Posts with the tag “2-kings”

Daily devotional from 2 Kings 25--Verse 27Evil-marodach…graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison.In the midst of this account of an awful time in Judah, King Jehoiachin’s release from prison seems like a little ray of light. It’s interesting, we read in the previous chapter that Jehoiachin wasn’t any better than the other kings–he did evil in the sight of the Lord. So where did he get...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 24--Verse 2And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets.God always keeps His Word and sometimes He even brings calamity to people. This is a concept that is hard t...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 23--Verse 25Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might…nor did any like him arise after him.To say King Josiah changed some things up during his rule is an understatement. He dismantled traditions, broke customs, and forsook dignity as he rid the nation of false gods. One thing we know ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 22--Verses 10-11 (NIV)Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.King Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. As he was working out payment for some workers, the Books of the Law were foun...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 21--Verse 9They did not listen, and Manasseh led them astray…God speaks, but sometimes He is ignored. He warns, yet people refuse to listen. And when His voice is continually resisted, silence is the result…not because God stops speaking, but because we stop hearing.And when that happens, we are left in a vulnerable state. Other voices begin to lead us, often in the w...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 20--Verse 17Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord.King Hezekiah was dying and prayed for healing. God heard his prayer, promised to add fifteen years to his life, and deliver Jerusalem from attack by Assyria. These promises...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 19—Verse 30And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.Most people go through times in life when they feel like they have been uprooted and misplaced, and are unfruitful. This happens to us as individuals, as families, sometimes as whole organizations or even nations. But those times are usually temporary. God c...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 18--Verses 3-4And [Hezekiah] did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan).Idolatry has no p...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 17--Verse 18None was left but the tribe of Judah only. In chapter 17, the nation of Israel came to a complete and total collapse. Nothing was left but the tribe of Judah only. And there will be a day when this world will look a lot like Israel. Completely devastated. God will have issued his warnings (as he did in verse 13), but sinful humanity is bent on its own way ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 16--Verse 7So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria, saying, “I am your servant and your son. Come up and rescue me from the hand of the king of Syria and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.”This is a hard moment in Judah’s history. King Ahaz faced fear and pressure, and instead of trusting God, he looked for security in human ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 15--Verse 14Then Menahem the son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and he struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place.Menahem, King of Israel for 10 years, was known only for his cruelty and idolatry. He is remembered for his violent actions and sacking cities. He paid the King of Assyria to let him rul...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 14--Verse 4But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.In our passage, we see kings who “did what was evil” and kings who “did what was right.” But those doing right always had one downfall—letting the worship of false gods continue. The kings could have torn down the high places of false worship, but they di...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 13–Verses 18-19And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And hesaid to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” Andhe struck three times and stopped. Then the man of Godwas angry with him and said, “You should have struck fiveor six times; then you would have struck down Syria untilyou had made an end of it, but now you will strike downSyria only thr...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 12--Verse 2And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.As I was reading, this verse stood out to me. It could have just said that Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and left it at that, but instead it chose to tell us he was instructed by Jehoiada. This brought me to think how necessar...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 10--Verses 28-29 (CSB)Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel, but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—worshiping the gold calves that were in Bethel and Dan.Reading through 1 & 2 Kings is rough. The consistent downfall of each generation of kings is frustrating. We want to yell YOU HAVE THE LAW AND GOD ON YOUR SI...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 9–Verse 7And you shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the Lord.Though this is a grisly chapter, it reminds us that God’s purposes move forward, even through unexpected people and dramatic moments. Jehu is anointed king in secret, showing that God oft...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 8--Verse 6And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”Bad things happen in life, but God is in the business of restoration. The Shunammite woman’s dead son was restored to life.  The woman’s land...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 7--Verse 3Why are we sitting here until we die?Sometimes in life, we have nothing to lose. It’s a risk to venture out—but it’s also a risk to stay put. The four lepers understood this. They were already in a bad place. Already dying. Their decision wasn’t heroic; it was just honest. Why sit here and do nothing? If we go forward, we may die. If we do nothing, we most c...