2 Kings 13
Kingdom, Come • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-13
Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-13
Introduction
Introduction
2 Kings 13
2 Kings 13
2 Kings 13:1–9 (NIV)
1 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. 3 So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.
While Joash is in the 23rd Year of His Reign in Judah…
Jehoahaz Becomes King in Israel
He was Another Wicked King…
So God Continued to Give Israel into the Hands of King Hazael of Aram
But then We See Something Interesting Happen:
4 Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. 5 The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.
Here, Yet Again, We See Another Showing of the Mercy of God
He’s So Quick to Show Mercy to Those Who Seek Him
This is the Most Comforting Characteristic of God:
He Loves to Show Mercy
Because King Jehoahaz Turns to God…
God Sends Him a Deliverer/Savior
The Text Doesn’t Tell Us Who the Savior is…
And We’re Not Going to Speculate
All that Matters is that God, in His Mercy, Sent a Savior
6 But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria. 7 Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
Aram had Completely Depleted Israel’s Military Personnel & Resources
8 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 9 Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash his son succeeded him as king.
Here’s Where it’s Easy to Get a Little Confused
The Kings of Israel & Judah are Both Named Joash (or Jehoash)
Joash of Judah was a Good & Righteous King…
During the Lifetime of His Uncle, the Chief Priest
Jehoash of Israel was Not a Good King at Any Point that We Know of
2 Kings 13:14–19 (NIV)
14 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
It Seems that Jehoash Recognizes that He’s Inherited a Kingdom…
That has Been Seriously Impaired/Depleted
And He Knows that Elisha is Able to Bring Victory to Israel…
Without the Help of a Strong Military Force
But Now, Elisha is about to Die…
Which Means Israel’s Hopes are Likely to Die with Him
Jehoash Says the Same Thing to Elisha…
That Elisha Said to Elijah Before He was Taken in the Whirlwind
“The Chariots and Horsemen of Israel!”
This is Probably a Plea to Elisha for Military Help
And that’s Exactly What Elisha Prophecies for Israel:
15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”
Elisha Prophecies Victory Over Aram for Israel
The Arrows Represent Victory Over Aram
But When Elisha Tells the King to Strike the Ground with the Arrows…
He Only Strikes the Ground 3 Times
Elisha Didn’t Tell Him How Many Times to Strike the Ground…
But He Did Tell Him What the Arrows Represent
If Striking These Arrows to the Ground Represents Victory…
Then Strike the Ground as Many Times as You can!
This Seems to Show a Half-Hearted Faith on Jehoash’s Part
Because of His Lack of Zeal & Faith…
Israel would Only Receive 3 Victories
Have You Ever Been Half-Hearted in Your Zeal/Faith for the Lord?
Have You Ever Wondered How Many Blessings…
You’re Missing Out Because of Your Lack of Zeal/Faith?
Maybe We Ought to Spend More Time Thinking about that
2 Kings 13:20–23 (NIV)
20 Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. 21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
This isn’t Just an Interesting Little Fact
The Next 2 Verses Provide the Interpretation…
That I Believe We’re Meant to Take from this Miracle
22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
Elisha was Dead…
But God is Able to Do Amazing Things with that which is Dead
Israel Continued to Suffer at the Hands of the Arameans…
But God Continued to Show Them Grace, Compassion, & Covenant Faithfulness
Even When the Author was Writing this Years Down the Road…
He Said:
“God is Still Unwilling to Destroy or Banish Them!”
The Last 2 Verses of the Chapter Tell Us:
That Hazael, King of Aram, Died & was Replaced By His Son, Ben Hadad
And Jehoash Took Back the Israelite Cities that Hazael had Taken
Application
Application
In this Text, We See a Really Neat Shadow…
That Correlates to Our Relationship with Jesus Today
The Man Who was Buried with God’s Prophet was Given New Life
Those of Us Who are Buried with Christ are Given New Life
Romans 6:3–4 (NASB95)
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Whenever We are Baptized into Christ…
We’re Buried with Him & Raised to New Life
And with this New Life We’ve Been Given…
We’re to Live it Faithfully to Christ…
No Longer Being Slaves of Sin, But Servants of Christ
And Those of Us Who’ve Been Buried with Christ in this Age…
Are Given the Promise of Bodily Resurrection in the Next