Jehoram's reign in Judah is introduced (2 Kings 8:16-17 ). Jehoshaphat was responsible for the arranged marriage of Jehoram to wicked king Ahab's daughter. She was a true daughter of Jezebel, and greatly influenced Jehoram's desertion of the Lord, and his active Baal worship (2 Kings 8:18 ). For the sake of David the line of Jehoram was not cut off, but judgment came in the revolt of Edom (2 Kings 8:19-21 ). This wicked king (2 Chronicles 21 ) is a terrible warning of the influence of a bad wife.

"Those that are ill-matched are already half-ruined." Matthew Henry

Ahaziah became king of Judah - his relationships brought to our notice as significant because the Holy Spirit does not refer to him as a son of David. This is borne out by the omission of his name in the Matthew genealogy (Matthew 1:8 ). He followed his father in wickedness, and compromised with the wicked house of Ahab. He was not only related naturally as nephew to the king of Israel, but in idolatry as well, which led to a brief reign and unnatural death.

Jehu the military commander of Israel is anointed king. He was to be God's instrument in fulfilling the prophecies regarding the house of Ahab, and that of Elijah concerning Jezebel. He kills Joram and mortally wounds Ahaziah (2 Kings 9:21-29 ); has Jezebel thrown from an upstairs window (2 Kings 30-33 ). Her body is devoured by dogs, fulfilling 1 Kings 21:23. Wipes out the rest of Ahab's family (2 Kings 10:1-11 ); destroys officials of the Baal cult (2 Kings 10:11-35 ). God at times uses those who do not turn to Him as Lord, to fulfil His prophecies and judgments. Unrepentant ones must not interpret delay to mean judgment will not happen. It is sure because they have God's word on it.

2 Kings 11:1 "When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs."

The daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, Athaliah, who had married Jehoram of Judah, mother of dead king Ahaziah, by murdering her grandchildren, took the throne herself. She overlooks the infant Joash (2 Kings 11:1-3 ). Seven years later, Jehoiada the priest has Joash crowned king of Judah (2 Kings 11:12-16 ). Baal's shrines are smashed - Mattan, Baal's high priest killed (2 Kings 11:17-19 ). The boy king installed in the palace (2 Kings 11:20-21 ). Jehoiada led an unfaithful people in renewal of their covenant with a faithful God (2 Kings 11:17 ).

God keeps His covenant - renewal among the people is a miracle of His grace. Evil looks as though it is permanently established. God's intervention makes that impossible, even today. God's house, the Church, is still the place of deliverance and protection.

2 Kings 12:2 "Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him."

Guidance by Jehoiada, a God-honouring priest kept Jehoash doing what was right in the sight of the Lord (2 Kings 12:2 ). It is good to have the helpful guidance of strong, good leadership - but their instruction should develop the individual to stand firmly on his own for God, dependent on the Lord, not man.

With Jehoiada's help the temple was refurbished (2 Kings 12:1-5 ). Wisdom exercised speeded up the work (2 Kings 12:6-16 ). It is God's way to give honest wages for honest labour. Professional ministry holding on to the money hinders fulfilment of the great commission.

Hazael's invasion (2 Kings 12:17-18 ), meant the loss of the temple treasures. Today the temple is made of the living stones of God's born-again people. No Hazael can take away the Lord's treasure. Let us concentrate on people ministry, not material things, in building the house of the Lord.

Without the guiding hand of Jehoiada, Joash was influenced into idolatry (See 2 Chronicles 24:17-22 ). He commanded the death by stoning, of Zechariah the prophet, son of Jehoiada. He in turn, was assassinated by his servants. How sad that such a good beginning should end so badly (2 Kings 12:19-21 ).

Attention is turned upon the reign of Jehoahaz in Israel (2 Kings 13:1 ).

2 Kings 13:6 "Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the wooden image also remained in Samaria."

The reign of this wicked king is notable for God's compassion to an undeserving people (2 Kings 13:4-5 ). This longsuffering mercy is a cause for wonder even to the writer of 2 Kings. Even this goodness of the Lord did not lead to repentance, so God's incredible patience would in His time, run out.

