Good Kings and Bad
Jehu stopped the worship of Baal. Slew most of Ahab's line. Reigned 28 years before he died. Then a queen said, the kingdom's mine. She wiped out the seed of David, and set herself on the throne. But she did not know, one prince was hid, in the temple. Kept all alone. His name was Joash. And when he was seven the priest anointed him king. This fulfilled the promise that God had made. David's seed, the messiah would bring. He repaired the temple of God. He ruled well until he was dead. Then after him Amaziah his son began to reign in his stead. While Amaziah reigned in Judah, In Israel Jehoahaz ruled. He did evil as did his son after him. Why do people think God can be fooled? All total, 20 kings reigned in Judah. Of them only eight were good. But Israel was worse. They had 19 kings, and none of them did as they should. Israel and Judah had split apart. In Judah David's seed kept the throne. As I said, eight kings obeyed the Lord, and one of them is well known. Hezekiah a king in Judah trusted God more than all of the rest. He obeyed the Lord and God prospered the land. Under him all Judah was blessed. The King of Assyria was conquering nations. He threatened Jerusalem. Hezekiah prayed, God deliver your people. God harkened and listened to him. While Assyria surrounded Jerusalem, God visited them that night. One hundred and eighty five thousand lay dead. Judah didn't even have to fight. The day came when Hezekiah got sick. Isaiah said he would die. Hezekiah prayed, again to the Lord. The God who made earth and sky. Have mercy for I have obeyed you. Let me live he prayed with tears. Then God told Isaiah, go tell Hezekiah, I've added to him fifteen years. The last good king in Judah, Josiah was last but not least. He built up God's temple and read God's word, and observed the Passover feast. But he was indeed the last to obey. Four more in Judah would rule. All four would rebel like Israel's kings. Treating God like He was a fool. But God is not mocked, as Paul later would say. You reap what you sow at the end of the day. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came from the north. He captured God's people and then lead them forth. Into his land for seventy years. As captives they lived. A nation of tears. So always remember when faced with a choice. Obey the Lord God. Listen close to His voice.
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