Who, When, Where

Written by Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a young prophet in Jerusalem around the time of the Exile.
From the death of Ahab, king of Israel, around 860BC up to the end of the divided kingdom until about half way through the 70 year Exile in Babylon, around 560BC.
So this covers many of the kings of the north and south. And it includes the lifetimes of Obadiah, Joel, Isaiah, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel.
So while all this was going on, a lot of the Old Testament books were being written. God was far from inactive, and what you read here wasn’t all he was doing during this time period.
Most of 2 Kings is set in Israel, but it ends in the Exile, in Babylon, (modern day Iraq).

Summary

These are the last kings of Israel and Judah.
It’s pretty much a downward spiral ending up with they dragged away by Pharoah of Egypt and the king of Babylon.

It’s basically an illustration of how Yahweh will bless his people if they live as his people, following him and him alone.
And how he will chastise them and discipline them if they wander off following other gods. So they will realise their mistake and return to following only him.

It is also the story, (in the first half of the book), of the prophet Elisha. A man who did some incredible miracles in the name of Yahweh. Making axes float, making children come back from the dead, making food appear from nowhere.

Why? What made him different from all the other prophets before and after him? Why was he so powerful?

What is the most amazing thing you ever prayed for?
What is the biggest thing you wanted to pray for?
When you look at Elisha can you think of anything which is too big for Yahweh to answer?

Before You Read

Calling fire from the sky, rasing the dead, feeding hundreds with a few loaves of bread, making iron float, killing a gang of youths, … Elisha did some great miracles. As you read each one, think about the miracles of Yeshua, (Jesus), and compare them too.

Key Verses

2 Kings 2:11

a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

So Elijah didn’t die? It looks like he was taken up to heaven without dying.
But this isn’t the last we hear about Elijah. He makes another appearance with Moses, when they visit Jesus on the mountain, in the New Testament!
And then, the Bible doesn’t say who the two witnesses are in Revelation, but when you look at their powers it fits what Moses and Elijah did while they were on Earth. So maybe they still aren’t finished!

2 Kings 2:23-24

As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldy!” He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in Yahweh’s name. Then two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty - two of those youths.

Mauling by bears for calling someone “baldy”. Seems a little harsh? But Yahweh answered this prayer.
Especially for Christians, because we have instant and immediate access to Yahweh himself through Yeshua, it is easy to forget that Yahweh should be revered, almost to the point of fear. We need to guard our words carefully when talking about God. We need to show proper respect to those who represent him.
Misusing the name of Yahweh used to be punishable by stoning. Now we see it every day on TV. But search the Bible for “fear of Yahweh”… And let us not forget who it is that we serve.

2 Kings 4:6

He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

What is God’s limit? When he is pouring out his blessing the limitation usually seems to depend on us, not him.
If she had gathered twice as many empty containers then God would have poured out twice as much oil.

2 Kings 5:2-3

The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would heal him of his leprosy.”

So what would you do if you were a young girl, captured and dragged away to slavery in a foreign country, and you found out that your master, the top general of their army, had leprosy?
“Serves him right”?

Not this little maiden… she says, if only he would go and see Elisha he would be healed.

The story of Namaan is a powerful story of God’s love for everyone and it is set in motion by a young girl who had every right to be bitter and angry, but who thought only of blessing and of bringing glory to her god.

2 Kings 5:7

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes, and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.”

What was the king’s reaction? Suspicious. Assuming he was being set up so the king of Syria could start a war.

2 Kings 5:8

It was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

And, Elisha’s reaction. Awesome, bring it on. Now we can show him the glory of Yahweh.

2 Kings 5:10-11

Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.”
     11 But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’

And, Namaan’s reaction. Go and wash in a muddy river!! He’s got to be kidding me. I wanted pomp and ceremony and calling down power from the sky in a big show.
Funny how we put God in a box we designed ourselves isn’t it.