Now the throne of Israel is filled by Jehoash (2 Kings 13:10 ). His was a wicked reign of sixteen years. Given an opportunity by dying Elisha to demonstrate faith, he failed. Command to strike the ground with arrows that symbolise victory over Edom, he does so only three times (2 Kings 13:14-19 ). He lost victory over Syria that would have been more complete (2 Kings 13:25 )

Elisha died and was buried. When a dead man's body touched his bones, the dead man returned to life, symbolising prophetically how Israel, spiritually dead, and doomed to exile, will one day be raised to life by God's power.

In Judah, Amaziah becomes king. He follows the example set by his father Joash (2 Kings 14:1-22 ). He did not completely do away with idolatry (2 Kings 14:4 ). He avenged his father's murder (2 Kings 14:5-6 ). Enjoys successful victory over the Edomites (2 Kings 14:7 ), which brought pride which birthed an unrealistic ambition to conquer Israel. So he challenged Jehoash king of Israel to battle (2 Kings 14:8 ).

2 Kings 14:10 "You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall you and Judah with you?"

Jehoash tried to deflate the proud bubble with a parable (2 Kings 14:9-10 ). All in vain - Amaziah is defeated, Jerusalem's walls breached, and the temple treasures are taken north (2 Kings 14:11-14 ). Amaziah lived fifteen years after Jehoash of Israel, but ultimately suffered assassination as his father did (2 Kings 14:15-22 ). His son Azariah became king of Judah. Beware of pride. It motivates ambition greater than our ability.

Jeroboam 2 becomes king of Israel. He reigned forty one years and restored Israel much territory and prosperity. The prophets Amos, Hosea and Isaiah give some insight into the remarkable prosperity of those days, which, however, only created social corruption. The king followed fully the evil of the first Jeroboam (2 Kings 14:24 ). Such was the apostasy of those days, the disapproval of Jeroboam 2 is dismissed in seven brief verses. In spite of his achievements in other ways, he stands condemned because of his rejection of the Lord. What a warning! Achievement, prosperity, but without God, no lasting blessing.

In Judah the long reign of Azariah, the Uzziah of 2 Chronicles 26:1 and Isaiah 1:1, brings stability (2 Kings 15:1-7 ). In Israel the death of Jeroboam 2 is followed by a time of internal chaos - pressure comes from an expanding Assyrian empire. Corrupt faith in the north gives no hope or stability - King Zechariah is publicly assassinated by Shallum after reigning six months (2 Kings 15:8-12 ).

2 Kings 15:10 "Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck and killed him in front of the people; and he reigned in his place."

Shallum holds the throne only one month (2 Kings 15:13-16 ). He was killed by Menahem who survived by purchasing the support of the Assyrians (2 Kings 15:17-22 )

Pekahiah succeeds Menahem but two years later is assassinated by Pekah (2 Kings 15:23-26 ). During Pekah's reign the Assyrians take Galilee and deport the Israel population - a foretaste of what will happen to the whole nation (2 Kings 15:27-32 ). Jotham succeeded Uzziah as king of Judah (2 Kings 15:32 ). Pekah of Israel and Rezin of Syria attack Judah (2 Kings 15:37 ).

Ahaz succeeded his father Jotham as king of Judah (2 Kings 16:1 ). He proved to be one of the most wicked of kings (2 Kings 16:2-4 ).

2 Kings 16:3 "But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel."

Syria and Israel come against Judah. Ahaz does not turn to the Lord for help, but sends gifts to Tiglath-Pileser urging him to attack his enemies (2 Kings 16:7-8 ). The king of Assyria crushed Syria (2 Kings 16:9 ). Ahaz, seeing a heathen altar in Damascus commissioned its duplicate to be made for use in Jerusalem (2 Kings 16:10-13 ). He stripped the Lord's house for pagan use (2 Kings 16:14-18 ), all of which describe the evil way in which Ahaz rejected the Lord.

2 Kings 16:10 "Now King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus; and King Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the design of the altar and its pattern, according to all its workmanship."

Those who do not know the Lord put their hope and trust in modern Assyrians and false gods - only to be insecure and unstable. Humanistic and occult worship is an abomination.

Hoshea, the last king of Israel (2 Kings 17:1 ), described as evil, but not as evil as kings who had preceded him. Evil may be great or greater but it ultimately brings God's judgment.

2 Kings 17:2 "And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel who were before him."

Hoshea stopped tribute to Assyria and tried to get help from Egypt (2 Kings 17:3-4 ). Samaria is besieged by Assyria and inevitably taken, then the remaining Israelites are deported (2 Kings 17:5-6 ). Even the long patience of God with a rebellious wayward people, has limits.

