1+2Kings & 2Chr

Our speaker this week was Matt Lefebvre and we talked about what it takes for a generation to turn around. Influence, significant events, change of heart/repentance, weight of responsibility/consequences, and leadership; are some ideas we came up with in class. A missionary mindset is 'How can we not only change our lives but also the lives of those around us?' When reading Kings, know what you are looking for and see God’s beauty.

The focus of Kings is on why Judah is in exile… with the answer being that they forsook the Law of the Lord. Syncretism is mixing beliefs and this is what the Israelites did while Judah was in exile throughout the Books of Kings. The Chronicles focus on what the people are to do now that they are back from exile… with the answer being that they need to rely on and seek the Lord, especially through the rebuilt temple, administered by the priests. The thing about Judah after exile in the Chronicles is that they intermarried with foreigners who believed in other gods and spoke different languages. This is when they were under Persian rule and struggled to follow the law and reestablish temple worship, especially since their kids didn’t even speak the language in which the laws were written. The culture of the king’s time is to be the most cruel to scare the surrounding nations. This was something to brag about, especially for Assyria.

King Solomon reigned during the 10th century BC around the time that many nations fought for power over, in today’s terms, Middle Eastern territories. All this fighting happens because of the sins of Solomon. He had too many wives so God said He would take the land from Solomon’s son, but not Solomon for the sake of David’s faithfulness. What we have in this world can be enough. It doesn’t have to be excessive. (1 Tim 6:6-10, 17-19) (James 4:1-17) We don’t need to build our version of God’s word. Jesus is the way we should be, no tweaking it. Stop making God in your image. God has revealed himself so we don’t have to develop false ideas ourselves. Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Don’t take the grace of God for granted. If you’re not living for God, you’re not living in reality.

True leadership isn’t about lording over the people. The Lord Himself was a Servant. (Luke 22:24-27) When going into the next season, don’t forget what God has done for you. Be thankful. (Colossians 3:15-17) Remember to keep being an influence to those around you in a good way and remember even if you don’t try you are affecting them so what kind of impact do you want to make? Keep watering those seeds in others who are curious about your faith. Don’t talk to people but converse with them and have revelations together. You’re both walking through faith, no one is better than another. Raise your brothers and sisters, being humble knowing we can all learn something new, but be passionate and zealous to tell of what you do know. Youth With A Mission in a Scripture (1 Tim 4:12-16) Revival starts with repentance.

(2 Kings 22) Hilkiah had found the Pentateuch during the 18th year of Josiah’s reign (640-609 BC). Lost possibly during Manasseah’s reign (696-642 BC). Manasseh was the grandfather of Josiah.