2 Kings 5:13

His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’”

His servant’s reaction was much more humble. Why is that?
If he had asked you to save a damsel in a castle from a dragon you would have done it. If he said, go and wash in a river you won’t. Is that pride?
Who gets the glory in the first one? Who gets the glory for the second one?

2 Kings 5:20

But Gehazi the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives, I will run after him, and take something from him.”

And finally, Gehazi’s reaction. Let’s cash in on this!
Yahweh gives his blessing for free. Gehazi didn’t heal Namaan, Yahweh did.
So many churches these days seem to have the attitude of Gehazi. They want to charge for ministry.
Ministry should be free.
Teaching, healing, praying, counselling, food, clothing, housing, songs, books, … If it came from the holy spirit it was free, it should stay free. Trust God to supply your need and do his ministry for free.
Gehazi got what he deserved.

2 Kings 6:16-17

He answered, “Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the young man’s eyes; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

Elisha’s servant was worried because they had been surrounded by an army. Elisha was completely not worried because they had only come with a little army of men, and they didn’t know that Elisha was surrounded by a huge army of angels with horses and chariots of fire.
Which are you? Elisha or his servant? Do you look at the physical or the spiritual?
Regardless of which one you focus on. The truth is the same. You are a son of Yahweh. Elisha was just his servant. Do you really believe Yahweh does not have you covered?

2 Kings 6:19

Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led them to Samaria.

The original Jedi mind trick…
When I read Elisha’s story I feel that we, (modern Christians), so sell ourselves short on the power of God. We fight our battles in the physical, and constantly underestimate the power of God which is available to us to deal with our problems.

2 Kings 6:23

He [the king of Israel] prepared a great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.

Ah, … remember when men had honour?
He captured them. He had their lives in his hand, but instead of taking it he released them to go back home and stop the invasion.
And they did.

2 Kings 6:28-29

   She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.”

It’s hard to imagine being that hungry. In the verses before we already read that they’re paying 5 days pay for pigeon poo to eat. But now they’re eating their own children!
And if we keep reading a little… and they blamed Elisha!
They were angry with Yahweh for letting this happen, and they blamed his servant.

2 Kings 7:9

Then they said to one another, “We aren’t doing right. Today is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let’s go and tell the king’s household.”

The lepers had found abundance in the abandoned camp of the Syrians.
What would you do? Would you see that as Yahweh’s blessing on you in compensation for being leper? Would you see it as your right to keep whatever you found?
Or would you see it as an obligation to share with your suffering brothers who had expelled you from among them because of your illness?

2 Kings 8:4-5

Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” As he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, begged the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

Elisha had restored her son, then warned her to flee because he had foreseen a 7 year famine. And the very hour she returns, is the hour Elisha’s servant Gehazi is telling the king about how Elisha restored her son to life!

So many times in the Bible we see that God is all about timing. And he is the master of perfect timing.

Amos 5:19

As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; Or he went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a snake bit him.

When Yahweh has chosen the time … it will happen, no matter how you run, no matter where you hide.
Yahweh is the master of timing.

1 Kings 22:34

A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor…

Killing the opposing king would have always been a major goal of any army. And this guy does it by shooting at random. The king was standing there at the exact moment that random arrow fell to the ground. (Just as he had been forewarned by the prophet)

2 Kings 8:10

Elisha said to him, “Go, tell him, ‘You will surely recover;’ however Yahweh has shown me that he will surely die.”

Elisha isn’t lying. He’s telling the evil Hazael to go and lie because Yahweh has shown him that he will kill the king and take over, and do evil to the children of Israel.
The king would recover from the illness, but be killed anyway.

2 Kings 9:1-3

Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Put your belt on your waist, take this vial of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. When you come there, find Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him rise up from among his brothers, and take him to an inner room. Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Yahweh says, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door, flee, and don’t wait.”

What an exciting life Elisha had. Imagine being so close to Yahweh that he tells you when he’s chosen a new king. And it’s all so sudden. Send someone fast, anoint him, and run.
You can be that close to Yahweh too. Listen to his spirit. He will tell you things.
Do them.

