TOPIC: AN UNUSUAL DELIVERER FOR ISRAEL

 

TEXT: 2 Kings 13:1-9
1. In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

2. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

3. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

4. And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

5. (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.

6. Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein; and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

7. Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by 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. And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

 

KEY VERSE: “And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.” – (2 Kings 13:5)

MESSAGE

The mercies of God upon Israel and by extension His trusting children fail not! To think of it that God could use a king like Jehoahaz the son of Jehu who did evil and followed after the wrong examples of Jeroboam the son of Nebat whose life and actions orchestrated large scale idolatry in Israel to win a decisive victory over an oppressive and wicked nation like Syria is instructive!

A songwriter once wrote, “God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform”. It was said that Hazael, king of Syria and Benhadad his son, oppressed Israel all their days (2 Kings 13:3). Earlier than that, the same King Hazael had oppressed Judah resulting in King Jehoash gathering and surrendering all the holy vessels of worship and special treasures which his fathers – Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah – had accumulated in the house of God. He handed all to the king of Syria (2 Kings 12:18).

The good news is that “Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them” (2 Kings 13:4). The Lord led this king in battle against Syria and defeated them summarily until peace, progress and prosperity returned to the children of Israel.

There is no situation God cannot change and there is no vessel He cannot use if we can humbly seek His face and assistance when confronted by daunting situations. Depend on Him and you will experience daily victory.

 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: There is no mountain in our life that God cannot move.

 

THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 2 Chronicles 9-12

Thanks for reading Today’s DCLM Daily Manna 10th June 2022 | Friday Devotional