2 Kings 13:1-9 ESV

In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. 3 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. 4 Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (Therefore the Lord gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly. 6 Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.) 7 For there was not left to Jehoahaz an army of more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his place.

TAKING GOD’S GOODNESS FOR GRANTED

Jehoahaz assumed the throne of Israel after his father Jehu died. Previously, the Lord promised to Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.”[2 Kings 7:30] This was God’s favor to his clan. But his son Jehoahaz did evil. Thus, there was a divine punishment in the form of Syrian invasions. It was so severe that it reduces the army of Jehoahaz so insubstantial like ‘a dust at the threshing time’.

But, the Lord did not abandon Israel. Although, Jehoahaz was an idolater, he pleaded for God’s favor who saved them. This was out of desperation. And, God provided an unnamed savior. In other words, God was gracious to them. However, His graciousness had made no difference to Israel’s outlook. They continued in their sins and re-introduced the worship of Asherah which Jehu destroyed. Impliedly, they asked God’s help only when they needed help and only for their own selfish ends.


Certainly, he and the nation were hardened by sin to become unconscionable. For the evil they had done, they deserve judgment. But, God saw how they suffered from the Syrian’s oppression. Unlike them, you and I should not take God’s goodness for granted, should we? Paul said, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.”[Rom 2:4]


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