In this chapter, we see a great miracle performed on Hezekiah’s behalf in giving him fifteen additional years of life.

This chapter begins our study of the reign of king Hezekiah over Judah.

This passage records the reigns of five kings of Israel and one king of Judah (in addition to the reign of Azariah of Judah in the first seven verses of the chapter). It is mostly a story of conspiracies and short reigns.

Amaziah gave to the Lord a mixed level of devotion. In turn, he received a mixed level of blessing. God wants our whole heart. He is not willing to share the throne with other gods.

Joash (Jehoash) became king at the age of seven and reigned for forty years. He did well most of his reign until Jehoiada the priest died. At this time, he followed the princes of Judah to his destruction. Joash is one of many kings in the history of Judah who began well but turned from the Lord late in his reign. He even went to the point of murdering the son of the one who had saved his life and put him on the throne. We must all strive to continue faithful to the Lord to the end of our days.

Almost every scholar wants to change the meat offering to something else—although they cannot decide what else. The name is said to be confusing to Bible readers. The meat offering has no animal flesh. In fact, it is the only major offering in which no animals are killed. Why is it called the meat offering? Actually, there are very good reasons for calling it the meat offering. The Biblical use of meat refers to solid food as opposed to drink (see Psalm 69:21; Daniel 1:10; Matthew 25:35; John 6:55; Romans 14:17). This is also the older use of the word in English. The first occurrences of meat in the Bible are found in Genesis 1:29-30 where God gives every “herb bearing seed” and the “fruit of a tree…for meat.” Obviously, the fine flour of the meat offering would fit into the meaning of the word. But there is more. The meat offering has a very special typology that is revealed plainly by the cross references to the word meat as used by Christ. The meat offering is the offering of a “living sacrifice”—the kind Christians are supposed to give (Romans 12:1). It is also the kind of sacrifice Christ gave during His earthly ministry. Two verses especially teach this. In John 4:34, Jesus said, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” In John 6:27, He declares, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” These references to meat fit perfectly with the meaning of the meat offering. Yet, this wonderful connection in scripture is destroyed in the modern versions of the Bible. And it is not simply a matter of them choosing another word. None that I have examined use the same word—any word—in all three passages This lesson will deal with the different elements of the meat offering. It will then show how these characteristics apply to the life of Christ and the life of the believer.

In this chapter, God fulfills His judgment on Ahab. He does so partly by having Ahab’s prophets tell him what he wants to hear. But the word he speaks comes true and he is justified in the end.

This chapter shows us what happens when the covetous heart runs free. The righteous Naboth paid the initial price of Ahab’s covetousness. We should beware the evil results of a covetous heart.

From now on out, all the kings of Israel do evil in the sight of the Lord and only some of the kings of Judah do good. Asa is especially interesting.

The price for serving other gods will not be furnished by God. Taxation of the people must be accomplished. This lesson shows the folly of a compromising nation who has turned from serving The Lord God Jehovah.