However Jehoahaz urged the LORD, and the LORD heeded him; for he noticed the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.
Background
It is a prayer for assist by a King who has proven little or little interest in God or his methods. But God nonetheless solutions him. What does this inform us about our prayers and about God?
A lot has occurred because the final prayer passage. Although it begins with one other story of Elijah taking good care of the Shunamite girl, the remainder of it’s tragic. Each the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel expertise kings who don’t comply with God’s methods. Each have kings who’re assassinated (Judah loses its greatest king in a while). The final of the Omri dynasty is killed. A Queen in Judah makes an attempt to wipe out all of the descendants of David, and is profitable apart from one younger boy, Joash. Although he tries to rebuild the Temple and its practices, Judah is attacked, and the king offers the cash to the attackers to maintain his land secure.
Within the north, Jehoahaz’s son dominated for 17 years, and, simply as his father, “did what was evil.” However there’s a cycle of actions that seem on this story that will probably be acquainted when you’ve got studied the guide of Judges. Israel ignores God and does its personal factor; God has sufficient of it and permits oppressors to come back; they cry out to God; God has pity on them and delivers them.
That’s what occurs right here. Israel is below assault and issues don’t look good. Regardless of his lack of curiosity in God or his methods, he’s in peril of shedding his kingship (and possibly his life), so Jehoahaz turns to God in prayer.
And God solutions him and delivers him and his kingdom.
That means
Does this hassle you? Would you wish to say
“Lord, he has ignored you for years. You warned him time and again. He nonetheless ignored you. Now that he’s in hassle, abruptly he desires you to ship him. This isn’t a honest repentance!”
Subscribe to proceed studying
Change into a paid subscriber to get entry to the remainder of this publish and different unique content material.
