2 King 15 Devotional
By Pastor Lawrence

This chapter serves as Exhibit A on why believers ought to be praying for kings and all who are in high positions as Paul exhorts us in 1 Timothy 2:2 that “we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” In the narrative of this one chapter and during the reign of a single king in Judah over a span of fifty-two years, Israel’s throne changes hands six times, five of which came to power by conspiring against and murdering the previous monarch. And the brief account of the life of each king along with the pacing in which it is shared ought to give the reader a sense of the anxiety shared by every citizen during that time.

How can the righteous flourish in a time of constant turmoil? In one instance the bellies of all the pregnant women in one particular town are ripped open because they would not participate in the uprising of one individual vying for the throne. And on at least three occasions Israel faces the threat of foreign invasion if the sitting monarch didn’t send them a bribe or tribute, which was paid only through more taxation upon the people. In this case the king taxed the wealthiest in the land, which surely led to their conspiring against him as well. Even those kings who did reign for more than a year or two were just as wicked as the others promoting idolatry throughout the land and assuredly punishing any who refused to bow down before their vain idols.

On the other hand, in the land of Judah, Azariah (Uzziah) reigns fifty-two years in Jerusalem and does what is right in the eyes of the Lord. And when he passes away falling asleep in his own bed, Jotham his son reigns in his place, and he also does what is right in the eyes of the Lord even building up the temple of God. It is not difficult to imagine just how different life would be for the citizens in the former kingdom compared to the latter. All the more reason to pray for kings and all those in authority over us, for in a moment the reins of power can change hands causing immediate ripple effects throughout the land.