In the book of 2 Kings, we see a lot of changes in leadership of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. As a farmer and a man of faith, I can appreciate the importance of good leadership and following the word of the Lord. The beginning of the book sees the reign of King Ahaziah, who was a bit of a weakling and relied heavily on the advice of his mother. When he dies, his brother Joram takes over and tries to put down a rebellion in the city of Moab, but ends up getting killed by one of their own arrows.
Then comes the story of the prophet Elisha, who was Elijah’s successor. He performs many miracles throughout the book, including healing the water supply and feeding a hundred men with a small amount of food. He also becomes involved in political matters, advising kings and even working to help a foreign general who was suffering from leprosy.
But despite Elisha’s efforts, the kings of Israel and Judah continue to be corrupt and disobedient to God. Both kingdoms are eventually brought down by foreign powers, with Samaria being conquered by the Assyrians and Jerusalem falling to the Babylonians. Throughout it all, God remains faithful to his people and sends prophets to warn them of the consequences of their actions.
As a man who values discipline and obedience, I can’t help but shake my head at the foolishness of these kings. They had the chance to lead their people in righteousness, but instead chose to worship false gods and engage in immoral behavior. But there’s always a lesson to be learned, and I think the book of 2 Kings teaches us the importance of staying true to our values even in the face of adversity.
And in the immortal words of Dwight Schrute, “Fact: bears eat beets. Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica.”
