July 13-19, 2025

Heart Preparation:  
It’s easy to find yourself in judgment of the people when we read in a lot of places in the Bible.  The scripture this week is definitely one of those places.  But I think it is important to look at the sins the people of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were committing in this time and compare them to our own.  We should keep an open mind, as well as an open heart to hear what God has to tell us in 2025 through these scriptures.


Reading Plan:

• Sunday July 13: 2Chronicles 27, Isaiah 9-12
• Monday July 14: Micah 1-7
• Tuesday July 15: 2Chronicles 28, 2Kings 16-17
• Wednesday July 16: Isaiah 13-17
• Thursday July 17: Isaiah 18-22
• Friday July 18: Isaiah 23-27
• Saturday July 19: 2Kings 18:1-8, 2Chronicles 29-31, Psalm 48

What to Expect:
This week as we read further down the timeline of the history of God’s people, there will be some incredibly heartbreaking and dark passages.  But the good news is that sprinkled into all of the disobedience and impending judgement are some of the most uplifting promises in all of Gods word.  Pay close attention to the sins that Gods own people are committing against him.  And the warnings of the prophets, who were Gods attempt to turn the hearts of the people back to him.


What to look for: 
Isaiah 9 Gives us Gods promise to his people that although they are in the midst of dark times, He would send a light. We of course know that this message of hope was later fulfilled in the birth of Jesus.

Micah begins with a warning to the people of Samaria, and Jerusalem of the impending judgment God will bring upon them because their sin has become an incurable wound. Micah then prophecies against false prophets and teachers. Warning them that one day they will be disgraced.   In chapter 4 Micah describes the peace and security that will exist on The Lord’s mountain that he will establish.  And in chapter 5, prophesies about the coming ruler that will rise from Bethlehem, roughly 700 years before the birth of Jesus. The book of Micah ends with the promise that Isreal would rise again.

Ahaz becomes King of Judah and does nothing but Evil. Going as far as sacrificing his own sons in the fire. As a result of this Sin and evil, The Lord hands him over to the Arameans who take prisoners to Damascus.  Ahaz is also routed by Isreal who takes 200,000 wives, sons, and daughter’s captive to Samaria.  However, the prophet Oded intercedes for them, and the leaders of Isreal show them kindness.  The captives are fed, clothed, and sent back to Jericho.  Look for all of the ways Ahaz so blatantly sins against the Lord, and the impact of this on the people of Judah.

2Kings 17 tells of the fall of the Northern Kingdom to the Assyrians led by King Shalmaneser.  After exiling the Israelites, Shalmaneser brings in people from Babylon and other captured towns, and places them in Samaria.  Eventually, one of the exiled priests is sent back to Samaria to teach the new inhabitants (later known as Samaritans) how to worship the Lord. But all this manages to accomplish is creating a people that worship the Lord, alongside their other worthless gods.  

In Isaiah 13-23 Isaiah prophecies against Babylon, Moab, Damascus, Cush, Egypt, Edom, Arabia, Jerusalem, and Tyre. Chapter 24 warns of the devastation whole Earth when God judges it for its sin.  And in chapters 25-27, Isaiah praises the Lord, and tells of the future deliverance of Isreal. 

2King1- Hezekiah becomes king of Judah replacing Ahaz, and does right in the eyes of the Lord. He removes the high places, smashes the sacred stones, and cuts down the asherah poles. He even smashes Moses’ bronze snake because the people had been worshipping it.  Hezekiah held fast to the lord and was successful in all he did. He rebelled against Assyria and did not serve them. 

Hezekiah re-opens and makes repairs to the temple, restores the Passover celebration, and leads the people in a spiritual renewal.

Personal Insight:
2 Kings 17 gives us an account of the fall of Isreal to the Assyrians, and thus marks the end of history for the Northern Kingdom.  God was casting out the Northern Kingdom for the very same sins that provoked him to cast out the Canaanite nations from the days of Joshua.  Reading this chapter leads me to compare the sin and rebellion of Isreal to the sin and rebellion of our society.  And I start to wonder, how long will God be patient with us?  But that “promised ruler from Bethlehem” in Micah 5, and that child that was to be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace” in Isaiah 9:6 was and is Jesus Christ our Messiah.  That means that if we have confessed, and repented of our sin, and have made Christ Lord of our lives, we have no fear of the coming judgment because we know that:


On this mountain he will destroy
The shroud that enfolds all peoples,
The sheet that covers all nations;
He will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all the tears
From all faces;
He will remove the disgrace of his people 
From all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
We trusted in him and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
Let us rejoice in his salvation.”  Isaiah 25:7-9


Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the peace, hope, and security that comes with knowing Jesus as my Savior. I look forward to the day that we will see all of your promises fulfilled. But until then, give me the wisdom, and courage to live my life in a way that is right in your eyes.  Give me the strength to hold fast to your truths in a world that tries every day to tear me away. It is in Jesus name I pray  -Amen

This devotion was prepared by Jonathan King