I have heard fellow believers say, ” We don’t live by the Old Testament, we live by the New Testament”
I say “vanilla”….. this is a phrase I use with my husband when our difference of opinions begins to heat up.
I prefer vanilla and he prefers chocolate, neither opinion is right or wrong, they are simply our personal preferences
The stories of the kings in the Bible can offer insights into personal growth and self-awareness.
While our faith is rooted in the New Testament, understanding the Old Testament helps us grasp the depth of God’s character and His interaction with humanity.
The 19 kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
the 19 kings plus one queen of the Southern Kingdom of Judah
Each had unique reigns filled with challenges, triumphs, and lessons.
Through their experiences we can discover timeless wisdom that can guide us in our own lives.
For this journal, I decided to compile my studies of the kings in one place as I find it fascinating how God has used these rulers to help us understand our own identities.
My prayer for you today is that the Lord opens your heart
Come and join me in growing closer with our walk with the Lord.
Feel free to copy, paste and share on your Facebook page
King Ahab
Poke Nudge Poke – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
God has been poking himself into Ahab’s life, time after time, giving him many opportunities to repent. Ahab is not wanting nor willing to listen.
How many times must we be nudged?
How many opportunities must we receive before we answer the call to repentance?
Despite these persistent pokes, we often continue along our own way, unresponsive to God’s nudges.
How many times must God softly knock on your heart’s door before you finally open it and welcome Him in?
King Rehoboam
The Wise Owl – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
By following the self-serving advice of his peers and feeding his ego, he made decisions that led to the division of his kingdom, causing long-term consequences for his people. His downfall was rooted in arrogance and a failure to walk humbly with God,
When Rehoboam humbled himself, acknowledging God’s justice, God responded with mercy.
Humbling yourself before the Lord- God will respond with mercy
King Asa
Hide and Seek – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
He went out and face his problem, he did not run.
He turned his face upward and called upon the Lord for help.
In response to Asa’s prayer, the Lord gave Asa a great victory.
but then…He relied on the king of Aram instead of on the Lord, wars would never cease during his reign. Asa would face ongoing conflicts and unrest as a consequence of his actions.
Always call upon the Lord and seek his guidence
facing the consequence of you action when you don’t seek the Lord
Queen Athaliah
Behind the Scenes – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
God is always at work in your life, He is always 3 steps ahead of you setting up the precise set of events and the perfect timing bringing everything together just perfectly.
Put your trust in the Lord even when you don’t understand what is going on
King Joash
I Just Can’t Wait To Be King – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
Joash thrived under the guidance of the highest priest. Growing up with a Godly mentor,
he was taught to walk with the Lord and follow Godly leadership.
He was doing so well, raised so well and followed God but Joash changed and went completely in the opposite direction when his godly mentor died. He was easily influenced by corrupt officials.
He turned from God after being a devout follower of God
King Azariah
The Proud Donkey – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
He did right in the sight of the Lord but did not quite yield himself fully to the Lord.
His personal arrogance became his personal downfall,
Our blessing come from God’s grace and not by our own merits
The dangers of having a prideful heart
King Hezekiah
Grace In Time – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
He was dying, God was humbled by his prayer and gave him 15 more years of life
He failed to utilize that opportunity for its intended purpose. Instead of enhancing his life and testimony, the extra time became a hindrance.
Our time on earth is a precious gift, the length of which only God knows.
Let us use every moment wisely, not for selfish gain, but to honor God in all that we do
King Manasseh
You’re Never Too Far Gone – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
the most wicked king that Judah ever had
In distress, he cried out to the Lord and for prayed for forgiveness and humbled himself greatly before the Lord. God heard his plea and restored him to his kingdom in Jerusalem.
you cannot out sin God
The ultimate act of love and sacrifice… Jesus Christ.
He laid down His life on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins.
No matter our past mistakes and how bad they were or our current struggles, Jesus invites us to come to Him just as we are
King Josiah
Heart Shaped by the World or His Word – Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
King Josiah was obedient, prayerful, worshipful, he was pure in his heart, he had good priorities
Despite having a good heart, he was missing something….The Law of God
The Bible offers us instruction on living rightly.
To be good and do good, we often rely on what society tells us
but true righteousness is found in the timeless teachings of the Bible.
Being good by the world’s standards is not the same as God’s standards
I did not do a journal on the kings but here is a highlight of what we can learn from them
2- King Abijah (Abijam)
He inherited the blessings and the problems of his fathers before him.
Some days he believed in God and some days he didn’t.
God’s blessing and God’s discipline are not always immediate. It can be a generation or two.
You have the blessings of the people who walked with God before you and the problem of the people who walked with God before you.
You can’t go back and do anything about yesterday, but you can start today and change today and change tomorrow
4. King Jehoshaphat
if you focus on your kingdom/marriage/ stuff ect , your kingdom will fall apart.
If you focus on the Lord, your kingdom/marriage/stuff ect, your kingdom is built
Instead of trying to figure out ways to conquer your sin that keeps getting the best of you, turn your attention toward trying to walk with God and let Him be strong for you.
If you focus on the problem, the problem grows, if you focus on the Lord, the problem gets smaller
King Jehoram (Joram)
He was a believer in the Lord but choose wrong friends and made critical compromises with his life by marrying the Northern Kingdom’s, King’s daughter and mimicked the world’s worst family and mirrored their success. A sobering lesson on the consequences of family influence.
His life did not end up with a life that he thought he was going to have because he made bad choices.
His actions resulted in judgment, including the loss of his sons and an incapacitating disease.
One of the nicest things God can do for you is to NOT get away with wrong. If you get away with wrong, it will just keep growing.
King Jehoiakim
He was characterized by injustice and self-indulgence, as he heavily taxed the people to fund his lavish lifestyle and ignored their suffering.
If you cheat people to get personal luxuries, your marked for destruction. His refusal to listen to God’s word hardened his heart.
Hardening our hearts against God’s word serves as a reminder to us that humility and obedience are essential to avoid the path of destruction.
I wanted to save the best king for last
If they had Tik Tok back in the days, he would be the #1 top influencer on my list
King David
King David was known as a man after God’s own heart. His life offers valuable lessons into pursuing a heart aligned with God and striving for a deep, meaningful relationship with Him.
David’s life is a powerful example of how God values a heart dedicated to Him,
even amidst human imperfection
Sincere Repentance–
after his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah
he had sincere remorse and desire for forgiveness.
Deep Love for God–
David had written 73 of the 150 Psalms
His psalms reflect his deep love and reverence for God.
Obedience and Faithfulness–
Despite his flaws, David strived to obey God’s commands and sought His guidance in important decisions.
Humility and Trust in God–
David’s humility before God and his trust in Him during difficult times
Passionate Worship–
He honored God through music, dance, and public declarations of faith.
His passionate love for the Lord.
David’s life, with its triumphs and failures, teaches us that it’s not about being perfect but about continually seeking God, repenting when we fall, and worshiping Him passionately.
God’s grace and willingness to work through imperfect individuals who seek Him sincerely.
We are reminded that God values a sincere and devoted heart above all.
Psalm 86:12 – “I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.”
Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance – I invite you to join me and find inspiration in the remarkable ways God moves in our lives (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