Israel was guilty of the very sins for which God expelled the original Canaanites from the land (2 Kings 17:16-17; Deuteronomy 18:9-13 ). The sin of Israel was greater for they had experienced the revelation and power of God (2 Kings 17:7 ), and received the faithful witness of God's prophets (2 Kings 17:13 ). The corruption of the law, introduced by Jeroboam, had been persisted in by Israel up to the time of their captivity (2 Kings 17:19-23 ). The land was resettled with pagans who added YAHWEH to their list of deities to be worshipped (2 Kings 17:24-41 ). They were ancestors of our Lord's day, so hated by the Jews (John 4:9 ).

It is important to know that deviation from God's word to worldly ways and human standards, will be judged by God.

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QUESTIONS FOR GROUP INTERACTION

1. Do you hold that a wife can greatly influence her husband for good or evil? (2 Kings 8:16-24 ).
2. Why do you think Ahaziah is not referred to as a son of David? (2 Kings 8:25-29 ).
3. What does the history recorded in 2 Kings 9:1-10,36 tell you about God's delayed judgment?
4. What character traits of Jezebel do you see in her daughter Athaliah? (2 Kings 11:1-3 ).
5. Why did the priest wait seven years before anointing the hidden royal child as king? (2 Kings 11:16 ). Had the royal guard witnessed enough evil?
6. What principles of strong leadership did Jehoiada the high priest exhibit? (2 Kings 12:1-16 ).
7. Did Jehoash the king of Judah do right in appealing to Hazael the invader? ( 2 Kings 12:17-18 ). What three enemies do christians have, and are you compromising with them?
8. Why did Jehoash who began so well end so badly? (2 Kings 12:19-21; 2 Chronicles 24:17-22 ).
9. Do you find it amazing that the Lord heard Jehoahaz who still practiced the state religion of the golden calves? (2 Kings 13:4 ).
10. Do you believe that the compassion and goodness of the Lord should have brought Jehoahaz to genuine repentance? (2 Kings 13:5-6 ). What is involved in real repentance?
11. What evil did Jehoash continue in that had been set by Jeroboam? (2 Kings 13:10-11 ).
12. What incident illustrates Jehoahaz's lack of faith (2 Kings 13:14-19 ). Does enthusiastic obedience describe your response to the word of the Lord?
13. What message do you see in the dead man's body touching Elisha's bones and returning to life? (2 Kings 13:20-22 ).
14. What weakness in the character of Amaziah king of Judah, brought him disaster? Have you dealt realistically with your own weakness? (2 kings 14:1-22 ).
15. Why is the account of Jeroboam (2) forty one years reign so brief? (2 Kings 14:23-29 ).
16. What is the main lesson of Jeroboam for these days?
17. Why did the long reign of Judah's Azariah (Uzziah ) provide stability (2 Kings 15:1-7 ).
18. What were the consequences of corrupt faith in the northern kingdom? (2 Kings 15:8-32 ). Did assassination among kings reflect the departure from God, of the nation. (2 Kings 15:8-32 ).
19. What kind of wickedness, committed by Ahaz as king of Judah, indicated his rejection of God? (2 Kings 16:7-18 ).
20. In which way was Hoshea's wicked reign different from that of evil kings before him? (2 Kings 17:1-2 ).
21. While not establishing the rites of idolatry, is it still wickedness to allow others to influence and compel the people in such evil practices? (2 Kings 17:2 ).
22. What did the kings of Assyria do to king Hoshea? (2 Kings 17:4 ). Is this the state of those who reject God?
23. What happens to a nation that is carried away by Satan? (2 Kings 17:6 ).
24. What kind of wickedness ultimately brought the downfall of Israel? (2 Kings 17:16-17; Deuteronomy 18:9-13 ).
25. Why was the sin of Israel greater than that of the Canaanites before them? (2 Kings 17:7,13 ).
26. What was the corruption of the law introduced by Jeroboam that Israel persisted in right up to the time of their captivity? (2 Kings 17:19-23 ).
27. What kind of people were put in the land? (2 Kings 17:24-41 ). How did God make sure there was a witness to Him in the land? (2 Kings 17:24-28 ).