2 Kings 17 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 17.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/17/1/s_330001

Meditate on this phrase from verse 13.

"Turn from your evil ways

 and keep My commandments”

During the ninth year of Hoshea’s reign (722 BC), the northern kingdom of Israel was taken captive to Assyria and ceased to exist as a nation (vs. 5-6). The LORD gave the reasons for their destruction; there could be no doubt about why they were punished. Carefully observe the list and learn from their mistakes. They:

1.      feared other gods, served Baal and other idols, and worshiped the host of heaven (vs. 7, 12, 16)

2.      walked in the customs of other nations (v. 8)

3.      did things secretly which were not right against the LORD (v. 9)

4.      built high places everywhere for themselves (v. 9)

5.      sold themselves to do evil, provoking the LORD (vs. 11, 17)

6.      did not listen, stiffened their necks, and did not believe in God (v. 14)

7.      rejected  God’s   statutes  and covenant, forsook all His commandments (vs. 15, 16)

8.      followed vanity and became vain (v. 15)

9.      sacrificed their children (v. 17)

10.   practiced divination and enchantments (v. 17)

So the LORD was very angry with Israel

 and removed them from His sight;

 None was left except the tribe of Judah.

—2 Kings 17:18

Thankfully, you know what makes God angry. As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), use the words from 2 Kings 17:13-14 to pray to be pleasing to Him.

“LORD, You have warned _________ and me

through all Your prophets.  Let us turn from our evil ways and

 keep Your commandments and statutes

 which You have commanded.  Help us listen!

 Do not let us stiffen our necks! 

We believe in You, LORD our God!

In Your name, Jesus~”

2 Kings 16 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 16.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/16/1/s_329001

Meditate on verse 3.

But he (Ahaz) walked in the way of the kings of Israel,

 and even made his son pass through the fire,

according to the abominations of the nations

whom the LORD had driven out from before the sons of Israel.

These 20 brief verses of 2 Kings 16 describe the evil reign of King Ahaz, possibly the worst king to rule over the southern kingdom of Judah. Instead of modeling his reign after his predecessor, King David, he walked in the way of the wicked kings of Israel, even committing the abominable act of sacrificing his child to the Canaanite god, Molech (v. 3, Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 12:29-31).

Ahaz submitted himself and his people to the Assyrians and acquiesced to their heathenism by removing holy objects from the temple of the LORD and replacing them with a pagan altar patterned after one he saw in Syria. Sadly, Urijah, the priest, did not stop King Ahaz from defiling the temple, but instead, gave in to his demands. Such spiritually spineless behavior left Urijah with the epitaph of: “He did according to all that King Ahaz commanded” (v. 16).

As you read the story of King Ahaz, let God’s Word convict you of areas in your life where you might be sacrificing your loved ones to the ways of the world. Ask the LORD to remove spiritual spinelessness and make you strong by His Spirit (Zechariah 4:6).

Pray to do the opposite of 2 Kings 16:16 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, make ________ and me Your priests

who do according to all You command. 

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Kings 15 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 15.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/15/1/

Meditate on verse 28.

He (Pekah) did evil in the sight of the LORD;

he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam

 son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin.

If you are keeping track of the kings of Israel and Judah, you have noticed that the kings of the northern kingdom, Israel, were evil monarchs who did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam.  Jeroboam, the first of those 19 kings, left an idolatrous and evil legacy that characterized the reigns of 18  more kings over the course of 200 years.   This downward spiral of infectious sin eventually hit rock bottom when Assyria captured and destroyed Israel in 722 BC.

What are you doing positively or negatively that is influencing future generations? What will be your legacy? As you walk in obedience with Jesus, ask Him to make the refrain of your life the opposite of the kings of Israel. Pray not to be like kings Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Joram, Jehu, Joahaz, Joash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea.

As a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7), pray for yourself and those you love to not be described like Menahem in 2 Kings 15:18.

“LORD, please keep __________ and me from doing evil in Your sight.

 Let all of our days be a departure from sins. 

Help us depart from all the sins of our fathers.

 Do not let us make others sin!

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Kings 14 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 14.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/14/1/s_327001

Meditate on verses 3-4.

He did right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like

 David his father; he did according to all that Joash his

 father had done. Only the high places were not taken away;

the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

If you are like me (Marsha), you probably wish these verses about “high places” would just disappear. They make me uncomfortable because  they are the stain on a life that could have been described as “pleasing to the LORD.” These verses make me squirm because I know God repeats Himself in order to drive home things that are really important to Him. Refusing to remove “high places” is a big deal to God, and He really wants me—and you—to know it’s a big deal to Him. Therefore, we must acknowledge the high places in our lives and get rid of them.

As I write this devotional, my cry is, “Oh, LORD, show me my high places! I want them gone! Forgive me, LORD, for not acknowledging and removing them sooner. I want to live a life pleasing to You.”

Removal of the high places is an important part of your walk with Christ. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He reveals prideful places in your life, places that are higher in precedence than He is. Let God’s power tear them down and let Him constrain you not to rebuild them again.

Use 2 Kings 14:3-4 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, help _________ and me do right in Your sight,

even better than our fathers did.

  LORD, take away our high places;

 do not allow us to sacrifice there any longer!

Because of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Kings 13 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 13.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/13/1/s_326001

Meditate on verses 4a and 5a.

Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the LORD,

and the LORD listened to him.

The LORD gave Israel a deliverer.

Israel and Judah were in a terrible mess because of unrelenting, sinful behaviors. Doing evil in the sight of God, following the path of the wicked, and causing others to sin is a recipe for making God angry and incurring His judgment (vs. 2-3).

As you observe God’s justifiable wrath, notice His unending mercy as well. When Jehoahaz begged the LORD for His favor, He listened and gave Israel a savior (vs. 4-5). Amazing! Yet, isn’t that every Christian’s story?

But God demonstrates His own love toward us,

in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us

—Romans 5:8

Thankfully, God recorded the lives of these kings because everyone needs a deliverer; everyone needs a Savior.

Use the words from 2 Kings 13:2-5 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, do not let ________ and me do evil in Your sight

 and follow the sins of others.  Do not let us cause others to sin

 by not turning away from sin.  LORD, we do not

 want Your anger kindled against us, so that You

give us continually into the hand of our enemies.

 We entreat Your favor, LORD!  Please listen to us!

 LORD, thank You for our Deliverer, Jesus,

who allows us to escape from evil.

And in whose name we pray~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Kings 12 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 12.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/12/1/s_325001

Meditate on verse 2-3.

Jehoash (Joash) did right in the sight of the

 LORD all his days  in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 

Only the high places were not taken away;

the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

Joash became king at the age of seven. He served the LORD and his people well as long as Jehoiada, the priest, was alive to teach him. But after the death of this Godly mentor, Joash’s heart turned from following the LORD (2 Chronicles 24:17-19).

It is important to be with Godly others who encourage you in your walk with Christ. Thankfully, Jesus gave you His Church, those who believe and follow Him.

And what about those “high places”? It is a repeated phrase throughout 1 and 2 Kings. These regional places of worship often combined the worship of God with false gods and were contrary to God’s will (Deuteronomy 12:2-3). However, the people liked their high places, and it was easier for the priests and other leaders to let them do what they wanted rather than upsetting them and their high places.

As you ponder the high places, ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of high places in your life. Destroy your high places—any area of your life controlled by pride and disobedience to Christ and His Word.

Use the words from 2 Kings 12:2-3 and 15 to pray over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, let ___________ and me do right

in Your sight all our days.

Instruct us and let us instruct others about You.

 Let us take away all high places;

let us sacrifice nothing on the high places.

 Make us people who deal faithfully.

Because of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Kings 11 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 11.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/11/1/s_324001

Meditate on verse 3.

So he (Joash) was hidden with her (his aunt) in the

 house of the LORD six years, while Athaliah (his grandmother) was

 reigning over the land.

Unbelievably evil! Athaliah killed her grandchildren to ensure she ruled Judah instead of them (v. 1). Lust for power can drive a person to pathetic places and beastly behaviors. Thankfully, courageous Jehosheba hid baby Joash from his wicked grandmother. Their place of refuge was the temple of the LORD.

As a Christian, you also have perpetual refuge in the presence of God (Hebrews 4:14-16).

One thing I have asked from the LORD,

 that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD

 and to meditate in His temple.  For in the day of trouble, He

 will conceal me in His tabernacle; in the secret place of

 His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

—Psalm 27:4-5

Pray 2 Kings 11:3, 17-18, and 20 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, hide ________ and me in Your house, in Your presence. 

We covenant with You, LORD, to be Your people. 

Let us tear down and thoroughly break in pieces all altars and

images not pleasing to You. 

We will rejoice.  Bring quiet to our lives.

Because of You, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell

2 Kings 10 - Praying God's Word

Please read 2 Kings 10.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/2ki/10/1/s_323001

Meditate on verse 31.

But Jehu was not careful to walk in

 the law of the LORD, the God of Israel,

 with all his heart; he did not

 depart from the sins of Jeroboam,

which he made Israel sin.

Although Jehu was zealous in his exploits for God, his epitaph was similar to all of the kings of the northern kingdom, Israel: Jehu did not follow the LORD with his whole heart, and he caused others to sin.

Scripture records that Jehu committed “the sins of Jeroboam,” the first king of Israel after the nation divided (v. 29; 1 Kings 12:20). What exactly were those sins that so angered God? Idolatry, ordination of anyone to be priests, devising places and ways to worship contrary to God’s Word, and encouraging others to join in his ungodly behaviors are the sins of Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25-33; 13:33-34).

The turning point in Jehu’s walk with the LORD probably came when he forced Jehonadab to ride with him and see his zeal for God as he finished killing all of evil Ahab’s family (vs. 16-17). The pride that comes with a need to be seen messes-up a wholehearted, humble walk with God.

Allow God to examine your heart with Jehu’s story. Is your worship of God in the image of the world, or is it according His Word? Do you need others to notice what you are doing for the cause of Christ? Humble yourself before God and pray for the opposite of 2 Kings 10:31 to be true of you and those you love.

“LORD, let ________ and me be careful to

walk in Your law with all our heart. 

Let us depart from sin; do not let us make others sin.

For the sake of Your name, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL, 3 – Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell