The good news of the gospel is that you do not have to turn out like your father. If you find this hard to believe, then consider Hezekiah. God raised up this Judean King, while a dark cloud was hanging over the nation, to lead them to a time of restoration. He was the greatest king since David, yet his dad was perhaps the most evil king in Judah’s history. But God, by his graced brought restoration in a season of ruin through the leadership of Hezekiah. In these chapters, we are reminded of the grace of God in bringing refreshing fall-like seasons in our life, and encouraged to seek the Lord like Hezekiah.
In the midst of the disobedience and decline of chapters 11-16, there are whispers of this hope. We will focus our attention upon these whispers, while not ignoring the tragic cries of the darkness. We will confine our attention to the reigns of two particular kings: Joash in Judah (11-12) and Joash in Israel (13:10-25). From these stories, I have two gigantic expressions of God’s grace to point out.
This is a really easy section to outline, but a hard section to read for some to read because it is bloody. It is divided into three parts: (1) The Anointing (9:1-13); (2) The Avenging (9:14-10:27); (3) The Assessment (10:28-36). If you scan these sections you can see that breakdown. A young prophet anoints him, then he serves as God’s avenger. He eliminates Joram, Ahaziah, Jezebel, Ahab’s descendants, the worshipers of Baal. In the final verses of chapter 10 we are left to ponder the assessment of his reign. While that covers the story itself, I have chosen to go with a bit different outline: (1) Things that Differ; and (2) Things that Matter. We need to make some distinctions between this story and our time period, but we also need to take some things very seriously that are still true for us.
This is a really easy section to outline, but a hard section to read for some to read because it is bloody. It is divided into three parts: (1) The Anointing (9:1-13); (2) The Avenging (9:14-10:27); (3) The Assessment (10:28-36). If you scan these sections you can see that breakdown. A young prophet anoints him, then he serves as God’s avenger. He eliminates Joram, Ahaziah, Jezebel, Ahab’s descendants, the worshipers of Baal. In the final verses of chapter 10 we are left to ponder the assessment of his reign. While that covers the story itself, I have chosen to go with a bit different outline: (1) Things that Differ; and (2) Things that Matter. We need to make some distinctions between this story and our time period, but we also need to take some things very seriously that are still true for us.
In the following section of Kings, we find some fascinating, tragic, and somewhat comedic stories. You were probably not told about these stories in Sunday School! Many of the stories in Scripture are difficult to understand and stomach, but that does not mean we need to avoid them, or that we cannot make sense of them. We simply need to try to understand them. From these stories, it is clear that God is “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty” (Ex 34:6-7). God’s divine mercy and justice has been most gloriously displayed in the cross of Jesus. There, the sinless one bore the judgment that we deserved, in order that we may experience everlasting mercy and grace. Look to him, and flee the wrath to come. In Christ, you are safe. In Christ, you are free from condemnation.
