The Kingdom of Judah.
II K. 18-25; II Chron. 28-36.
Note: This period covers the time from the fail of Israel to the fall
of Judah. It begins in the sixth year of the reign of Hezekiah, whose
name is given as the first king of the period since most of his reign
was in this instead of the former period.
The Kings of this Period.
13. Hezekiah, 2 K. 18:1-20-21; 2 Chron. 29:1-32:33. Reigned 29 years
and died.
14. Manasseh, 2 K. 21:1-18; 2 Chron. 33:1-20. Reigned 55 year and
died.
15. Amon, 2 K. 21:19-26; 2 Chron. 33:20-25. Reigned 2 years and was
slain by a conspiracy of his servants.
16. Josiah, 2 K. 22:1-23; 2 Chron. 34:1-33:27. Reigned 31 years and
was killed in battle.
17. Jehoahaz. 2 K. 23:30-34; 2 Chron. 36:1-4. Reigned 3 months and was
dethroned and carried into Egypt where he died.
18. Jehoiakim, 2 K. 23:34-24:6; 2 Chron. 36:4-8. Reigned 11 years and
died.
19. Jehoiachin. 2 K. 24:6-16; 2 Chron. 36:9-10. Reigned 3 months and
was carried captive to Egypt.
20. Zedekiah. 2 K. 24:17-25; 2 Chron. 36:11-21. Reigned 11 years and
carried captive into Egypt.
The Principal Events of the Period. Among the more important events of
this period the following should be noticed. (1) The reforms of
Hezekiah who attempted to restore the whole Mosaic order. (2) The
invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, king of Assyria who at first
humiliated Hezekiah, but later, was destroyed by divine intervention
and Jerusalem saved. (3) The wicked reign of Manasseh, who sought to
destroy all true worship and established idolatrous worship in its
stead. (4) His captivity in Babylon and release and attempted reform.
(5) The good reign of Josiah, who destroyed the altars of idolatry,
repaired the temple and caused the book of the law to be read-all of
which resulted in a very thorough-going revival of true worship. (6)
The conflicts with their enemies which finally resulted in the
downfall of Jerusalem and the captivity of the people. This captivity
was completely accomplished through three invasions of the hosts of
Nebuchadnezzar, (a) In the reign of Jehoiakim at which time he carried
away captive Daniel and his friends; (b) In the reign of Jehoiachin or
Jeconiah, when he carried to Babylon the treasures of Jerusalem and
the skilled workmen as well as the officers of the court; (c) In the
reign of Zedekiah, when the city and temple and walls and principal
houses were destroyed and large numbers carried into captivity.
The Prophets of the Period and Their Messages. Of all the periods this
is signalized by the greatest prophetic activity. There was constant
need both on the part of the king and on the part of the people for
the warnings and rebukes of the people. Some prophets delivered part
of their message in one period and the rest in another. No doubt
Isaiah and Micah did part of their service during the former period
and Jeremiah performed a part of his in the next. But they are all put
down here because this is the period of their greatest activity. The
other prophets of the period are Joel, Nahum, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and
Obadiah. The messages of these prophets should be carefully read
following outlines given in "The Bible Book by Book."
The Teachings of the Prophets. It is difficult to put down in brief
form the various teachings announced and implied in the writings of
the prophets. Their sermons covered a wide range of subjects,
religious, political, commercial and social. They touch upon matters
that are national and also those that are personal. The following may
be regarded as among their most important teachings. (1) That Jehovah
is a moral being-holy, just, wise and good. (2) That Jehovah was the
God not only of Judah and of Israel but off all nations. (3) That no
man, no set of men and no nation can thwart the plans of God. (4) That
God's judgments were certain to overtake the sinful. (5) That religion
was not separate from life, but the very central factor of it-that
religion and ethics are so blended that "to act justly, to love mercy
and to walk humbly before his God" is shown to be man's whole duty.
(6) That religion is a personal spiritual relation between God and
man. This is especially the contribution of Jeremiah and lays the
foundation for all true faith and is a basal principle of our
Christianity.
The False Prophets, Through all the history of Israel false prophets
were a source of great trouble. Among those of earlier times may be
noted: (1) An old prophet of Bethel, 1 K. 13:11. (2) 400 prophets with
a lying spirit, 1 K. 22:6-8. 22-23. (3) 450 prophets of Baal, 1 K.
18:19, 22, 40. (4) 400 prophets of Asherah. 1 K. 18:19. A study of
these will show that some are idolatrous prophets and others are
perverted worshipers of Jehovah, who did not really prophesy at all.
Some were no doubt deliberate deceivers of the people while others
were perhaps self-deceived.
During the years immediately preceding the Babylonian captivity false
prophets played a prominent role and their pernicious influence upon
Judah's history can hardly be overestimated. They lured the people to
their ruin and undermined the influence of the true prophets. Isaiah
talks about the prophet that teaches lies (Is. 9:15). Jeremiah talks
of prophets of lies, who prophesy, not having been sent of Jehovah
(Jer. 14:13-15; 23:21-22). Micah tells of the prophets who make the
people err (Mi. 3:5). Jeremiah was openly opposed by Hananiah (Jer.
