2 Kings 15:17-22 Oppression!

 “In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. Pul king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his control. And Menahem exacted the money from Israel, from all the very wealthy, from each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and did not stay there in the land. Now 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? So Menahem rested with his fathers. Then Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.”

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭17‬-‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel: His reign was typical of the kings of Israel in that it was both evil and a continuation of the state-sponsored idolatry of Jeroboam.

b. Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to strengthen the kingdom under his control: Menahem put the kingdom of Israel under tribute to the Assyrian Empire. He purchased the backing of the Assyrian King with a large amount of money raised from the wealthy in his kingdom, and therefore ruled with the strength of Assryia supporting him.

i. “The burden of the levy fell upon the rich, which needs not excite much sympathy when we learn from the prophets Amos and Micah how their riches were obtained. See Amos 4:1; 5:11,12; 8:4-6; Micah 2:2; 6:10-12.” (Knapp)

ii. “The Assyrian policy was initially to leave a state on its borders independent, though requiring a substantial annual payment for this privilege. Thereafter the state might be made a vassal, which entailed having an Assyrian official at court as a watchdog on the ruler’s attitudes.” (Wiseman)

(Guzik)

Oppression!

If you read Knapp’s commentary and the biblical verses involved the rich were oppressing the poor with dishonest scales, poor quality food and more. 

I can’t help but think of the parallels with our society with food and fuel prices! In our city like clockwork fuel prices are raised on Thursday and lowered on Monday because we are a tourist destination. Not to mention credit card interest rates! 

“He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, But he who honors Him has mercy on the needy.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭31‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Do not rob the poor because he is poor, Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate; For the Lord will plead their cause, And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭22‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Jesus had mercy on the poor and fed them! Jesus has mercy on sinners like me!

Do you show mercy and kindness to the poor and needy?

Blessings 

2 Kings 15:13-16 High Hand Against God!

 “Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria. For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; and he reigned in his place. Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he led, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked Tiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open.”

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Shallum… reigned a full month: The dynasty of Jehu lasted four generations; the dynasty of Shallum lasted four weeks.

i. “The great prosperity and expansion under Jeroboam II appears to have corrupted the people and caused them to give free reign to their evil desires and violence. Those in authority, instead of checking this spirit of lawlessness, found pleasure in it. ‘They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies’ (Hosea 7:3).” (Knapp)

b. Now the rest of the acts of Shallum: The writer of 2 Kings had no moral comment to make on the brief reign of Shallum. Perhaps he did not reign long enough to show himself either good or bad. Certainly, the violence that marked both his rise to and fall from power shows that he did not reign with the blessing of God.

i. “Israel was now practically under a military despotism, downtrodden and oppressed, and yet sinning still with a high hand against God.” (Morgan)

c. Menham attacked Tiphsah… Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All the women there who were with child he ripped open: This act of horrible brutality was commanded by Menham – who became the next king of Israel. This shows the depths of brutality and ungodliness of the times. (Guzik)

i. “The action by Menahem against the inhabitants of Tiphsah is unparalleled for brutality by any Israelite. Here it may mark the increasing influence of the surrounding nations. It was a foreign practice inflicted on the Israelites themselves by Aram (2 Kings 8:12), Ammon (Amos 1:13) and Assyria (Hosea 13:8).” (Wiseman)

High hand against God!

I can’t help but think of the parallels with our nation right now! We have removed God from our government, courts, and schools! We have a two tier justice system, not to mention abortion. We limit God with unbelief!

How is this NOT a high hand against God?

Blessings 

2 Kings 15:8-12 Friends?

 “In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, as his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. 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. Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel. This was the word of the Lord which He spoke to Jehu, saying, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it was.” II Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months: The reign of Zechariah was both short and wicked, and he continued in the state-sponsored idolatry begun by Jeroboam.

i. “There appears to be (from a comparison of dates) a period unaccounted for, of about eleven years, between Jeroboam’s death and the beginning of his son Zechariah’s reign… Anarchy probably prevailed during the above-noted interregnum.” (Knapp)

b. Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck and killed him in front of the people: Zechariah was so despised by his own people that Shallum was able to do this. This was the end of the dynasty of Jehu, which began with such potential but ended (as God had foretold) in great darkness.

i. “God keepeth promise with his foes: shall he fail his friends?” (Trapp)

ii. “The death of this last king of the dynasty of Jehu saw the end of the Northern Kingdom proper. In the last twenty years six rulers were to follow each other, but only one was to die naturally. Anarchy, rivalry and regicide led to terminal bloodshed which fulfilled Hosea’s prophecies (Hosea 1:4).” (Wiseman)

iii. “Half a dozen ‘pseudo-kings’ would reign in rapid succession, one murderer replacing another on the throne, as the nation tottered on the brink of anarchy.” (Dilday)

(Guzik)

Friends?

“God keepeth promise with his foes: shall he fail his friends?” (Trapp)

This is encouraging news because the bible says:

“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Are you a foe or a friend of God?

