2 Kings

I was able to use my lunch break today to finish reading 2 Kings.  I struggled to stay focused through the book, but found my stride about half way through and enjoyed it.

• Ahaziah fell and was injured, he sent his messengers to ask Baal if he will recover
• Elijah intercepted the messenger and asked why he sought Ball of Ekron, was their no God of Israel?
• Ahaziah knew it was Elijah and sent captain and men to him
• Elijah showed he was a man of God and God burned 1 up, then the next; the 4rd captain begged for respect of his life
• Ahaziah died, Lord said through Elijah for his disbelief and gods of Ekron
• Joram became King
• The time came for Elijah to be taken to heave, he and Elisha traveled place to place - Elisha was very loyal
• Elijah parted the Jordan with his coat and asked Elisha what he needed before it was time
• He wanted spirit - double share - he said if Elisha saw him leave Earth it would be granted to him; otherwise there would be nothing
• Chariots of fire came and took Elijah away, Elisha tore his clothes to show his sorrow
• Elisha now had the spirit of Elijah and parted the Jordan with the coat as Elijah did
• Elisha, with a bowl of sale and God, purified the water of the city so it could be drank and good for crops again
• Boys made fun of Elisha - he put a curse on them with the Lord and 2 mama bears came out and tore 42 boys to pieces
• Joram became King of Israel, he was sinful
• Moab was against Israel, so Joram asked Jehoshaphat of Judah to join him in war
• They ran out of water on the way to Moab and sought Elisha, he didn't want to acknowledge Joram and was only there because of Jehoshaphat
• Elisha asked for someone to play the harp, that brought the Lord's power and he advised them to dig holes and water would come, but no wind or rain
• Moab came to fight and saw the water looked like blood so they thought they had victory - they were defeated then
• A widow seeks Elisha's help in paying her husband's debt to save her sons - she sells oil in jars she collected from neighbors to pay the debt
• An important Shunammite woman always invited Elisha into eat when he came through and she made a room for him
• Elisha asked how he could help her, but nothing
• His servant mentioned she had no son and her husband was old - Elisha said she'd have a son in 1 years time and she did!
• When the boy had grown he went with his father to harvest and returned to his mother after complaints about his head
• The boy passed and the Shunammite woman went for Elisha - the Lord kept this news from Elisha so he didn't know by they went and healed him
• There was a food shortage in Gilgal; stew was made with poison so it wasn't edible; Elisha put some flour in and then it was fine
• A man brought Elisha food - he gave to the people to eat and there was leftovers (there wasn't enough bread originally to feed so many!)
• Naman led the Aram Army, but had a skin disease
• When Aram attacked Israel they took a young servant girl - she told Naman to go see the prophet from Samaria
• Naman sought approval from the King to do so, but the King of Israel tore his clothes
• Then Elisha said, let Naman come to me
• Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naman to go bathe in the Jordan 7 times - Naman went away angry, but his servants convinced him
• Naman bathed 7x and was cured
• Naman offered Elisha gifts that were refused, but Elisha's servant Gehazi went after Naman for the gifts
• Elisha knew this, Gehazi lied, then the disease became him and his family's
• Prophets and Elisha went to the Jordan to build a new place
• A man's ax head fell in the Jordan as he was chopping a tree and he had borrowed the axe
• Elisha threw a stick in the water and the ax head floated so the man could pick it up
• Aramean's and Israel were fighting and Israel always knew where they were and they were angry
• They learned Elisha always knew their plans and went after him
• Elisha prayed they'd be blinded, they were, he led them to Samaria and the Kind of Israel had a feast for them; Arameans didn't come to Israel land again then
• There was a food shortage in Israel
• A woman cried in distress to the king that she'd ate her son
• The King went after Elisha, but he was prepared
• Men outside the city went to the Aramean camp and found they had left in fear
• They told Israel and they were able to able to go seize items from the camp
• The woman whose son Elisha brought back to life was sent her away for the time without food; when she returned after 7 years she asks for her land back from the king - Ghazi explains life after dealth Elisha did and her land is returned to her with profits
• Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, is ill - Elisha says he will recover, but Hazael will be king and do terrible things - Hazael kills Ben-Hadad
• Other king came into reign - Jehoram and he was bad
• Elisha send a profit to pour oil on Jehu's head to make him king of Israel then the prophet runs away
• Jehu plans and kills Joram and Ahaziah (Kings)
• Jehu then went after and killed Jezebel, she was pushed out a window and trampled by horses
• Jehu kills Ahab and Ahaziah's family and all who helped him
• Jehu gathered all worshippers of Baal for a "great sacrifice" then killed them all
• Jehu still sinned, Israel began shrinking
• After 28 years reign, Jehu died and Jehoahaz is king
• Jehoram's daughter took a son of Ahaziah (Joash) and hi him for years to avoid murder with his nurse
• There were duties assigned to protect son in the alace
• Joash becomes king at 7 years old
• Athalah (Ahaziah's mother) was angry and guarded until she left the temple, then she was killed
