2 Kings

“Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So, he sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury. But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Go to messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?' Therefore, this is what the Lord says: 'You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” Joram succeeded him as king. (2 Kings 1:1-4, 17)

Passing Elijah’s Mantel to Elisha “Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel and Jericho. He refused. … Fifty men of the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up and struck the water with it. The water divided to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry ground. When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?’ ‘Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied. ‘You have asked a difficult thing,’ Elijah said, ‘yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours — otherwise not.’ As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, ‘My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!’ And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.” (2 Kings 2:1-2, 7-12)

“He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. ‘Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’ he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. … Elisha went up to Bethel on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.” (2 Kings 2:13- 14, 23)

“Joram son of Ahab did evil in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless, he clung to the sins of Jeroboam which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.” (2 Kings 3:1-3)

“Again, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. So, King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: Will you go with me to fight against Moab? ‘I will go with you,’ he replied. They chose to go through the Desert of Edom to attack but ran out of water.’ … ‘The king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah and the king of Edom went down to see Elisha. Elisha said, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat, I would not look at you or even notice you. Then he said make this valley full of ditches. … For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also hand Moab over to you. You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.’ The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was — water flowing from the direction of Edom!” (2 Kings 3:4-7, 12-20)

“Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so, every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. When they got up early in the morning,

the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red — like blood. ‘That's blood!’ they said. ‘Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!’ But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him offered his firstborn son as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.” (2 Kings 3:21-26)

Comment: How often do we pray to God for guidance but fail to go to His word to find His answer?

Faith of the Shunammite Woman “One day Elisha went to Shunem. A well-to-do woman urged him to stay for a meal. So, whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. She said to her husband, ‘I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let's make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for

• Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.’ One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Call the Shunammite.’ ‘Tell her, You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? She replied, ‘I have a home among my own people.’

Elisha asked Gehazi ‘What can be done for her?’ Gehazi said, ‘Well, she has no son and her husband is old.’ The woman was called and Elisha said ‘About this time next year," Elisha said, "you will hold a son in your arms.’ Next year a son was born. The child grew, one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. ‘My head! My head!’ he said. His father told a servant, ‘Carry him to his mother.’ After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out. … She set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel. … When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, ‘Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress, but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.’ ‘Did I ask you for a son, my lord?’ she said. ‘Didn't I tell you, Don't raise my hopes?’ … When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch. He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord. ... The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha said to the Shunammite woman, ‘Take your son.’ She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.” (2 Kings 4:8- 37)

Comment: Her faith in the Lord’s power through Elisha did not waiver.

Naaman of Aram “Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy. Now a captive young girl from Israel, who served Naaman's wife said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ‘By all means, go,’ the king of Aram replied. ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman took the letter to the king of Israel read: With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” (2 Kings 5:1-6)

Comment: Aram was located in and near present-day Syria, the country of the Armenians.

“As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, ‘Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!’ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: ‘Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman went to Elisha's house. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, ‘Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.’ But Naaman went away angry and said, ‘I thought (what but does God say) that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?’ So, he turned and went off in a rage.” (2 Kings 5:7-12) Comment: Don’t get angry when God’s answer does not meet your expectations.

“Naaman's servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, Wash and be cleansed!’ So, he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. Please accept now a gift from your servant.’ The prophet answered, ‘I will not accept a thing.’ And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. … Then Naaman said ‘may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I bow there also — when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.’ ‘Go in peace,’ Elisha said. (2 Kings 5:13-19

“After Naaman had traveled some distance, Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. "Is everything all right?" he asked. Gehazi lied by saying. ‘My master sent me to say, Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim.’ Gehazi took two bags of silver and two sets of clothing and put them away in the house. When Elisha asked ‘Where have you been, Gehazi?’ Elisha asked. Gehazi lied again saying ‘Your servant didn't go anywhere,’ But Elisha said to him, ‘Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to accept gifts? Naaman's leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever.’ Then Gehazi went from Elisha's presence and he was leprous, as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:20-27)

Comment: Greed results in much sorrow and is not of God.

“Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, ‘I will set up my camp in such and such a place." But Elisha kept the King of Israel informed their every move. The enraged the king summoned his officers and demanded of them to know who among them was on the side of the king of Israel?’ "None of us, my lord the king," said one of his officers, it is Elisha, the prophet, who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak. … Then the king went with a strong force and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don't be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he

looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, ‘Strike these people with blindness.’ So, he struck them with blindness. Elisha told them, ‘This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.’ After they entered the city of Samaria, the Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see. The king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, Shall I kill them?’ NO! Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink. After they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So, the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel's territory.” (2 Kings 6:8- 23) Comment: Overcome evil with good and pray for those who persecute you.

“Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram was ill. The king sent Hazael to ask Elisha will I recover from this illness? Elisha answered, ‘Go and say to him, You will certainly recover; but the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.’ Then to Hazael he said ‘The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram.” (2 Kings 8:7-13)

Hazael - King of Aram “Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, ‘What did Elisha say to you?’ Hazael replied, ‘He told me that you would certainly recover.’ But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king's face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king.” (2 Kings 8:14-15)

“Jehoshaphat died and Jehoram reign as king of Judah, he married a daughter of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah. Jehoram rested with his and Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king. He reigned in Jerusalem one year. … Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram. The Arameans wounded Joram so returned to Jezreel to recover.” (2 Kings 8:18-19, 28)

Jehu appointed King of Israel “The prophet Elisha sent one of the prophets to appoint Jehu king if Israel. The prophet opened the door and run. When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, ‘Is everything all right?’ Jehu said, ‘he anointed me as king over Israel.’ Jehu conspired against Joram and went down to Jezreel. … Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart and he slumped down in his chariot. Jehu said to Bidkar, his chariot officer, picked him up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite in accordance with the word of the Lord. He also killed Ahaziah king of Judah. (2 Kings 9:1-27)

“Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window. As Jehu entered the gate, she asked, ‘Have you come in peace, Zimri, you murderer of your master?’ Jeru looked up at the window and called out, ‘Who is on my side? Who?’ Two or three eunuchs looked down at him. ‘Throw her down!’ Jehu said. They threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot. Jehu went in and ate and drank. ‘Take care of that cursed woman,’ he said, ‘and bury her, for she was a king's daughter.’ But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands, just as Elijah prophesied.” (2 Kings 9:30-35)

Comment: Oh! The consciences of an evil and wicked life.

“Jehu had them killed seventy sons of the house of Ahab and all of Joram’s family, according to the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah. He then called all the prophets of Baal to assemble in the temple of Baal for a sacrifice whereupon he killed all of them and burned their temple. Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit. Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son succeeded him.” (2 Kings 10:15, 18-31, 35)

Joash To Become King “When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah, king of Judah, saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She hid him with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.” (2 Kings 11:1-3)

“In the seventh year Jehoiada, the priest, sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites (executioners) and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’ … Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders to bring Athaliah out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her.’ For the priest had said, ‘She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord.’ They seized her and put to death.” (2 Kings 11:4-16)

“Then the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” (2 Kings 11:18-20; 12:1)

“Hazael went to attack Jerusalem. But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers — Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah — and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.” (2 Kings 12:17-21)

Comment: Joash did not inquire of the Lord what to do.

Kings Replacing Kings

• Joash was assassinated after a being king for forty years. Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
• Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel. He did evil so the Lord's anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.
• Jehoash succeeded Jehoahaz as king.
• Amaziah king of Judah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the

Lord commanded: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins."

• Jehoash attacked and captured Jerusalem, broke down about six hundred feet the wall and took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
• Jeroboam succeeded Jehoash as king.
• Azariah succeeded Amaziah but the Lord afflicted him with leprosy
• Jotham Azariah’s son governed the people during Azariah’s lifetime and king afterwards.
• Zechariah became king of Israel and reigned six months before he was assassinated by Shallum.
• Shallum was king for one month before being assassinated by Menahem.
• Pul king of Assyria invaded the Israel and Menahem paid Pul ransom. So, he withdrew.
• Pekahiah, Menahem son succeeded him as king but was assassinated.
• Hoshea assassinated Pekah and succeeded him as king.
• Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria captured much of Israel and deported the people to Assyria.
• Jotham, the king of Judah, did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Uzziah had done. Ahaz, Jotham’s son, became king but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire.
• Rezin king of Aram and Pekah king of Israel marched up to fight against Jerusalem to besiege Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria to come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking

• The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put Rezin to death. Then King Ahaz saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. So, Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned. When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it. Later when Ahaz died Hezekiah became king.

• Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, seized him and put him in prison, invaded the entire land, deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in the towns of the Medes and brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. (2 Kings 13: - 17:3-6)

Hezekiah, King of Judah “Hezekiah, King of Judah, did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done and the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against Sennacherib, the king of Assyria and did not serve him. So, Sennacherib attacked all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. Hezekiah sent this message to the king of Assyria at Lachish: ‘I have done wrong. Withdraw from me, and I will pay whatever you demand of me.’ Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. At this time Hezekiah king of Judah stripped off the gold with which he had covered the doors and doorposts of the temple of the Lord, and gave it to the king of Assyria.”

“The king of Assyria sent his commanders to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem who said ‘On what are you basing this confidence of yours? … If you say to me, "We are depending on the Lord our God’ - isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying ‘You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem?’

… Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said, ‘Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don't speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.’ … Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Make peace with me and come out to me. Choose life and not death! … The people remained silent and said nothing in reply, because the king had commanded, ‘Do not answer him.’” (2 Kings 18:17-36)

“With this Hezekiah tore his clothes and put-on sackcloth and went into the temple of the Lord. He sent for the prophet Isaiah who said "Tell your master, 'This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard — those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. … Hezekiah received the letter from the king’s messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: ‘O Lord, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.’ … Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.” (2 Kings 18:37; 19:2, 7, 14-16, 19)

“Then Isaiah sent a message to Hezekiah: ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria … he will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.’ That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning — there were all the dead bodies! So, Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. One day, while Sennacherib was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword, and Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.” (2 Kings 19:20, 32-37)

“In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, ‘This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.’ Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, ‘Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of the Lord came to him: ‘Go back and tell Hezekiah, the leader of my people, This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will heal you. On the third day from now you will go up to the temple of the Lord. I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” (2 Kings 20:1-6)

“Merodach-Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of Hezekiah's illness. Hezekiah received the messengers and showed them all that was in his storehouses. Then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah and asked, ‘What did those men say, and where did they come from?’ Hezekiah replied. ‘They came from Babylon.’ The prophet asked, ‘What did they see in your palace?’ Hezekiah said. Everything. Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood, that will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king

of Babylon.’ … Hezekiah rested with his fathers. And Manasseh his son succeeded him as king.” (2 Kings 20:12-18, 20)

“Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He also shed much innocent blood. He died and Amon his son succeeded him. Amon was assassinated by his officials and Josiah his son king was appointed king by the people.” (2 Kings 20:21; 21:1, 3, 16-17; 19, 24)

Josiah the King who walked in the ways of David “Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. King Josiah sent the secretary, Shaphan to Hilkiah the high priest and have him give money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. Hilkiah said to Shaphan , ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.’ He gave it to Shaphan, who read it and went to the king to read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes and said. ‘Great is the Lord's anger that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.’ … Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan and Asaiah went to speak to the prophetess Huldah. She said to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring disaster on this place and its people. Because they have forsaken me and burned incense to other gods and provoked me to anger by all the idols their hands have made, my anger will burn against this place and will not be quenched. Tell the king of Judah. … Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord and wept in my presence, I have heard you. Therefore, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’” (2 Kings 22:1-20)

“Then the king went up to the temple of the Lord with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets — all the people from the least to the greatest. He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord. The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord-to follow the Lord and keep his commands, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.” (2 Kings 23:1-3)

“The king gave this order to all the people: ‘Celebrate the Passover to the Lord your God, as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.’ So, the Passover was celebrated to the Lord in Jerusalem. … Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did — with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.” (2 Kings 23:21,25)

Babylon Captivity Is Near “While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah marched out to meet him in battle, but Neco faced him and killed him at Megiddo.

Jehoahaz son of Josiah was anointed king. He only reigned three months when Pharaoh Neco put him in chains, made Eliakim king in his father place and changed his name to Jehoiakim. Then he took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, and there he died. Jehoiakim did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his fathers had done. During Jehoiakim's reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded the land, and Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years. But he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders to destroy Judah. Jehoiakim died and Jehoiachin became king for three months.” (2 Kings 23:29-35; 24:1-2, 4)

“At that time the officers of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced on Jerusalem and laid siege to it, and Nebuchadnezzar himself came up to the city while his officers were besieging it and took Jehoiachin prisoner. Nebuchadnezzar removed all the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and took away all the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. He carried into exile all Jerusalem: all the officers and fighting men, and all the craftsmen and artisans — a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left. He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin's uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.” (2 Kings 24:10-14)

“Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. Consequently, Nebuchadnezzar marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. He encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. The city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled at night through the gate between the two walls near the king's garden. Zedekiah was captured and taken to Babylon where sentence was pronounced on him -they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles.” (2 Kings 25:1-2, 6-7)

“Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard came to Jerusalem, set fire to the temple of the Lord, the royal palace, all the houses of Jerusalem and every important building. Then whole Babylonian army broke down the walls around Jerusalem and carried into exile the people who remained in the city, along with the rest of the populace and those who had gone over to the king of Babylon.” (2 Kings 25:9-11)

Key Point from 2 Kings ➢ Kings, leaders with power, have great influence over their citizens; some were good but most were evil and rebellious toward God’s commands. Likewise, in the spiritual kingdom church leaders; pastors, preachers, and shepherds, exercise power and authority over those they are to shepherd, some for good but not all. ➢ A shepherd goes on ahead of his sheep and they follow him because they know his voice. (John 10:4) ➢ Sins of nations or individuals do not go unpunished but they can repent and return to God. ➢ Under the New Covenant, each person is accountable for their own sins, not those of their parents, their children, or their spiritual leaders. ➢ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10)