This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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Columbia, LA 71418
HERE
Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the books of
Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
now available in hard copy for $7.50. Just
mail your request for COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
2KINGS
1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
I almost never cut off a sentence before it is complete. But this time the thought is interrupted enough to make a difference.
4 Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.
6 And 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 slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
That's when Uzziah's son Jotham began to reign as co-regent.
8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
12 This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.
When Jeroboam died in Israel, Zachariah his son took over the kingdom. He lasted only 6 months!
13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth 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, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
16 Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
Well, I guess ANYBODY can be king if he wants to murder the present king. But not just anybody can STAY king!
17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.
18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
20 And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.
21 And 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 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
History records that Menahem was an evil king and reigned in terror over the people.
23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.
24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
Pekahiah was Menahem's son and became king upon his father's death. He was not as successful in reigning with terror as his father, and was assassinated by Pekah. Pekahiah had lasted only two years.
27 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.
28 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-ma'achah, and Jonoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.
30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
Pekah reigned 20 years. He and Rezin (king of Syria) tried to convince Jotham (king of Judah) to rebel against Assyria. Jotham wouldn't do it.
32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.
34 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher 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 against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
Jotham was Uzziah's son, and reigned 16 years in Judah. He did many good things, like his father before him.
All this points to one thing. The kingdom of Israel never had a focus on God. The kingdom became one of power and prestige, and depended upon who had the best alliances and could take the kingdom by force. Please continue in Bible Study with us.
CHAPTER 15
Azariah (Uzziah) was a great king for a long time. He followed the will of God.
His father had left the city and the country in disarray and Uzziah was intent on reestablishing a fortress city in Jerusalem and fortresses around the country. He accomplished his goals and secured Judah.
However, Uzziah made one bad mistake. He wanted to JOIN the royalty of the king with the spirituality of the priest. Uzziah entered the temple and burned incense before God. This was something God had EXPLICITLY said that ONLY the priests could do!
Azariah the high priest, and 80 other priests confronted Uzziah about this gross sin. (Ironic that the king and the high priest had the same name.)
When confronted with the truth of God's Word on this, Uzziah became angry instead of repenting. And God struck him with leprosy for the rest of his life.
Uzziah was a great king. His rule was longer than any other king of Judah. He established righteousness in the land and he returned Judah to a prosperous nation.
Isaiah thought very highly of Uzziah, and Isaiah served in Uzziah's court as an advisor. It was "in the year king Uzziah died" that Isaiah received his heavenly vision (Isaiah 6).
Even a godly man will sin. There is no such thing as being so close to God that one cannot be tempted to sin.
But when good and righteous men rule over a nation, regardless of their sins, the people are the better for it.
"When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs 29:2)
His reign was evil like that of his father, and Shallum assassinated Zachariah and took over the kingdom. This assassination was perhaps a fulfillment of a prophecy by Amos.
"And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."(Amos 7:9)
Also it fulfilled the prophecy that God had given Jehu in 2Kings 10:30.
God is in the business of KEEPING His Word! We ought to be in the business of keeping HIS WAY!
Shallum only lasted ONE month!!
Possibly, Menahem was commander of the armed forces in Israel. And he didn't like it because Shallum became king, so he went and killed Shallum and became king himself.
Some of the people didn't respond too well and wouldn't accept Menahem as king (verse 16). So he went and attacked those places and committed acts of cruelty and murder.
This obviously created great fear in the people, and Menahem remained king for 10 years then his son followed him.
During his reign, Pul (Tiglath-pileser), king of Assyria, became very powerful. Pul forced Menahem to render Israel under tribute to Assyria. Menahem forced every man to pay 50 shekels for the privlege of becoming one of Assyria's countries.
Evil kings bring evil times.
Pekah was perhaps an elder and leader in Gilead, which was part of the kingdom of Israel. He had developed a league with Rezin, king of Syria. They tried to attack Jerusalem, but were turned back (Isaiah 7:1).
We'll see more about that in a moment.
That's when Jotham died, and Ahaz, his son took control of Judah. About that time, Pekah and Rezin decided to run over Judah and make it a subsidiary of their dual kingdom. They even had plans for who they would put on the throne (Isaiah 7:6).
Their conspiracy was not a well-kept secret, and Ahaz decided to ask the king of Assyria for help. He got it.
Pul (Tiglath-pileser) came and stormed Syria and killed the king. Then he stormed Israel and took captives.
It was at this time that Hoshea assassinated Pekah.
Jotham died at a young age - 41 or 42. Then Ahaz, his son became king.
It was a "power kingdom" not a godly kingdom.
Though they were God's chosen people, He could not protect them simply because they wouldn't turn to Him in repentance.
And God was forced by their sins of idolatry to discipline them.