A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 24

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 24. Here in 2 Kings 24 we see that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invades Judah, making Jehoiakim his vassal for three years. Jehoiakim rebels. “2 The Lord sent Babylonian, Aramean, Moabite and Ammonite raiders against him to destroy Judah, in accordance with the word of the Lord proclaimed by his servants the prophets.” This was punishment for the sins of Manasseh, esp. the shedding of innocent blood “and the Lord was not willing to forgive” (v. 4).

Jehoiachin succeeds Jehoiakim. The king of Babylon had defeated the king of Egypt. Jehoiachin, age 18, reigns in Jerusalem three months and did evil in God’s eyes as his father had done (v. 9).

Jerusalem is laid siege to it under Nebuchadnezzar w/ Nebuchadnezzar himself coming up to the city; Jehoiachin and all surrender to Nebuchadnezzar (v. 12). 13 As the Lord had declared, Nebuchadnezzar removed the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and cut up the gold articles that Solomon king of Israel had made for the temple of the Lord. 14 He carried all Jerusalem into exile: all the officers and fighting men, and all the skilled workers and artisans—a total of ten thousand. Only the poorest people of the land were left. 15 Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin captive to Babylon. He also took from Jerusalem to Babylon the king’s mother, his wives, his officials and the prominent people of the land. 16 The king of Babylon also deported to Babylon the entire force of seven thousand fighting men, strong and fit for war, and a thousand skilled workers and artisans. 17 He made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place and changed his name to Zedekiah.

Zedekiah, age 21, reigned in Jerusalem 11 years, doing evil in the Lord’s eyes. 20 It was because of the Lord’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence. (v. 20).

Zedekiah rebels against the king of Babylon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 23

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 23. In 2 Kings 23 we about the king of Judah, Josiah, reading the Book of the Covenant to the people and renewing the covenant in the presence of the Lord (v. 3). The people pledge themselves to the covenant.

Josiah has all the idolatrous articles removed — and burned — from the temple. (v. 7). TIM KELLER’S COUNTERFEIT GODS.

He desecrated Topheth where child sacrifices were made and burned the chariots dedicated to the sun (vv. 10-11). He smashes and cuts down all the idolatrous items of Manasseh and Solomon king of Israel (!), throwing the rubble in the Kidron Valley, covering the sites with human bones (vv. 12-14).

He demolished the high place made by Jeroboam; ground it to powder, burned the Asherah pole. He burned human bones on the altar to defile it (v. 16).

He doesn’t touch the tomb of the man of God (who is that prophet?). (v. 18). He slaughters the priests of the high places, then went back to Jerusalem (v. 20). He ordered the celebration of the Passover which had not been celebrated in the days of the judges or the days of the kings (vv. 21-23). We read: 25 Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

But the Lord’s anger did not cease ‘coz of what Manasseh had done. The Lord promises to remove Judah as He had Israel from His presence and will reject Jerusalem (v. 27). King Josiah is killed in a battle with the Egyptians and the Assyrians.

Jehoahaz is made king. Reigns only 3 months; did evil in the Lord’s eyes. The Pharaoh put him in chains, imposed a levy on Judah. Eliakim is made king; named changed to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz dies in Egypt. Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh what he demanded, reigned 11 years, and did evil in the Lord’s eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 22

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 22. Here in 2 Kings 22 we read of Josiah becoming king at age 8 and reigning for 31 years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.

Josiah in his 18th year sent Shaphan to the Lord’s temple to get Hilkiah the high priest to give money to the repairers of the temple (v. 6). 7 But they need not account for the money entrusted to them, because they are honest in their dealings.”

Hilkiah tells Shaphan he has found the Book of the Law in the temple. Shaphan tells Josiah that Hilkiah has given me a book which Shaphan read from it in the king’s presence (v. 10).

Josiah tears his robes when he hears the Book of the Law. He orders Hilkiah and others to inquire about what is written in the book. He says, “Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”

They go to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum, who speaks of the coming disaster because Judah has committed idolatry (v. 17). Furthermore she says, 19 Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people—that they would become a curse[b] and be laid waste—and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I also have heard you, declares the Lord. 20 Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.’”

They then take their answer back to the king.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 21

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 21. Here in chapter 21 of 2 Kings we read about Manasseh becoming king at age 12! He did evil in God’s eyes, following the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. (v. 2).

He rebuilt the idolatry his father Hezekiah had destroyed; erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole as Ahab had done and bowed down to all the starry host & worshiped them, building altars in the temple to the starry hosts and sacrificed his son in the fire, consulted mediums, did much evil in God’s eyes arousing his anger.

Manasseh led the people away; they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites (v. 9).

Through his servants the prophets Manasseh is rebuked, having done more evil than the Amorites. God promises disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of all who hear of it will tingle. “I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish” (v. 13).

