Week 26

1 Kings 22:41-53 and 2 Kings 1 and 2 Chronicles 19:1-21:3

After Ahab died, his son Ahaziah became king for 2 years, but he was wicked

also. He was injured in an accident at home, and sought to inquire of the false

god baal-zebub (lord of the flies), but God sent Elijah to reprimand Ahaziah, and

confirm his imminent death. Ahaziah had no sons, so his brother Jerhoram

became king in Israel.

King Jehoshaphat in Judah was faithful to the Lord throughout his reign of 25

years, except that the Lord rebuked him for helping the wicked kings of Israel

(Ahab and his son). He instituted righteous laws and judges in the land, and

taught the people to follow the Lord.

When the enemies of Judah came to make war against Jehoshaphat, his

immediate response was to go to the Lord in prayer, which was a very powerful

and effective prayer (2 Chronicles 20:6-13). The Lord responded by telling

Jehoshaphat what He was going to do, and what the king and the people should

do. The battle was fought and won by the Lord alone, and the people of Judah

were 3 days in gathering the massive plunder.

The rest of Jehoshaphat’s reign was peaceful and prosperous, and his son

Jehoram became king in his place when he died.

2 Kings 2-4

The time of Elijah’s prophetic ministry came to an end, and all the prophets

knew that God was going to take him away on a particular day. His servant

Elisha stuck to him like glue, and requested a double portion of Elijah’s spirit

upon his departure. The mantle of Elijah fell to Elisha as he was being taken into

heaven. God spoke through Elisha in mighty ways, and throughout his prophetic

ministry there were twice the recorded miracles that Elijah had done.

Israel and Judah go to war against the Edomites, and God miraculously

provides water for their armies at the word of Elisha, and they realize a great

victory over Edom.

A woman of Shunem kind of adopts Elisha, and provides a place for him to

stay when he passes through their town. At the word of Elisha, she has a son in

her old age, and then later raises the boy from the dead. At the end of 2 Kings 4

Elisha feeds a large number of people with only a small number of barley loaves,

prefiguring at least one of Christ’s miracles.

2 Kings 5-7

The Syrian general Naaman was afflicted with leprosy, and he went to Elisha

in Samaria to be healed. Elisha didn’t even meet with Naaman, but sent his

servant out to tell him to wash 7 times in the Jordan River to be cleansed.

Naaman was seriously offended, but his servants convinced him to obey, and he

was healed of his leprosy. Elisha refused to take anything in payment, but his

servant Gehazi fell prey to greed, and went after Naaman to get some new

clothes and a little bit of silver. For his transgression, the leprosy of Naaman fell

upon him - what a tragic story of the futility of wealth!

The king of Syria sought to attack Israel, but God spoke multiple times

through Elisha to warn the king of Israel. The Syrians sent an army to take and

kill Elisha, but that didn’t work out as they had planned. They then laid siege

against Israel, and there was no food left for people to eat, but Elisha prophesied

of God’s victory over the Syrians, which came about as he said. In spite of king

Jehoram’s wickedness, God remained faithful to Israel, and continually helped in

providing and protecting them.

2 Kings 8-9 and 2 Chronicles 21:4-22:9

In Israel Joram (or Jehoram), the son of Ahab was king, and when

Jehoshaphat (king of Judah) died, his son Jehoram reigned in his place for 8

years. Then Ahaziah, the son of Jerhoram became king in Judah, however both

he and his father were wicked kings in Judah, who were related to king Ahab by

marriage.

In Israel, Jehu is anointed to be king by the prophet of God, and he executes

the descendants of Ahab, and Jezebel is likewise killed in fulfillment of God’s

promises regarding them. Jehu also killed Ahaziah, who had been king of Judah

for one year following his father’s (Jehoram) death.

2 Kings 10-11 and 2 Chronicles 22:10-23:21

Jehu purged from Israel all of the descendants of Ahab, and also wiped out

the worshippers of baal in the land, so God told him that his descendants would

reign in Israel to the fourth generation. Yet, in spite of these things, Jehu

followed after false gods and did not lead Israel in returning to God.

In Judah, when it was realized that Ahaziah was dead, his mother tried to kill

all of the royal descendants, but the infant Joash was protected, and raised by

the priests in the temple for 6 years. She acted as queen during those 6 years,

but when Joash was seven years old the chief priest took steps to make him

king, and his grandmother Athaliah was executed for her treason. Joash became

king in Judah at the age of 7 years old, and he reigned for 40 years.

Joel

We don’t know anything about the prophet Joel, other than the name of his

father. It is generally believed that he prophesied in the same times as Elisha,

but in Judah, whereas Elisha prophesied in the northern kingdom of Israel.

There is much in this book that speaks of a future judgement of God upon the

enemies of Israel and Judah, and the great and terrible Day of The Lord echoes

much greater judgement than just in the days of Joel. There are aspects of this

prophecy that can only refer to the Lord’s second coming, when He comes to

judge the earth and establish His kingdom.

Peter quoted from Joel 2:28 on the day of Pentecost, where God had

promised to pour out His Spirit on all mankind.

2 Kings 12-13 and 2 Chronicles 24

Joash had become king in Judah at the age of 7 years old, who had been

hidden in the temple by the high priest Jehoiada, and he reigned for 40 years.

Throughout all the years that Jehoiada lived as high priest, Joash was a good

king. However, when Jehoiada died (130 years old), Joash started to follow the

council of wicked advisors, and he not only turned away from the Lord, but had

the son of Jehoiada killed when he prophesied the word of God. God brought

the Arameans against Judah and humbled and looted them, and the servants of

Joash conspired to kill him. He started well, but finished poorly.

In northern Israel, the continuous reign of evil kings marched forward, with

Jehoahaz succeeding Jehu, and then Jehoash succeeding him. Yet, Jehoahaz

did seek the Lord’s help in the face of the Arameans, and his son enjoyed some

victories over them in his days, just as Elisha had foretold in the days before he died.