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Second Kings
by Paul D. Fisher -- May 13, 2001

Second Kings picks up where First Kings left off with the kingdom divided and both kingdoms in a
down hil spiral. Israel, the northern kingdom made up of ten tribes continued to race as it were into
sin and to become like all the kingdoms around them. Idolatry and all kinds of wickedness seemed
to be the order of the day. King after king went after the false gods around them and in their pride
and arrogance, they led the people farther and farther away from Jehovah. Finally, God allowed them
to be taken into captivity and the kingdom of Israel was lost never to be reestablished.
The kingdom of Judah, in the south, did have a few kings who, according to scripture, walked in
the way of the Lord. Sadly these kings were too few in comparison to those who walked in the way
of sin. Judah suffered because of the sins of the kings and the people. The great wealth that had
been so abundant during Solomon's reign was now taken away by foreign kings and their armies,
even the temple was stripped of its valuables. Finally, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came
against Judah in three different campaigns and after a two year siege destroyed Jerusalem. The
once great nation of Israel whose people were like the stars of heaven for numbers was now again
in captivity in a foreign land. Thus we see the sin of falling away from worshipping and serving Jehovah
with all our hearts, soul and body!

Is The Word Of The Lord With You

King Jehoshaphat of Judah, king Jehoram of Israel and the king of Edom all made war against the
country of Moab Before the battles began king Jehoshaphat wanted to enquire of God if they would
be successful or not and he asked the question, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may
enquire of the Lord by him?..." (2 Kings 3:11). He is informed that Elisha the prophet was there and the statement made by king Jehoshaphat is very important for it showed that he knew about Elisha. "And
Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him.." (2 Kings 3:12). What a wonderful commentary
about Elisha's life, that the king knew that Elisha would speak the words of God to them and that they
could enquire of God by him.
This is something that each and every Christian must strive to become, a person in which the word
of God is with! Peter said in 1 Peter 4:11, "If any man speak, !et him speak as the oracles of God;
if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
Only by knowing God's word can it be said of us that '¥he word of the Lord is with him. Timothy was
admonished by the apostle Paul to "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2Timothy 2:15).

Today we need to recognize that the Bible is the only true source of God's word. Many would like it
to be different. Many claim that God spoke to them in a dream or in a still small voice, yet the scriptures
teach that all we need for life and godliness has once already been delivered. This makes studying
God's word the most important thing that we can do, because with knowledge and obedience to God
comes wisdom of an eternal nature! King Jehoshaphat understood the need to find someone who knew
the word of God and to enquire of God. We should enquire of God daily through study of His word and
prayers to Him. If we do these things, people around us will come to recognize that the word of the Lord
is in us!

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