Sunday, August 13, 2023

The Final Slide

1 Kings 15-16

            Five kings, three dynasties, two assassinations in 20 years: hardly a recipe for long-term success! Worse yet, the refrain for each king is “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat.” Worse yet, the idolatry of the northern kingdom infected the southern kingdom so that Ahaz of Judah also even offers his son as a burnt offering, a practice detestable to the Lord.

            There’s not really a lot to say anymore about these things. Israel is on the path toward destruction, and judgment will fall on them in Monday’s readings. Judah has 150 years left, but their remaining years will vacillate wildly between faithful and unfaithful kings. In this reading, it feels like the end is near… because it is.

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