Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 13

After Jehoash had reigned for 23 years, Jehu's son, Jehoahaz took the throne of Israel. He was evil and this made God angry. So God let Hazael, king of Syria, take Israel. Then, Jehoahaz prayed to God to help them; so God, being a God of mercy and forgiveness, sent them a leader to help break the bonds of Syria, then they went back to their former lives. They continued in their old ways.

Jehoahaz died, and his son Jeroboam reigned.

When Israel was taken by Syria, it was Elisha that Jehoahaz went to for help to talk to God. Elisha told Jehoahaz to beat the floor with his staff. Jehoahaz hit the floor three times, and Elisha reprimanded him for his lack of determination. "If you had hit the floor at least five times, you would have drove the Syrians away for good! But, you will only be able to defeat them three times now."

Elisha was old and sick. He soon died. They placed him in a tomb. Later, the Moabites invaded the land. Once, when they were in a funeral procession for another man, they saw a band of men coming that they supposed were enemies, so they quickly put the dead men in the tomb with Elisha's bones. When the dead man touched the bones, he immediately came back to life.

Hazael, king of Syria, oppressed Israel until he died. Then, his son Benhadad became king. Jehoahash took back all the lands Hazael had taken when Benhadad became king.

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My Comments:
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"I'm sorry" only works if you turn from your actions that you are sorry for and determine not to do it again. If you say you are sorry, and ask for help, you may be helped. But if you turn back to your old ways, the one who helps you may be more likely to let you wallow in your misery. God has patience, to a point. After a while, though, He determines to practice "tough love" by letting you wallow in your misery until you learn why you should turn from your sin and determine to sin no more.

God doesn't want to hear His children cry. But, if they fail to learn from their mistakes, the only option He has is to let them suffer the consequences.

When God asks you to do something that will help you, then you should do it whole-heartedly. If you just half-heartedly do it, you will only get a half-hearted result, and the problem could come back at full force later. It's best to whole-heartedly take care of the problem once and for all.

Elisha had so much faith and spirit in him that the power God gave him even permeated his decaying body.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 12

When Jehoash of Judah began his reign, Jehu had been king of Israel of seven years. Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord, except he never took down the high places of t, he idols of the land, and some of the people still worshipped other gods there.

Jehoash ordained that taxes and offerings should be made to the temple, to be set aside for repairs on the temple that age had set in disarray. After he had reigned for 23 years, he noticed that the repairs had still not been made. In a meeting with the priests, it was settled that he would no longer collect taxes from the people if it was not going to be used where it was supposed to be used.

At this point, Jehoiada put a bucket in the temple on the right side of the altar and asked for donations to be placed in that bucket. After a while, there was found quite a bit of money in that bucket, and they took it to the king and told him that they found the money in the temple and started the repairs.

Then Hazael, king of Syria, took control of Gath and started toward Jerusalem with intentions of taking it, too. So, Jehoash took all the dedicated treasures from his forefathers houses and gave it to Hazael to keep him from invading Jerusalem.

Some people didn't like how Jehoash handled the problem, or the kingdom, so his servants conspired and killed him.

His son, Amaziah, took his place.

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My Comments:
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Just like today, there is corruption in the highest offices of the land. No matter who is the leader of our people, there are going to be people who are constantly criticizing how he handles things. People are so full of hatred, they can't tell the difference between truly good intentions and outright attacks on our beloved system.

Ecclesiastes says it best when it says "There is nothing new under the sun." Maybe the way that things are carried out is different, but the reasons behind it are one and the same.

Jehoash was doomed to die anyway because of his neglect to take down the high places of the gods. But, God was merciful on Israel with his leadership for awhile because he tried to be a good person for God in spite of his failure.

God won't let your failures go unpunished, but He is more tolerant of those who try, and He gives them more room to come to their senses.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 10

Ahab had seventy sons. So, Jehu wrote letters to Samaria, and to the rulers of Jezreel and told them, "You have all of Ahab's sons with you. So, when you get this letter, choose one that you would have as king, then get ready because I am coming to fight you."

Those who received the letters were afraid, seeing that Jehu had already killed two kings. So, they wrote him a letter back saying, "We don't want to fight you. We will let you rule over us as King. We will be your servants."

So Jehu wrote them back and said, "If what you say is true, then I want the heads of all seventy of Ahab's sons in Jezreel by this time tomorrow."

So they took Ahab's sons and cut off their heads and sent them to Jezreel. A messenger went to Jehu and said, "The heads have arrived." Jehu told him to put them at the gate of the city in two heaps until in the morning.

In the morning, Jehu went to the gate of the city, where the heads were and said to all who were standing there, "You be the judge: Yes, I conspired against my king and slew him. But, I didn't kill these. Who did? God told Elijah that these things would happen. Nothing God says ever fails to come to pass."

