February 26, 2021 – 2 Kings 8-13

More kings in Israel and Judah, for the most part, doing evil and not following the ways of God. Also, the significant story about the judgment on Ahab’s house and the destruction of the Baal prophets. A typical statement, often made regarding the kings in the south, was applied to Jehoash: “Jehoash began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. . . . And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places” (12:1-3). Often, the southern kings did good. It’s not unusual to read a positive evaluation of the reigns of many of them. But there always seems to be this added statement, or something similar: “Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.” Good but not good enough.

I think Brady used this phrase in some of his teaching, the other day. During the period of the judges, there was a generation that clung close to the Lord; that’s good! But the next generation went away from the Lord; that’s not good. Good but not good enough. If I could make a spiritual application, here . . . In our own lives, we can be good but, on our own, in our own strength, we can never be good enough to be received by God. Oh, the joy of knowing, as did Paul, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh” (Rom. 8:1-3 ESV)

The sinner who believes is free,

can say, “The Savior died for me;”

can point to the atoning blood

and say, “This made my peace with God.” --Albert Midlane (1861)