2 Kings 13:1-13 – Avoid Unhealthy Patterns

Read 2 Kings 13:1-13

piles of healthy fruits and vegetables

Not every passage is going to be uplifting, but God’s word will speak to you. It’s important for us to understand the history of God’s people so we can learn from their mistakes. We may not want to think about all the wars and defeats they endured, but it gives us insight.

When we look at the patterns we’ve seen on our journey through the history books of the Bible, we soon see that no victories were won when Israel’s or Judah’s leaders were not following God. But when these rulers would reach out, even with a single prayer like Jehoahaz did in this reading, God acknowledged them. God loves his people. Any glimmer of obedience was rewarded.

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2 Kings 10:1-17 – Taking God Seriously

Read 2 Kings 10:1-17

hands open and pointing toward lighted cross

Jehu is taking his job very seriously. While I’m not a fan of killing people, I am a fan of following God’s command. Sometimes God calls us to do things we feel unprepared to accomplish. In Jehu’s case, he had been prepared as an army commander. Death is not foreign to him.

Jehu has been very methodical in his elimination of Ahab’s family. Of course, he had to take out the king first to have authority. The queen would be next because of her approval rating with the people. Now it was time for Ahab’s family. I don’t know about you, but I was surprised to learn Ahab had seventy children tucked safely away. Seventy! Let that number sink in a bit.

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2 Kings 8:7-15 – God is in Control

Read 2 Kings 8:7-15

hands holding a glowing heart

I can’t even imagine the anguish Elisha was feeling as he delivered this message to Hazael. Sometimes the truth is painful. The first part of Elisha’s message gave the sick king hope, however short lived it was! As for Hazael, he didn’t waste much time in putting his succession plan in place, did he?

What struck me was how the king of Aram showed his devotion and reverence for Elisha and the LORD. He had seen the LORD at work on several occasions, and his faithfulness and trust is noteworthy! I wonder what Hazael was thinking as he gathered these lavish gifts to show the king’s appreciation to a foreign prophet?

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2 Kings 8:1-6 – Tell Me More!

Read 2 Kings 8:1-6

Dana whispering in David's ear, David has surprised face

What perfect timing! That’s what they say about God’s timing. It’s always perfect. Can you recall a time in your life when something worked out just perfectly at the right moment? Did you give credit to God? I can think of several! Let’s share our stories over in the Facebook group, HERE. Look for the post, “God’s timing is perfect!”

In today’s reading, we see a curious king. He was wanting to learn about the great things Elisha had done. I don’t think it was out of jealousy but of wonder at what this prophet could do. His servant, Gehazi, would have example after example of the mighty things he had seen Elisha do (with God’s help).

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2 Kings 4:1-7 ? How Big is Your Faith?

Read 2 Kings 4:1-7

Empty road with words "Faith tells me that no matter what lies ahead of me, God is already there."

The desperation of a widow, I can only imagine how it feels. Not only is she missing her husband, but she also no longer has his income to pay the bills. We have probably all known someone close to us who has become a widow. While women today tend to be self-sufficient and able to earn an income, we need to remember it wasn’t always that way.

In her grief, she turned to Elisha. It appears her husband had served with Elisha so his death would not have necessarily gone unnoticed. Elisha was quick to give her a solution from God. Elisha must have felt honored to have been used by God to help this widow and her sons.

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