Here are my thoughts and highlights from II Kings as I continue my journey through the Bible:

  • "Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and hit the water with it. The river divided and the two men walked through on dry land." I wonder if they sell coats like that at The Buckle?
  • When Elisha was on his way to Bethel, a bunch of kids came up to him and began to taunt him. They said, "What’s up, old baldhead!" A few moments later, two bears showed up and killed all 42 of the kids. Mental note: Don’t make fun of bald pastors.
  • There were a lot of bad kings that tended to hold onto their sinful practices. Why is it that we hold onto our sin?
  • One of Elisha’s practices whenever he passed through Shunem was to eat a meal with the leading lady in the town. Elisha was smart to respect the women leaders. He also proved there is such a thing as a free lunch.
  • God wanted to help Naaman, but Naaman didn’t like the way God wanted to help him. God wants to help Tony, but sometimes Tony doesn’t like the way God wants to help him. Isn’t it funny how we sometimes try to control God?
  • Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, once heard a woman share how the famine in the country was so bad that she ended up cooking her son and eating him. It doesn’t say this in the Bible, but I’m guessing the woman’s next statement was, "He tasted like chicken."
  • It appears that the cycle of sin from generation to generation is hard to break.
  • Jezebel tried to seduce Jehu. She put on some sexy clothes, put on eyeshadow, fixed her hair, and then posed for him in the window. Jehu must not have liked it. He ordered three eunuchs to throw Jezebel out the window. They did. Mental note: Don’t stand by a window when eunuchs are around.
  • God wants my undivided heart.
  • "We each pay personally for our sins." Tru dat.
  • "They lived a ‘nothing’ life and became ‘nothings.’" I become how I live.
  • "Jeroboam debauched Israel–turned them away from serving God and led them into a life of total sin." One question we should always ask about other people: Is this person leading me to or away from God?
  • Hezekiah trusted God fully. "He held fast to God… And God, for his part, held fast to him through all his adventures."
  • "Isaiah called out in prayer to God, and the shadow went back ten degrees on Ahaz’s sundial." God spun the earth backwards. That’s just plain cool.
  • Josiah was eight years old when he became king. That’s the same age as my son Jacob. Jacob sometimes thinks he’s the king. He’s not.