2 Kings 15:17

2 Kings 15:17 says, In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.  In Azariah's thirty-nineth year of ruling Judah, Menahem began to rule in Israel, and at least he ruled for several years.  Ten to be exact.  He was not immediately or soon killed by someone else wanting to take the throne.  When we have a change in leadership in the church, we need to pray that God is behind it and support the person in charge instead of trying to get rid of them if we don't like them or want the position ourselves.  Verse eighteen adds, And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.  Menahem followed the ways of Jeroboam and did evil in the sight of God and led the people of Israel to do so as well.  As I have stated before, as Christians, it is bad enough if we allow sin back in our life, but it is even worse if we lead others to sin as well.  Verse nineteen continues, And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.  Pul, the king of Assyria was going to go to war with Israel, but Menahem paid him not to.  He put his faith in material things saving him more than he put his faith in God.  Of course, since he wasn't following God's will, he might have figured God wouldn't help him.  Even if we have been out of God's will, we need to turn to Him in repentance and ask for His help in times of trouble instead of attempting to buy our way out.  Verse twenty states, And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.  Menahem basically taxed the rich men of Israel to raise money to give to Pul, and Pul turned back from invading Israel.  At least Menahem got the money from the richer men instead of attempting to get it from the poorer people.  It seems that we often want to have poor people pay for things so that the rich will not have to.  As Christians, we should always have compassion on the poor.  Verse twenty-one adds, And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  Though we are not told of much that Menahem did other than to do evil and pay Pul to not invade Israel, we are told as usual when a king's rule ends that the rest of his acts were recorded in the chronicles of the kings.  Verse twenty-two continues, And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.  Menachem ruled for ten years, but like all the other kings, he died and like most was buried.  Our King, Jesus Christ, died and was buried not in the burial place of kings but in a borrowed tomb.  Unlike the others, though, He rose again the third day.  One day, when we depart this world physically, if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will rise again spiritually to be with Him forever.  On the other hand, if we haven't put our faith in Him, we will rise again spiritually to everlasting punishment and separation from God.