2 Kings 18:3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done. He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)

After Israel and Judah went through a large number of kings that were sometimes good and sometimes bad, Hezekiah became king of Judah. Previously even the good kings had failed to remove many of the objects of iniquity. However, Hezekiah went beyond what those kings had done.

Hezekiah even smashed the bronze snake that Moses had made. I find this very interesting for a few reasons. Even though it had been forged for a godly reason, it was elevated to a place to which it did not belong.

I think that sometimes I have been guilty of that in my own life.  Something was good and even godly and I let it take a place it shouldn’t have held.  Perhaps I am not alone. Have you ever allowed work to be elevated to a place it shouldn’t? Has worldly success become more important than spiritual salvation? Have family, friends, or other loved ones been held in such regard that their opinions are more important than God’s?

2 Kings 3:18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the LORD; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.

The Books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings continue to tell the stories of the kings of Judah and Israel. Most of the kings did evil in the eyes of the Lord and brought calamity upon their kingdoms. However, some, often at the prompting of the great prophets of that time, repented and attempted to right the listing kingdoms.

Moab rebelled against Israel. Joined by Edom and Judah, Israel sent an army through the Desert of Edom to attack Moab. However, they soon ran completely out of water. With no hope of making it out of the desert, the kings of the united armies sought a word of the Lord from Elisha, the prophet.

Elisha reminded them that providing water was a small matter to the Lord and the army of Moab was not a big thing to God. The smallness of our situation compared to the bigness of God is a reoccurring theme in the Bible. In fact, if I was to wrap up what I believe is the underlying message of the Old Testament in a statement single statement, I would say it is: “God is big!” Over and over the Old Testament stories demonstrate how big God is. He is bigger than Pharaoh. He is bigger than the Red Sea. He is bigger than any enemy. He is bigger than any situation, circumstance, sin or sickness that you may find yourself in. Whatever, your worries, it is an easy matter to God.

1 Kings 19:9 There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Elijah had confronted King Ahab; shamed the followers of Baal; caused the people of Israel to fall on their faces and proclaim that the Lord is God; and killed 450 prophets of Baal. Then fear overcame him and he fled to the desert.

Indeed, what doubt crept into Elijah that he had taken flight? The Lord is not quizzing Elijah because He doesn’t know what happened. Nor do I think He is rebuking him for his frailties. The Lord asks him why is he here so Elijah may reflect upon his own situation.

The Lord shows empathy for Elijah as He tells him the “journey is too much for you.” He has an angel supply him with food and water. He tells Elijah to rest. Finally, in the verses ahead, the Lord speaks to Elijah in a small still voice that gives him instruction; encourages him to proceed with his mission; explains that help is on the way and gives him hope for the future.

Sometimes we feel spent, discouraged, beaten, overwhelmed and simply that the journey is too much for us. But just as He was there for Elijah, the Lord God is ready to give us rest, nourish our souls, shore us up and go forth with us each step of the journey ahead. We have hope for the future.

1 Kings 18:1 After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”

The background of this verse: Elijah was a prophet of God. Ahab was King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and had done some really bad stuff. Though compared to his wife Jezebel, he was almost a choirboy. Anyway, Elijah told Ahab that God wasn’t happy and there would be no rain in the land for a long time. That didn’t make Ahab happy, to put it mildly. Elijah took off and hid because by normal thinking, Ahab and Jezebel were not people the average Israelite would want to anger. (Jezebel had already put to death a whole bunch of God’s prophets).

Elijah hid in a dry land living at first by food birds brought him and then living with a poor widow and her child. FINALLY, God tells him, He will send rain, but first Elijah must go meet with Ahab.

Sometimes when we make a commitment to do the Godly or the right thing, the situation appears to get worse. We might feel like we are just barely getting by, or are stuck in a dry place. Then… when we hear from God, He wants us to do exactly what we have been most trying to avoid!

I remember seeing a magazine ad for Johnny Walker Black. It was a picture of an office building at night. Only a few lights were lit on the lower floors. There were more lights spiraling up the building to the top floor, where all the lights were lit. The caption stated, “As you move up, the work doesn’t get easier, but the rewards get better.”

