This chapter parallels 2 Ki 19 detailing Assyria’s siege upon Jerusalem, their mocking of God, and God’s deliverance of Judah. “Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed… and cried to heaven. And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of…
Author: Conqueror in Training
2 Kings 19
This dense and varied chapter contains several important events, too many to cover in detail. As Judah is threatened by Assyria, Hezekiah and his higher-ups humble themselves, seeking Isaiah and God for help. Isaiah prophesies and speaks God’s responses to Hezekiah’s prayers / inquiries. “…Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord… and [prayed]:…
2 Kings 18
This chapter parallels some of what we read in 2 Chr. Hezekiah becomes king of Judah, Israel is besieged and captured by Assyria, then Assyria besieges Judah a few years later. ” ‘Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! Thus says the king: “…Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in…
2 Chronicles 31
In this chapter King Hezekiah organizes the priests, offerings and tithes. “And the people of Israel and Judah… brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the dedicated things… and laid them in heaps. When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord and his people…
A Prayer for Consistency and Faithfulness
Today I offer a prayer for faithfulness and consistency. It’s easy to have seasons where we spend more or less time with God based on our busyness – I’d like to encourage all of us to remain as consistent as possible with God. We can know from scripture and experience that He blesses those who…
2 Chronicles 30
This chapter describes the steps King Hezekiah takes to reinstate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. “For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves. Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean… For a majority of the people… had not cleansed themselves, yet…
2 Chronicles 29
This chapter tells of King Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, reversing the harm his father had done. He restores and cleanses the temple, bringing back the practices of of sacrifice and worship to God. “And [Hezekiah] stationed the Levites in the house of the Lord with…
2 Kings 17
This chapter tells how Hoshea, King of Israel, continues the pattern of sin. God allows Assyria to take the entire nation captive, exile them from Israel, and resettle Samaria with pagan people. “And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the…
2 Kings 16
In this chapter we learn a little more of Ahaz, the current king of Judah who performed many evils in the sight of the Lord. One of his worst acts is desecrating the holy things of the temple, and giving new commandments to the priests. “And Uriah the priest built the altar; in accordance with…
2 Chronicles 28
This chapter details the reign of Jotham’s son Ahaz, who led Judah to sin greatly. “In the time of [Ahaz’s] distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord… For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, ‘Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will…