2 Kings 9:8

I will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall…

I just love the creative expression. He could have just said “males”

2 Kings 9:20

… “The driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

I know some people like that. You can recognise him from miles away by the way they drive.
Some people live like that. Always in a rush.
Is that a good thing?

2 Kings 9:24

Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and struck Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot

Quite the opposite of shooting at random. But an arrow guided by Yahweh nonetheless.

2 Kings 9:30

Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out at the window.

The seductress who manipulated the king. Hears of danger and tries to use her “charm” to fool the attacker.
But not this time. They threw her down off the tower. And she was eaten by the dogs. (Just as Elijah had prophesied).

1 Kings 21:23

Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs will eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.

Elijah said this, not Elisha who is prophesying now. But his mentor Elijah said this about ten years ago.
Sometimes God’s prophecy isn’t instant. But if Yahweh says it, it will happen.

2 Kings 10:7, 10

… they took the king’s sons and killed them, even seventy people, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him to Jezreel.

Yahweh has done that which he spoke by his servant Elijah

No more urinating against walls for them.
That’s Ahaziah and his sons gone.
Now, for his brothers…

2 Kings 10:18-19

Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu will serve him much. Now therefore call to me all the prophets of Baal, all of his worshipers, and all of his priests. Let no one be absent; for I have a great sacrifice to Baal.

What? After being so zealous for Yahweh Jehu is going to serve Baal.
They should have seen through this…

2 Kings 10:27-28

They broke down the pillar of Baal, and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine, to this day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

It’s incredible to me that Baal ever got into Israel. With all their history. Going back to Abraham. How did they ever worship anyone other than Yahweh.
Could this happen to Christians? Could we worship other than Yeshua? Could we be so taken in by the world that we forget who we are and who paid to get us here?

2 Kings 11:2

But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedroom; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

He was too young to urinate against a wall.
So it looks like that expression was chosen by Yahweh because it had meaning. This baby boy was the only male of Ahaziah’s family who survived.

2 Kings 12:10-14

When they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king’s scribe and the high priest came up, and they put it in bags and counted the money that was found in Yahweh’s house. They gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of Yahweh’s house; and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders, who worked on Yahweh’s house, and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the damage to Yahweh’s house, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it. But there were not made for Yahweh’s house cups of silver, snuffers, basins, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into Yahweh’s house; for they gave that to those who did the work, and repaired Yahweh’s house with it.

They used to spend the money on other things. But now they spent the money given to Yahweh solely on building the house of Yahweh.
Where does your church spend the money it receives on Yahweh’s behalf?

2 Kings 12:15

Moreover they didn’t demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give to those who did the work; for they dealt faithfully.

Does your church demand an accounting from those who receive money for doing the work of building Yahweh’s house?
Is that because of the world’s influence? Or did Yahweh tell you to do that? (I know the answer).
Do you need to change something?

2 Kings 13:14

Now Elisha became sick with the illness of which he died

This is so important to remember. Elisha, possibly the greatest miracle worker other than Yeshua himself… got sick and died.
Miracles are Yahweh’s interventions at a particular time to glorify himself and send a particular message.
They are not a blanket, “nobody will ever get sick”.
Elisha raised someone to life in the name of Yahweh, but he didn’t heal everyone. (Even himself).
Yeshua raised Lazarus back to life. But Lazarus later died. And Yeshua didn’t heal everyone, … like the man., lame from birth, who sat begging at the temple every day. His healing was for another day.
Sometimes healing doesn’t happen when we want it. Or at all. But it will happen when/if Yahweh wants it.

2 Kings 17:9

The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right against Yahweh their God…

Secret? From whom? Not from Yahweh, just from other people.
Don’t kid yourself. Nothing you do is ever secret from Yahweh. Good or bad. He knows.

2 Kings 17:16-17

They abandoned all the commandments of Yahweh their God, and made molten images for themselves, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the army of the sky, and served Baal. They caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger.