• Joash followed God but some people still worshipped other because the places weren't removed
• The priests weren't repairing the temple so Joash required all money, taxes and gifts be given to its repair
• Joash takes all the holy things and gold to Aram to keep them away from attacking Jerusalem
• Joash was killed by officers and his son, Amaziah took reign
• Jehoahaz is king of Israel - he was bad and they were taken by Aram
• God gave them a man to rescue them - he did - they still sinned
• Jehoash is king of Israel - he was bad
• Jehoash went to Elisha before he did
• Elisha said he would defeat Aram only 3x because he stopped following directions too soon
• Elisha died
• Men were burying someone when Moabites came to steal and they threw the body into Elisha's grave - then the body touched Elisha's bone and was alive and on his feet!
• Jehoash took back cities from Aram
• Amaziah, king of Judah, did was the Lord said was right
• Amaziah killed those who killed the king and won many battles, but became arrogant and was defeated by Israel
• Judah turned against Amaziah and he ran way, but they killed him
• Uzziah became king of Judah and was good, but didn't remove others alters
• Jeroboan, king of Israel, saves them
• Uzziah had skin disease and his son Jotham led the palace
• Zechariah, King of Israel was bad and killed by Shallum who became king
• Shallum ruled 6 months before being killed by Menahem, who became king and was sinful
• Menahem taxed the people to pay Assyria off
• Pekahiah is King of Israel until killed by Pekah, who becomes king
• Pekah ruled and was sinful and was defeated by Assyria
• Hoshea killed Pekah and became King
• Jotham was a good king of Judah
• Ahaz becomes king of Judah and is bad like Israel - Sought Assyrian help from Aram
• Uriah the priest builds and alter
• Ahaz changed things because of Assyrian king
• Hoshea is king of Israel and is bad but not as bad
• Israelites are punished and removed from God's presence - Asyrian reigns
• Judah is also punished and removed from his presence
• Assyria's king replaced the Israelites in Samaria with others - they became Samaritans, but they didn't know the law of the land
• A priest was sent back to teach the Samaritans to honor God
• Hezekiah is king of Judah - he was good and removed other places of worship
• Assyira takes Israel and Judah - Assyria turns the people's trust from Hezekiah
• Hezekiah grieves and prays - God answers his prayers and saves them
• Hezekiah is ill, but God sends message he will be healed
• Message comes that things will be taken away to Babylon
• Manasseh becomes king, he was bad
• Manasseh rebuilt alters to other gods his father had destroyed
• The Lord will bring MUCH trouble to Jerusalem and Judah
• Amon is King, he was bad, his officers killed him
• The people in the land killed those who plotted to kill Amon
• Josiah is king of Judah at 8 years old and was good
• He gave the money given for the work on the temple
• The book of teaching is found in the temple and taken to the king, Josiah
• Josiah was upset in learning of God's anger toward their disobedience
• The prophetess came back from the Lord with the message that because Josiah humbled himself he will die in peace so that he doesn't have to see the trouble God will bring to Judah
• The king read the agreement o the people and they all promised to obey
• Josiah destroys all alters, items and places erected for worship of other gods - burned, beat to dust, broke and burnt with human bones on it to destroy it all
• Josiah celebrated the Passover with renewed belief
• Josiah was killed in battle to fight Neco, king of Egypt
• Johoahaz, Josiah's son, is king now and he did what was wrong
• Jehoahaz ruled 3 months before Egypt captured him and made Josiah's son Eliakim king
• Neco, king of Egypt changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim
• Jehoiakim taxed the people to pay Egypt
• Nehbuchadnezzar of Babylon attached Judah
• Jehoiakim was Nebuchadnezzar's servant 3 years before he broke away from his rule
• Jehoiach, son of Jehoiakim, is king for 3 months and did wrong things
• Babylon prevailed over Judah as the Lord had said
• Nebuchadnezzar took prisoners and things from the temple and removed them to Babylong away from God
• Jehoiachin's uncle, Mattaniah is made king, but name is changed to Zedekiah
• Zedekiah did what was wrong and the Lord threw Judah from his presence
• Nebuchadnezzer attacked Jerusalem when Zedekiah turned against Babylong and attached the city for 2 years until the hunger in Jerusalem was unbearable
• People ran away, but Babylon prevailed and took all the things of the temple and the people as  captives, except for the poorest - they were left to tent the vineyards and fields
• Leaders of Jerusalem were captured and killed
• Gedaliah is appointed governor of the people left in Judah  he told the arm captains they will be well if they serve the king in Babylon
• The army captains then came and killed Gedaliah and those with him and ran away to Egypt in fear of the Babylonians
• Evil-Merodach becomes king of Babylon and releases Johoiachin and he eats at the kings table and gets and allowance

I noticed a trend with the good kings.  They are good, but they didn't remove the places of worship of the other gods, so other still made sacrifices there.  We need to remove distractions, false teachings and temptations.

I noticed that as king's come into power some times their other sons come into power too, and it is clarified in the Bible by referring to different mother's of those sons.  That would make that what we call half brothers, but they are not referred to that way, or even as brothers.