II Kings 3:1-4:7
Dear RTB’ers,
The author of II Kings does not have much good to say about the kings in the Northern Kingdom, but today we read a couple of positives. First, [Jehoram] … did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. (v. 2:3) So Jehoram did not follow Ahab and Jezebel in this one action – not putting away the pillar of Baal – but for the author, that’s a positive! Second, the author seems to have no difficulty with Jehoshaphat aligning with Jehoram in battle against Moab and marching Israel’s army through Judah. [Clarification: Moab was located directly east of the Dead Sea, south of the Transjordan tribes. Rather than confronting Moab on its northern front, the area (probably) most heavily fortified, Jehoram and Jehoshaphat decided to go south through Judah and south of the Dead Sea and attack Moab at its less heavily defended southern border.] So, today’s reading is one set of positives for the kings of the Northern Kingdom.
We saw yesterday the beginning of the Lord working through Elisha. That continues today, with water flowing into the desert from an unexpected source and oil flowing into and filling many bowls, all filled from one small container. We will continue to see the Lord working through Elisha in the next few chapters.
Blessings.