Month: March 2020

2Kings 19, Call upon HIS Name!

2Ki 19:1-2, And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, THAT HE TORE HIS CLOTHES, COVERED HIMSELF WITH SACKCLOTH, AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. Then he sent Eliakim, …TO ISAIAH THE PROPHET, THE SON OF AMOZ.

A great threat has come into the land of Jerusalem and it’s godly king humbled himself before the LORD, entered into HIS courtyard and called on Isaiah!

Psa 46:1, … God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

2Ki 19:6, And Isaiah said to them, “… ‘Thus says the LORD: “Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed ME. 

2Ki 19:10,12 , “Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘DO NOT LET YOUR GOD IN WHOM YOU TRUST DECEIVE YOU, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” … HAVE THE GODS OF THE NATIONS DELIVERED THOSE WHOM MY FATHERS HAVE DESTROYED… 

The threat continues and his blaspheme against the LORD is increasing! But Hezekiah prayed to the LORD (ver 14-19)

Psa 50:15, Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” 

When trouble comes our way, it is always wise to humble yourself before the LORD and seek HIS face! for without HIM we are nothing but with HIM we are strong! 

Jer 29:12, Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, AND I WILL LISTEN TO YOU. 

2Kings 18, a time of testing!

2Ki 18:5-6, HE TRUSTED IN THE LORD GOD of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.  FOR HE HELD FAST TO THE LORD; he did not depart from following Him, BUT KEPT HIS COMMANDMENTS, WHICH THE LORD HAD COMMANDED MOSES. 

Hezekiah was a godly king and did what was right in the sight of the LORD! YET he was going to be tested!

2Ki 18:7, THE LORD WAS WITH HIM; HE PROSPERED WHEREVER HE WENT. And HE REBELLED AGAINST THE KING OF ASSYRIA AND DID NOT SERVE HIM. 

He defied Sennacherib, and he came after him!

2Ki 18:15, So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 

Hezekiah, a godly man gripped by fear tried to pay off the king of Assyria, yet that failed!

2Ki 18:29-30, Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall not be able to deliver you from his hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, “The LORD will surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ‘

2Co 4:8-9, We are hard-pressed on every side, YET NOT CRUSHED; we are perplexed, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; persecuted, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; struck down, BUT NOT DESTROYED

NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE LORD, FOR HE IS OUR STRENGTH AND NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US SHALL PROSPER! TRUST IN HIM!

2Kings 17, the fall of Israel!

2Ki 17:6-7, In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and CARRIED ISRAEL AWAY TO ASSYRIA, …. For so it was that THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD SINNED AGAINST THE LORD THEIR GOD, … and they had FEARED OTHER GODS,

It was time for judgement for Israel and only Judah was in their land!

Hos 10:7, As for Samaria, HER KING IS CUT OFF LIKE A TWIG ON THE WATER. 

2Ki 17:13-14, Yet the LORD testified …. “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” NEVERTHELESS THEY WOULD NOT HEAR, BUT STIFFENED THEIR NECKS, LIKE THE NECKS OF THEIR FATHERS, WHO DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE LORD THEIR GOD.

Amo 4:2, The Lord GOD has sworn by His holiness: “Behold, the days shall come upon you When He will take you away with fishhooks, And your posterity with fishhooks. 

The people of the northern kingdom (Israel) were led away naked and connected together with strings and fishhooks pierced through their lower lip! The judgement of the LORD!

2Ki 17:18, Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left but the tribe of Judah alone. 

Nah 1:6, Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, And the rocks are thrown down by Him. 

2Kings 16, Pass through the fire!

2Ki 16:3, But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; INDEED HE MADE HIS SON PASS THROUGH THE FIRE, ACCORDING TO THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE NATIONS WHOM THE LORD HAD CAST OUT FROM BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

Lev 18:21, And you shall NOT let any of your descendants PASS THROUGH THE FIRE TO MOLECH, NOR SHALL YOU PROFANE THE NAME OF YOUR GOD: I AM THE LORD

Demon worship! They would heat up a metal statue until it was red hot, then place their children on the arms of it; the sound of drums would drown out the screams of their children!  Demonic!

2Ki 16:7, So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. COME UP AND SAVE ME FROM THE HAND OF THE KING OF SYRIA AND FROM THE HAND OF THE KING OF ISRAEL,…

Ahaz trusted in the king of Assyria, but not in the living GOD! When David was in trouble he went to GOD, not man!

Psa 18:3, I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; SO SHALL I BE SAVED FROM MY ENEMIES.

