2 Kings 15:1

2 Kings 15:1 says, In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.  Azariah, Amaziah's son, began to reign in Judah in the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam's reign in Israel.  Though some lasted longer than others, kings in both Judah and Israel came and went.  Their reign would always come to an end, just as the rule of earthly leaders does today.  Only Jesus Christ will rule forever, and we must put our faith in Him in order to be a part of God's family.  Verse two adds. Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.  Azariah was another king who began to rule when he was young, though he wasn't the youngest ruler we have read about.  As I have stated before, people put their faith in Jesus Christ and begin to serve Him at different ages, but it is always best to do so as soon as we understand Who we are, sinners in need of salvation, and Who He is, the only way to salvation.  Verse three continues, And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;  Like Amaziah his father, Azariah did what was right in God's eyes.  Often children will learn from their parents, whether that is good or bad, and they may learn more by the actions of their parents than by their words.  Verse four concludes, Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.  Still, Azariah allowed some things that weren't in accordance with God's will to continue, just as Amaziah his father had.  We must never allow things into our worship of God that are not in accordance with His word.  Verse five states, And the Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.  Even though we are told that Azariah did what was tight in God's sight, except for allowing the high places to be used for worship, he was afflicted with leprosy for much of his life.  The reason for this will be discussed further later on.  He was forced to live away from others because of this.  If we allow sin back into our lives as Christians, it may cause us to live apart from other Christians.  His son Jotham actually functioned as king during the years that Azariah had leprosy.  Verse six adds, And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?  We then have the statement as usual at the end of a king's reign that the rest of his acts were written in the chronicles of the kings.  Verse seven continues, So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.  Azariah died, after officially reigning fifty-two years, and then his son Jotham officially became king.  Though He is already in charge of salvation, we need to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord to officially make Him King of our life.  He will never force anyone to accept Him, even though He could.  

2 Kings 14:23

2 Kings 14:23 says, In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.  In Amaziah's fifteenth year as king of Judah, Jeroboam, Joash's son began to reign in Israel, and he reigned for forty-one years, which was the longest of the reigns of any of the kings of Israel according to Matthew Henry.  Sometimes, the names can be confusing, because they are the same or the same as some king before.  We may at times have rulers in the world by the same name or something very similar, and this might be confusing at times. but there is only One name that we need to acknowledge as our ruler as Christians, and that is Jesus Christ.  There can be no other.  Verse twenty-four adds, And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.  This Jeroboam did evil in God's sight as did his ancestor Jeroboam.  We should never be guilty of following those who have sinned against God and led others to do so, even if they were people in positions of power.  Verse twenty-five continues, He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.  Even though Jeroboam did evil in God's sight, God still used him to restore the coasts of Israel in accordance with His prophesy through Jonah.  Matthew Henry says this was later in Johah's life, after he gone to Ninevah.  If so, he was still being used by God.  God's word is going to be fulfilled, no matter who is in charge in the world, but it is better for us if we as His people follow His will and allow Him to work through us.  Verse twenty-six states, For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.  Even though they were not following God's leadership, God had mercy on them because of their affliction in the world.  Even when we are not following God's leadership, He has shown us His mercy by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us that we might be restored to Him spiritually.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.  We are told that instead of blotting out the people of Israel that God saved them through Jeroboam, even though he did evil in God's sight.  We can be saved only through faith in one Person and that Jesus Christ.  If we do not put our faith in Him, our name will be blotted out of the Lamb's book of life.  Verse twenty-eight continues, Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  We are told of a couple of things that Jeroboam did, or more accurately that God did through him, and then are told as usual that the rest of his actions were recorded in the chronicles of the kings.  God will make note of all that we do, whether good or bad, and what will matter is our relationship to Jesus Christ.  We cannot do enough good to earn salvation nor enough bad to keep us from being saved if we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse twenty-nine concludes, And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.  As with every king except the one true King, Jesus Christ, even though Jeroboam reigned for a long time, he died.  No matter how long we live nor how powerful we might be in the eyes of the world, we will all one day die.  Jeroboam was replaced by Zachariah his son, but there will never be any other ruler who will replace Jesus Christ as the King of God's people, because He will never die.

