King Joash of Judah, the Ingrate

3 months ago

The End Thereof are the Ways of Death “The ear that harkeneth to the reproof of life shall abide among the wise. He that refuseth correction despiseth his own soul” (Proverbs 15:31‑32 ASV). By Mark Blicharz Jehoash, also known as Joash, appears frequently in the narratives of Kings and Chronicles and means “God has given.” Joash, son of Ahaziah and the seventh King of Judah, ascended the throne at the age of seven, after his wicked grandmother Athaliah had been killed at […]

The Repentance of Manasseh

3 months ago

A Sinner Not Beyond Hope “And when he was in distress, he besought Jehovah his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers” (2 Chronicles 33:12). By Keith Belhumeur The scriptural record of the reign of King Manasseh is a cautionary account of his initial rejection of Jehovah and of a king contributing to his nation’s decline into idolatry. It is, however, also one of repentance, humility, mercy, and hope. It shows us what can happen if we stray […]

King Zedekiah, the Oath Breaker

3 months ago

A Lesson from the Life of King Zedekiah “Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay” (Ecclesiastes 5:5). By Percival Blenman It might be the weekend, and you are headed to the supermarket when you stumble upon a friend you have not seen in months. As you open your mouth to say “Hello,” you realize that you made a promise to that friend months ago that you completely forgot to keep. If you have […]

Summary Lessons from Less Known Kings

3 months ago

Learning from the Mistakes of Others Most of us learn by experience. Wise men learn from other people’s mistakes. Rehoboam vs. Jeroboam I. We see both good and bad examples for us in Rehoboam. Solomon, his father, had made Israel wealthy and famous, which would have been a hard act to follow. When faced with a wearied people, he did wisely in asking advice from the older advisors and also the younger. Yet afterwards he should have inquired of God. Thence he […]

Babylon’s Sins

3 months ago

A Listing Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and its last king, the wicked Zedekiah. Yet, Babylon was itself later to be destroyed, and Israel is to be delivered. Babylon’s sins are listed (Jeremiah 50‑51). Therefore, the Lord’s people are called to come out of Babylon (Jeremiah 50:8, 51:6, 45) at the time of harvest (Jeremiah 51:33). In the Gospel Age, this period of the call begins with Christ’s return (Revelation 18:1‑5).