The Attributes of God:

A Superficial or Transformative Faith 2 Kings 22-25 “Before him there was no king like him who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and with all his might, according to the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.”             From the pinnacle of faith to the depth of judgment.  Twenty-three years is not very long.  The older I get, the more quickly time flies. The things that happened 23 years ago happened only a few years earlier.  Twenty-three years is but a blink in the march of history.  Yet, it was only 23 years between the spiritual revival that came under the leadership of Josiah and when Babylon came and destroyed Jerusalem and took the people away to Babylon. We are left with the question, “How could Judah turn so quickly?”  The answer lies in their failure to change inwardly.            ...

God’s Sovereignty amid Trials 2 Kings 18-21 “Have you not heard? Long ago I did it; From ancient times I Planned it.  Now I have brought it to pass that you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps” (19:25).                    When evaluating the kings of Judah, the standard was always David.  Over and over again, we find the refrain that the kings either failed to live up to the example of David or were like David in their obedience to God.  However, when we come to Hezekiah, we are told at the beginning of the story that Hezekiah’s obedience to God was unparalleled.  Not only did he obey God, but he did the one thing that no other king of Judah did before him.  He removed the high places where the people worshipped the false gods of Baal and Asherah.  In 18:5-6, we see the praise of Hezekiah’s obedience: “He trusted in the Lo...

The Danger of the “High Places.” 2 Kings 14-18 “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord…”             It can be difficult reading this section to keep track of who is who.  The writer jumps back and forth from the history of the kingdoms of Israel and the kingdoms of Judah to the point, making it difficult to keep track of who is the king of which nation.  It becomes even more difficult when they are given different names and when they share the same name.  The who’s who of the kings becomes “who is who” of the kings, and which nation is the king of.  However, as we look through history, what is unmistakable is that in God’s evaluation of the kings, he does not look at their accomplishments, military victories, or status among the other nations during that time.  The only assessment God gives is of their obedience to God and His word.   The evaluation becomes re...

How to Change a Nation 2 Kings 9-13 “But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam which he made Israel sin.” When we read the history of the nations of Judah and Israel, it is a history wrought with political assassinations, manipulations, and deception.  In the time covered in chapters 9-13, we see four different leaders assassinated.  We also see that all the kings of Israel were wicked and refused to obey God, and of the kings of Judah, only 1 (Joash) followed after God, but in the end, he too abandoned God. The northern nation of Israel continued on the pathway of spiritual idolatry and delinquency.  The southern nation of Judah would also continue in their spiritual decline, although Joash did seek to lead the country in a spiritual revival. During his reign, he led a restoration of the temple, which had declined because of neglect.  However, at the...

God’s Provision and Providence.  2 Kings 4-8 “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel” (5:15).                   In today’s reading, we read about a number of events that have a common theme. The theme that permeates these chapters is that God is a God of grace who provides for those who trust in Him and is not hindered by any limitations that we see.                     First, in the story of the Shunammite woman, we discover God cares for us with a supernatural power.  As Elisha traveled throughout Israel, he often passed through Shunem, a small village southwest of the Sea of Galilee in the region of the tribe of Issachar. In Elisha’s travels, he developed a close friendship with a woman and her husband, so he often stayed at their home.  I...

Seeking Only What We Want to Hear 1 Kings 22-2 Kings 3 “But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?”             After the division of Israel and Judah, they became divided politically and religiously.  In the history of the divided kingdom, the northern kings were consistently marked by their evil and idolatry.  In the southern nation of Judah, some kings followed the Canaanites' idolatry, while others obeyed God and sought obedience to Him.  The reigns of Jehoshaphat and Ahab illustrate the contrast of the two nations.  Ahab and Jezebel became the personification of the northern kings who rejected God.  Throughout his reign, he not only refused to listen to the prophets of God but he openly sought to have them destroyed.  Even when he acknowledged his sin, it was more of an act to avert God’s judgment than an act of true ...

