Eleven Kings

Amaziah King of Judah

• twenty-five years old when he became king
• reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years
• He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done
• gets cocky when he defeats the Edomites so challenges the king of Israel to face him in battle
• Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home
• Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah
• Jehoash took all the silver and gold from the treasuries and hostages too and returned to Samaria

Jeroboam II King of Israel

• he reigned forty-one years
• He did evil in the eyes of the Lord

Azariah King of Judah

• was sixteen years old when he became king
• reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years
• He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord
• The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there

Zechariah King of Israel

• he reigned six months
• He did evil in the eyes of the Lord
• he was assassinated by Shallum

Shallum King of Israel

• he reigned in Samaria one month
• he was assassinated by Menahem

Menahem King of Israel

• he reigned in Samaria ten years
• He did evil in the eyes of the Lord eg. when Tiphsah refused to open their gates, he sacked Tiphsah and ripped open all the pregnant women

Pekahiah King of Israel

• he reigned two years
• he did evil in the eyes of the Lord
• he was assassinated by Pekah

Pekah King of Israel

• he reigned twenty years
• He did evil in the eyes of the Lord
• he was assassinated by Hoshea

Jotham King of Judah

• was twenty-five years old when he became king
• he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years
• He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord
• The high places, however, were not removed

Ahaz King of Judah

• was twenty years old when he became king
• he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years
• Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God
• he even sacrificed his son in the fire
• when Ahaz is attacked by the king of Aram and the king of Israel, he calls on the king of Assyria for help

Hoshea Last King of Israel

• he reigned nine years
• He did evil in the eyes of the Lord

How did it come to this? God’s chosen people….years and years of war, intrigue, assassinations, worshipping foreign gods, evil……surely this could not have been what God intended? Surely this was not the plan. How did they end up here?

Do you not look at your life and wonder how it ended up being where it is now, what it is now? I do. A lot. I look back at when Andy and I were starting out on our life together and all our hopes and dreams and visions…..and I wonder what happened to them all. I didn’t expect to be who I am now, what I am now, where I am now, doing what I’m doing now…..it’s not about regret – how could I regret any of the relationships that are most precious to me? It’s more bewilderment – sometimes I sit in a meeting or read an email and think ‘How is this my life?’

Not that it’s in any way like the turmoil and evil of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, I’m not saying that at all. I just think that many things happen in life that are completely outside of our control and lead us into all sorts of situations that are surprising and unfamiliar and a bit scary……and all that we can rely on is that God is there; God is faithful; God is unchanging; God is the only reliable constant in an ever-changing landscape.