Friday, February 18, 2022

Kings of Judah and Israel


Many of the kings of the southern kingdom (Judah) were ungodly, but some were good and followed the Lord. The Lord didn't destroy Judah for king David's sake. 
The Lord had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever (2 Kings 8:19, 2 Chron 21:7). This is finally fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
However, God used the pagan and evil king Nebuchadnezzar to execute judgement on Judah under their last king Zedekiah (see end below).

There was no good king at all in the the northern kingdom (Israel) after the division. No one turned from their paganism to the Lord. However, God used some of these ungodly kings in Israel such as Baasha, Zimri, and Jehu (see below) to execute his judgements. God even used Hazael, king of Aram, to bring judgement on Israel. 

God can use whoever he wants to use to get his work done, even pagan and evil kings, see God is sovereign in God's Attributes. 

See also time 7:56–22:23 in 37 Bible Characters Found Through Archaeology.

Kings of Judah and Israel


Kings of Judah in succession:

Kings of Israel in succession:


Abijah of Judah


Abijah reigned over Judah for three years. There was war between Abijah and
Jeroboam who was king in Israel. Abijah went into battle with an army of 400,000 fighting men and Jeroboam with 800,000 men. Abijah accused Jeroboam of making golden calves as their gods and of making priests who weren't Levites.

Abijah said that those in Judah hadn't forsaken the Lord and that they observed the Lord's requirements. The priests who served the Lord in Judah were the sons of Aaron, and the Levites helped them. (1 Kings 15:1–2, 2 Chron 13:1–12).

Jeroboam sent troops around behind them, so that while he was in front of
Judah they were ambushed behind them. Judah turned and saw that they were
being attacked both in front and behind. Then they cried out to the Lord, the priests blew their trumpets, and the men of Judah raised a battle cry.
At the sound of their battle cry, God drove Jeroboam and all Israel
before Abijah and Judah. The Israelites fled and God delivered them into the hands of Judah. Abijah and his troops inflicted great losses on them, so that there were 500,000 casualties among the men of Israel. The Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah won because they trusted in the Lord.
Jeroboam didn't regain power during Abijah's time. The Lord struck Jeroboam 
and he died. (2 Chron 13:13–20).

Abijah grew in strength. He married 14 wives. (2 Chron 13:21). This was against the Mosaic Laws that a king wasn't to take many wives, or his heart would be led astray (Deu 17:17a).

Abijah committed all the sins that his father had committed before him. His heart wasn't fully devoted to the Lord as king David's heart had been. (1 Kings 15:3–5).

God can do amazing and powerful things in our lives and it doesn't necessarily change the way we live. We can have miracles happen in our lives and still turn away from God. Abijah was completely outmatched in battle, cried out to the Lord and defeated the enemy. We might think that such a miracle would make him follow the Lord for the rest of his life. But that wasn't the case. Sometimes people experience incredible miracles from the Lord and they still turn around and go the other way, away from the Lord. That's one reason why we should be careful about praying for miracles. It doesn't necessarily change a person's heart. It's more important to pray for a change of heart. Miracles can be forgotten.

Nadab of Israel

Nadab reigned over Israel for two years. He did what was evil in the sight of
the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel
to sin. Baasha conspired against him and beat him. (1 Kings 15:25–28, 31).

God used Baasha to judge Jeroboam 's house despite Baash walked the same
path of sin. 

Baasha of Israel

Baasha reigned over Israel for 24 years. As soon as he became king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam according to the word of the Lord which he spoke through his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. But he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. The word of the Lord came to prophet Jehu against
Baasha, saying that because he walked in the way of Jeroboam and caused his people Israel to sin, God would sweep away Baasha and his house as he did with the house of Jeroboam. All who belonged to Baasha
and died in the city the dogs would eat, and all of him who died in the field the birds would eat. His son Elah became king in his place. (1 Kings 15:29–16:7).

God judged Baasha the same way he had judged Jeroboam. 
Baasha never gave his heart to God.

Elah of Israel

Elah reigned over Israel for two years. His servant Zimri, commander of half of his chariots, conspired against him. When Elah got drunk, Zimri came in and struck him and killed him and reigned in his place. When he began to reign, as soon as he had sat on his throne, Zimri struck down all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke to Baasha through Jehu the prophet, for all the sins that Baasha and Elah had committed and had caused Israel to commit. (1 Kings 16:8–14).

The kingdom of Israel had fallen into chaos. There is no order or godliness at this time. This pagan thinking had taken over including how they run the country.

