June 26

2 Kings 25

God judges Judah by allowing Nebuchadnezzar to capture Jerusalem.

INSIGHT

Judah has a total of 20 kings after Solomon. Only eight of them give moral and spiritual leadership. And as the king goes, so goes the nation. As a result, God has to bring judgment on Israel. The ghastly succession of horrors promised for disobedience in Deuteronomy 28—and reiterated to Solomon in 1 Kings 9—begins to unfold. “I will cast (Israel) out of My sight. Israel will be a proverb and a byword among all peoples” (1 Kings 9:7). Nebuchadnezzar besieges and captures Jerusalem, transports her main people to Babylonia, robs her treasury, and violates worship in the temple. Sin has a terrible price.

PRAYER

Offer your praise to the Lord that we can be spared from His judgment on sin:
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory (Psalm 63:1-2).

Pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases (Psalm 103:1-3).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

Now pray this affirmation to the Lord:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:

• Greater faithfulness in sharing Christ
• The Lord’s work in national and world affairs
• Whatever else is on your heart

Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).