Mon.’s Devo - The Battles of the Kings

Read: 2 Kings 10:32-12:21; Acts 18:1-22; Psalm 145:1-21; Proverbs 18:1 Jehu’s son, Jehoahaz continued in the sin of Jeroboam which was to worship the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. God allowed King Hazael of Aram and his son Benhadad to defeat them over and over. Jehoahaz finally cried out to the Lord, and God heard him and gave Israel peace. But after a while, Jehoahaz and the people went back to worshipping idols. His army was whittled down to a small amount of men. When Jehoahaz died, his son Jehoash became the king. Jehoash did evil and refused to stop worshipping idols. When he heard that Elishah was dying, he went to visit him and cried over his dying. Elisha had him put his hands on a bow while he put his hands over them. Together they shot an arrow out of his eastern window toward Aram. This was the signify total victory for Israel over the Arameans. Then he told him to take the rest of the arrows and strike them on the ground. He struck the ground three times. Elisha was angry and told him that he should have struck them five or six times because now, they would only be victorious three times. Elisha died, but when a dead man’s body was hastily thrown on top of his tomb, it sprung to life. Elisha had prayed for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and Elijah had raised one boy from the dead. Elisha had only raised one, so he was due one more. He got it after his death. True to Elisha’s prophecy, Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times and recovered the Israelite towns. In Judah, Joash died and his son, Amaziah ruled. Amaziah did what was pleasing to the Lord but he didn’t get rid of the pagan shrines. When he had established his kingdom, he executed the men who had assassinated his father. Then he picked a fight with Israel. King Jehoash of Israel tried to talk him out of it but Amaziah refused to listen. The two armies faced each other and King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s king, Amaziah. King Jehoash took out 600 feet of Jerusalem’s wall and stold the gold and silver and all the article from the Temple of the Lord. He also seized the treasures of royal palace and took hostages back to Samaria. When Jehoash died, his son Jeroboam II became king. After Amaziah suffered such a defeat against Israel, his life was in danger from his own men. He fled to Lachish but was found and killed. His sixteen-year old son was crowned king. His name was Uzziah. In Israel, Jeroboam II refused to turn from the sins of idolatry but he did recover land that Jonah had prophesied he would. When he died, his son Zechariah became king. In Acts, Paul spent time in Antioch then went back through Galatia and Phrygia encouraging the churches he had started. A devout Jew named Apollos came to Ephesus and boldly taught repentance. Priscilla and Aquilla drew him aside and taught him about Jesus’ baptism in the Holy Spirit. He took that experience and knowledge with him and began teaching about the Holy Spirit. When Paul laid his hands on the new believers they received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Paul also performed many mighty miracles. Many were healed of diseases and delivered from demons. Lord, help us to walk in the power of the early disciples and desire the baptism of Jesus which is the baptism in the Holy Spirit.