As we move on in God’s Kingdom, things don’t usually get easier, but the reward at the top floor is out of this world.

1 Kings 16:29-30 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years. Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.

Jeroboam usurps the line of David and Solomon and seizes control of the kingdom, yet does more evil than Solomon. Baasha takes the kingdom by killing the son of Jeroboam, and he does even more evil. Then Zimri does in the line of Baasha and Omri the line of Zimri, each one doing more evil and leading the nation further astray.

Is there a pattern here?

Obviously, just replacing your leader or governmental authority does not mean the moral fabric of your society will improve. In fact, change without God may just be a spiral into darker depths.

1 Kings 13:17 “I have been told by the word of the LORD: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.'”

The story of Rehoboam and Jeroboam is quite interesting and a lot to grasp all at once. The above verse is one from this story that really caught my attention. Solomon had allowed the worship of other gods and eventually partook in such worship; division split his kingdom after his death. His son Rehoboam ruled part of the Kingdom and Jeroboam ruled the rest.

A prophet was sent by God to give Jeroboam a message, however the prophet was told by the Lord not to eat or drink in the land he was sent nor return by the way he came. That prophet was lied to by another and convinced to eat with that man. As a result, when he continued on his way he was attacked and killed by a lion.

I think that’s how it is with all of us sometimes. We may have a job to do. We may pass through all kinds of areas and meet all kinds of people in this world. However, that does not mean that our minds should be fed by the foolish, nor our hearts nourished by the corrupt. What’s more, life goes ever onward and we should not revert to ways we have outgrown or long for what has gone by. At least, not where it sways or delays us from our destination.

1 Kings 11:3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.

Solomon built Israel into a powerful kingdom. However, problems occurred. The Bible says that Solomon’s heart was not wholly devoted to God.  With 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines… you think?

Way back in Deuteronomy 17, the Bible warns against taking many wives or building up vast amounts of material goods. This is because one’s love for other people or wealth or affluence should not get in the way of one’s love and devotion to God. Sometimes, the more we get, the more we drift from God.

I Kings 3:16-27 One day two women came to King Solomon, and one said:

“Your Majesty, this woman and I live in the same house. Not long ago my baby was born at home, and three days later her baby was born. Nobody else was there with us. One night while we were asleep, she rolled over on her baby, and he died. Then while I was still asleep, she got up and took my son out of my bed. She put him in her bed, then she put her dead baby next to me.

In the morning when I got up to feed my son, I saw he was dead. But when I looked at him in the light, I knew he was not my son.”

“No!” the other woman shouted. “He was your son. My baby is alive!”

“The dead baby is your,” the first woman yelled. “Mine is alive.”

They argued back and forth in front of Solomon, until he finally said, “Both of you say this live baby is yours. Someone bring me a sword.”

A sword was brought, and Solomon ordered, “Cut the baby in half! That way each of you can have a part of him.”

“Please do not kill my son,” the baby’s mother screamed.  “Your Majesty, I love him very much, but give him to her. Just don’t kill him.”

The other woman shouted, “Go ahead and cut him in half. Then neither of us will have the baby.”

Solomon said, “Do not kill the baby.” Then he pointed to the first woman, “She is his real mother. Give the baby to her.”

With the impasse in Congress and perhaps the sad state of American politics in general, I can not but help think of this passage.

1 Kings 3:9 “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

How many times as a kid or even later as an adult, has someone asked us something like: “If you had one wish, what would you wish for?”

David ruled Israel for 40 years albeit with much internal conflict. Solomon, David’s son by Bathsheba, was picked by David to succeed him. Solomon solidified the throne.

The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream. In the dream, God told Solomon to ask Him for anything. Solomon did not ask for wealth or for long life or for destruction of his enemies. Solomon asked for an understanding heart in order to judge between good and evil.  God gave him what he asked for, and with it came a long life, honor and wealth.

Kind of makes me rethink my wish list.

2 Samuel 23:3-4 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: “When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’

When I consider the state of governments in our nation and in the rest of the world, I must say: I think the world is in store for some dark days.

Just the way I am, I can’t leave it at that.  If America is a state in which the people and our elected representatives hold supreme power, don’t we all play a part in bringing light into this world?