Divided Thrones and Fading Faith: Lessons from the Kings Who Turned Away

Welcome to Day 98 of The Glory Team Bible Reading plan and we are continuing the book of 2 Kings. In 2 Kings 14-16, these chapters chronicle a turbulent period in Israel and Judah’s history, marked by political instability, spiritual compromise, and God's unfolding judgment. Though a few kings attempt to do what is right in God’s eyes, their obedience is often incomplete, and the nation continues to suffer the consequences of idolatry and divided loyalty. These chapters reveal how both kingdoms—Israel in the north and Judah in the south—drift further from God's commands, ultimately setting the stage for the fall of Israel. As alliances with foreign nations deepen and pagan practices creep into worship, the true King—God—is consistently rejected. The stories of Amaziah, Azariah (Uzziah), Jotham, and Ahaz serve as both a warning and a mirror: when leaders forsake God's ways, the people and the land suffer.

2 Kings 14: Amaziah becomes king of Judah and begins his reign with partial obedience to God. He avenges his father’s death and defeats Edom, but then foolishly provokes a battle with Israel. King Jehoash of Israel defeats Amaziah, captures him, and breaks down part of Jerusalem’s wall. Later, Jeroboam II rules Israel for forty-one years and expands the nation's borders, yet continues in idolatry. Despite their victories, both kings fall short of honoring God fully, showing how pride and compromise erode the strength of leadership. The chapter ends with Amaziah’s assassination and Jeroboam’s continued reign in Israel.

2 Kings 15: This chapter introduces a rapid succession of kings in Israel, most of whom lead in wickedness and are assassinated. In Judah, Azariah (Uzziah) reigns long and prosperously but is struck with leprosy due to his disobedience. His son Jotham follows as co-regent and later king, doing what is right in God’s eyes. In Israel, kings Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah follow each other in quick succession, marked by treachery and violence. Political chaos in Israel reflects its spiritual decline, while Judah shows slightly more stability yet still tolerates idolatry. These events point to God’s judgment as He allows instability to reign where His laws are ignored.

2 Kings 16: Ahaz becomes king of Judah and immediately does evil, embracing pagan practices, including child sacrifice. When Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel threaten Judah, Ahaz seeks help from Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria instead of relying on God. To gain favor, he sends silver and gold from the Temple to Assyria. While visiting Damascus, he copies a pagan altar and replaces the altar of the Lord with it in the Temple. Ahaz even reconfigures the temple worship to match Assyrian customs, showing a complete disregard for God's commands. His reign marks a low point in Judah’s spiritual history.

Origin & Meaning of the Name:

The name 2 Kings continues from 1 Kings, as both books were originally one single work in the Hebrew Bible. The title "Kings" comes from the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) translation of the Hebrew word Melekhim, meaning “Kings.” It records the reigns of various monarchs in Israel and Judah, detailing their faithfulness or rebellion against God.

Purpose of the Book:

The purpose of 2 Kings is to document the spiritual and political decline of Israel and Judah, ultimately leading to their exiles. It highlights the consequences of disobedience to God’s covenant, contrasting faithful and unfaithful kings. The book serves as a historical and theological lesson that obedience to God brings blessings, while disobedience leads to judgment.

Authorship & Sources Supporting the Author:

The authorship of 2 Kings is traditionally attributed to the prophet Jeremiah, though this is not explicitly stated in the text. Several pieces of evidence support this claim:

Internal Biblical Evidence:
- 2 Kings 24–25 closely parallels Jeremiah 39 and 52, describing the fall of Jerusalem.
- Jeremiah was a prophet during the final days of Judah and personally witnessed the Babylonian exile (Jeremiah 1:1-3).
External References & Historical Sources:
- The Talmud (Baba Bathra 15a) credits Jeremiah as the author of 1 & 2 Kings.
- 2 Kings frequently refers to historical records such as:
  - The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah (2 Kings 8:23, 12:19, etc.)
  - The Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel (2 Kings 1:18, 10:34, etc.)

While some scholars suggest a later anonymous compiler from the exilic period, the traditional view holds that Jeremiah, or a disciple influenced by him, compiled the book using these historical records under divine inspiration.

Key People:

Elijah – A prophet of God who ascends to heaven without dying (2 Kings 2).
Elisha – Successor of Elijah, performing many miracles (2 Kings 2-13).
Jehu – A king of Israel who eradicates Ahab’s family and Baal worship (2 Kings 9-10).
Hezekiah – A righteous king of Judah known for his reforms and miraculous healing (2 Kings 18-20).
Manasseh – A wicked king of Judah who later repents (2 Kings 21).
Josiah – A godly king who restores worship and finds the Book of the Law (2 Kings 22-23).
Nebuchadnezzar – King of Babylon who conquers Judah and exiles its people (2 Kings 24-25).
Zedekiah – The last king of Judah before the Babylonian captivity (2 Kings 24-25).

