Our succession of kings continues. Let’s read 2 Kings 13:1-11, 2 Kings 12:17-21, 2 Chronicles 24:23-27, and 2 Kings 13:14-25. We’re either learning what to do or we are learning what not to do…. What’s your take-a-way today?
So, after Jehu comes his son Jehohaz. Things don’t get much better, unfortunately. It seems as if he is off to a good start:
“then Jehohaz prayed for a softening of God’s anger, and God listened” (2 Kings 13:4 MSG)
Talk about patient and longsuffering – after all this, God still offers then a chance to return:
“God realized how wretched Israel had become under the brutalities of the king of Aram. So God provided a savior for Israel who brought them out from under Aram’s oppression. The children of Israel were again able to live at peace in their own homes. But it didn’t make any difference: They didn’t change their lives, didn’t turn away from the Jeroboam-sins that now characterized Israel, including the sex-and-religion shrines of Asherah still flourishing in Samaria” (2 Kings 13:5-6 MSG)
And again,
“But God was gracious and showed mercy to them. He stuck with them out of respect for His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He never gave up on them, even even considered discarding them, even to this day” (2 Kings 13:23 MSG)
Even to this day. God is gracious still – He never gives up on us!