1 Kings 15-16, 2 Chronicles 17: It has taken me years of reading the Bible through to finally get the difference between Israel and Judah. Under King David they were one, but as his descendants got further away from God, God allowed parts of the kingdom to be torn away from their hands. The end result was two kingdoms and two kings. Israel, the northern kingdom went further and further away from God. The end result for them was they worshiped many foreign gods. Many might recognize the name of Samaria, which became their capitol. In our scripture today we see where the land was bought and the city built. I can’t help but wonder if God did not smile thinking about what would happen between His Son and a woman at a well one day. There was hope even if many turned away for one day His Son would right in the midst of those people and share the good news.
In Judah God continued to place one of David’s family line on the throne. Though they never got as far off track as the Northern Kingdom, they still would wonder away and then one would come who remembered how God had blessed their ancestor David and they would return. In today’s passage we read of Jehoshaphat and how he returned to God with a whole heart. The other thing he did was to send out men to teach the people the word of God. This was a first in a long time. The priests would read the word to the people and teach them how to walk in the truths they read. We will read more in days to come of how this helped the people have faith in God during a time of great anxiety and unrest. There were many other benefits of hearing and following the word both personally and as a nation.
God is still looking for those who will follow after Him with a whole heart. Although we may not understand all we read in His word, as we read time and time again somethings finally click. (I am a slow learner) As we learn we apply what we learn we too find great strength, peace in times of conflict, and joy in the midst of the journey. Keep reading my friends, keep following and refuse to let the enemy win by telling you that the Bible is too hard to understand or just not applicable. He is a liar! He knows there is power in the Word!