2 Kings 13:4-9 – Don’t just obey God partially

God is ever willing to lend His assistance when a person turns to Him. All it takes is the willingness to humble oneself and seek His favor in hard times. This was precisely what Jehoahaz did. In the first three verses of 3 Kings 13, we are told he persisted in the ways of Jeroboam and caused the nation to sin. So God disciplined him using Hazael King of Syria and his son Ben-hadad.

Couldn’t take the pressure delivered by the father and son team of Hazael and Ben-hadad from Syria, Jehoazhaz turned to the Lord. In 2 Kings 13:4-5,  we are told that he entreated the Lord’s favor, and his request was favorably answered. The Lord showed compassion and gave Israel an unnamed deliverer to bring relief. What the deliverer did was not specified but the later part of verse 6 said they dwelled in tents as formerly. This is to say that they had some reprieves from the hand of Syria and experience a measure of peace.

But despite God’s goodness, the people of Israel did not appreciate it. They did not make a clean break from the sin introduced  by Jeroboam. They continued in cult worship and allowed Asherah, the sacred place of cult worship, to remain in the land. Second Kings 13:7 suggests that in not returning completely to the Lord, left a harsh consequence. Though not totally decimated, Israel’s incomplete return to God left them threshed by the Syrians. What remained of Jehoahaz’s fighting capability were  “not more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and 10,000 footmen.”  Second Kings 13:8-9 went on to suggest that Jehoahaz had other acts that were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. He was buried in Samaria when he died. Joash, his son, succeeded him on the throne.

Jehoahaz’s experience described in these verses teaches us that in repentance there must be a radical break with the past. Total obedience to God is expected. Leaving some areas undealt with is not good enough. We will leave behind areas that God will have to deal with. For God, we need to be sure that our commitment is total and complete.  And this requires that we love Him with all that we are – our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Obedience is not just a test of our commitment; it is God’s means to ensure that we receive His best in life. Trust and obey, for there’s no other way!