Fear and Faith in a Chaotic World 1 Kings 16-20             “And he was afraid and arose and fled for his life and came to Beersheba…and said, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” (19:3-4).               Elijah was at the end of his rope. Israel had abandoned God and descended into moral and spiritual chaos.  Their descent had been so great that Israel was beginning to practice human sacrifices (16:34). Politically, the nation was in turmoil as conflicting forces sought to gain dominance over the country. When Ahab and his wicked wife, Jezebel, rose to power, they promoted the worship of Baal throughout the land.  In 16:30-31, we see Ahab was more sinful than all the other kings before him.  During this time of moral, spiritual, and political upheaval, Elijah was called to be God’s proph...

The danger of complacency. 1 Kings 11-15 “For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods, and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his god, as the heart of David his father had been.”             Tragically, when we look throughout the pages of the Bible, the most vulnerable period of our life is not when we are young or new in our faith,  but when we are older and established in our faith.  Solomon was a man of unparalleled wisdom.  His wisdom was renowned, and, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he contributed a significant portion of the Old Testament.  God communicated the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs through him.  Throughout the book of Proverbs, Solomon warns against the dangers of embracing folly and rejecting God’s word.  Yet, as we come to the end of his life, we find Solomon doing the...

A Temple Worthy of God 1 Kings 6-10 Concerning this house which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes and execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will carry out My word with you which I spoke to David your father.  I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.”             We only imagine the greatness of Solomon’s temple, but its beauty must have been dazzling.  The temple itself took a literal army of workers 7 years to construct.  The temple was 180 feet long, 90 feet wide, and 50 feet high, although the highest point of the temple was approximately 100 feet high.  Constructed with the choicest stones and lined with cedar, bronze, and gold, it was not just an engineering marvel but a building of incredible beauty and value.  All the utensils in the temple were either made from gold or overlaid w...

Keys for Successful Living 1 Kings 1-5 “Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”             How do we navigate through a confusing and volatile world? Every day, we see more and more hostility in our nation as conflicting values and worldviews collide. In a world of conflict, we need wisdom.             As David reached the end of his life and reign, again, political intrigue, manipulation, and the quest for power brought Israel to the brink of another civil war.  Adonijah was manipulating the political and religious scene to gain control.  However, at the birth of Solomon, we see the first hint that God had chosen him to be the one throu...

God’s Grace Demonstrated in Unlikely Events 2 Samuel 21-24 “David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.  Thus the Lord was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.”                     At first glance, it seems that David’s life began with a bang but ended with a thud.  When first introduced, David was a young man who exemplified a deep love and commitment to God.  He was fearless and unwavering in his obedience.  He stood before the giant Goliath with complete confidence that God would give the victory.  However, it is easy to start the Christian life with commitment and confidence, but we can come to the end of life in fear and doubt.  The last events of David seem to be a paradox of faith and doubt.  In chapters 21 and 22, he declares the praise of...

  When Life Turns Dark 2 Samuel 16-20 “Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Let him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has God him.  Perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.”                   The story of Absalom’s attempted usurpation of the throne is one of David’s darkest days.  We can only imagine his feelings of betrayal and hurt as his own son drives him out of the capital city of Jerusalem and seeks to take David’s life. In Psalm 3, we find a glimpse into David’s thoughts during this time as he affirms his trust in God and how he experienced the sustaining strength of God. In Psalm 3:2, David, perhaps reflecting upon the curses of Shimei, describes how many were saying that there would be no deliverance f...

Sin’s Consequences and Forgiveness: 2 Samuel 11-15 “Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.  However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the Child also that is born to you shall surely die.”                   We minimize the severity of sin and seek to justify it.  When there seems to be no immediate consequence, we take it as God’s approval.  But sin, no matter how insignificant to us,  is always destructive and always has long-term consequences even when God forgives us.                     David’s sin with Bathsheba is well-known.  As we read the story, there are many subtle hints that David wa...