2 Kings 14:17

2 Kings 14:17 says, And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.  Amaziah the king of Judah lived for fifteen years after Jehoash died.  Still, if God's people had not become divided, there would have been only one king over all of them.  Amaziah out of pride challenged Joash to battle and lost.  Today, as followers of Christ, we cannot afford to become divided and ruled by pride, because we can only have one King, and that is Jesus Christ, and we must serve Him humbly.  Verse eighteen adds, And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?  As usual at the end of king's life, we are told that the rest of his acts were written in the chronicles of the kings.  The things that we do in life are written in God's book, and the only way to have our sins removed from the book is by having them washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ and our putting our faith in Him.  Verse nineteen continues, Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.  He died. fleeing from his own people.  Jesus Christ died, not from other people wanting Him dead, but because of the desire of His own people to kill Him.  For each person, Jesus Christ did not die because of the actions of someone else, but because of our sin personally.  We cannot excuse ourselves from responsibility for His death.  Verse twenty states, And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.  Though Amaziah had fled and was killed in Lachish, his body was returned and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors.  Though they had killed him, he was shown honor in death.  Of course, it really doesn't matter what happens to the body after we die, but only what happens to our soul.  Verse twenty-one adds, And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.  Azariah, who was only sixteen at the time, was made king in the place of Amaziah his father.  Maybe the people thought he would be more easily controlled being so young and having seen his father killed.  No matter how old or young we may be as Christians, we should never be controlled by anyone but the Holy Spirit.  Verse twenty-two continues, He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.  We are told very little about Azariah, except that he built Elath, in the land formerly belonging to the Edomites according to Matthew Henry.  The things we do for Jesus Christ in the world may not be noted by the world, or even the church as a whole, but God will make note of it, and that is all that really matters. 

2 Kings 14:8

 2 Kings 14:8 says, Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.  After his victory over the Edomites, Amaziah sent word to Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him to fight against him.  These were still all a part of God's people and now they were being asked to openly fight against one another.  We may often disagree with other Christians about certain things, but hopefully we will never be physically at war with each other.  Verse nine adds, And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.  Jehoash sent a reply to Amaziah in which he compared himself to a cedar and Amaziah to a thistle, or just an annoying thorn.  Matthew Henry says that Amaziah was acting out of self-pride, but he was involving all of Judah in his actions instead of just challenging Jehoash to a fight between the two of them.  As followers of Christ, we should never allow self-pride to rule us, and we certainly should not involve others if we do.  Verse ten continues, Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?  Jehoash told Amaziah to not let his pride cause him to fall by fighting against Israel, but to go home and celebrate his victory over Edom.  When we are successful over a particular sin in our life by the power of the Holy Spirit working through us, we should not become full of self-pride and pick a fight with others, but we should simply celebrate the victory by giving God the glory.  Verse eleven states, But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.  Amaziah would not listen to Jehoash, so their people and they went to war with each other.  When we refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit today, we may find ourselves in needless wars with other Christians or even with people of the world.  If we are fighting out of self-pride, it is never really going to be right.  Verse twelve adds, And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.  Amaziah may have challenged Jehoash and refused to listen to his advice, but he should have.  The people of Judah were routed and returned to their tents.  When we refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit and let self-pride rule us, we may find ourselves routed by the world.  Verse thirteen continues, And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.  Jehoash took Amaziah and went to Jerusalem and broke down a large portion of the wall.  We may likewise find ourselves losing some of the things God has blessed us with if we refuse to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, but it should never be other Cristians that we are at war with.  Verse fourteen says, And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.  Jehoash took the silver and the gold from the temple and the kings house as well as hostages and returned to Samaria.  Of course, he should never have taken anything out of the temple, God's house, because he should have been obedient to God as a part of His people.  We as Christians should never take the things of God for our own purpose, but we should dedicate all that we have for His use by the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  Verse fifteen continues, Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  We are told that the rest of the acts of Jehoash are recorded in the chronicles of the kings.  Verse sixteen concludes, And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.  Jehoash died, and his son Jeroboam took his place as king.  We can be certain that we will on day physically die and someone else will take our place in the church, and all that is important is that we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  What the people of the world remember about us is of little importance spiritually.  

