2 Kings - Chapter 15

The host, Julie Callio, discusses the decline of Israel's leadership in 2 Kings chapter 15. She mentions King Uzziah, who reigned for 52 years but was afflicted with leprosy. She also talks about the succession of kings in Israel, including Zechariah, Shalom, Minahem, and Pekah. Assyria's power and influence are highlighted, as well as the prophets Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah, and Isaiah who warned of impending judgment. Julie emphasizes the importance of repentance and hope in the face of judgment. She encourages listeners to trust in the Lord and not harden their hearts. I am Julie Callio, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at theab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are coming back to 2 Kings and we will look at chapter 15. Now chapter 14 ended with Jeroboam II as king of Israel and he reigned for about 40 years. Amaziah was king of Judah but he was killed and verse 21 says then all the people of Judah took Azariah who was 16 years old and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. We learn in chapter 15 verse 1 in the 27th year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. Amaziah is also known as Uzziah. Chapter 14 ends with Jeroboam II's death and his son Zechariah succeeded him as king. We then pause at the end of chapter 14 of 2 Kings to cover the Neo Assyrian prophets. What that means is the classical prophets, sometimes they are called canonical prophets because these are books that are written and are canonized in our Bible. And these prophets spoke during this time frame of the 700s BC when Assyria was rising in power. This was also the time before the northern kingdom was wiped out by Assyria. The first minor prophet we read was Jonah who is mentioned in 2 Kings chapter 14 verse 25. The book of Jonah was about God calling him to Nineveh a major city of Assyria who was not yet a world power but was soon to be. Jonah did not want to preach repentance to that pagan city so he ran the other way. We all know the story of how he was swallowed by the fish and it took him three whole days to finally be willing to obey the Lord so he half-heartedly repented and said he would do it. The fish swallowed him up and off he went to Nineveh. He preached destruction was coming and the people repented and this made Jonah mad instead of glad. Then we have the story of how he waited to see if the Lord really would destroy Nineveh and the Lord brought a plant to shade Jonah. Then he brought a worm to come and eat the plant and Jonah again was angry with God. The Lord asked Jonah twice do you have any right to be angry? The story ends without an answer but it ends with the Lord's compassion. The last chapter verses 10 and 11 say but the Lord said you have been concerned about this vine though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight but Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city? Jonah preached as the time of Israel was growing and a part of that growth had to do with Assyria was attacking Syria which made Syria no longer attack Israel. The next minor prophet was Amos who spoke during the time of Israel's golden age but their wealth also brought greed and they were living in self-indulgence. This brought his preaching on social justice and chapter 5 verse 24 says but let justice roll on like a river righteousness like a never failing stream. He predicted judgment that would come upon Israel because of their sin. Hosea prophesied during the decline of Israel. The Lord commanded Hosea to marry a harlot and they had children and then she was unfaithful again and he went back and bought her back and his life experience showed Israel of their unfaithfulness to the Lord but it also showed the Lord steadfast has said love for his people. In chapter 14 verse 3 he declared that it would be Assyria who would demolish Israel but with each prophet the Lord also gave a word of hope that he will always have a remnant and he will bring his people back to their land. Micah saw a vision of the Lord about the fall of Samaria and the future fall of Jerusalem. He says that Assyria will wipe out Israel and take the people into exile chapter 1 verse 16 and when they come against Jerusalem the Lord will deliver them from the Assyrians chapter 5 verse 7 but he also says that Babylon will be the one who takes them into exile chapter 4 verse 10. They will go there because of their sin but also in verse 10b it says you will go to Babylon there you will be rescued there the Lord will redeem you out of the hand of your enemies. Even in exile the Lord is watching over his children. The key verse of Micah is chapter 6 verse 8. He has shown you old man what is good and what the Lord requires of you to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Now in chapter 15 we see the continued decline of Israel and their leadership and we find that Assyria is coming. Verses 1 through 6 focus on King Uzziah also known as Azariah. He was 16 when he became king and he