Bible Studies
Problems In Judah (2 Kings 15:1-7)
Series: Studies in Second KingsIntroduction:
1. Isaiah mentions that he prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (1:1). 2. It was during the reign of king Ahaz, that the Assyrians had taken the northern kingdom captive. 3. The northern kingdom had been rebellious against the Lord. He had tried through various means to bring them to repentance. He had sent them prophets. He hadraised up oppressors followed by deliverers. He had sent oppressors without deliverers. Still they refused to repent but continued to practice idolatry. The Lord described them as “stiff-necked, rejecting the covenant that God had made with their fathers” (2 Kings 17:14). 4. Would the southern kingdom be different? Would they distinguish themselves as loyal to the Lord or would they too turn from Him? 5. In this study we will primarily consider the reigns of Uzziah (Azariah) and Jotham, a father and son team who reigned over Judah for 68 years.Discussion:
I. The writers of 2 Kings and 2 Chron. give us glimpses of problems in Judah.A. They describe the kings of Israel as “doing evil in the sight of the Lord.” They say that “They did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam.” In other words they continued the practices associated with the idols of Dan and Bethel.
B. The writers describe Uzziah (Azariah) as “doing right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done” (2 Kings 15:3).
C. Of Jotham they said, “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord; he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done” (2 Kings 15:34).
D. Thus of three generations they described the kings of Judah as “doing right in the sight of the Lord.”
E. BUT there is a caveat in each of the descriptions.
1. Of Amaziah it is said, “He did right, yet not like David his father” (2 Kings 14:3).
2. “The high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” (of Amaziah in 14:4; of Uzziah in 15:4 and of Jotham in 15:35).
3. As we have observed before, they may have associated this worship with worshiping the Lord, but these places were formerly associated with the idolatry of the Canaanites. Hezekiah later tore down these high places identifying the altar in Jerusalem as the place of worship (2 Chron. 31:1-2; 2 Kings 18:22).
4. 2 Chron. 25:2 says of Amaziah, “He did right in the sight of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.”
a. On one occasion God gave Amaziah a military victory over the Edomites.
b. But Amaziah brought the gods of the Edomites and set them up as his gods, bowed before them and burned incense to them (2 Chron. 25:14ff).
c. God sent him a prophet, “Why have you sought the gods of the people who have not delivered their own people from your hand?”
d. Amaziah’s response, “Who appointed you as royal counselor?” He was killed in Lachish.
II. The summary account of Uzziah’s reign in 2 Chron. 26:4-5 enlarges on the 2 Kings account.A. “He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him” (26:4-5). Two things are striking in this description.
1. Amaziah sought the Lord influenced by Zechariah.
a. Not the Zechariah numbered among the Minor Prophets.
b. C. L. Feinberg, Z.P.E.B., identifies 31 different Zechariah’s in Scripture. The one mentioned here is 11th in his list.
c. Nothing is known about him except that “he had understanding through the vision of God.”
d. Remember that Isaiah also prophesied during this period (2 Chron. 26:22; Isa. 1:1).
2. God prospered him.
a. He was successful in war (2 Chron. 26:7).
b. Successful in building (v. 9ff).
c. Successful farmer (v. 10ff).
d. Built up an army and equipped them (v. 11ff).
e. “His fame spread afar, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong” (v. 15).
B. When God blessed his father, Amaziah; Amaziah had brought back the idols of Edom and worshiped them. Now that Uzziah is blessed what will he do? 2 Chron. 26:16ff tells us.
1. Lifted up with pride he attempted to usurp the position of priest.
2. He was stricken with leprosy.
3. He was separated from the peopleand ruled through his son Jotham.
III. The description of Jotham’s reign is limited to one paragraph in both 2 Kings (15:32-38) and 2 Chronicles (27:1-9).A. “He built the upper gate of the house of the Lord.” He built the wall of Ophel and cities in the hill country of Judah and defenses in the wooded hills.
B. Fought the Ammonites and became mighty.
C. Because he ordered his ways before the Lord (2 Chron. 27:6).
D. He did what was right before the Lord, but the high places were not taken away. He did not enter the temple of the Lord, like Uzziah had done (2 Chron. 27:2). “But the people continued to act corruptly” (2 Chron. 27:2) probably a reference to the environment perpetuated by Ahaz, who had “walked in the ways of the kings of Israel,” promoted Baal worship, burned incense in the valley of Benhinnom, burned his sons in the fire and sacrificed and burned incense on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree (2 Chron. 28:2-4).
E. Conditions were not good in Judah.
1. Religiously they were compromised.
2. Militarily old enemies continued to be thorns in their sides: the Edomites, the Philistines, the Arameans, the Assyrians, even Israel. There were victories, but distresses.
IV. What is the “take away” from this?A. When they sought the Lord there was blessing.
1. The impression is that God acknowledged whatever attempt they made, even if it was marred by offerings on the high places, even if it involved seeking Him “yet not with a whole heart.”
2. God sent them prophets to question their idolatry. He sent Zachariah (and Isaiah). He gave them into the hands of their enemies and then gave them victory over them.
3. All of this is a reflection of the graciousness of God.
B. We need to acknowledge whatever right is done and whatever wrong is done. We need to recognize that some wrong is worse that other wrong, but not excuse “lesser” wrongs.
1. They were supposed to worship in Jerusalem.
2. They added worship at the high places. Were they worshiping God? Perhaps. Sometimes. Perhaps not.
3. They might have reasoned, “But God did not say not to worship on the high places.”
4. But He had only authorized worship at the altar in the temple.
5. Did God openly confront this? Perhaps not like He confronted Ahaz when he brought in the idols of the Edomites and sent Zacheriah, but it was still wrong. Hezekiah removed the high places.
6. There are many religious people that do good things. I acknowledge that and I appreciate the good things that they do. They are not far off. But I should not ignore their sin. God disciplines us to bring us into conformity to His will.
C. What does the Lord want?
1. He wants us to seek Him. He wants our whole heart.
2. He wants our submission to the voice of His prophets.
3. He does not want us to be lifted up in pride.
4. He does not want us to question, “Who made you my royal counselor?”
5. God humbles those who exalt themselves and exalts those who humble themselves.
Conclusion:
1. Have you given your whole heart to the Lord? 2. Submitted to the voice of the prophets? 3. Risen up in pride to do your own thing? 4. Would you humble yourself under the mighty hand of God?
