Welcome to Good Friday. That term used to confuse me. As an atheist, I understood it referred to Jesus’ crucifixion day. Could this be something positive? It made me wonder what was wrong with Christians, that they considered this good.
As a believer, I now understand, if He had not died for me, I could not rise with Him.
Today we will read 2 Kings 15-18.
Righteous kings
We meet another king who started out doing what was right in the eyes of God Azariah (v15:3). Just a little older than Joash when he became king, he was sixteen.
At sixteen, I went to school, worked in a fast-food restaurant, later a gas station and was learning to date girls. My biggest concern was keeping my grades up and my car running. I did not know what I wanted to be doing with my life.
Azariah was ruling God’s chosen people. He would do so for fifty-two years. That is hard to comprehend.
I have been living with a disability now for thirty-nine years. Azariah lived with leprosy for his whole life (v15:5) This meant he lived in a lot of isolation.
We learn three things about leadership: you don’t have to be old, being a leader won’t protect you from troubles and you don’t even need to be popular.
Azariah did not, however, remove the high places. He did what was right, but let the people have their sin. This would be the downfall of Israel.
He is also called Uzziah, and the influences of the people overtook him and he worshipped Baal.
When he died, Jotham would become another one of Judah’s righteous kings (v15:34).
Reign of evil
Meanwhile, we see many evil kings in Israel.
One was Menahem, who would tax the wealthy people to pay tribute to the Assyrians. Instead of trusting in the Lord for protection, he bowed to Tiglath-Pileser III and invited the Assyrians and their gods into Israel.
This would end up creating the oppression which we will read about in the book of Isaiah.
Then we hear about Pekahiah. What was interesting to me about this little known king is the sentence in 15:26. “The other events of Pekahiah’s reign, and all he did, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel” (NIV).
With all the other kings, it always asks, “are they not written in the book…”. (v15: 21, etc.) Why is this different only for Pekahiah?
I don’t have an answer, therefore we must read our Bibles closely. Find anomalies and then investigate them. Perhaps one day I will have an explanation for this one.
Even with the righteous king Jotham, we read he does not remove the high places. When you let the devil have a foothold, he will make his presence known.
While God never gives up on Israel, he never allows lasting peace, either.
The downfall of Israel
With the door open, the enemy comes in and we get to king Ahaz. At just twenty years of age, he becomes king, and does evil. He even sacrifices his son in the fire (v16:3).
He then makes a deal with the Assyrians, who will turn against Israel. Meanwhile, king Ahaz allows them to pollute Israel with their gods.
Today, we have so many cultures worshipping sin and evil in our country. We must look upon these chapters as a cautionary tale.
This happens when we allow idolatry to remain. Even if we make many positive changes, leaving sin unhindered will expose us to dangers.
In verse 16:16, we read that even Uriah the priest did as Ahaz ordered.
The spiritual leaders have to push for the changes we need to see. There will never be peace if we don’t.
Just as evil proliferated in Israel after king Ahaz, with Hoshea (v17:2). I believe it will do so in America, if we apply this warning.
Idolatry in America
We can’t do the things which are displeasing to God, in secret (see v17:9). God will observe our actions and judge us. The Lord says, “You must not do this (v17:12),” because idols fill our land.
The Lord removed from Israel His presence (v17:23) and the Assyrians took them captive. He sent lions to feast on them (v17:25).
“They would not listen, however, but persisted” (2 Kings 17:40).
Even the people who seemed to worship the Lord were serving their idols. (v 17:41).
Why bother with all this history about kings?
Above Jesus on the cross, as he died—the day we celebrate—someone placed a sign reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”
They wrote it because he was their king, but they did not recognize him. He still is our King, if we recognize Him. He will forever be the King.
Do you recognize Him?