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 6—Verse 16He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”It is easy to focus on the difficulties we see firsthand in life. Not enough money in the bank to pay bills. A calendar full of doctor’s appointments. Strained relationships. Overwhelming feelings like anxiety or insomnia that steal your days and your joy…How do we g...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 5--Verse 11Behold, I thought that he would…wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan seven times. But that was a little disappointing. He thought the process was going to be quick and easy. With just a wave of his hand, God could make things better. And Naaman thought he deserved better treatment than this. After all, he’d ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 4--Verse 2Elisha asked her, “What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.”This chapter is full of miraculous happenings. A widow was destitute, and the Lord miraculously provided oil to pay off her husband’s debts. A childless woman became pregnant with a son and then, when he die...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 3—Verse 7And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”Even though Israel and Judah were divided against each other, they were at times able to come together to fight for a commo...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 2--Verse 5The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”Elijah entreated him not to come as he travelled, but Elisha would not leave Elijah’s side. Elisha knew he had little time with his beloved, revered master....  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 1–Verse 14‘Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.’Elijah was an ordinary man. He had faults and fears just like you and I do. And yet, he could call down fire from Heaven and God would respond with fire. What kind of relationship did he and God have? The sa...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 1 Kings 22--Verses 26-28And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son, and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 24--Verse 2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets.God always keeps His Word and sometimes He even brings calamity to people. This is a concept that is hard ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 22--Verses 10-11 (NIV)Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes.King Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. As he was working out payment for some workers, the Books of the Law were foun...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 20--Verse 17Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord.King Hezekiah was dying and prayed for healing. God heard his prayer, promised to add fifteen years to his life and deliver Jerusalem from attack by Assyria. These promises ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 19—Verse 30And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward.Most people go through times in life when they feel like they have been uprooted and misplaced, and are unfruitful. This happens to us as individuals, as families, sometimes as whole organizations or even nations. But those times are usually temporary. God c...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 17--Verse 18None was left but the tribe of Judah only. In chapter 17, the nation of Israel came to a complete and total collapse. Nothing was left, but the tribe of Judah only. And there will be a day when this world will look a lot like Israel. Completely devastated. God will have issued his warnings (as he did in verse 13), but sinful humanity is bent on its own way...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 14--Verse 4But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.In our passage we see kings that “did what was evil” and kings that “did what was right.” But, those doing right always had one downfall—letting the worship of false gods continue. The kings could have torn down the high places of false worship, but they ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 12--Verse 2And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. As I was reading, this verse stood out to me. It could have just said that Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and left it at that, but instead it chose to tell us he was instructed by Jehoida. This just brought me to think how nec...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 10--Verses 28-29 (CSB)Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel, but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—worshiping the gold calves that were in Bethel and Dan.Reading through 1 & 2 Kings is rough. The consistent downfall of each generation of kings (who led Israel into sin) is frustrating as a reader. We want to ye...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 8--Verse 6And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, together with all the produce of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.”Bad things happen in life, but God is in the business of restoration.The Shunammite woman’s dead son was restored to life.  The woman’s land ...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 6—Verse 16He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”It is easy to focus on the difficulties we see firsthand in life. Not enough money in the bank to pay bills. A calendar full of doctor’s appointments. Strained relationships. Overwhelming feelings like anxiety or insomnia that steal your days and your joy…How do we g...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 5--Verse 11Behold, I thought that he would…wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Naaman was told to wash in the Jordan seven times. But that was a little disappointing. He thought the process was going to be quick and easy. With just a wave of his hand God could make things better. And Naaman thought he deserved better treatment than this. After all, he’d a...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 2 Kings 3—Verse 7And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”Even though Israel and Judah were divided against each other, they were at times able to come together to fight for a commo...  Read More

Daily Devotional from 1 Kings 22--Verses 26-28And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son, and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all...  Read More