0745. Under the Kings

Under the Kings

"And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him * * I will be a lying spirit" (1Ki_22:21-22).

It would be quite impossible for us to give any detailed account of satan’s strategies against Israel during the period of her kings. Some things in general we may note.

1. The very fact that Israel demanded a king, at her own time and of her own choosing, showed that her heart was not right with God. Yet God let Israel have her own way, and soon sorrow filled her cup. Saul was everything that man would want in a king, but he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and God took the kingdom from him.

2. In God’s plan and purpose David was crowned king. He fell once or twice under satan’s power, but, as a whole, he proved himself a man after God’s own heart, and he established the people in the land with a marked supremacy over their enemies.

3. Solomon was again God’s choice, and the kingdom became full of glory under his reign. Yet, in the case of Solomon satan turned his heart away from the Lord, so that he was not perfect before the Lord as was David his father.

4. With the death of Solomon the kingdom was divided. From that time Israel’s experiences under her kings, was more or less the same as her experiences under the judges, save that, on the whole, she became more and more rebellious, until finally, first Israel and then Judah were taken into captivity.

5. During the period of the kings, satan’s hand is plainly seen in the following sieges which were laid against Judah. We will enumerate these sieges for convenience:

1. 1Ki_14:25-26 and 2Ch_12:2-12–The siege of Shishak king of Egypt, against Rehoboam, wherein the Temple was plundered. (About 875 B.C.)

2. 2Ch_21:16-17–The siege of the Philistines and others against Jehoram–both the Temple and the King’s palace were plundered. (About 794 B.C.)

3. 2Ki_14:13-14–The siege of Israel against Judah in the days of Amaziah. The city wall partly thrown down and the city and the Temple pillaged. (About 735 B.C.)

4. 2 Chronicles 28–The siege of Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel against Judah. Ahaz king of Judah had affinity with the king of Assyria and paid him by depleting the Temple. (About 630 B.C.)

5. 2Ki_24:10–The siege of Sennacherib king of Assyria, against Hezekiah king of Judah. God interposed and destroyed the Assyrian army. (About 603 B.C.)

6. 2Ch_36:6-7–The siege of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon against Jehoiakim, the Temple partly sacked. (About 406 B.C.)

7. 2Ch_36:10–The second siege of Nebuchadnezzar during Jehoiachin’s reign. Ten thousand people taken away captive and the Temple again partially sacked. (About 480 B.C.)

8. 2Ch_36:17-20–The third siege of Nebuchadnezzar, under the reign of Zedekiah. The Temple was burnt with fire, the city desolated, with her walls and palaces overthrown. (477 B. C).

6. During the time of the kings, satan did not alone seek to destroy the whole people by sieges, but he sought to destroy them by corrupting them.

1. He led them into false affinities with those nations which were idolatrous and enemies of God, as in the case of Ahaz and Tilgath-pilneser (see 2Ch_28:20), and of Jehoshaphat with Ahab (see 2Ch_18:1 and 2Ch_10:2).

2. He led them into mixed marriages, which were Divinely forbidden. In this satan corrupted many of the kings of Israel and of Judah, and wrought untold harm.

3. He led them into idolatrous practices, until in some cases, such as Ahab, the children of Israel almost surpassed the Gentiles in their vile practices. Much of the condemnation of the prophets against Israel was due to this sinful practice.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR