2 Kings Chapter 15 and Matthew 7: 13-14

2 Kings Chapter 15 Twenty-seven years into Jeroboam II’s reign in Israel, King Azariah starts his reign in Judah. He’s sixteen when he starts his reign and rules for fifty-two years. He continues the righteousness of his father, but also doesn’t take away the high places. But Azariah is struck with leprosy and lives in seclusion. His son, Jotham, manages the daily business of the palace and court. Once Azariah dies, Jotham succeeds him. Thirty-eight years into Azariah’s reign in Judah, Zechariah rules in Israel. He continues with the sins of Jeroboam and ends up getting publicly killed by a conspiracy, orchestrated by this dude named Shallum. This fulfills God’s prediction that Jehu’s descendants would sit on the throne until the fourth generation. Menahem Plays Dirty Thirty-nine years into King Uzziah’s (the same as Azzariah) reign in Judah, Shallum rules in Israel for just one month. A guy named Menahem comes and kills Shallum and reigns in his place. Menahem viciously sacks the land of Tiphsah, doing horrible things like killing and cutting open pregnant women. Menahem’s reign begins in the thirty-ninth year of Azariah’s reign in Judah. He keeps doing evil and following Jeroboam’s sins. He successfully bribes King Pul of Assyria not to invade, taxing the rich at fifty shekels of silver a head in order to raise cash for the bribe. When Menahem dies, his son Pekahiah takes over. Like, More Kings n’ Stuff Pekahiah starts reigning in Israel during the fiftieth year of Azariah’s reign. He also acts evil, following Jeroboam’s sins (like you couldn’t have guessed, at this point). A conspiracy involving a group of fifty Gileadities led by a man named Pekah attacks Pekahiah in his palace and kills him. In the fifty-second year of Azariah’s reign in Judah, Pekah rules in Israel, holding power for twenty more years. King Teglath-pileser of Assyria seizes huge amounts of territory from Pekah. At the end of his reign, a man named Hoshea leads a conspiracy and kills Pekah, taking over during Jotham’s reign in Judah. Jotham starts ruling Judah during the second year of Pekah’s reign. He rules for sixteen years and behaves righteously like his ancestors—although, again, the high places are still around. Jotham helps rebuild the upper-gate of the Temple. But thanks to the mysterious will of God, he’s also attacked by Pekah and King Rezin of Aram. When Jotham dies, he’s buried with his ancestors and his son Ahaz takes over. Matthew 7: 13-14 You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. https://temtube.com/