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2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
Jehoahaz did not follow God's Laws. He followed the path of Jeroboam. Jeroboam had God's laws, but he did not carry them out. In our day, people who own a copy of the Word of God, but clueless about what it says.
3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
Israel refused to obey. God had someone ready to punish them. He allowed them to be ruled by evil men. They refused to follow his word, so he gave them to someone who did not care.
4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
Jehoahaz cried out to God. God heard his cry. He told God of Israel's oppressors and he wanted God to put a stop to it.
We don't want God's ways. We want God's provisions without being disciplined. The sooner we obey God, the soon we will overcome the thing that will hold us down.
5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
The people ask for help, God sent help. What a God! What a God!!
6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)
They still walked as Jeroboam. They refused to give their hearts wholeheartedly to God.
7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.
God left them with a small army. Israel is not the same. When we constantly disobey God, it is obvious.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.
Israel loses another king.
10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
Israel has a new king. Joah at this time is still remaining king in Judah.
11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.
Jeroboam's religion was more appealing to God's people. I believe we live in the day of Jeroboam today. People refuse to check out the Word of God to see if we are following his plan.
12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Joash was king for a short time. He died.
13 And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
Before Joah died he visited Elisha. He cried to Elisha for help. Elisha was sick. This verse tells of the communication of Joash, king of Israel, and Elisha before both died.
15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.
Elisha told the king to take a bow and arrow. Elisha said put your hand on the bow. Elisha also put his hand on the king's hand.
17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
Elisha laid hand on his hand and said shoot. Having the contact of Elisha who was willing to help him even when he was sick, was remarkable. He found enough strength to use it to help a king in need.
18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
Elisha told the king to smite the arrows. It was up to the king to smite as many times as he wanted to.
19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Elisha said you smote only 3 times. This is all you will win. If God does not put a limit on what we can have, why do we limit ourselves? God will not do any more than what we allow him to do.
20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
Elisha dies. Moabites invade Israel within the next year.
21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
Even dead, Elisha was instrumental in demonstrating the power of God. God is Elijah's God. God is the God of the living. Although Elisha is dead physically, the words he stood on were alive. That word in us is always alive.
We should be so full of the word until, even if our bodies die, the word we spoke while were were alive and we also lived by them, should leave a legacy that causes life to continue. Meaning, if we speak life, then, when people remember us, they remember the words of life we spoke into them.
This man was revived and stood up. What a testimony he had, and the others that saw him. God makes witnesses of all kinds.
22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23 And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
When we live according to God's word, we set up protection for our children. Abraham is still on God's mind. Abraham believed God. Lord help me to believe you!!
24 So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.
One bad king dead. His evil son carries on with his father's evil behavior.
25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.
Elisha told the king to smite. King Jehoash smote 3 times. God allowed him a victory three times.
If God instructs me to take a daily walk and I walk some days, I can only get the results of the days I walked. Lord help me to remember and obey. We are not happy unless we obey. God wants what our spirit wants and needs. God is good. If we obey him, it shows we are thankful for the good he shows us; even the good he desires us to have.
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