How Children Turn Out

O. T. #874  "How Children Turn Out"
Nov. 23, 2016
2 Kings 23-Part 3


LET IT GLOW

We have read of kings who had children that turned out not following the Lord's ways and Word. Was it do to neglect, preoccupation with politics, or military affairs, or religious education was delegated to others?

For some unstated reason, Josiah was determined to stop Necho and his Egyptian army from joining the Assyrian army at the Euphrates River to fight Babylon. He died after being shot by an arrow because he did not seek the Lord in this matter. The great ruler, sixteenth king of the southern kingdom, was gone.
What had Josiah accomplished during his time as king?

• He sought God and obeyed Him.
• He cleaned the Temple of idols and repaired it; established the priesthood, sacrificial system and feasts.
• He read the Law and the covenant made with God.
• He removed the idolatry system in Judah.

Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his mind and with all his heart and with all his strength according to all the law of Moses, and no one like him arose after him. (2 Kings 23:25)

Friends, can this be said of us? Is God first in our life? Are we faithfully serving Him?


LET IT GROW

Who became the next 2  kings of Judah?

• Jehoahaz was Josiah's fourth son and became Judah's new king after his father's death.
• At age 23, he only reigned 3 months, characterized by evil.
• Jehoahaz killed the prophet Uriah (Jeremiah 26:20-23) and was dishonest, greedy, and unjust with the people.  
• Pharoah Necho of Egypt removed Jehoahaz from office and put him in bondage in Syria, to be taken to Egypt, exacted tribute from Judah. Jehoahaz died in Egypt.
• Necho placed Eliakim, called Jehoiakim, who was Josiah's second son, on the throne. He was 25 years old when he began to reign and ruled 11 years.
• When the royal treasuries emptied, Jehoiakim had to collect taxes from the people of Judah to pay tribute to Egypt. He was an evil king, also. He cut Jeremiah's prophecies up and burned them. No repentance brought the nation's doom with Babylon would prevail over Jerusalem and Judah.
• In 605 B.C., Egypt was defeated by Babylon. Thus, Judah became a state under Babylon, which is stated in the next chapter.

Did you notice that these two sons of Josiah did not follow in their father's footsteps by remaining faithful to God?

LET IT GO

Pray for America to repent and turn from her evil ways.