Zimri of Israel

Zimri reigned seven days in Tirzah in Israel. When Israel's troops heard that Zimri
had conspired and killed the king, they made Omri, who was the leader of the army, king over Israel. Omri besieged Tirzah. When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he entered the king’s house and burned it over him with fire, so that he died for his sins that he had committed. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam making Israel to sin. (1 Kings 16:15–20).

Omri of Israel

Omri reigned over Israel for twelve years; six years he reigned in Tirzah. He bought the hill of Samaria which he fortified, and called the city which he built Samaria. 
Omri did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did more evil than all who were before him. (1 Kings 16:21–28).

Omri moved Israel's capital from Tirzah to Samaria, which he built. His dynasty lasted for four kings: Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, and Jehoram. They were good leaders from their secular faith point of view. But they were a disaster in the term of spiritual integrity for the nation of Israel. They led Israel into greater crisis. The ministries of Elijah and Elisha were directed at opposing these four men, because they were so wicked and ungodly and rewarded Baal worship. But because they were gifted leaders from a secular point of view, they brought prosperity to Israel, to be compared to Laodicea in The Seven Churches in the Book of Revelation. 

Amaziah of Judah

Amaziah reigned over Judah for 29 years. He did what was right in the eyes
of the Lord, but not like David and not with all his heart. He did in all that
what his father Jehoash king of Judah had done. But the sacrificial heights weren't removed; the people still sacrificed at the high places. He struck down his servants who had struck down the king his father. But he didn't kill the children of the murderers, according to the Mosaic Laws (Deu 24:16). 
(2 Kings 14:1–6, 2 Chron 25:1–4).

Amaziah assembled the men of Judah, 300,000 capable of war. He also hired 100,000 mighty men from Israel. But a man of God told him not to let the army of
Israel go with him, for the Lord wasn't with Israel. Then Amaziah dismissed the army of Israel to return home. But they became very angry with Judah and returned in fierce anger. Amaziah took courage and led his people out and struck down 10,000 Edomites. They captured another 10,000 alive and threw them down from the top of a rock. But the men of Israel whom Amaziah sent back plundered the cities of Judah, killing 3,000 people, and took much booty. 
(2 Kings 14:7, 2 Chron 25:5–13).

Amaziah employed the Israelites because of lack of faith. That wasn't God's will because of the apostasy in Israel. Amaziah obeyed the word of God and sent them back. But when he returned home, he brought back their pagan gods and worshipped them and sacrificed to them. Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah
and sent to him a prophet, who asked him why he sought the gods of a people who couldn't rescue them. Amaziah ordered the prophet to stop talking. So he did but replied that the Lord would destroy Amaziah because of what he had done and not listened to his advice. (2 Chron 25:14–16).

Then Amaziah wanted to attack Israel. Jehoash, the king of Israel, warned him not to do so, but Amaziah wouldn't listen, for it was God's will to give Judah into the hand of their enemies, because they had sought the gods of Edom. 
(2 Kings 14:8–11, 2 Chron 25:17–20).

It was God who had given Amaziah the victory over Edom, but he believed that he had won the battle in his own strength. The victory made him prideful, and he didn't listen to good advice. Pride prevents a person from listening to good advice. 

Judah was defeated by Israel, and each fled to his home. Jehoash, king of Israel, captured Amaziah and broke down part of the wall of Jerusalem. He seized all the gold, silver, and all the vessels that were in the temple and inside the treasury of the king’s house, also the hostages, and then he returned to Samaria. There was a conspiracy against Amaziah and he fled to Lachish. But they went after him and killed him there. (2 Kings 14:12–22, 2 Chron 25:21–28).

Israel was a nation that gave over to paganism. Judah was a godly nation for the most part. God allowed Judah to by defeated by an ungodly nation. The reason was because Amaziah worshipped pagan gods and because he was lifted up in pride. There is a spiritual principle that pride goes before a fall (Proverbs 11:2, 16:18, James 4:6b, Gal 6:3). God had to deal with his pagan worship and with his pride.

In the same way, as Christians, we can act in pride, especially after winning a certain victory, thinking that the reason was only because of me. We always need to humble ourselves, see 3) Blessed are the meek in The Sermon on the Mount.

Jeroboam II of Israel


Jeroboam II reigned over Israel for 41 years. He did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He didn't depart from all the sins of Jeroboam. The Lord saw that Israel's suffering was very bitter and he saved them by the hand of
Jeroboam II. (2 Kings 14:23–29).

God was merciful to the people of Israel. Even though they had this evil king,
God rescued them by his hand, because of God's compassion for the people.