Conclusion

The book of 2 Kings concludes with the tragic fall of both Israel and Judah due to their persistent disobedience to God’s covenant, culminating in the Babylonian exile. Despite the judgment, a glimmer of hope remains as King Jehoiachin of Judah is shown mercy in Babylon (2 Kings 25:27-30), hinting at God’s ongoing plan for restoration. This ending reinforces the book’s central theme: faithfulness to God brings blessings, while rebellion leads to downfall, yet His mercy endures beyond judgment.

What is God's Name in these Chapters?

In this portion of our journey we want to dive deep into the character of God described in His name. By identifying who God is, we can further relate to Him personally and build a stronger relationship and connection with Our Father.

Names are important. They give significance to places, people, and things. We identify with so much based off what it's name is. This is considerably notable when it comes to the names of God.

"Jehovah" is considered a Latinized version of the Hebrew name "Yahweh" (represented by the consonants YHWH) where the vowels of the Hebrew word "Adonai" (meaning "my Lord") were added to the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) when pronounced by Jewish readers who avoided saying the sacred name directly; essentially, Christian scholars combined the consonants of YHWH with the vowels of Adonai to create the pronunciation "Jehovah" in the Latin alphabet.

Looking for the Names of God from the previous chapters? Due to the overwhelming amount of names we had to dedicate a special place for them for the sake of space. Click the link to see them:

REVIEW GOD'S NAMES FROM PREVIOUS CHAPTERS

In 2 Kings 14, God reveals Himself as merciful and just. Despite the spiritual inconsistency of King Amaziah, God allows Judah temporary military success. However, when Amaziah becomes prideful and picks a needless fight with Israel, God does not prevent his defeat. This shows that while God is patient and may permit victories even for imperfect leaders, He opposes pride and self-reliance that ignore His wisdom.

The chapter does not explicitly mention any Hebrew names of God, but His actions reflect His justice and mercy. The lesson God is teaching here is that partial obedience is not enough—He desires humility and full submission to His will. When leaders step outside of God’s guidance, trusting in their own strength, the result is defeat and disgrace. God honors those who walk in humility and recognize Him as the true source of strength.

In 2 Kings 15, God's character is seen through His sovereign control and patient endurance. While Judah experiences some level of stability under Azariah (Uzziah) and Jotham, Israel falls into chaos with king after king being assassinated. God allows this unrest to unfold as a reflection of Israel’s continued sin, but He doesn’t immediately bring total destruction—He gives time for repentance. His long-suffering nature is evident even in the midst of judgment.

There are no specific Hebrew names of God mentioned in this chapter, yet God is clearly acting through His authority over nations and rulers. The lesson here is that while God is patient, unchecked rebellion eventually leads to disorder and downfall. God desires righteous leadership and unwavering faithfulness—not religious tradition without heart devotion. He reminds His people that sin has consequences, but His grace gives room for change.

In 2 Kings 16, God’s character is revealed through contrast—His holiness and faithfulness are set against the deep corruption of King Ahaz. Though God does not immediately intervene, His silence reflects sorrow, not approval. Ahaz’s imitation of pagan worship, including child sacrifice, is a direct violation of God’s holiness, showing how far Judah had strayed. Even when leaders reject Him, God remains unchanging and holy.

No Hebrew names of God are directly used in this chapter, but God’s holiness and covenant faithfulness are evident. The lesson here is that turning to the world and its systems, rather than trusting in God, leads to spiritual ruin. Ahaz's alliance with Assyria and his remodeling of temple worship teach that compromise leads to corruption. God calls His people to exclusive worship and uncompromising devotion to Him alone.

Christ in Every Book of the Bible

Christ is the theme throughout the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals His Son, Jesus Christ.

