2 Kings 13:1-13 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 13:1-13. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Kings 13:1-9 (NIV)
1 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years.
2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them.
3 So the LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.
4 Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.
5 The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.
6 But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.
7 Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
8 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
9 Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash his son succeeded him as king.
On verses 1-9: These verses describe the 17 year reign of Jehoahaz king of Israel, the son of Jehu. Because Jehoahaz did evil in the Lord’s eyes by worshiping the golden calves Jeroboam had set up (v2), the entire nation under Jehoahaz were greatly oppressed by their foreign enemy, the Arameans (v3). So Jehoahaz finally looks to the Lord for help and the Lord provides a deliverer to rescue Jehoahaz and the nation of Israel (4-5). Even so Jehoahaz does not turn completely away from the idolatry that got him in trouble in the first place (v6).
What can we learn from Jehoahaz’ life? When we turn away from God, those in our care suffer as a result and we become vulnerable to the attack of our enemy Satan. But the sooner we turn back to the Lord for help, the better off we and those in our care will be. If you’ve strayed from God, today is not too late to turn back to God.
Also, when we had turned away from God and were beaten up by our enemy, God provided a deliverer, Jesus Christ, to rescue us and restore us. Jesus is our rescuer and restorer.
2 Kings 13:10-13 (NIV)
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years.
11 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.
12 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
13 Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
On verses 10-13: Jehoash takes over the throne of Israel from father Jehoahaz and reigns for 16 years. We’ll look more closely at the life of Jehoash as part of tomorrow’s passage.
Father, I realize today that how closely I follow You doesn’t just affect me but even more it affects all those you have placed in my care. So that I and those connected to me can experience every blessing You planned to bring into and through my life, may I follow You closely. Thank You for being my deliverer whenever my focus gets distracted. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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