Day 135 – February 24, 2024: II Chronicles 31-36

This section gives us a pretty good understanding of where the nation of Israel, the whole people of God, were, and where they ended up. Let me clarify that a bit, it is absolutely focused on the southern kingdom, Judah. We see if exclusively from that perspective. We begin with a great king, Hezekiah, and near the end of this reading we see an even greater king, Josiah, whose people rediscover the law. As a result of this discovery, these are some of my favorite verses in the Bible, the king grieves and tears his clothes because he recognizes how far removed he and his people are from where the Lord wants them to be. The image of the king of Judah in utter grief because they are not following the Lord as they ought is inspirational. From the top down the example is set.

We end this history lesson with the people of Judah, again the southern kingdom, being taken away into captivity into Babylon. The rule of Hezekian and then eventually the rule of Josiah, both great kings, is followed by people who turned their back on the Lord and built up the high places. As a result God sent the Babylonians to capture and make slaves the people of Judah. We end with their captivity. We know that there is more to the story, but for now that is where we end up.