Hard to imagine isn’t it. The people of Israel, deliberately ignoring the commandments of Yahweh and deliberately following other “gods” and even sacrificing their own children to them.

Any surprise that Yahweh was so angry.

Fortunately we’re Christians, and when we do things like this we have one who takes that anger on himself, and we are protected from our own evil.
But imagine if we didn’t.

Where would you be now if you had to take the consequences of your own sin on yourself?

2 Kings 17:29

However every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived.

Just like now. Every nation has its own gods and even in so called “Christian” nations, they make their own gods and put them in their houses.

2 Kings 17:35-36

with whom Yahweh had made a covenant, and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them; but you shall fear Yahweh, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, and you shall bow yourselves to him, and you shall sacrifice to him.

Commandment #1. NO OTHER GODS.

How about you? 100% Yahweh only? Or just in lip service, and your actual life is spent worshipping other things and other “gods”?

If you were taken to court, what evidence would be presented by each side of the case?

2 Kings 18:5-8

He trusted in Yahweh, the God of Israel; so that after him was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among them that were before him. For he joined with Yahweh. He didn’t depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which Yahweh commanded Moses. Yahweh was with him. Wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria, and didn’t serve him. He struck the Philistines to Gaza and its borders, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city.

Why did he prosper where ever he went, and why was Yahweh with this king more than any other?
Was it a coincidence that he trusted in Yahweh like no other king before or after him? And kept his commandments.

Of course it wasn’t.

2 Kings 19:6-7

Yahweh says, “Don’t be afraid of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, and he will hear news, and will return to his own land. I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”

Sennacherib had claimed that he had been sent by Yahweh to destroy Jerusalem. Little did he know, the unlike the gods of the other cities he had destroyed, Yahweh is real. And he was listening.
Yahweh, through Isaiah prophesied that Rabshakeh would hear news from home, and suddenly return, and be killed by the sword.
And it happened exactly.
Coincidence? Lucky guess? Or real power from the real god?

2 Kings 19:19

Now therefore, Yahweh our God, save us, I beg you, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Yahweh, are God alone.

This is a good prayer.
Don’t save me because I’m a good servant. (I’m not).
Don’t save me because I deserve it. (I don’t).
Save me to show those around me that you are the god of the universe.

2 Kings 19:35

That night, Yahweh’s angel went out, and struck one hundred eighty - five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. When men arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.

Can you imagine. No weapons of mass destruction in those days. Yet they woke up to 185,000 dead bodies.
Sennacherib did the smart thing and ran away.
And while he was there in Nineveh, someone killed him with a sword.
Exactly as Yahweh had said.

2 Kings 20:13

Hezekiah showed them all the storehouse of his precious things, the silver, the gold, the spices, and the precious oil, and the house of his armor, and all that was found in his treasures. There was nothing in his house, or in all his dominion, that Hezekiah didn’t show them.

Especially in those days, when a foreign king of a mighty power came to visit… showing him how much treasure you have probably wasn’t a wise thing to do.
More driven by his own pride I imagine.

2 Kings 20:1

In those days Hezekiah was sick and dying. Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Yahweh says, ‘Set your house in order; for you will die, and not live.’”

And he went begging and crying to God for more time.
And he got an answer! “I have heard your prayer. I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. I will add to your days fifteen years.”

2 Kings 20:16-17

Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear Yahweh’s word. 17 ‘Behold, the days come that all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have laid up in store to this day, will be carried to Babylon. Nothing will be left,’ says Yahweh.’”

So Yahweh had heard his cries and given him an extra 15 years. And his own pride made those 15 years the worst of his life. He totally let down his people, and set the path for the invasion from Babylon after his death.

2 Kings 21:6

He made his son to pass through the fire, practiced sorcery, used enchantments, and dealt with those who had familiar spirits, and with wizards. He did much evil in Yahweh’s sight, to provoke him to anger.

Manasseh, Hezekiah’s son, turned out to be even worse than him.
And it was a last straw for Yahweh. He decided to hand them over to the Assyrians. His people had been provoking him to anger ever since the day he delivered them from Egypt.

