Commuter Bible

Our episode picks up where we last left King Josiah, who has just discovered the book of the law and the covenant. After consulting a prophetess named Huldah, they learn that the wrath of God is coming upon Judah soon. When Josiah realizes that their days are numbered, he cleans house both figuratively and literally. The Lord’s temple was full of idolatrous objects and practices, and he gets rid of them all. While the Lord honors and acknowledges Josiah’s zeal and humility, it will not stop God from sending Judah into exile in Babylon.

Thus far in his reign as king, Hezekiah has put his trust in the Lord. After Isaiah prophesies that his illness will end in death, Hezekiah prays to the Lord and the Lord hears, granting him another 15 years of life. It’s not long, however, before Hezekiah gets cocky and shows off his sweet digs to his neighbors, the Babylonians. Of course, we know that won’t end well. A couple generations later, King Josiah takes throne at the age of eight, and almost by happenstance, the king’s servant stumbles across the book of the Law which had become so forgotten and neglected that they weren’t quite sure what they were looking at.

Today, the kingdom of Israel falls with finality as for the longest time they have denied the ways of the Lord that would make them distinct from the surrounding nations. After spiraling madly away from the Lord for decades, the Lord allows the king of Assyria to conquer Israel and deport it’s people to foreign lands. In his quest to conquer nation after nation, Sennacherib sets his sights on Judah, and sends messengers to demand submission and to arrogantly proclaim Judah’s impending doom. King Hezekiah turns to the Lord in his time of trouble, and speaks through the prophet Isaiah to bring good news to the king.

The kings of Israel have fallen so far from the way of life that the Lord had called them to follow, that by this point they are completely unrecognizable from the nations around them. As we read, notice that as the kings move further away from the Lord and his statutes, the more violent, unpredictable, and selfish they become. While Judah’s kings continuously neglect the high places of idol worship, most of them still continue to serve God themselves. And if you’re curious about anything else these kings did, good luck finding the Historical Record of Israel’s and Judah’s Kings.

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Today, we’ll hear the account of King Joash, the infant heir to the throne who was rescued from a royal slaughter and raised in the temple of God. With guidance from Jehoiada the priest, Joash is inaugurated as a child king over Israel, and he begins the work of repairing the temple. Hazael has become the king of Aram just as Elisha had prophesied, and the army of Jehoahaz, king of Israel is almost completely wiped out. Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash visits Elisha before he dies of illness, where Elisha has a final prophecy for Israel’s king.

In today’s episode, Elisha acts through messengers and servants to accomplish kingdom-altering acts. First, the king of Aram sends his servant Hazael to ask Elisha if the king will recover from his sickness. While speaking with him about the matter, Elisha sees Hazael’s future, which one of terrible power and destruction. Later, Elisha sends a young prophet to anoint Jehu, an army commander, to be king over Israel. With a number of cunning strategies, Jehu overthrows the house of Ahab, kills Jezebel, the prophets of a Baal, and avenges the blood of Naboth the Gileadite on behalf of the Lord, who predicted Ahab’s fall through Elijah.

On today’s episode, an Aramean army commander comes to Elisha to be healed, but when Elisha doesn’t give him the respect he thinks he deserves, he almost rejects the offer out of hand. Later, the Arameans try to capture Elisha but he diffuses them with hospitality. Not long after, the Arameans lay siege to Israel, surrounding Samaria in order to cause a famine, and the people take desperate measures. The king of Israel becomes enraged and sends for Elisha that he might kill him. When the messenger arrives, Elisha declares that a miraculous turn of events is just a day away.

We continue in our timeline of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah today. Remember that King Ahab has died, but at this point Elijah is still alive. Ahab’s son Ahaziah is now on the throne, but he won’t outlive the Lord’s prophecy against Ahab which says that his family line would come to an end in the next generation. King Jehoshaphat continues to reign in Judah and partner with the kings of Israel, pointing each king to consult the Lord through his prophets. And speaking of the prophets, in today’s episode Elijah passes his mantle to Elisha who receives a double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

Today we’ll read the account of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. The Lord commands Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them of their impending destruction. Jonah turns to go in the completely opposite direction, later saying that he didn’t want to go because he knew the Lord would have compassion on those whom Israel saw as detestable adversaries. As you hear this account, keep in mind that in the end it is most likely that Jonah is the one recording what happened, revealing that he was eventually aware of his sinful heart toward those living in ignorance of the Lord’s ways.

In our last episode, Ahab has struck a deal with Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram instead of destroying him, but because the Lord had set him apart for destruction, an unnamed prophet pronounces judgment on Ahab. Some time passes, and Ahab sets his sights on a field that belongs to another man. After he refuses to sell it, Ahab pouts in his room until Jezebel hatches a scheme to murder him and take his land. Elijah appears to prophecy his demise, and remarkably, Ahab responds with humility. Later, the prophet Micaiah shares a vision of the Lord’s throne room where God permits a lying spirit to bring about Ahab’s demise.