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King Hezekiah reversed the idolatrous practices of his father Ahaz, burned the pagan altars and idols, and restored true worship in the Temple. As a type of the Messiah, his actions foreshadowed Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple in John 2:13-17.

Notes on 2 Chronicles 29:1-36 and 2 Kings 18:1-6 

The idolatrous and evil King Ahaz of Judah rejects the sign of “Immanuel” from the prophet Isaiah promising God’s support if he would only have faith. Instead he desperately tries to get Assyria to aid him against his enemies. Meanwhile he is enchanted by an elaborate altar he sees in Damascus. He has a duplicate made and installs it in the Temple, sidelining the original altar, and making other radical changes in the Temple furniture and vessels. His sin points to our own attempts to change and “improve” ourselves through our own strength according to our own pattern.

Notes on 2 Chronicles 28:16-27, 2 Kings 16:5-20, Isaiah 7:1-25

Ahaz, one of Judah’s worst kings, adopted every kind of idolatry available. But God continued to send prophets to warn the people and call them back to repentance. This is depicted in a remarkable story of the freeing of thousands of captives at the prophet’s direction. The story also clarifies aspects to Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan.

Notes on 2 Chronicles 28:1-15

Jotham took over the responsibility of ruling when his father, Uzziah, was stricken with leprosy for trying to usurp the High Priest’s office in the Temple. He repaired and built up the Temple and was blessed because “he prepared his ways before the LORD his God.” Jotham also shows us how to edify the Body of Christ.

Notes on 2 Chronicles 27:1-9

Jeroboam II reigned in the northern kingdom of Israel for 41 years. He stopped the raids by the Syrians and restored the country’s borders. Despite this, he was an evil, idolatrous king, and was followed by a series of murderers and usurpers of the throne. The prophets Hosea and Amos, who were his contemporaries, decry the declining moral character of society during these years.

Notes on 2 Kings 14:23 – 15:8-31

Uzziah was one of Judah’s greatest kings, but he ends his reign in shame when he pridefully tries to enter the priestly office and offer incense in the Temple. God strikes him with leprosy of the forehead.

Notes on 2 Kings 14:15-29 and 2 Chronicles 26:1-23