1 Kings ends on a happy note with the power of God manifested through Elijah. 2 Kings begins with Elijah and Elisha continuing to work wonders. Then we see the unfaithfulness, sin, and idolatry of king after king from both Israel and Judah. Every Israelite king is condemned, and of the kings of Judah only Hezekiah and Josiah are praised without reservation. Eventually, Israel is destroyed by the Assyrians, and Judah by the Babylonians. 2 Kings illustrates one Scriptural promise in a devastating way: "The wages of sin is death" (Rm 6:23).

Key word    DETERIORATION
 
Key verse    "He did evil in the Lord's sight." —3:2; see also 8:18; 8:27; 13:2; 14:24; etc.
 
Command verse    "He pleased the Lord and conducted himself unswervingly just as his ancestor David had done." —22:2
 
Promise verse    "Once some people were burying a man, when suddenly they spied such a raiding band. So they cast the dead man into the grave of Elisha, and everyone went off. But when the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and rose to his feet." —13:21
 
Difficult verse    "So he took his first-born, his heir apparent, and offered him as a holocaust upon the wall. The wrath against Israel was so great that they gave up the siege and returned to their own land." —3:27
 
Surprise verse    "Some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him. 'Go up, baldhead,' they shouted, 'go up, baldhead!' The prophet turned and saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the children to pieces." —2:23-24
 
Prayer: Father, may I repent immediately and go to Confession before it is too late.