2 Kings 15:13-26 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 15:13-26. 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 15:13-26 (NIV)
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria one month.
14 Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.
15 The other events of Shallum’s reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.
16 At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.
17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria ten years.
18 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. During his entire reign he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.
19 Then Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem gave him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom.
20 Menahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy man had to contribute fifty shekels of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer.
21 As for the other events of Menahem’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
22 Menahem rested with his fathers. And Pekahiah his son succeeded him as king.
23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned two years.
24 Pekahiah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.
25 One of his chief officers, Pekah son of Remaliah, conspired against him. Taking fifty men of Gilead with him, he assassinated Pekahiah, along with Argob and Arieh, in the citadel of the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah and succeeded him as king.
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.
On verses 13-26: In Israel, Shallum had killed Zechariah to become king. Then a month later Menahem kills Shallum to become king. After Menahem reigns for 10 years, his son Pekahiah takes over only to be killed and succeeded 2 years later by Pekah.
What can we learn from this? Sedition — that is, rebelling against God-given authority — may seem like an easy shortcut to power. But a kingdom built on sedition will not last very long. If you try to build a kingdom on sedition, chances are good that your kingdom will also be supplanted and brought down by the seditious acts of others.
Whereas Satan’s kingdom was built on sedition, the kingdom of heaven is built not on sedition but on servanthood. The kingdom of God is not a top down organization, but a bottom up organization where the greatest leaders are also the humblest servants.
Father, thank You that Your kingdom is not built on sedition but on servanthood. May my character, ministry, and reputation be that of someone who serves humbly, rather than someone who takes immoral shortcuts. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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