2 Kings 15:8

2 Kings 15:8 says, In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.  Zachariah, Jeroboam's son, began to reign over Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Azariah's rule in Judah.  He only reigned for six months.  This was indeed a short reign.  Still, some people today are in power for only a very short time.  Verse nine adds, And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.  Zachariah also did evil in God's sight and followed after the ways of Jeroboam in leading the people to sin.  This really wasn't the reason that he reigned such a short time though, since many of those who led the people of Israel to sin ruled for many years.  it would be nice if God always quickly removed evil rulers, but this is seldom the case.  If we look around the world today, we will see how true this is.  Verse ten continues, And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.  Shallum conspired against Zachariah and killed him and ruled in his stead.  It was not God Who removed him, but one of his own people.  Evil rulers are often fearful that someone is going to kill them and seize power, so they often kill those they fear will do so because of this, often even family members. As Christians, we can be certain that no one will ever seize power from our King, Jesus Christ.  Verse eleven concludes, And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.  We are told that the rest of the acts of Zachariah are written in the chronicles of the kings, but there couldn't have been much to write.  If a person dies shortly after accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, there may be little that they did for Him to write about, but fortunately this is not what saves us.  Once we put our faith in Jesus Christ, our name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life, and this is all that matters.  Verse twelve states, This was the word of the Lord which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.  God had told Jehu that his sons would sit on the throne of Israel for four generations, and this is what came to pass.  It doesn't matter how long it takes for God's word to be fulfilled.  It always will be.  Verse thirteen adds, Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.  Shallum only reigned for one month, which we can state was a very short reign, during the thirty-ninth year of the reign of Azariah, who is here referred to as Uzziah.  Verse fourteen continues, For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.  Shallum was killed by Menahem, who became king.  We are not told that God had anointed any of these as king, and those who are in power outside of God's will today, no matter how long they rule, will always rule for only a short time from the perspective of eternity.  Jesus Christ is the only ruler anointed by God, and He has and will rule forever.  Verse fifteen says, And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.  As with the other kings when they died, we are told that the rest of Shallum's acts are recorded in the chronicles of the kings, but there had to be even less than there was about Zachariah.  Verse sixteen adds, Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.  Menahem killed the people of Tiphsah because they wouldn't allow him in, including killing all the pregnant women.  He was really a cruel ruler.  We have too often been willing to sacrifice our unborn children because we believe that they will be in the way, but God will never ordain nor approve of this.