Uzziah of Judah

Uzziah reigned over Judah for 52 years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He decided to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who taught him godliness. A long as he sought the Lord, God made him successful. Still, the sacrificial heights weren't removed. The people still sacrificed on the high places. God helped him against the Philistines. The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread even to the borders of Egypt, for he became very strong. He had an army of 307,500 men trained for war. (2 Kings 15:1–4, 2 Chron 26:1–15).

But when Uzziah was strong, he became proud to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God and entered the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense. But the priest Azariah II entered after him with 80 priests of the Lord and told him that only the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were consecrated to burn incense to the Lord. He should leave the shrine because he had done wrong. Then Uzziah became angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to burn incense, and when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead. The chief priest Azariah II and all the priests rushed him out. King Uzziah was a leper until the day he died, and because he was a leper he lived in a separate house because he was barred from the temple. His son Jotham
was over the king’s household and ruled the people of the land. Jotham then reigned in his stead. (2 Kings 15:5–7, 2 Chron 26:16–23).

The prophet Isaiah served in the time off king Uzziah (2 Chron 26:22).

Uzziah authorised himself to enter the temple to burn incense, something only the descendants of Aaron were allowed to do. Uzziah had become a proud man because of his great fame and all that he had done, so he didn't listen to Azariah II or his priests. God saw his disobedience and pride and caused leprosy to break out on his forehead. It was a sign of judgement from the Lord. God declared by doing this, that this was an impure unacceptable behavior on the part of the king. Uzziah showed no sign of repentance or turning to the Lord in humility to perhaps be rid of the leprosy.

Hoshea of Israel

Hoshea reigned over Israel for nine years. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who were before him.
Shalmaneser V, the king of Assyria, marched up against him. Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. But Shalmaneser V found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, the king of Egypt, and no longer offered any tribute to Shalmaneser V. He therefore put Hoshea in prison. In the ninth year of
Hoshea, Shalmaneser V captured Samaria, and he led the Israelites away to Assyria. This happened because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord and had feared other gods and walked in the customs of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. They forsook all the commandments of the Lord and made for themselves metal images of two calves, they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven, they served Baal and burned their sons and their daughters as sacrifices. They walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria. 
(2 Kings 17:1–23).

Hoshea would be the last king to reign over Israel. Israel had now fallen.
Many people from Israel had moved to Judah over the years, meaning all the tribes of Israel were now represented in Judah. There was no tribe of Israel missing in
Judah. (2 Chron 11:13–16). It was mostly the God-fearing people of Israel who moved to Judah for some of the kings in Judah were godly and feared the Lord.

Shalmaneser V of Assyria brought people from other nations and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. These foreign people took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. Shalmaneser V sent one of the priests whom they carried away to teach them the law of the God of Israel. He taught them how to fear the Lord. But each people still made their own gods and put them in the shrines on the high places that the Samaritans had made, each people in the cities in which they lived. They also feared the Lord but appointed from themselves all kinds of people as priests of the high places. They feared the Lord but also served their own gods. (2 Kings 17:24–41).

This area was no longer called Israel. In Jesus' time it was called Samaria. The Samaritans were a despised people. They had a small remnant of Jewish DNA, but they had also a lot of Gentile DNA. The real Jews of Jesus' day didn't even pass through their land. They thought it would defile them.

Zedekiah of Judah


Zedekiah reigned over Judah for 11 years. He did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. (2 Kings 24:18–20, 2 Chron 36:11–16, Jer 37:1–2, 52:1–3).

This was contrary to what the Lord had told him to do, see Prophet Jeremiah.
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah at the direction of the Lord.
This pagan and evil king acted as a servant of the Lord and was used by
God to judge and chastise Judah. It was God's will that Judah surrendered 
to Babylon, but they refused to do so. 

Similarly, God can sometimes rebuke and discipline us to get us on the right track, see the beginning of The Book of James.

In the ninth year of his reign Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, came with
all his army against Jerusalem and besieged it. When the Chaldeans (see
The Book of Nahum) who besieged Jerusalem heard the news that Pharaoh's army was coming out of Egypt, they withdrew from Jerusalem. Jeremiah then prophesied that Pharaoh's army would return to Egypt, and then the Chaldeans would come back and fight against Jerusalem, and they would burn it with fire. They returned and the city was besieged until Zedekiah's eleventh year. (2 Kings 25:1–2,
Jer 37:3–10, 39:1–2, 52:4–5).

The famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled in the night. They went in the direction of Arabah. But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. Then they took the king as prisoner and brought him up to the king of
Babylon at Riblah. They slaughtered Zedekiah's sons before his eyes, put out his eyes, bound him in chains, and brought him to Babylon. (2 Kings 25:3–7, 
Jer 39:3–7, 52:6–11).

Jeremiah had several times prophesied to Zedekiah to surrender but he didn't listen. 
He had also prophesied about this, that it would happen (Jer 34:1–3).

In the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the temple and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. They broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
Nebuzaradan exiled the rest of the people who remained in the city. But he left some of the poorest of the land to be vintners and ploughmen. He carried the bronze, silver, and gold from the temple to Babylon. He took several important men from the city and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. And the king of Babylon 
struck them down and killed them in Riblah. Judah was was exiled from their land. 
(2 Kings 25:8–21, 2 Chron 36:17–21, Jer 39:8–10, 52:12–27).

The reason Nebuchadnezzar decided to do this was because everyone was constantly rebelling against Babylon from the kings of Judah. He wanted to end it once and for all. This was also the end of the magnificent Solomon's Temple. Zedekiah was their last king.

The Babylonian captivity lasted for 70 years until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths (2 Chron 36:21), see The Book of Habakkuk.

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Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Josiah of Judah

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign as king of Judah, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the way of king David, and he didn't turn aside to the right or to the left. (2 Kings 22:1–2, 2 Chron 34:1–2).

In the 8th year of his reign, he began to seek the God of David (2 Chron 34:3a).

Josiah was 16 years old (8 + 8) when he began to seek the Lord without having access to God's word. Can be compared to a person in our time seeking the Lord without having access to a Bible, see also The Parable of the Persistent Widow.

In the 12th year he began to cleanse Judah from the high places. They cut down the altar of Baal before his face and cut down the altars of incense that stood above them. He broke the Asherim and the graven and metallic images, and he made dust of them and sprinkled them over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.
He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars and purified Judah. Even in the cities of Israel he broke down the altars, beat the Asherim into powder, and cut down all the altars of incense throughout the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem. (2 Chron 34:3b–7).

Josiah defiled these altars and rendered them useless by burning the bones of the priests upon them. There was a prophesy about this 300 years earlier that it would be done in Bethel in Israel (1 Kings 13:1–2 (see below)), now belonging to Assyria.

In the 18th year of Josiah's reign, he ordered the high priest Hilkiah to count the money that had been brought into the temple. It was to be given into the hand of the workers who had charge of the temple, to give it to the workers to repair the temple. (2 Kings 22:3–7, 2 Chron 34:8–13).

Josiah believed in the Lord and ordered the temple to be repaired, but he didn't have so much knowledge of the Mosaic Laws or God's will at this time.

The high priest Hilkiah found the Book of the Law in the temple. It was read before
the king. When Josiah heard the words in the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. He commanded the priest Hilkiah and some others to inquire of the Lord for him, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of the book that had been found, for it hadn't been followed. (2 Kings 22:8–13, 2 Chron 34:14–21).

The Book of the Law is essentially the Torah (Pentateuch or the five books of Moses), that is the books: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. That Hilkiah found it indicates that it had been lost. Josiah had a desire to walk with the Lord but hadn't have access to the Torah prior to this point. This can be compared to a Christian who doesn't have access to a Bible.

Tearing the clothes was a way of showing grief and sorrow. When Josiah heard the words in the book, he realized that they had rejected the Lord and the consequences of doing so. He knew about the altars to the pagan gods that were in God's temple. He therefore decided to consult God about this.

Hilkiah and the others went to Huldah the prophetess. She told them that the Lord would bring disaster upon that place and upon its inhabitants, because they had forsaken the Lord and sacrificed to other gods. But because Josiah's heart was contrite, and he humbled himself before the Lord, had torn his clothes and wept before the Lord, Josiah would gather to his grave in peace, and he won't see all the calamity that the Lord would bring upon that place. 
(2 Kings 22:14–20, 2 Chron 34:22–28).

Regardless of the fact that Josiah was a godly king and would bring incredible reforms into the land, God would still bring the judgement he had promised. This rejection of the Lord and the worship of pagan gods had been going on for hundred of years. God would be true to his word. However, Josiah would not have to experience God's wrath, see God has wrath in God's Attributes. 

God looks for those who are humble and contrite in spirit and tremble at his word (Isaiah 66:2b). Josiah was such a man. However, it's not in our sinful nature to react in such a way, see The Book of John. When confronted with sin, our human nature wants to make excuses, blame someone else, or to think it's no big deal. Josiah did none of that. He was broken hearted from pride.