AHAZ REJECTED GOD AND AS HE MADE HIS SONS PASS THROUGH THE FIRE, HE SHALL BE THROWN IN THE ETERNAL FIRE!

Mat 13:41-42, The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth

2Kings 15, ONLY ONE TRUE KING AND PRIEST! JESUS!

2Ki 15:1-3, … Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king. … he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. … AND HE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done,

Like his father Azariah had a great start and DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE LORD’S SIGHT!

2Ki 15:5, Then the LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death; so he dwelt in an isolated house. …

2Ch 26:16, BUT WHEN HE WAS STRONG HIS HEART WAS LIFTED UP, TO HIS DESTRUCTION, FOR HE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THE LORD HIS GOD BY ENTERING THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD TO BURN INCENSE ON THE ALTAR OF INCENSE.  

Azariah, also known as Uzziah, was a great king over Judah, YET PRIDE LIFTED HIS HEART TO HIS RUIN!  HE WANTED TO BE KING AND PRIEST! THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE KING AND PRIEST AND THAT’S THE LORD JESUS!

Isa 6:1, IN THE YEAR THAT KING UZZIAH DIED, I SAW THE LORD SITTING ON A THRONE, HIGH AND LIFTED UP, AND THE TRAIN OF HIS ROBE FILLED THE TEMPLE. 

Uzziah was a great king, Yet the LORD showed Isaiah the true KING of kings and LORD of lords! NO MAN CAN EVER TAKE HIS PLACE, NO MAN CAN EVER FILL HIS SHOES; FOR HE IS HOLY, HOLY, HOLY AND THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY!

Psa 118:8, IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN MAN. 

2Kings 14, A GODLY KING OR FOOL!

2Ki 14:1,3, … Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, became king. AND HE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, yet not like his father David; he did everything as his father Joash had done.

Amaziah started out doing what was right in the sight of the LORD, but what counts is how we finish the race! 

2Ki 14:8, Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “COME, LET US FACE ONE ANOTHER IN BATTLE.” 

This godly king Amaziah fought against Israel yet he lost the battle and was imprisoned?

2Ki 14:13, THEN JEHOASH KING OF ISRAEL CAPTURED AMAZIAH KING OF JUDAH

What this chapter doesn’t tell you is that Amaziah turned his back to the LORD!

2Ch 25:14, Now it was so, after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up to be his gods, and bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 

HE TRUST THE LORD FOR THE VICTORY OF EDOM, YET TOOK THE gods OF EDOM WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO PROTECT THEM?

Pro 26:12, DO YOU SEE A MAN WISE IN HIS OWN EYES? THERE IS MORE HOPE FOR A FOOL THAN FOR HIM. 

HE REJECTED GODLY COUNCIL AND GOD SO HE PAID FOR THE FOOLISHNESS OF HIS HEART! TRUSTING IN IDOLS RATHER THAN THE ONLY TRUE A LIVING GOD!

2Kings 13, false worship!

2Ki 13:1-2, … Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, … AND HE DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND FOLLOWED THE SINS OF JEROBOAM THE SON of Nebat, WHO HAD MADE ISRAEL SIN. HE DID NOT DEPART FROM THEM.

JEROBOAM IMPLEMENTED FALSE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD! THEY WORSHIP IDOLS AND CALLED THEM THE GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF EQYPT!  MANS WAY NO GODS WAY!

2Ki 13:14, Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. THEN JOASH THE KING OF ISRAEL CAME DOWN TO HIM, AND WEPT OVER HIS FACE, AND SAID, “O MY FATHER, MY FATHER… 

JOASH (OR JEHOAHAZ) DID NOT WORSHIP BAAL, YET DID EVIL IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD BY WORSHIPING THE LORD HIS WAY AND NOT THE WAY GOD HAD WRITTEN!

Mar 7:7, AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’ 

In the Catholic faith people worship a statue of Jesus which in their mind is the correct way of doing it, but it violates HIS law!

Exo 20:4, “YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF A CARVED IMAGE—ANY LIKENESS OF ANYTHING THAT IS IN HEAVEN ABOVE, OR THAT IS IN THE EARTH BENEATH, OR THAT IS IN THE WATER UNDER THE EARTH;

Pro 14:12, THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT TO A MAN, BUT ITS END IS THE WAY OF DEATH. 

2Kings 12, Great Start but?

12Ki 12:2, JEHOASH DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD ALL THE DAYS IN WHICH JEHOIADA THE PRIEST INSTRUCTED HIM.

