TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
The theme of the Bible verses for today could be called “The Blessing of a Faithful Ruler.” After years of mostly-bad kings in both the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, there was finally a king who was faithful to the Lord and who put a stop to false worship. He was very wise in doing so, for as we learn in our scripture passage below, success follows nations who turn to God.
(2 Kings 18:1-7a) In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Hezekiah son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. 4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)
5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook.
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