Blessings 

2 Kings 15:5-7 Pride and Haughtiness!

 “Then the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death; so he dwelt in an isolated house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the royal house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? So Azariah rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.” ‭‭II Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his death: 2 Chronicles 26also tells us of the downfall of Azariah, who was marvelously helped till he became strong(2 Chronicles 26:15). The Chronicler goes on: But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God by entering the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense(2 Chronicles 26:16). The priests tried to stop him, but the king insisted on forcing his way into the temple to offer incense.

i. Azariah violated what had become a general principle in God’s dealing with Israel: that no king should also be a priest, and that the offices of prophet, priest, and king should not be combined in one man – until the Messiah, who fulfilled all three offices.

ii. “His great power fostered such pride and haughtiness that about 750 b.c. he sought to add to his vast power by usurping the prerogatives of the sacred priesthood.” (Patterson and Austel)

b. He dwelt in an isolated house: Azariah came into the temple as an arrogant king, and he left as a humbled leper. Indeed, he hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him(2 Chronicles 26:20).

i. “It was a fearful stroke from God. Death was the actual penalty enjoined by the law for his crime (Numbers 18:7), and leprosy was really that – a living death, prolonged and intensified.” (Knapp)

c. So Azariah rested with his fathers: The death of Azariah (again, also known as Uzziah) contributed to the call of the prophet Isaiah: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the LORD sitting on a throne (Isaiah 6:1).

i. Considering the reign of Azariah:

· He began his reign at only 16 years of age.

· He reigned for 52 years.

· Overall, he was a good and strong king who led Israel to many military victories, he was an energetic builder and planner.

· Despite all this, Azariah had a tragic end.

ii. Therefore, when Isaiah wrote that he was called in the year King Uzziah died, he said a lot. It is to say, “In the year a great and wise king died.” But it is also to say, “In the year a great and wise king who had a tragic end died.” Isaiah had great reason to be discouraged and disillusioned at the death of King Uzziah, because a great king had passed away, and because his life ended tragically. Yet despite it all, he saw the enthroned LORD God who was greater than any earthly king. (Guzik)

Pride and Haughtiness!

“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Pride cometh before a fall and king Azariah fell hard by usurping the prerogatives of the sacred priesthood! But I wonder why he didn’t repent right away like king David did when confronted by Nathan the prophet, you are that man! 

“Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.” ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

If we find any pride and haughtiness creeping through a crack into our brain, we should immediately confess our sin to the Lord and ask for forgiveness like David!

For He is a loving and forgiving Father!

Blessings 

2 Kings 15:1-4 Crown of Glory!

 “In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done, except that the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.”

‭‭II Kings‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD: The reign of Azariah (also called Uzziah in 2 Kings 15:13 and many other places in 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles, and Isaiah) was largely characterized by the good he did in the sight of the LORD. His godliness was rewarded with a long reign of 52 years.

i. Azariah came to the throne in a difficult era: “Following the tragic events that brought King Amaziah’s reign to an end, Jerusalem was in disarray, a major section of its protective wall destroyed, its temple and palace emptied of their treasures, and some of its inhabitants taken away to Israel as hostages.” (Dilday)

ii. 2 Chronicles 26 tells us much more about the successful reign of Uzziah (Azariah):

· He began his reign when he was only 16 years old (2 Chronicles 26:3).

· He reigned during the ministry of Zechariah the prophet (2 Chronicles 26:5).

· He defeated the Philistines and took many of their cities, and also kept the Ammonites in tribute (2 Chronicles 26:6-8).

· He was internationally famous as a strong king (2 Chronicles 26:8).

· He was an ambitious builder and skilled in agriculture (2 Chronicles 26:9-10). “He probably gave special attention to the tillage of the soil because of the prophecies of Hosea and Amos concerning the scarcity about to come. (See Hosea 2:9; 4:3; 9:2; Amos 1:2; 4:6-9; 5:16-19).” (Knapp)

· He built up and organized the army, introducing several new items of military technology (2 Chronicles 26:11-15).

iii. Knapp suggests that Azariah became king in an unusual manner: “He seems to have come by the throne, not in the way of ordinary succession, but by the direct choice of the people. The princes had been destroyed by the Syrians toward the close of his grandfather Joash’s reign (2 Chronicles 24:23), leaving the people a free hand.”

b. Except that the high places were not removed: As with Jehoash (2 Kings 12:3) and Amaziah (2 Kings 14:4), the reforms of Azariah did not reach so far as to remove these traditional places of sacrifice to the LORD. (Guzik)

i. “The apparent compromise is indicative of a basic spiritual shallowness that was to surface in the prophecies of the great writing prophets of the eighth century b.c.” (Patterson and Austel)

ii. “This, if it did not loose, yet it lessened his crown of glory.” (Trapp)

Crown of Glory!

Trapp’s comment “yet it lessened his crown of glory.” Is interesting but do you know what the bible says about us that have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior concerning our crowns?

“to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,”

‭‭I Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” ‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Irighteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The New Testament says will receive an imperishable crown, the crown of rejoicing, the crown of righteousness, the crown of glory, and the crown of life!

I wonder what they will look like?

Blessings 

Five Heavily Crowns?