Day #190

Sermon - Audio
2 Kings 15 & 2 Chronicles 26 - Audio
2 Kings 15 & 2 Chronicles 26 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

• 2 Kings 15.1-7: The writer of kings spends a much shorter time dealing with Azariah/Uzziah than we find in 2 Chronicles. Azariah means “He that hears the LORD”; Uzziah means “The LORD is my strength”. Since the focus of the Chronicler is on building a good society and Uzziah presents a picture of this pursuit more emphasis is put on his reign than the writer of Kings who has a different purpose.
• 2 Chronicles 26.1: Amaziah’s reign came to end when he was assassinated. His 16-year-old son, Uzziah is brought to the throne. Like his grandfather, Joash, he will have a wise advisor during part of his reign.
• 26.2: Eloth [Elath] was an important port that opened up trade with Arabia. Solomon was the first to establish this port. Uzziah is trying to rebuild at least part of Solomon’s empire and bring economic prosperity to the kingdom. This and other economic moves make his reign one of the two most prosperous since the time of Solomon..
• 26.5: Uzziah is all about seeking God. The idea of being instructed is more than gaining knowledge. True instruction comes with both knowledge and knowing how to use that knowledge.
• 26.5: The ways of God giving prosperity will be revealed in the coming verses. What surprises many of us is the ways in which God causes this nation to prosper.
• 26.6-7: God’s support for Uzziah shows itself in military victory. For those who think of life with God in terms of spiritual things and in terms of sacred and secular this feels a bit odd. Why would God involve himself in something so “secular” as a war? Why doesn’t he simply keep his people at peace by providing some kind of spiritual barrier? Why does he allow his people go to war and expand their territory rather than simply have them live at peace with all of their neighbors? God’s support in military campaigns shows us that God is a God of the physical world and has a deep concern for it. It also shows us that God will reign not only the hearts of men, but over the kingdoms of men.
• 26.8: The fame of Uzziah spreads, as he is faithful to God. Oddly, the more faithful the kings of Judah are to God, the more their name is lifted up. The more they try to lift up their own names, the more their names are dragged down.
• 26.9: Building projects show the power and prosperity of a king in the Ancient Near East. Uzziah is a man to take seriously.
• 26.10: Uzziah is a man of the soil. He loves to build not only cities but finds joy in the world of agriculture. He is an amazingly smart man with wide interests.
• 26.14: This verse reveals the wealth of Uzziah’s kingdom. Soldiers were normally expected to provide their own equipment. Only the wealthiest of kingdoms provided equipment.
• 26.15: The creativity that is alive and well during his reign is reflected in these verses. Again, that this creativity focuses on military inventions may be disturbing to those who think in terms of God dealing only with “spiritual” things.
• 26.15: “Marvelously helped” (“greatly helped” NIV) The Hebrew word here means to cause wonderful things to happen. The word typically refers to God who brings about things that are beyond human capabilities and so bring praise to him. When we are told that Uzziah is “marvelously helped” it is a clue that God is behind all that has happened and what has happened goes far beyond what Uzziah and Judah could have ever accomplished without him. It is to be a moment of awe.
• 26.16: Uzziah missed out that he has been “marvelously helped” and becomes proud. He attempts to raise himself up over others and become a king like the other kings around him, namely, one who controls both the throne and the cult.
• 26.17: We are told that there are those who have the courage to challenge the king when he is wrong.
• 26.19: As God walked with Uzziah when he did what was right, now God punishes him for his stubborn pride.
• 26.21: This verse indicates that Uzziah has lost his place, he no longer rules.
• 26.23: Because of his leprosy, Uzziah is buried in a field that belonged to the kings, but not in the tomb of the kings.

2 Kings 15.8-16

The state of the Northern kingdom begins to deteriorate rapidly. Zechariah lasts only one year on the throne and is assassinated. His murderer, Shallum lasts one month. Shallum is killed by Mehahem who shows himself to be harsh and vindictive.

2 Kings 15.17-26

Menahem reigns for 10 years, his son for 2 years before he is assassinated. Menahem and his son both serve as vassels to Assyria.

2 Kings 15.27-31

More assassination. Pekah dies at the hand of Hoshea. Israel is crumbling as a large part of its northern territory is overrun and it’s people deported. We can only imagine the pain and horror of all of these assassinations and military defeat.

2 Kings 15.32-38

We get a brief reprieve as we look back to Judah. Jotham whose name means “the perfection of the LORD” follows in the best tradition of his father, Uzziah. It is worth remember that high places were not necessarily places where offerings were offered to Baal, but where unauthorized offerings were offered to Yahweh.