2 Kings 14:1

 2 Kings 14:1 says, In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.  When Jehoahaz was king of Israel the second year, Amaziah became king of Judah.  Notice both were called the son of Joash, but these were two different men, as was discussed previously.  There is only one Jesus Christ, and we cannot confuse Him with anyone else and be saved.  Verse two adds, He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.  Amaziah was twenty-five when he became king and he ruled for twenty-nine years.  This was a fairly long reign, but he still wasn't an old man when his rule ended.  Jesus Christ's rule is forever.  We as His followers though may be in a position of leadership in His kingdom for a long time or a short time, but it should always be up to Him how long this is.  Verse three continues, And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.  Amaziah did what was right in the sight of God, but like his father Joash did, and not as David had done.  Matthew Henry says this means he kept up practices of worship more for show than from a real devotion to God, as David had.  David's actions were often wrong, but he remained a man after God's own heart.  We should never worship God just for appearances sake, but we must always worship Him because of our deep devotion to Him through our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord.  Verse four states, Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.  Amaziah still did not remove the high places of worship, which were not in accordance with God's word.  Of course, as Christians today we are free to worship wherever we are, but I believe God still expects us to gather in a particular place weekly or more often and worship Him.  Verse five adds, And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.  As soon as he established himself in power, he killed all those servants of his who had killed his father.  He did this justly in accordance with God's word.  Jesus Christ as the only true King justly could kill all who have opposed Him, but He chooses to call everyone to salvation instead and leave it up to them whether they will eventually face everlasting suffering separated from God or not.  Verse six continues, But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.  Amaziah did not kill the children of those who had killed his father but followed the teachings of God given through Moses.  Children were not to be held responsible for the father's sins nor father for the children's sins.  We are all responsible for our own sins alone.  We will not be punished by God for the sins of others, nor will they be punished for ours.  Verse seven concludes, He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.  Amaziah also went to war with Edom, killed ten thousand of their troops, and took Selah, which he renamed Joktheel.  We need to be at war with the world spiritually, but this does not mean that we are to kill non-Christians.  We are just not to allow the influence of the world to guide us but are to be devoted to following Jesus Christ through the leadership of the Holy Spirit. 

