II Kings 14-16

These three chapters cover the tenure of ten kings. Three, all kings of Judah, were essentially righteous, yet the end of the lives of several were tragic. The other seven, all kings of Israel, were evil. All were manipulative, machinate and conspiratorial; some were wise for a season, some were unimaginably foolish.

These chapters encourage by reminding us that God works in real circumstances and people. They tell us how God “feels” about some things, and remind us that life is experienced differently if it is lived differently – especially if one seeks to “follow” God. And the clearest lesson is that of a God who loves the humble, judges evil but receives the penitent.