2 Kings 24:8-25:30 ; Psalm 84:8-12 ; Romans 1:18-32 "Deep in the Forest" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Oil on Canvas Today we come to the end of 2 nd Kings. Reading this book has always impressed me because of Israel’s reckless sinfulness before God. Personally, I do not and cannot claim to live any better before God – which is why I think this book is so convicting to me. Actually, we all find ourselves in the same sinking ship … the S.S. Predicament . In yesterda

2 Kings 23:1-24:7 ; Psalm 84:1-7 ; Romans 1:1-17 "July, 1982 Calendar Illustration" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pen & Ink on Paper In 2 Kings 23:1-24:7, we see the reforms of King Josiah and his attempt to revive the things of God in the land of Judah. “The king went up to the temple of the LORD and he read in the hearing of all the people the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the temple of the LORD” (verse 2). One wonders how this book could ever be misp

2 Kings 21-22 ; Proverbs 16:28-17:4 ; Acts 28:17-31 "Sitzenkirch, Germany" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Acrylic on Canvas Today we come to 2 Kings 21-22, where we observe some of the results of Hezekiah’s downfall, which we briefly mentioned yesterday. When Isaiah the prophet told Hezekiah to “put his house in order” (cf., 2 Kings 20:1), we saw that Hezekiah “prayed to the LORD … and wept bitterly” (verses 2-3). Most of us would have been inclined to do the same thin

2 Kings 19:14-20:21 ; Psalm 83 ; Acts 28:1-16 "Neuffen, Germany" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Ink & Watercolor on Paper Today in 2 Kings 19:14-20:21, we come to Hezekiah’s prayer, Isaiah’s prophecy of Sennacherib’s fall, and the illness of Hezekiah – which actually begins his downfall. Sennacherib’s second threat against Hezekiah came in the form of a letter, and he “went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before Him and prayed” (verses 14-15). Hezekiah r

2 Kings 18:1-19:13 ; Psalm 82 ; Acts 27:13-44 "Forest Life" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Ink & Watercolor on Paper Yesterday, we saw the last king of Israel – Hoshea – and, sadly, the end of the northern kingdom at the hands of the brutal Assyrians. In our section for today, 2 Kings 18:1-19:13, we see Hezekiah come to power in Judah. Hezekiah “did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done” (verse 3). The good kings of Judah are measur

2 Kings 16-17 ; Psalm 81:8-16 ; Acts 26:24-27:12 "Beach Umbrellas at Playa Reñaca" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Watercolor & Crayon on Paper In the historical accounts that we find today in the books of 1 and 2 Kings, God has generally but mercifully given us illustrations of our human inclinations and natural propensities to sin and to the misapplication of worship . We see these predispositions in the personal accounts of the various kings of Israel and Judah. Over

2 Kings 14:23-15:38 ; Proverbs 16:18-27 ; Acts 25:23-26:23 "Nathan at 10" © by Terri L. Stricker - Original Pencil Sketch on Paper In today’s reading of 2 Kings 14:23-15:38, we see a whole line of evil kings coming successively to the throne in Israel, whereas, by contrast, three righteous kings ascend the throne in Judah during that same time period. This pattern should be a warning to us today. Beginning with Jeroboam II, we see another king of Israel “who did evil in t