2 Kings 22:1-2

Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty - one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. He did that which was right in Yahweh’s eyes, and walked in all the way of David his father, and didn’t turn away to the right hand or to the left.

He started reigning as a child. 8 years old. He followed Yahweh wholeheartedly. He made sure the money went to the workers to repair the temple.
Wait… this is what Jehoash did too! When he became king at 7 years old. (Back in chapter 12).

2 Kings 22:13

“Go inquire of Yahweh for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found; for great is Yahweh’s wrath that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us.”

Josiah had sent Hilkiah the priest to clean out the temple. And he had found the “book of the law” there.
Josiah and his assistant Shaphan had realised how important this was, and realised that Israel had not been following this book as they should have.

How about your church? If the king commanded that it be cleaned out of anything which was there but shouldn’t be… would the find much?
What parts of the book of the New Testament would your church be guilty of not following?

2 Kings 22:18-19

But to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of Yahweh, tell him, “Yahweh the God of Israel says, ‘Concerning the words which you have heard, because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before Yahweh, when you heard what I spoke against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and have torn your clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard you,’ says Yahweh.

How do you respond when you hear criticism from Yahweh, or realise that you have let him down somehow?
Stubborn? Justifying why you did the wrong thing?
Or just humble and repentant like Josiah was?

What do you think Yahweh will have to say about your response?

2 Kings 23:4-8

The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring out of Yahweh’s temple all the vessels that were made for Baal, for the Asherah, and for all the army of the sky, and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. He got rid of the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the army of the sky. He brought out the Asherah from Yahweh’s house, outside of Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and beat it to dust, and cast its dust on the graves of the common people. He broke down the houses of the male shrine prostitutes that were in Yahweh’s house, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on a man’s left hand at the gate of the city.

That’s quite a list. And it keeps going..

What would they find in your church?
What would they find in your house?
What would they find on your computer?
What would they find in your heart?

2 Kings 23:23

In the eighteenth year of king Josiah, this Passover was kept to Yahweh in Jerusalem.

Not just getting rid of the bad. But again doing the good things which Yahweh had commanded.

2 Kings 23:24

Moreover Josiah removed those who had familiar spirits, the wizards, and the teraphim, and the idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in Yahweh’s house.

Don’t kid yourself. All those things are real.
Wizards, familiars, all kinds of idols.
They’re not just fantasy from movies. They are real, and they are evil, and you shouldn’t have anything to do with them.

2 Kings 24:3-4

Surely at the commandment of Yahweh this came on Judah, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he did, and also for the innocent blood that he shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Yahweh would not pardon.

The pharoah of Egypt had invaded and imposed a tax, but now a much worse fate awaited the children of Israel.

What Yahweh had said to Manasseh finally came to be. Israel was invaded by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon and they became his slaves.
(For 70 years).

2 Kings 24:10-12

At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it, and Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon captured him in the eighth year of his reign.

Now they’re dragged off to Babylon for 70 years of exile.
Yahweh doesn’t like it when his people follow other gods, and he is totally OK with teaching them a lesson to remind them that he is THE God, and they are his people and need to live like it.
Same for us as Christians… we need to be following only Yahweh and not following all the crazes and philosophies of this world we live in.

After You Read

What verses really stood out to you?

How would you summarize this book in a sentence or two? What is it about? What is God trying to say to us?

Do you think that Yeshua performed greater miracles than Elisha?

In what ways do we as a church follow other gods?
What worldly philosophies have crept in to the way we do things? Like, are we running a church or a business?

How about you as an individual Christian? Do you align everything you do with what Yahweh thinks? Or have you been subtly manouvered into taking on some worldly thinking. The way the kings of Israel did, bit by bit until they were no longer following Yahweh at all.

Do you think it’s interesting that the two kings who snapped Israel out of their worst times and returned them to Yahweh with total passion… were the two youngest kings ever to reign?