Christ is the Seed of the woman Genesis 3:14 , He is the Passover Lamb Exodus 12:3, The Atoning Sacrifice Leviticus 17:11, The Smitten Rock Numbers 20:8, 11, The Faithful Prophet Deuteronomy 18:18, Christ is the Captain of the Lord's Host Joshua 5:15, The Divine Deliverer Judges 2:18, The Kinsman Redeemer Ruth 3:12, Christ is the anticipated as the Anointed One,1 Samuel 2:10, The Son of David 2 Samuel 7:14, The Coming King 1 & 2 Kings, Builder of the Temple 1 & 2 Chronicles (1 Chronicles 28:20), Ezra represents Christ as the Restorer of the Nation Ezra 6:14, 15, Nehemiah shows Him as the Restorer of the Temple Nehemiah 6:15, and Esther portrays Him as the Preserver of the Nation Ester 4:14, Christ is seen as the Living Redeemer Job 19:25, The Praise of Israel Psalm 150:6, The Wisdom of God Proverbs 8:22, 23, The Great Teacher Ecclesiastics 12:11, The Fairest of Ten Thousand Song of Solomon 5:10. Christ is the Suffering Servant Isaiah 53:11, The Maker of the New Covenant Jeremiah 31:31, The Man of Sorrows Lamentations 3:28-30, The Glory of God Ezekiel 43:2, The coming Messiah Daniel 9:25, The Lover of the Unfaithful Hosea 3:1, The Hope of Israel Joel 3:16, The Husbandman Amos 9:13, the Savior Obadiah 21, the Resurrected One Jonah 2:10, the Ruler in Israel Micah 5:2, the Avenger Nahum 2:1, the Holy God Habakkuk 1:13, the King of Israel Zephaniah 3:15, the Desire of Nations Haggai 2:7, the Righteous Branch Zechariah 3:8, and the Sun of Righteousness Malachi 4:2.

The King of the Jews Matthew 2:2, the Servant of the Lord Mark 10:45, the Son of Man Luke 19:10, and the Son of God John 1:1. Christ is the Ascended Lord Acts 1:10, the believer's Righteousness Romans 1:17, Sanctification 1 Corinthians 1:30, Sufficiency 2 Corinthians 12:9, and Liberty Galatians 2:4. He is the Exalted Head of the church Ephesians 1:22, the Christian's Joy Philippians 1:26, and the Fullness of Deity Colossians 2:9. In the Thessalonian epistles Christ is the believer's Comfort 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17 and Glory 2 Thessalonians 1:12. The Christian's Preserver 1 Timothy 4:10, Rewarder 2 Timothy 4:8, Blessed Hope Titus 2:13, and Substitute Philemon 17. He is the High Priest Hebrews 4:15, the Giver of Wisdom James 1:5, the Rock 1 Peter 2:6, and Precious Promise 2 Peter 1:4. John represents Christ as the Life 1 John, the Truth 2 John, and the Way 3 John, Jude portrays Christ as the Advocate and Revelation shows Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revelation 19:16. The whole Bible is literally all about Christ!

Questions:

Let's expand how these chapters expanded your faith and your relationship with God.

Questions About God's Character: What do these chapters reveal about God’s faithfulness to His word and promises?

What do these chapters reveal about God's patience with both Judah and Israel?
How does God respond to partial obedience, such as in the lives of Amaziah and Azariah?
In what ways does God allow consequences to teach important lessons to His people?
How is God’s sovereignty displayed through the rise and fall of kings, even in turbulent times?
What does God’s response to Ahaz’s idolatry reveal about His holiness and standards for worship?
Even when leaders and nations forget God, how is His mercy still evident in these chapters?
What character traits of God stand out most to you in this section of Scripture, and why?

Questions About Themes:

How does pride affect leadership in these chapters, and what theme does that reflect?
What recurring theme is seen in the spiritual failures of both Judah and Israel?
How do these chapters highlight the danger of trusting political alliances over God?
What role does obedience or disobedience play in national and personal outcomes?
How is the theme of consequences for sin demonstrated through the instability in Israel?
What themes about worship and idolatry are evident in Ahaz’s actions?
How do these chapters explore the tension between outward success and inward corruption?

Reflective Application Questions:

In what areas of your life might you be showing partial obedience rather than full surrender?
Have you ever made decisions based on pride instead of seeking God’s guidance? What was the outcome?
Are there any "alliances" in your life (relationships, habits, influences) that may be pulling you away from trusting God?
What are some modern-day “idols” that can take the place of wholehearted worship of God?
How do you respond when you feel God is silent during your moments of compromise or struggle?
What steps can you take to align your actions with God's standard of holiness and not the culture around you?
Which king’s story do you most relate to in this passage, and what is God showing you through it?

These questions can help deepen understanding of the themes of these chapters, while encouraging trust in God's sovereignty, justice, faithfulness, and timing. We hope thoughts to these questions invite you to reflect on your own journeys, grow in faith, and understand more about God's nature.

Reference Guides:

Life Application Study Guide

A Popular Survey of the Old Testament by Norman L. Geisler

The Power of God's Names by Tony Evans