Then Jehu killed all that remained, the servants and priests including, that were a part of Ahab's house there in Jezreel. Then, he left to go to Samaria. On his way, at a shearing house, he met up with two-hundred and forty of Ahaziah's brothers who were going to see the king and his family in Samaria. Jehu ordered them taken alive, then killed them at the pit near the shearing house.

When he left there, Jehu met up with Jehonadab. Jehu asked, "Are you still my friend?" To which Jehonadab answered, "Yes." Jehu took him by the hand and pulled him into his chariot and said, "If that is true, come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord." So, Jehonadab, having no choice, rode along.

When he got to Samaria, he killed everyone who was anything to Ahab.

Then, Jehu gathered all the people together, and in trickery, he said, "Ahab served Baal a little. I want to show you how a king REALLY serves Baal! I have a great sacrifice to make. I want everyone who follows Baal at the temple of Baal for a solemn assembly." So everyone throughout the kingdom who served Baal came to the temple. Jehu ordered that all the uniforms and supplies for serving Baal be brought to him. Then he set forty men outside the temple and ordered them not to let anyone leave or escape, or it would be their heads. Then after the sacrifices were made, he killed everyone in the temple. Then he took all the images and things that pertained to Baal and destroyed and burned them, and tore the temple down.

But, Jehu left the golden calves that Jeroboam had built.

God was happy with Jehu for what he had done, and told him that his seed would sit on the throne up until the fourth generation. But, Jehu followed Jeroboam in his sin with the golden calves, and God began to cut Israel short because of it.

Jehu ruled for twenty-eight years, then his son, Jehoahaz, took the throne. They buried Jehu in Samaria.

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What we have learned
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I have always wondered how it is that someone can give God credit for events and victories, yet refuse to keep following Him. It doesn't make sense why anyone who knows the power of God would not let God be the King of their lives.

In verse 10, Jehu says, "Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the Lord, which the Lord spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the Lord hath done that which He spake by His servant Elijah." (KJV) And yet, in verse 31, "But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin." (KJV)

Perhaps, if he had followed God with his whole heart, God would have given him the same promise he gave to David, that his seed would forever rule the throne, that there would always be a place for him in His kingdom.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 9

Elisha called one of the other prophets under him, and he said, "Take this box of oil to Ramoth-Gilead, and annoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, as king. Then run away as fast as you can."

So, he did as he was told. When he got there, the Captains of the host of Jehoshaphat's army were sitting outside. He said, "Captain, I have to do something for you."

Jehu said, "For who?"

The prophet said, "For you." He took him into the house and he told him, "God says, 'I have annointed you as king over my people. You shall rid Israel of the House of Ahab and avenge the blood of the prophets that were killed at the hand of Jezebel; and you will leave none of them, and Jezebel will be eaten by the dogs and no one will bury her." Then he ran.

When Jehu came out of the house, the other Captains said, "What was that all about? That man was crazy! What did he say to you?"

Jehu just shrugged and said, "Like you said, he's crazy." Then he told him what the prophet said. They all stood up and put on their garments and blew the trumpet and announced him King over Israel. And Jehu began to conspire against Joram.

Joram had gone to heal his wounds from the Syrians in Jezreel. So Jehu went to see him. Ahaziah, the king of Judah was also there to see Joram. A watchman saw Jehu coming in his chariot driving furiously and told Joram, who sent out a messenger asking, "Do you come in peace?"

Jehu told him, "What do you know about peace?" and kept driving. So they sent another, who got the same answer.

So Joram and Ahaziah went out to meet Jehu on the way and Joram said, "Do you come in peace, Jehu?" And Jehu answered and said, "As long as your mother continues to reak havoc on Israel, there is no peace!" Joram turned and fled away, yelling for Ahaziah to run. "It is treachery, Ahaziah!" he yelled. Jehu grabbed a bow and shot him between the shoulders.

Jehu told them to cast Joram in the field of Naboth. Then as Ahaziah was running away, they shot him, too. He went to Megiddo, where he died.

Jezebel heard of what happened and she painted her face. When Jehu got to Jezreel, she asked, "Did you have peace in your heart when you came to Joram?" as she leaned out of an upstair window. Jehu yelled to the servants in the house, "Who is on my side? Anybody?" Three Eunuchs came out and he said, "Throw her down!" So they went upstairs and threw Jezebel out the window. Then he ran over her with his horse and went into the house to eat.

When he had done eating, he told them, "You know, she was a king's daughter and we ought to bury her properly. Go get her." So they went out to get her, but the dogs had eaten all but her skull, the palms of her hands and her feet.

Jehu knew that it was the Lord, for he had been told by the prophet this would happen.

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When God annoints you to do something, it is what you should consistently work toward until it is finished. If you do, all that God promises for you will happen.


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