NOVEMBER 2010 The LORD will do what he has promised. 2 Kings 20:9 Book of 2 Kings INSIDE: Your personal copy of . A Ministry of Moody Bible Institute Through the Bible with Today in the Word Take a journey from Genesis to Revelation, with a special four-volume box set, Through the Bible with Today in the Word—a compilation of two decades’ worth of study, insight, and prayer. In these volumes, you will find daily readings to help you grow in your knowledge of Scripture and apply God’s Word to your life. This series is packaged in a beautiful collector’s box and is perfect for display in your personal library. Volume One features studies of the first half of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Esther. Volume Two covers the second half of the Old Testament, from Job to Malachi. Volume Three focuses on the first half of the New Testament, from Matthew to Ephesians. Volume Four covers the second half of the New Testament, from Philippians to Revelation. We’d love for you to have the entire set in your personal library. You can also request individual books. These volumes make great gifts and are available as our thank you for your support of Today in the Word. To order, fill out and mail the tear-out card in the middle of this issue or visit www.todayintheword.com. TODAY WITH PAUL NYQUIST President of Moody Bible Institute Set Apart for the King of Kings The book of 2 Kings made them godly men and godly leaders— chronicles more than three qualities that you and I would be wise two centuries of lead- to emulate as we seek to honor the Lord and ers who ruled over influence others for Jesus Christ in our world Israel and Judah. Of today. First, both Hezekiah and Josiah knew the 28 kings record- and followed God’s Word. Hezekiah was a ed, very few are de- man who “held fast to the Lord and did not scribed as good. Very cease to follow him” (2 Kings 18:6). And few chose to follow the Lord. The numerous Josiah “did what was right in the eyes of the kings who did evil in the eyes of the Lord Lord” (2 Kings 22:2). Complete obedience had a profound negative spiritual effect on to the Lord became a way of life for these the people of Israel, and we see first-hand kings—and for their people, too. the devastating impact wicked leaders can have on their followers. During the reigns Second, Hezekiah and Josiah were men of of these kings, idolatry flourished, the Lord’s prayer. When the king of Assyria sent a let- temple was desecrated, and God’s Word ter requesting Hezekiah’s surrender, he im- was forgotten. mediately went to the temple of the Lord to pray (2 Kings 19:15–19). Similarly, when the The book of 2 Kings ends with the people Book of the Law was found during Josiah’s of Judah being taken into captivity—the reign, the king and his advisors immediately consequence of their continual disobedi- sought the Lord through the prophetess Hul- ence and unfaithfulness to God. This very dah (2 Kings 22:13–14). consequence was communicated to the Is- raelites many years earlier as a warning. Lastly, these leaders had an immovable faith Moses told them that the Lord would punish in the Lord. Because of Hezekiah’s faith in them if they did not carefully follow all the God’s power, he had the courage to rebel words of the law and revere the Lord their against Assyria, a nation that had long con- God (Deut. 28:58). However, the Israelites trolled Judah (2 Kings 18:7). And Josiah’s failed to heed that warming. In the midst faith was so great that after hearing the of this long string of dark spiritual days, a Word of the Lord, he cleared out the Lord’s small number of kings did what was right in temple and demolished the people’s pagan the eyes of the Lord. Of those kings, I most shrines. Josiah’s faith gave him the courage admire Hezekiah and Josiah, their staunch to overthrow the evil spiritual practices of commitment to following the Lord, and their his people. willingness to unashamedly challenge evil in their nation. Like Hezekiah and Josiah, may our commit- ment to God’s Word, our fervent prayers, Friends, I believe there are three overarch- and our firm faith in the Lord set us apart ing qualities in Hezekiah and Josiah that and make us powerful influencers for Him. 2 • Today in the Word THEOLOGY MATTERS by John Koessler God of the Nations The Old Testament books of 1 and 2 Kings God’s people justified their demand by complement 1 and 2 Samuel, which re- pointing to the moral bankruptcy of Sam- count the rise of Israel’s first two kings, Saul uel’s sons (1 Sam. 8:5). They were correct and David. The books of Kings describe in their assessment but not in their conclu- how David’s realm split into two and then sions. Samuel’s sons were indeed unfit to eventually fell. They are theological com- lead the nation, but that did not mean that mentaries as much as they are history. God’s people were leaderless. God was They trace the failure of these kingdoms to already their king and would continue to a rejection of theocracy. These kingdoms lead them. When the Lord directed Samuel fell because God’s people and their rulers to grant the people’s request he warned rejected God as king. that it would be a mixed blessing. Those who begged for a king would eventually God Himself predicted this. When the Lord “cry out for relief” from the king they had gave instructions for the kingdom in the chosen (1 Sam. 8:18). Law of Moses, he noted that Israel’s long- ing for a king would spring from a desire The mixed history of Israel’s kings teach- to be like the nations around them (Deut. es us to temper our expectations when it 17:14). Centuries later, when Israel de- comes to earthly rulers. They are God’s gift manded that Samuel appoint a monarch to society and deserve our respect (Rom. to lead them, the Lord told the prophet to 13:1–7). But like Israel’s kings, even the grant the request but condemned the peo- best of them are flawed. At the same time, ple’s motive: “Listen to all that the people the biblical record of the failure of Israel’s are saying to you; it is not you they have rulers also testifies to the power of God’s rejected, but they have rejected me as their dominion. Israel’s rejection of God as their king. As they have done from the day I king did not exempt them from His rule. brought them up out of Egypt until this God worked through their disobedient re- day, forsaking me and serving other gods, quest to establish a throne for Jesus Christ, so they are doing to you” (1 Sam. 8:7–8). His one and only Son. As Israel’s Messiah, Old Testament scholar J. Barton Payne Jesus is destined to take His place on the explains, “The rise of the kingdom was seat of David. On that day He will rule not a development that was according to only as king over Israel but as king of the God’s ultimate plan; but the people’s nations (Rev. 5:12; 19:15; cf. Ps. 22:28). motivation in seeking the king made their actual request sinful.” For Further Reading To learn more about Israel’s kings, read First and Second Kings by J. Vernon McGee (Thomas Nelson). www.todayintheword.com • 3 FROM THE EDITORS by John Koessler Why Theology Matters to Me I have been thinking about theology most from the “practical” disciplines. Theology of my life. For as long as I can remember, majors aspire to be professors rather than I have been asking questions about God. pastors and are more interested in writing Raised with morals but without religion, than in preaching. Yet my pastoral experi- my early impressions on this subject were ence taught me that most church members based mostly on assumptions and person- get their theology from the pulpit. It is in al experience. I had a sense of what God the home and the workplace where the was like, but it was a distorted one. My battle lines of theological controversy are idea of God was really an image cast in drawn, and those who step into the pulpit my own reflection. Things changed when I are the church’s first line of defense. began to read the Bible. There I discovered a God who revealed Himself by His cre- This experience has given me a passion ation, His words and actions. Even better, to train my students to be pastors who are it was there I learned about Jesus Christ, also theologians. It has taught me to ap- who is the image of the invisible God (Col. proach my preaching as an exercise in 1:15). It was Jesus who “put a face on oral theology. Preaching is not motiva- God” for me. tional speaking but the collective practice of theological reflection. The important Theology became a matter of vocation role that theology has played in my life is when I entered the ministry.