Week 27
2 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 25 and Jonah
In Judah, Amaziah, the son of Joash became king for 29 years, and he was
largely a good and godly king, although his pride caused great problems in Judah
when he needlessly went to battle with Jehoash in Israel. Jehoash defeated
Amaziah, sacked Jerusalem, and took away much plunder.
In Israel, Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash became king, and reigned for 41
years. He was bad, but not as bad as some who had reigned before him.
Jonah was a prophet of God in the days of Jeroboam, son of Jehoash. God
sent him to preach to the Assyrians in their capital of Ninevah. He didn’t want to
go to Ninevah, but God overcame his objections by taking him into a large fish for
3 days, and Jonah finally submitted to God’s will. He preached God’s judgement
to the Assyrians, and they turned and repented before God, and He decided not
to destroy them at that time. This greatly angered Jonah, who wanted them to be
destroyed, yet God is ever ready to extend mercy upon all who humble
themselves before Him.
Hosea 1-7
Hosea prophesied in Israel for a long time, spanning from Uzziah to Hezekiah,
who were kings in Judah, and also prophesying to the northern kingdom of Israel
during the days of Jeroboam II, spanning a ministry time of almost 70 years. His
name means “salvation”, and in the Hebrew it is the same as Joshua, as well as
the Hebrew form of Jesus. Hosea prophesied to Israel in the north, while his
contemporary Isaiah prophesied to Judah.
God tells Hosea to take a wife who is a harlot, and she bears three children
who God names, indicating that each of their names are prophetic of his
workings with Israel. Hosea’s wife (Gomer) represents Israel as the wife of God,
who is repeatedly unfaithful, and she even sells herself back into prostitution after
marrying Hosea, but he goes and buys her back, for her to be his wife alone.
The Lord promises to bring a very long judgement upon Israel, which will last (for
some) until the very last days, when they finally repent and return to the Lord
forever, and accept Jesus as Israel’s Messiah.
Hosea 8-14
The northern kingdom of Israel is referred to as Ephraim, and they will be
taken as slaves by the Assyrians. Even though Judah will later go into captivity
in Babylon, God will bring them back to Israel after 70 years, however the return
of Jews to Israel for many of Israel’s descendants will not occur until Israel is
made a country again in May of 1948. In the last days the Lord will hear the cry
of Israel, and will heal and restore them to Himself in Christ.
2 Kings 15:1-7 and 2 Chronicles 26 and Amos 1-4
Uzziah became king in Judah at the age of 16, and reigned for 52 years,
during which time there was great prosperity and honor in Judah among all the
nations around them. Uzziah was largely a very good king, however, in his later
years he allowed pride to creep into his heart as a consequence of all of his
accomplishments and conquests. He took it upon himself to try and burn incense
before God in the temple, and the Lord struck him with leprosy, so that he was
forced to be quarantined for the remainder of his life, and his son acted in his
place as judge in the land until he died.
Amos was a sheepherder and orchard laborer in Tekoa when God called him
to prophesy in Israel and Judah. He spoke the word of the Lord during the days
of Uzziah (in Judah) and Jeroboam II (in Israel). He declared the justice of God,
Who had dealt faithfully in bringing judgement upon the surrounding nations of
Syria, Gath (Philistines), Edom, and Ammon, and then upon Israel and Judah.
God pointed out through Amos that if He dealt justice to the ungodly pagans
around them, how much more would He punish His own people of Israel and
Judah when they willfully transgressed His commands!
Amos 5-9 and 2 Kings 15:8-18
God calls out to Israel - turn to Me, and do righteous deeds. Do not hurt My
ears with your singing and partying, nor with sacrifices, when your hearts are not
faithful towards Me. The Lord showed Amos multiple ways in which He might
judge Israel, but Amos kept interceding for them. Ultimately, God declared that
Israel would be taken into captivity by the Assyrians, and only a remnant would
survive. Yet, the Lord also promised that in the last Days He would restore the
fortunes of Israel, so that the remnant that survives to the end will enjoy great
prosperity and peace in the land.
Amos prophesied destruction upon Jeroboam and his household, and this
was fulfilled after the 39 th year of Uzziah’s reign, where there was a succession of
wicked kings in Israel, and the throne was handed over to men who were not
descendants of Jeroboam, yet were also wicked.
In Judah, Jotham, the son of Uzziah became king, and he reigned for 16
years, and was a good and godly king.
Isaiah 1-4
Isaiah was a contemporary of Amos, and Jewish tradition has it that he
prophesied in Judah for more than 80 years, through the reigns of 4 major kings.
This book is the longest of the prophetic books, and is the most quoted OT book
in the New Testament, except for the Psalms.
God speaks through the prophet, saying that He is weary of sacrifices and
religious festivals from people who persist in doing evil, and who refuse to pursue
justice.
He then prophesies concerning the last days, when there will be great
judgement and affliction upon those who remain in Israel, but the Lord will
establish His King, and His Kingdom, where all will be restored.
2 Kings 15:19-38 and 2 Chronicles 27 and Isaiah 5-6
There is an ongoing sting of wicked kings in the northern kingdom of Israel. In
Judah, king Uzziah dies after reigning for 52 years, and his son Jotham is a good
king for 16 years, and then his son Ahaz becomes king.
Through Isaiah, God describes Judah and Jerusalem as His favored vineyard,
which He cultivated and protected, yet year over year He failed to find good fruit
from the vineyard. God calls out the leaders in Judah as unfaithful vinedressers,
who He will bring judgement upon, and He will allow His vineyard to be overrun
by foreigners. This allegory is repeated by Jesus in Matthew 21:33-41, where He
speaks prophetically of the judgement that will come upon Jerusalem just 40
years hence.
In Isaiah 6, the prophet is given a vision of the Lord’s throne room following
the death of king Uzziah, which is also seen in the vision of the apostle John in
Revelation 4-5. The word of the Lord comes to Isaiah, predicting that His people
in Israel will have ears to hear and eyes to see, but they will not listen and they
will not perceive what they see and hear. This prophecy is quoted by Jesus in
Matthew 13:13-15, and it is because of this deafness and blindness to God that
Israel rejected Jesus, and God’s grace and salvation was made freely available
to the rest of the world, as Paul explains in Romans 9-11. However, God tells
Isaiah (6:11-13) that this deafness and blindness will come to an end in the last
days, after much devastation has reduced Israel to only a remnant, and they will
be restored. This speaks of the end of the great tribulation, when a remnant in
Israel will finally turn to God in repentance, and call upon Jesus to save them.