2 Kings 17-18

2 Kings 17-18

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

Chapter 17: The Catholic Church?

                In the twelfth year of Ahaz the king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign over Samaria in Israel for nine years. Hoshea did evil in the sight of the Lord. Hoshea became a servant to Shal-maneser the king of Assyria. Every year Hoshea would give the king of Assyria a present, but one year he gave a present to the king of Egypt and not him, so he had Hoshea bound and taken to prison. Shal-maneser also took Israel under his control and we learn that because Israel was not righteous and feared other gods, they were put into bondage. This because they worshiped false gods, idols and images!

                The Lord even sent messengers to tell them of their bad ways; 

"...the Lord testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God." (2 Kings 17:13-14).

God has always sent prophets, but the people always reject them. See Amos 3:7. God has restored his church on the earth today, and he did so by using an instrument (a prophet) by the name of Joseph Smith to restore his church and that very same church has a living prophet today!

                Israel would not hearken and because they did not hearken nor follow in the commandments that the Lord had set for them they were captives under the Assyrian Empire and only when they leave behind other gods and images will the Lord hear them.

Chapter 18: Hezekiah Reigns in Righteousness

                In the third year of the reign of Hoshea, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz reigned as the king of Judah. Hezekiah was 25 years old when he began to reign and he reigned for 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Abi, the daughter of Zechariah. Hezekiah was righteous and did good in the eyes of the Lord by removing the high places and breaking the images and cutting down the groves and break into pieces the serpent that Moses had made. Hezekiah listened to the counsel of the Lord and followed his commandments. He prospered where ever he went and he rebelled against the king of Assyria.

                During this time the King of Assyria did carry away Israel into Assyria because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord. In the 14th year of the reign of Hezekiah, Assyria came to Judah and besieged them and took them. But Hezekiah sent to the King of Assyria and told him to put whatever offense on him. So the king of Assyria asked for three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. So Hezekiah took all the silver out of the house of the Lord and also took Gold off the temple and gave them to the king of Assyria. The King of Assyria wants the people of Judah to pay tribute to him and not follow Hezekiah, he warns that their Lord will not save them... because the gods of all the other lands did not save them from the Assyria Empire.