to help reconcile Onesimus, a slave, to his master, Philemon.

Philemon had a slave named Onesimus. For reasons not known to us, Onesimus ran away from Philemon, fleeing to Rome. In Rome, Onesimus met Paul and was converted to the faith: “…my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds” (v.10).

In those days, a runaway slave would be captured and killed. This newly converted slave knew repentance means he must return to his master and seek his forgiveness. Paul knew Onesimus could not simply walked into Philemon’s house; he would be arrested and put in prison. So, Paul wrote him a letter of commendation and sent him back to his master. In the letter, Paul pleaded with Philemon to receive Onesimus back into his household (v.8-22).

Prior to his conversion, Onesimus was perhaps a worthless slave who dreamed only of being freed from his slavery. By the grace of God, he met Paul in Rome and was converted. He had become a changed person (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul said of him to Philemon: “Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and to me” (v.11).

Onesimus was, before his conversion, unprofitable to his master. Still, Philemon kept him in his household. It shows to us how good natured and benevolent Philemon was. Philemon’s love for the saints extended to all his servants. We can imagine him sitting down with this young slave Onesimus and trying to help him grow up to be a fine young man. But, perhaps, being young, Onesimus’s foremost thought was freedom. He did not treasure the love his master had for him.

Onesimus met Paul who perhaps, not only taught him the gospel, but also responsibility. Perhaps from Paul, Onesimus realised he had a good master. He realised the right thing for him to do now is to return to his master and face the consequence. We have here the prodigal slave returning to his master – Onesimus was going back to face the consequence.

Onesimus had apparently stolen something from Philemon and ran away (v.18). Whatever it might be, he probably had spent it or sold it and was not able to return it to Philemon. Paul mediated for him. He told Philemon: “Put that in my account” (v.18).

What are the lessons for us?