“I will forsake the remnant of my inheritance and turn them over to their enemies; 15 they have done evil in my eyes and have aroused my anger from the day their ancestors came out of Egypt until this day.”

Manasseh also shed much innocent blood, died, and was succeeded by Amon his son as king.

Amon did evil in God’s eyes; worshiped idols; forsook the Lord; did not walk in obedience to Him (v. 22). Got assassinated. Josiah was made king.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 19

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 19. Here in 2 Kings 19 we read that King Hezekiah was greatly troubled by what he heard. He sent a group (wearing sackcloth) to Isaiah. They said to the prophet, “This day is a day of rebuke and disgrace, like the birth of a child and there’s no strength to deliver him (v. 3). It may be that the Lord will hear the ridicule of the living God by the king of Assyria and rebuke him. Pray for the remnant that still survives.” (v. 4).

Isaiah’s response: “Don’t be afraid of the blasphemous words of the king of Assyria. When he hears a certain report, he’ll want to return to his own country & I’ll have him cut down with the sword.” (v. 7).

Sennacherib has messengers say to Hezekiah to not let the god they depend on deceive you that Jerusalem will survive Assyria’s attack. Other gods couldn’t save the other nations. Where are those kings now? (v. 13).

Hezekiah reads that letters, spreads it out before the Lord in the temple, and prays a mighty prayer, asking the Lord to deliver His people (v. 19).

Isaiah tells Hezekiah the Lord has heard his prayer. The Lord’s word, says Isaiah, challenges Sennacherib’s ridicule and blasphemy. It was the Lord’s ordained plan that Assyria has turned fortified cities into piles of stone. Assyria’s insolence will lead to a hook in the nose and a bit in the mouth. (v. 28).

Isaiah speaks of the sign to be given to Hezekiah — a remnant of the kingdom of Judah will survive — The Lord’s zeal will accomplish this. And the king of Assyria will not enter this city; the Lord will defend this city for the sake of David my servant. (v. 34).

That night the angel of the Lord put to death 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons killed him with the sword. Esarhaddon his don succeeded him (v. 37).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 18

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 18. Here in 2 Kings 18 we’re told of Hezekiah beginning to reign in Judah. He did what was right in the Lord’s eyes, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places (did other kings, ever?), cut down the Asherah poles, broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made (remember Num. 16?). It had become an idol (Nehushtan) (v. 4). He trusted in the Lord; no one like him before or after; held fast to the Lord; the Lord was with him; rebelled against Assyria and did not serve him; defeated the Philistines (v. 8).

But Shamnaneser king of Assyria took Samaria, deported the people to Assyria. And we are told why: 12 This happened because they had not obeyed the Lord their God, but had violated his covenant—all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. They neither listened to the commands nor carried them out.

In year 14 of Hezekiah’s reign, Sennacherib of Assyria captured the fortified cities of Judah. Hezekiah gives him the treasures in the temple & the royal palace (v. 16).

Assyria’s king sends his field commander and others to meet with Hezekiah to threaten him. On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 20 You say you have the counsel and the might for war—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me? 21 Look, I know you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces the hand of anyone who leans on it! Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who depend on him. 22 But if you say to me, “We are depending on the Lord our God”—isn’t he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, “You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem”?

The field commander wants to bargain with Hezekiah and even says, “25 Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this place without word from the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.’”

The representatives of Hezekiah ask that they would speak to them in Aramaic, not in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall. (v. 226). The commander replies: “Was it only to your master and you that my master sent me to say these things, and not to the people sitting on the wall—who, like you, will have to eat their own excrement and drink their own urine?”

The commander calls out in Hebrew: “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29 This is what the king says: Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand. 30 Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the Lord when he says, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.’ 31 “Do not listen to Hezekiah. This is what the king of Assyria says: Make peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat fruit from your own vine and fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, 32 until I come and take you to a land like your own—a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees and honey. Choose life and not death! “Do not listen to Hezekiah, for he is misleading you when he says, ‘The Lord will deliver us.’ 33 Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34 Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivvah? Have they rescued Samaria from my hand? 35 Who of all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me? How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”

The people are silent at the command of Hezekiah. Judah’s group goes to report to Hezekiah w/ their clothes torn (v. 37).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 11

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 11. Here in this chapter we read of Joash being hidden from Athaliah for six years! Jehoiada the priest arranges protection for Joash. Joash is presented as king with a copy of the covenant.

Athaliah tears her robes and called out “Treason!” They don’t kill her in the temple.

Jehoiada makes a covenant between the people and the Lord that they would be the Lord’s people. The Baal temple is torn down. Mattan the priest of Baal is put to death.