Ch. 28). These prophets destroyed confidence in the message of true
prophets and brought about a time when the voice of these messengers
of God ceased to be heard in Israel.
The Great Religious Revivals of this Period. The whole history of the
kingdom of Judah is marked by periods of religious decline and
revival. The most striking of these are indicated by the following
outline. (1) A decline under the reign of Rehoboam. (2) A revival
begun under Asa and made complete under the reign of Jehoshaphat; (3)
A decline begun in the reign of Jehoram and continued until the reign
of Ahaz where the lowest spiritual state was reached. (4) A new
revival under Hezekiah, who introduced sweeping social and religious
changes. (5) A decline under Manasseh who reared images to Baal,
defiled the temple and overthrew the good work of his father Hezekiah.
(6) A revival under Josiah, grandson of Manasseh, whose piety began to
manifest itself at the age of sixteen. He began his reforms at the age
of twenty and spent six years in hewing down the altars and images of
idolatry. The temple was repaired, the law found and enjoined upon the
people and the Passover celebrated. (7) A final decline that carried
Judah on downward until her glory was destroyed and she was led away
into Babylon as captive.
The study of these successive efforts at returning to the true worship
of Jehovah and their quick collapse indicate that the kindlings of
spiritual life which they seem to manifest were not real spiritual
revivals. Many people did no doubt turn in truth to God. but the
rapidity with which each effort was followed by a return to deeper
depths of immorality, such as those indicated by Amos 5:l6, 7:17, 8:6;
Is. 1:23, 10:1; and Hos. 9:15 give evidence of the abounding
wickedness of the period.
The Wealth and Luxury. There is much in the discourses to indicate
that wealth abounded and that kings and other influential men lived in
luxury. The upper classes indulged in all the follies of the idle rich
and showed the usual heartlessness toward the poor. The following list
of scriptures will indicate some of the things which they possessed
and which they did: Amos 5:11, 3:15, 6:4; Jer. 22:14; Is. 5:ll-12,
3:18-23, 21:7. To this list the student by comparison and reference
can add many others.
Contemporary Nations. No study of this period would be complete
without a knowledge of the other nations that influenced this time.
Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Phoenicia, Carthage, Greece and Rome
all influenced Judah. From the Bible narratives and from secular
history the student should become acquainted with the leading events
in the history of this period of each of these nations.
Lessons of the Period. It is most difficult to put down the permanent
lessons or teachings of this period. To the teachings of the prophets
given above the following are well worth preserving as lessons for our
day as well as theirs. (1) All reformation must begin at the house of
God and in connection with his worship-witness the reform work of Asa,
Jehoshaphat, Joash, Hezekiah and Josiah. (2) Religion must set the
standards for the conduct of national affairs. (3) Sin is infidelity
to love, or spiritual adultery. It not only breaks law but cruelly
wounds love. (4) Sin blinds men to their best interests, turns them
against their best friends and issues in their ruin. (5) The political
sentiment or the politician that neglects or attacks God, or the
national recognition of him is perilous to the nation. (6) The loss of
the sense or vision of God leads to "degraded ideals, deadened
consciences and defeated purposes." (7) True love: (a) is not blind to
the sins of the one loved; (b) does not try to cover up the faults but
tries to turn one from them; (c) does not desert one when calamity
comes because of persistence in sin. See the attitude of Jeremiah to
Judah before and after the captivity.
For Study and Discussion. (1) Study each of the teachings of the
prophets given above: (a) Try to find scripture basis for it; (b)
Discuss it as a universal principle. (2) Study each of the scriptures
referred to in the discussion above on false prophets: (a) From
references collect other passages on the subject; (b) Make a list of
their prophecies and tell how to determine whether a prophet is false.
(3) From the scriptures given above on wealth and luxury and from
others to be pointed out: (a) List the evidences of wealth; (b)
Compare the conditions then and now. (4) Following the instructions
for study in the paragraph above on contemporaneous nations prepare a
list of facts concerning each, especially of matters that affected
Judah. (5) Name the kings of this period. Tell (a) how each came into
office, (b) how long he reigned, (c) how his career ended, (d) what
prophet preached to each and the nature of the prophecy. (6)
Hezekiah's sickness, 2 King 20:1-11; 2 Chron. 32;24-26; (7) His song
of thanksgiving, Is. 38:10-20. Carefully analyze it. (8) Sennacherib's
invasion, 2 K. 18:14-19 end; Is. 14:24-27; 36:1-37:10; 2 Chron.
32:1-23. (a) The object of the expedition; (b) The conference with
Hezekiah; (c) The outcome. (9) Josiah's reformations. (10) The three
invasions of Nebuchadnezzar.