2 Kings 13:15

2 Kings 13:15 says, And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.  Elisha instructed Joash the king to take a bow and arrows.  We are instructed to put on the whole armor of God as followers of Christ today.  Verse sixteen adds, And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.  Elisha then told the king to put his hands on the bow, and Elisha put his hands over the king's hands.  God will always have His protective, guiding hand on Christians today spiritually.  Verse seventeen continues, And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.  Elisha then had the king shoot an arrow out the window to the east and said that symbolized his defeating the Syrians.  The empty cross today represents Jesus Christ defeating sin and death, but we are really to live by faith and not signs.  Verse eighteen states, And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.  Elisha then told the king to take the arrows and hit the ground with them, and he did so three times and quit.  If God instructs us to do something today, we should never just do just as little as possible but should always be overzealous in doing what God wants us to do instead.  Verse nineteen adds, And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.  Elisha told the king that he should have hit the arrows on the ground five or six times and then he would have completely destroyed Syria, but now he would only defeat them three times.  We may not always know why God is calling on us to do something, just as the king didn't know why Elisha had instructed him to hit the arrows on the ground, but it is always better to risk doing too much instead of too little.  Otherwise, we may stop before God's blessing is complete.  Verse twenty continues, And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.  Elisha then died and was buried.  Then, the next year the Moabites invaded Israel.  If we allow our faith in God to falter, we may be certain that Satan and his forces stand ready to invade our lives, and Elisha had been a great man of God who represented Him to the people of Israel.  Verse twenty-one says, And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.  While they were burying a man later, they saw a band of men coming so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb, and it touched his bones.  The man was then restored to life.  We do not have to go to the tomb of Jesus and touch any bones, because there are none there to touch, but we must allow Him to touch us with His living hand in order to be restored to life spiritually.  Verse twenty-two adds, But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.  Hazael, king of Syria, oppressed the people of Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.  As long as this world stands, there will always be people who will attempt to oppress God's people.  We will never have a complete victory in this lifetime.  Verse twenty-three continues, And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.  God was gracious to the people of Israel because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and did not allow them to be totally destroyed.  God is gracious to Christians today and will never allow us to be destroyed spiritually because of our faith in Jesus Christ and the new covenant that He established with us through Him.  Verse twenty-four states, So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.  Hazael, king of Syria, died and Benhadad his son reigned in his place.  Earthly leaders will always come and go, but our King, Jesus Christ, rules forever.  Verse twenty-five adds, And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.  Jehoash began to recover the cities of Israel that Hazael had taken, and he defeated them three times.  Unless we put limits on God's power by a lack of faith, there is no limit to the times that we can defeat the power of evil in the world.

2 Kings 13:8

2 Kings 13:8 says, Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  As with all the kings of Israel and Judah, we are told that all the acts of Jehoahaz were recorded in the chronicles of the kings.  The reign of the rulers of Israel was never sugar-coated, but both the good and the bad they did was recorded.  As Christians, we do not become perfect people and we should never profess to be.  God will always note both the good and the bad that we do, and the good won't get us into heaven and the bad won't keep us out.  Only our relationship with Jesus Christ will do so.  Verse nine adds, And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.  After Jehoahaz died and was buried with his ancestors, his son Joash began to reign.  One day, we are going to die, unless Jesus Christ returns first, and someone is going to take our place in the world.  Some people may believe that they are irreplaceable, either in their everyday job or their role in the church, but they are not.  Verse ten continues, In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.  Here, we are told that Joash had ruled Judah for thirty-seven years when Jehoahaz's son, here called Jehoash, began to rule in Israel.  Sometimes, the names of the rulers of Israel and Judah were very similar, and often seemed to be used interchangeably, but they were always two different people.  Jehoash ruled Israel for sixteen years.  The name of the people in charge in the church today isn't what is really important.  It is their character, their relationship with God, that is.  Verse eleven states, And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.  Jehoash followed after the ways of Jeroboam and led the people of Israel to sin.  We need ot pray that our leaders today will not lead Christians to sin, especially our religious leaders.  Verse twelve adds, And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  Here, we are told that the rest of the acts of Joash, as he is once again referred to, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings, especially his war against Amaziah, who was now king of Judah.  In these times, we find that God's people were too often at war with each other, and we as the church, should never be at war with each other.  Verse thirteen continues, And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.  We are told that Joash died and was buried, and that Jeroboam replaced him.  Again, the names can sometimes be confusing, since earlier it was stated that Joash followed after the ways of Jeroboam, and here we are told Jeroboam followed after Joash, but this was a different Jeroboam.  Verse fourteen concludes, Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.  Elisha was old and died.  He was not transported straight to heaven as Elijah was.  Unless Jesus Christ returns first, we will all die before we go to heaven.  This was while Joash was still king, and he came and mourned for Elisha.  Matthew Henry says this was more out of fear for the loss of Elisha bringing protection from God than for a real respect for Elisha.  We should never look at the loss of a religious leader today only out of concern for how it may affect us personally but must always look at it from the point of view as to how it will affect the work in God's kingdom.