Josiah went up to the temple, and all the men of Judah with him. He read in their hearing all the words of the book that had been found. He made a covenant before the Lord to keep his commandments with all his heart, to do what is written in this book. They brought out of the temple all the vessels made for Baal and for Asherah. Josiah burned them outside Jerusalem. He deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to sacrifice at the high places; also those who burned incense to Baal. He took the Asherah out of the temple and burned it and broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the temple. No one was allowed to burn his son or his daughter as a sacrifice to Molech. He burned the altars that Manasseh had made. He defiled the high places east of Jerusalem and cut down the Asherim. He tore down and burned the altar in Bethel and burned the 
Asherah. Josiah took the bones out of the graves and burned them on the altar in Bethel and defiled it, according to the word of the Lord that the man of God had proclaimed (see below). Josiah also removed all the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which kings of Israel had built to provoke the Lord to anger. He did with them according to all that he had done at Bethel. And he sacrificed all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars and burned human bones on them. (2 Kings 23:1–20, 2 Chron 34:29–33).

Josiah cleansed the temple of pagan influences. The temple is a picture of the Christian believers in the New Covenant. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 
The believers of Christ are the body of Christ, that is, the temple of God 
(1 Cor 3:16–17, 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16, Eph 2:19–22), see Jesus the Light of the World.

Josiah took care of the priests who were leading the people in the wrong direction.
In a similar way, we as Christians can be wrongly influenced by other people. We can be led down the wrong path. We therefore need to study the Bible.

Josiah rendered pagan places of worship unusable by defiling them. He even defiled the altar at Bethel in Israel, which at that time belonged to Assyria. He did so in response to a prophesy 300 years earlier (1 Kings 13:1–2), see 
Rehoboam and Jeroboam, and the Division of Israel. 

Josiah commanded all the people to celebrate the Lord's Passover, as it was written in the book they had found. No such Passover had been kept since the days of the Judges (see The Book of Judges). But in the 18th year of Josiah, this Passover was kept to the Lord in Jerusalem. Josiah had the mediums, the necromancers, the household gods, the idols, and all the abominations seen in the land of Judah to be abolished (2 Kings 23:21–24, 2 Chron 35:1–19).

Passover is a reminder of the death of Jesus Christ, see The Crucifixion of Jesus.
It's a picture of Jesus' sacrifice. Through his blood we have escaped eternal death and instead have eternal life with God, see Salvation.

Before Josiah there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might (strength), according to the
Mosaic Laws, nor arose any like him after him. But the Lord didn't turn from the burning of his great wrath, against whom his anger was kindled, against
Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. The Lord said that he would remove Judah from his sight, as he had removed
Israel, and would throw away Jerusalem and the temple. (2 Kings 23:25–27).

Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates, and Josiah went out to meet him. But Neco sent envoys to Josiah saying that he didn't come to meet him, and that God had commanded him to make haste. 
Josiah should stop opposing God who was with Neco, or God would destroy him. But Josiah didn't turn away from him, but disguised himself to fight with him.
Josiah didn't listen to Neco's words from the mouth of God, but came to fight on the plain of Megiddo (see below). And the archers shot Josiah. His servants brought him to Jerusalem where he died. 
(2 Kings 23:28–30a, 2 Chron 35:20–27).

At that time, Babylon began to rise as a world power. Assyria had been a world power. The king of Assyria therefore decided to align himself with Pharaoh in Egypt
in order to stand against Babylon. Neco therefore went over the territory of Judah 
to help the Assyrian against Babylon. Josiah didn't want him to cross his land and therefore attacked him. Josiah was then killed at only 39 years old. The alliance between Egypt and Assyria didn't help. Babylon would become the next world power and eventually the nation that would destroy Judah. 

Megiddo is referred to the area of Armageddon, where the final battle will take place at the end of the Great Tribulation, see Prophecies of Jesus' Second Coming. 

Josiah was unwilling to listen and it doesn't appear that he consulted the Lord about this. Josiah probably didn't like Assyria who had conquered the northern kingdom (Israel), and therefore tried to prevent Neco from helping them.

Despite the fact that Josiah was the most godly king of Judah and Israel ever
(2 Kings 23:25), he let his emotions guide him and not the word of the Lord,
and made this costly mistake that ended his life. This is a lesson for us all.

The people took Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, and anointed him and made him king
in his father’s place (2 Kings 23:30b, 2 Chron 36:1).

After Josiah there were only ungodly kings of Judah, see The Curse of Jeconiah.

See also Kings of Judah and Israel.

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