SINS OF AZARIAH AND NORTHERN ISRAEL
2 Kings 15:1-16
The LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. Jotham the king’s son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land. (5)
chapter 15
1. In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign.
2. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.
3. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.
4. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
5. The LORD afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. Jotham the king’s son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
6. As for the other events of Azariah’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
7. Azariah rested with his ancestors and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.
8. In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned six months.
9. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his predecessors had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.
10. Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against Zechariah. He attacked him in front of the people, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.
11. The other events of Zechariah’s reign are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.
12. So the word of the LORD spoken to Jehu was fulfilled: "Your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."
13. Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria one month.
14. Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.
15. The other events of Shallum’s reign, and the conspiracy he led, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.
16. At that time Menahem, starting out from Tirzah, attacked Tiphsah and everyone in the city and its vicinity, because they refused to open their gates. He sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women.
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1. 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).
2. 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