2 Kings 23:31 – 24:9
Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin

We are down to the last few kings of Judah – these three and one more next week. As Pastor Dave rattled through the brief accounts of their reigns, he pointed out what they had in common. All three did evil in the sight of the Lord, and all three were pawns in the hands of rival superpowers Egypt and Babylon. Their nation was hurtling toward destruction and exile, experiencing the consequences of evil within and without. And yet, Dave described two blessings evident in the sorry tale.

The first blessing is God’s sovereignty, even in difficulty. The whole book of Kings screams this lesson, Dave said. Behind every king’s throne in the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah was God’s throne. Every circumstance, including disaster, was the result of His sovereign choice. If God was in control of events then, He is now; He doesn’t change. In prayer this week, regardless of your circumstances, bow before the Lord and praise Him for His sovereignty. It’s easy to affirm God’s sovereignty “when the sun's shining down on me,” but we need to preach it to ourselves and each other “when the darkness closes in.” It’s hard to connect the dots and see God’s hand in the tragic, out-of-the-blue death of a loved one or a frightening diagnosis or estrangement from a friend or adult child for reasons you don’t understand. Ask the Holy Spirit to insistently remind you and others going through a difficult time of the sovereignty of God.

The second blessing Dave pointed out is remnant theology. Throughout the entire Bible, God delivers a remnant from judgment, starting with Noah and his family in the Flood. We are about to see judgment on Judah because of her persistent and pervasive idolatry, but God will bring a remnant back to Jerusalem after 70 years of exile in Babylon. What a blessing to be part of the remnant! But it means being part of a small minority, distinct from the large majority. That can be uncomfortable in a world that values popularity, approval, trend-following. Ask the Lord for courage to faithfully walk the narrow road, the “Remnant Road,” even when it makes you feel like an odd duck.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert

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