IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Sins of Azariah and Northern Israel

Date: May. 12, 2025

Passage

2 Kings 15:1-16 (ESV)

In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to reign. He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. And the LORD touched the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and he lived in a separate house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the household, governing the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And Azariah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Jotham his son reigned in his place.

In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin. 10 Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him and struck him down at Ibleam and put him to death and reigned in his place. 11 Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 12 (This was the promise of the LORD that he gave to Jehu, “Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it came to pass.)

13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned one month in Samaria. 14 Then Menahem the son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria, and he struck down Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and put him to death and reigned in his place. 15 Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, and the conspiracy that he made, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 16 At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah and all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on, because they did not open it to him. Therefore he sacked it, and he ripped open all the women in it who were pregnant.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 15:5

And the LORD touched the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death, and he lived in a separate house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the household, governing the people of the land.

Azariah (also called Uzziah) was king of Judah who had reigned for 52 years. He honored God and did what was right in God’s eyes through most of his reign. God blessed Judah with peace and prosperity. Then he later became arrogant and rebellious before God like his father. He broke the ceremonial law intentionally by burning incense on the altar that only the priests could do (2Ch 26:16). God struck him with leprosy, and Uzziah was confined to a separate house until he died. Uzziah exalted himself, but God humbled him. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Pr16:18).

While Judah enjoyed peace and stability under the godly king Uzziah, northern Israel plunged into political turmoil because it continually embraced idolatry. King Zechariah, son of Jeroboam was assassinated by Shallum after he reigned six months. Shallum could kill him in front of the people who most likely resented Zechariah. Zechariah was the last of Jehu’s descendants to rule according to prophecy. Shallum took over the throne and reigned one month. He was assassinated by Menahem. These two kings reaped what they sowed. God removed his hand of protection. The Northern Kingdom fell into anarchy and God’s judgment.

Prayer: Lord, raise up humble and God-fearing leaders who can lead people from idolatry to you.

One Word: Idolatry leads to chaos and destruction

Daily Bread

Resolve to Know Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Key Verse: 2:2

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