The
Book of Second kings
Chapter 15b
[8] In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of
Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six
months.
[9] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had
done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin.
[10] And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before
the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
[11] And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
[12] This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons
shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to
pass.
1)
The Corruption of Israel
Uzziah was king
of Judah 52 yrs. He was a good king that at the end rebelled against God and he
died a leper
Each of the following 5 kings of Israel contributed to the nations descent into darkness by their evil & idolatry
He became King of Israel in Uzziah King of Judah’s 38th yr
He reigned 6 months, worshipping idols and influencing others to do so
He was murdered by Shallum
He was the last of 4 generations of King Jehu (2K 10:30) Dynasty begun w/ potential ended in darkness
[13] Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of
Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.
[14] For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and
smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his
stead.
[15] And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made,
behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
He became King of Israel in Uzziah King of Judah’s 39th yr
He reigned 1 month, and was assassinated by Menahem
[16] Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts
thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and
all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
[17] In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the
son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.
[18] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not
all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to
sin.
[19] And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a
thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the
kingdom in his hand.
[20] And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of
wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So
the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.
[21] And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
[22] And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his
stead.
He became King of Israel in Uzziah King of Judah’s 39th yr
He reigned 10 yrs, worshipping idols.
He warred against his own peoples and killed many (especially women w/ child ripped open)
The King of Assyria came to attack the land and Menahem pd 1000 talents of silver for them to leave
Menahem died and his son reigned in his stead
[23] In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem
began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.
[24] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not
from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
[25] But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him,
and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and
Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned
in his room.
[26] And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they
are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
He became King of Israel in Uzziah King of Judah’s 50th yr
He reigned 2 yrs, worshipping idols
He was assassinated by Pekah, his trusted captain and personal bodyguard
[27] In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of
Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.
[28] And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not
from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
[29] In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria,
and took Ijon, and Abel-beth-maachah, and Jonoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and
Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to
Assyria.
[30] And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of
Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the
twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
[31] And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
He became King of Israel in Uzziah King of Judah’s 52nd yr
He reigned 20yrs, worshipping idols
Tiglathpileser, King Of Assyria attacked and Israel would not pay tribute
The King of Assyria took the best lands and carried away Israel captive (1 Chr 5:25-26)
Pekah, The King of
Israel was assassinated by Hoshea
[32] In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began
Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
[33] Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of
Zadok.
[34] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according
to all that his father Uzziah had done.
2)
The Contrast of Judah
King Uzziah of Judah saw Jeroboam and 5 other kings serve as King of Israel before his death and his son Jotham reigned
He became King of Judah at age 25. He reigned 16 yrs and was a good king
His duty was to serve the Lord and lead the nation of Judah
2 Chr 27:1 Jotham was twenty
and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in
Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.
[2] And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all
that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD.
And the people did yet corruptly.
[3] He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall of Ophel he
built much.
[4] Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the forests he
built castles and towers.
[5] He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed against them.
And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an hundred talents of silver,
and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten thousand of barley. So much did the
children of Ammon pay unto him, both the second year, and the third.
Activities -He built the high gate of the house of the Lord. Beautiful & Raised Up the Gate
He built cities in the mountains and castles in the forests Replenished & Fortified the City
Abilities - He fought against the Ammonites and they paid much tribute to Israel
2
Chr 27:6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the
LORD his God.
Jotham was blessed to become mighty and his kingdom was firm and stable
Prov 3:5,6
in all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths
Jer 10:23 it
is not in man that walketh to direct his steps
Ps 37:23 the steps of a good man are ordered
Ps 101:2 I
will behave myself wisely in a perfect way
3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes
Ps 50:23 whoso offereth
praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I
shew the salvation of God
Them that
honor me I will honor 1 Sam 2:30
[35] Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned
incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the
LORD.
[36] Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
[37] In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of
Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
[38] And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the
city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.
2 Chr 27:2b He entered not into the
temple of the Lord
His father, Uzziah intruded the office of priest and was smitten with leprosy
I believe this says the king did not try, as his father did, to act as a priest and stand to burn incense
Or
did he drop out of the house of God over prejudice, bitterness over his daddy
Some may say “I
will never darken the doors of a church”
But the scripture teaches in
Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together
They did not follow his example.
Further the King gave them
provision to sin 2 K 15:35 However he did not take away the high places (Dt
12:13,14)
2 K 15:36-38 The Lord allowed problems because of partial obedience of the king & nation
He
died at age 41
A lifetime of doing good is not enough if we make the mistake of not following God with all our heart