Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him. (2 Kings 23:25) This verse indicates the high regard that God had for…
Posts Tagged: Israel
2 Kings 19:28 – My Hook in Your Nose
Hezekiah’s believing loyalty toward Yahweh earned him many blessings. The Lord in 2 Kings 18:5 even went so far as to say: He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. High praise…
2 Kings 17:33 – Syncretism
When people try to serve both other gods and Yahweh, the God of the Bible, at the same time, they are guilty of syncretism. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines syncretism “as the combination of different forms of belief or practice.” In ancient Israel, this sin was a serious downfall among the people. In fact, it’s what led…
2 Kings 8:12 – Why Elisha Wept
The prophet Elisha had quite a lot of interaction with the kings of Syria that resulted in a number of dramatic events. Actually the Ben-Hadad noted in the Bible as king of Syria, but not distinguished as such, was both father and son. Because Elisha performed his many deeds for about 60 years, he would…
1 Kings 9:8 – Heap of Ruins
Solomon spent seven years building the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:38). When he had finished, he dedicated the house to the Lord. In his prayers of dedication, Solomon acknowledged the natural inclination of the people to sin, and he pleaded with Yahweh to forgive them in their human failures. We see…
2 Samuel 21:1 – Bloodguilt
We’ve explored previously the importance of vows made (https://garyritter.com/leviticus-2728-29-surely-be-put-to-death/) and guilt that comes upon the land for the shedding of innocent blood (https://garyritter.com/numbers-3533-blood-pollutes-the-land/). Because of how seriously God takes these issues, Scripture repeats the lessons for us. As the Israelites conducted their conquest of Canaan, i.e. the taking of the Promised Land as God had…