Jehoiada, the high priest, was like a father to king Jehoash. The king was raised in the temple of the LORD and while the high priest lived, he gave the king godly advice! BUT AT HIS DEATH SERVED IDOLS! 2Chr 24:15-22

2Ch 24:22, Thus Joash (Jehoash) the king DID NOT REMEMBER THE KINDNESS WHICH JEHOIADA HIS FATHER HAD DONE TO HIM, BUT KILLED HIS SON; and as he died, he said, “THE LORD LOOK ON IT, AND REPAY!” 

King Jehoash, started out doing what was right in the sight of the LORD, Yet at the death of his godly adviser, he left the LORD for Idols.  MANY START OF WELL, YET FINISH BADLY!

Pro 17:13, Whoever rewards evil for good, EVIL WILL NOT DEPART FROM HIS HOUSE. 

2Ki 12:20, AND HIS SERVANTS AROSE AND FORMED A CONSPIRACY, AND KILLED JOASH..

BECAUSE HE HAD LEFT THE LORD, A SMALL ARMY OF THE SYRIANS CAME, BUT THE LORD DELIVERED A VERY GREAT ARMY (ISRAEL) INTO THEIR HANDS OF THE SYRIANS! (2Ch 24:24-27); LEAVING JEHOASH WOUNDED!

SUCH A HOPEFUL START, BUT A MISERABLE END! WE MAY HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING BORN TO GOD FEARING PARENTS, YET AT THE END IT’S OUR CHOICE! FINISH THE RACE THAT GOD SET BEFORE YOU!

2Ti 4:7, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

2Kings 11, the Return of the King!

2Ki 11:1, When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah SAW THAT HER SON WAS DEAD, SHE AROSE AND DESTROYED ALL THE ROYAL HEIRS. 

This wicked woman, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, when she heard the Jehu killed her son, she tried to kill all the lineage of David which is the line of the Messiah!

BUT JEHOSHEBA, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took JOASH THE SON OF AHAZIAH, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; … SO HE WAS HIDDEN WITH HER IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOR SIX YEARS, WHILE ATHALIAH REIGNED OVER THE LAND.

The LORD always has a remnant, and he kept Joash alive and hidden in the house of the LORD! Athaliah reigned for 6 years as satan’s reign on the earth for 6000 years, but the true king will Reign for 1000 years!

2Ki 11:12, And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “LONG LIVE THE KING!” 

Young Joash was 7 years old when he began to reign!  Athaliah was taken out and killed by the kings men!  AS WITH JESUS, HIS ANGELS WILL PUT SATAN IN THE PIT AND JESUS WILL BE KING OF ALL THE WORLD!

Zec 14:9, AND THE LORD SHALL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH. In that day it shall be “The LORD is one,” And His name one. 

EVIL MAY REIGN TODAY, YET THE TIME IS COMING WHEN THE TRUE KING IS BROUGHT OUT OF THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH ALL HIS ANGELS AND SAINTS! THE TIME IS NEAR!

2Kings 10, Putting away sin!

2Ki 10:15-16, Now when he departed from there, HE MET JEHONADAB THE SON OF RECHAB, COMING TO MEET HIM; and he greeted him and said to him, “IS YOUR HEART RIGHT, AS MY HEART IS TOWARD YOUR HEART?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. Then he said, “COME WITH ME, AND SEE MY ZEAL FOR THE LORD.” So they had him ride in his chariot.

Jehu is cleaning house starting with the house of Ahab then the worshippers of Baal!  But Here we see mighty Jehu’s pride! HE IS PROUD OF HIS OWN ZEAL! HE MAYBE DOING GOD’S WORK BUT THERE IS A LOT OF SELF IN IT!

2Ki 10:30-31, And the LORD said to Jehu, “BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE WELL IN DOING WHAT IS RIGHT IN MY SIGHT, and HAVE DONE TO THE HOUSE OF AHAB ALL THAT WAS IN MY HEART, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” BUT JEHU TOOK NO HEED TO WALK IN THE LAW OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL WITH ALL HIS HEART; FOR HE DID NOT DEPART FROM THE SINS OF JEROBOAM, WHO HAD MADE ISRAEL SIN.

Jehu did right according to the LORD and we should to treat sin in the exact way! We need to remove it completely from our sight! But Jehu didn’t remove the golden calves that Jeroboam built!

Rom 6:6, KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES OF SIN. 

THAT OLD MAN IS DEAD LEAVE IT THERE!