2 Kings 15:27-38 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Kings 15:27-38. 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 15:27-38 (NIV)
27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years.
28 He 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.
29 In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria.
30 Then Hoshea son of Elah conspired against Pekah son of Remaliah. He attacked and assassinated him, and then succeeded him as king in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah.
31 As for the other events of Pekah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
32 In the second year of Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel, Jotham son of Uzziah king of Judah began to reign.
33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok.
34 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done.
35 The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple of the LORD.
36 As for the other events of Jotham’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
37 (In those days the LORD began to send Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.)
38 Jotham rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David, the city of his father. And Ahaz his son succeeded him as king.
On verses 27-38: In these verses we read of two kings with two very different reigns. First there is Pekah king of Israel who worshiped idols and as a result much of his territory was conquered and his people taken away by a foreign enemy, the Assyrians (v27-31). Then we have Jotham king of Judah who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” (v34). When you read about Jotham in 2 Chronicles 27, we learn that because Jotham “walked steadfastly before the Lord his God” (2 Chronicles 27:6), he grew powerful and conquered foreign enemies like the Ammonites (2 Chronicles 27:5).
What can we learn from this?
1. Worship idols like Pekah and you will be especially vulnerable to attack by the enemy. Worship the Lord and walk steadfastly before Him like Jotham and you will experience victory that you could never experience by worshiping anything else.
2. Compared to most of Judah’s kings , Jotham was a good king. Yet Jotham compromised his faith as well (v35). Only in Jesus Christ do we find a king who is perfect, faithful and blameless to the end.
Lord Jesus, on this day we celebrate You, our Perfect King. Every other king we will ever read about compromised and fell in some way, but You are the King who is faithful, blameless, and steadfast to the end. There is no one like You, Jesus. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
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