Joash is brought into the palace and he takes his place on the royal throne. The land rejoices, the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace. Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 10

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 10. Here in chapter 10 we read of the slaughter of the seventy sons of Ahab. The heads are brought to Jehu, put in two piles at the entrance of the city gate. Jehu says to the people that the Lord has done what he said he would through his servant Elijah (v. 10).

Jehu has 42 relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah slaughtered (v. 14). He meets Jehonadab who joins him: “Come with me and see my zeal for the Lord” (v. 16).

In Samaria Jehu kills all who remained of Ahab’s family “acc. to the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah” (v. 17). So these slaughters were in God’s will! (30 The Lord said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”)

Jehu deceptively cuts down the servants of Baal, demolishing the sacred stone of Baal and people use the Baal temple today as a latrine! (vv. 18-27).

Although Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, he allowed the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan (vv. 28-29).

The Lord commends Jehu, but Jehu wasn’t careful to keep the law of the Lord (v. 31).

The Lord begins to reduce the size of Israel (v. 32). Jehu died after reigning over Israel 28 years.

 

 

A Sermon Series on the Book of 2 Kings- Ch. 9

Friends: I will be doing a series of three sermons on the book of 2 Kings in April for my friends at Cedarcroft Bible Chapel in South Plainfield, NJ. So I want to go chapter by chapter through this Old Testament book. With you! I’ll put the chapter in the post and give a few comments of my own under the text.  Comments always welcome! Let’s dive in!

My notes:

Here we are in 2 Kings 9. Here in chapter 9, we begin with Elisha having one of the company of the prophets go to Ramoth Gilead and anoint Jehu as king over Israel (privately; open the door and run!).

The man obeys, tells Jehu to destroy the house of Ahab, avenge the blood shed by Jezebel (dogs will devour her). Jehu’s fellow officers ask, “Why did this maniac come to you?” (v. 11). Jehu reports he has been anointed king over Israel; the officers declare Jehu as king.

Jehu kills Joram and Ahaziah, after two horsemen are forced to join Jehu’s troops. Joram meets up with Jehu and asks if he comes in peace. “How can there be peace as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?” (v. 22). Jehu shoots Joram; has him thrown on the field belonging to Naboth (where have we heard of Naboth before?) according to the prophecy. Ahaziah (king of Judah) is also killed. Jezebel puts on makeup, looks out a window, thrown down by a couple of eunuchs. Jehu went in and ate and drank (v. 34). Told servants to bury Jezebel for she was a king’s daughter. Only found her skull, feet, and hands, a fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy. Her body became like dung on the ground so that no one could say “this is Jezebel.”

 

Getting to Know . . . I Samuel (chapter 12)

In I Samuel 12, we have Samuel describing his readiness to die. He has helped Israel find a human king, and now he wants to know if he has been honest in his dealings with God’s people (vv. 1-3). The people respond that Samuel has been honest in his life with them (v. 4).

Samuel gives a history lesson, reviewing the “evidence” of “all the righteous acts performed by the Lord for you and your ancestors” (v. 7). He reviews the stories of Jacob entering Egypt, the sending of Moses and Aaron, the deliverance out of Egypt, and the settling in the land of Canaan (v. 8).

But Israel forgot the Lord who then turned them over to the Philistines and the Moabites (v. 9). God answered their cry for rescue by sending Jerub-Baal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, granting His people safety (v. 11).

But then Israel demanded a human king. Samuel then warns the people to obey the Lord or “his hand will be against you” (v. 15).

Samuel then tells them to stand still and see a great thing that the Lord will do before their eyes. Samuel calls on the Lord who sends thunder and rain, showing that their demand for a king was “an evil thing” (vv. 16-18). Thunder and rain come and the people ask Samuel to intercede for them so that they will not die! And they say, “for we have added to all our others sins the evil of asking for a king” (v. 19).

Samuel agrees with them, but challenges them not to turn away from the Lord to idols, but to serve the Lord with all their hearts (v. 20). Idols will do them no good, cannot rescue them, “because they are useless” (v. 21). He then says, “For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.” (v. 22).

Samuel then says, “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.” (v. 23). He then issues a warning: “But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25 Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will perish.”

Some takeaways from this chapter:

(1) It is critical that spiritual leaders lead lives of integrity! (vv. 1-5).

(2) It is beneficial to do a history review of all the Lord’s “righteous acts” which He has done in our lives! (vv. 6-7)

(3) God is certainly capable of punishing His people when they forget Him (vv. 9-11).

(4) We need to warn ourselves and others not to turn away from the Lord to idols. Idols can’t rescue us (as God can) and they are useless! (vv. 20-21).

(5) God was pleased to make Israel His own people (v. 22).

(6) I sin against the Lord when I fail to pray for the ones God wants me to pray for (v. 23).

(7) We need to hear and to heed warnings about not serving the Lord faithfully with all our hearts (vv. 24-25).