reigned for 52 years. Basically he was a good king that followed the Lord but as we know none of them were perfect including King David. Verse 5 tells us the Lord afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died and he lived in a separate house. Jotham the king's son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land. We get more information as to why in 2nd Chronicles chapter 26 and it was because he became prideful at his successes and tried to take on the role of priest and burn incense in the temple of the Lord and when the priest confronted him he got angry at the priest while in the temple and the Lord struck him with leprosy immediately. Needless to say he ran out of there quickly before anything else happened. During Uzziah's 38th year as king of Judah Zechariah son of Jeroboam the second became king and this continues the downward spiral of Israel. He reigned for only six months but verse 12 reminds us that the Lord had promised King Jehu that he would have a descendant upon the throne of Israel to the fourth generation and that was Zechariah. Even in the midst of the turmoil the Lord's word is faithful. Zechariah did evil in the eyes of the Lord and he was attacked by Shalom who succeeded him as king. Just a reminder the kings of Israel did not follow after King David's line. They also did not ask the Lord who should be king. The one who was the strongest with the most support took over. Shalom reigned for one month. It was so short that there was no notice that he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Minahem attacked him assassinated him and succeeded him as king. We know Minahem was evil because any city that would not open their doors to him he attacked and purposefully ripped open all the pregnant women of the town. During Minahem's reign of 10 years while Uzziah was still king of Judah verse 18 tells us yes he did do evil in the eyes of the Lord. Then starting with verse 19 we see Assyria coming in power. Verses 19 and 20 say then pull king of Assyria invaded the land and Minahem gave him a thousand talents of silver to grant his support and strengthen his own hold on the kingdom. Minahem exacted this money from Israel. Every wealthy man had to contribute 50 shekels of silver to be given to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria withdrew and stayed in the land no longer. My commentators explained that the actual name of the king of Assyria was Tiglath-Pilesar III but the name pull was a Babylonian throne name because he had overtaken Babylon and sat on his throne. When Minahem died his son Pickahiah succeeded him and this was during the 50th year of Uzziah's reign in Judah. Pickahiah reigned for two years and verse 24 tells us he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. One of his chief officers Pickah took 50 of his men and assassinated the king and others. It was now Uzziah's 52nd and final year as king of Judah and verse 32 tells us in Pickah's second year Jotham Uzziah's son began to reign. Pickah also did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Verse 28 during Pickah's reign Tiglath-Pilesar king of Assyria took land from Israel and he deported the people of Israel to Assyria. Verse 29 Hosea then attacked and assassinated Pickah and he took the throne. Starting with verse 32 the focus goes back to Judah and Jotham Uzziah's son was king. He was 25 years old when he officially became king and he reigned for 16 years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord but not completely. Verse 34 verse 35 does tell us he rebuilt the upper gate of the temple of the Lord. Then verse 37 gives us a side note. In those days the Lord began to send Rezan king of Aram and Pickah son of Ramalia against Judah. Then chapter 15 ends with Jotham died and Ahaz his son succeeded him as king. This sets the stage for the prophet of Isaiah tomorrow. Ladies one thing I'm reminded of in this story is that even though the nation of Israel was spiraling downward the Lord knew what was coming and he kept his word. He had given them Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah and Isaiah to proclaim what was going to happen but they still did not listen and they would not repent. So judgment is coming. Yet because we have read those prophets we know that wherever there is judgment there is also a word of restoration a word of hope. I like what Micah said in chapter 7 verse 7 but as for me I watch in hope for the Lord. I wait for God my savior my God will hear me. Ladies no matter what happens in our world or in our next election here in the United States the Lord sits on his throne and he watches over his children and we can watch in hope and wait for God and God will hear his children. If you have heard his voice today please don't harden your heart against him. Let us not do evil in the eyes of the Lord like all of the kings of Israel. Instead let's humble ourselves before him hear what he says and obey like his prophets. Until next time and thanks so very much for listening.