2 KINGS 15
This chapter showcases the rising and falling of six kings of Israel after the order of King Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin against God.
Whenever they did evil in the sight of God, their throne was taken over by another person either by their son, servant or any opponent.
The following are the names of the six kings:
1. In Verse 8, Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria for six months. He did evil in the sight of the LORD.
2. In Verse 10, Shallum the son of Jabesh smote him and reigned in his stead.
3. In Verse 14, Menahem the son of Gadi slew him and reigned in his stead.
Menahem did wickedly, he ripped up all the women with child. He reigned ten years in Samaria and died.
4. In Verse 22, Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead . He reigned two years and did evil in the sight of the LORD.
5. In Verse 25, Pekah the son of Remaliah killed him and reigned in his room.
Pekah reigned over Israel for twenty years. He was the longest reigning king of Israel in this chapter. He also did evil in the sight of the LORD.
6. In Verse 30, Hoshea the son of Elah smote him and slew him and reigned in his stead.
All these kings did evil in the sight of God because they continued in the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which he made Israel to sin in the sin which king Solomon started by building high places to strange gods of other nations from where he married his strange wives of which God forbade Israel to marry. He built high places for their gods, set up altars for them to burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.
The shortest reigning king was Shallum the son of Jabesh as seen in Verse 13.
On the other hand, the kings of Judah did that which was right in the sight of God. They ruled longer than some of the kings of Israel.
However, some of them did not serve God perfectly.
In Verse 4, king Azariah eventhough he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, he did not remove the high places from the land. So the children of Israel continued to burn Incense and made sacrifices in the high places to the graven images, the golden calves which Jeroboam the son of Nebat built in Bethel and in Dan.
Remember, king Jeroboam built these high places with the golden calves for the people of Israel to worship in order to stop them from going to Jerusalem to worship which is the Temple prescribed by the law to worship Jehovah the God of Israel.
Jeroboam was afraid that if the people go to Jerusalem to worship, this might be an occasion for the people to go back to their old allegiance, that is to Rehoboam the king of Judah the son of King Solomon. 1kings12:26-33.
Azariah, the king of Judah the son of Amaziah though he ruled over Judah for many years (52years) did not enjoy his reign because God struck him with leprosy which he did not recover till he died. He was moving from one house to another severally. It was his son Jotham that was over the house judging the people of the land.
God punished King Azariah with leprosy because he did not take away the high places from the land of Israel.
LESSONS LEARNT
1. God does not want His people to worship any graven image. In Verse 28 of 1 Kings chapter 12, king Jeroboam presented the golden calves to the Children of Israel to worship. He said, ” Behold thy gods oh Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.” God was greatly provoked!
2. God does not respect anybody when sin is involved. Look at what He did to king Azariah
when he plagued him with leprosy because he did not serve Him perfectly.
3. Walk before God and be blameless. Only those who serve Him with a perfect heart will inherit glory!
4. Righteousness exalts a Nation but sin is a reproach to any people! Proverbs 14verse 34
5. Child of God, be careful you that go to church because it is close to where you live. Do you know the intention of the person who built that church? Do you know the foundation of the temple? Are sure you are not bowing down to an idol in ignorance? Remember what Jeroboam did to the children of Israel because Jerusalem was far away.
PRAYER
1. Father, have mercy on us in any way we have gone astray, please, bring us back to the path of righteousness.
2. Father, we denounce any form of idol worship in our lives. We will serve no foreign gods. We will serve You alone we and our children all of our days.
3. Father, help us to walk with You and be perfect before You and serve You perfectly in Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name! Amen!
