2 Kings 14:23-29 Jeroboam II Reign
Jeroboam II followed in the sins of Jeroboam. He was the savior God sent to restore Israel’s borders, even though he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
Jeroboam II is the son of Joash/Jehoash king of Israel. Jehoash was the beginning of restoration for Israel. God freed them from the oppression of Syria through the actions of Jehoash. But there was still work to do. God uses Jeroboam II to restore the boundaries of Israel.
This is proof that you don’t have to be perfect for God to work through you. God made a promise and He used even a man who had turned away from Him. A man who continued in the sins He was disciplining His people for. A man who would not turn from those sins. Imagine how much more God would have done if Jeroboam II had turned to Him.
God is faithful even when men aren’t. God made a promise to Abraham, and He remembered that promise even now. He cared for the people of Israel because of that promise; among others. God made a promise to Jehu that four generations of his sons would sit on the throne of Israel. Jeroboam II is the third generation. Only one generation left to that promise. God made a promise to Jehoahaz that He would send a savior to Israel who would free them from their enemies. Jeroboam II was the fulfillment of that promise Even though Jehoash started the process. GOD IS FAITHFUL!
And God listens even when we aren’t walking as we should. Israel had not turned its back on the sins they were being disciplined for. In fact, they kept on sinning in spite of His MULTIPLE attempts to correct them. God didn’t wait until they were perfect or even fully repentant to save them. He saw their pain and reached out. He still does this today!
He calls out to the lost and hurting. He has the answers they are seeking. You don’t have to be clean to come to Him. He cleans you with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ. It is a cleaning that can never be taken away. A cleaning that we can’t do for ourselves, no matter how hard we try. HE LOVES YOU!
He keeps on cleaning us as we walk with Him. It is NOT a ‘one and done’ deal. But He walks with us and works with us every step of the way. This includes discipline when we need it. He only disciplines those He loves. And His discipline, when we accept His direction, ALWAYS leads us to a better relationship with Him.
Thank You Father for reaching out to me, even though I didn’t deserve Your attention. Thank You that You have NEVER given up on me! You keep taking me deeper into Your word and filling me with Your Spirit. You have transformed me in SO MANY ways. I am not the angry child I once was. But I still have a long way to go before I am the woman I want to be and that You have called me to be. I have battles to win over sin and I can ONLY win them through You. Help me become the BEST version of myself possible. Not so that You will love me but so that I will also like myself. Don’t let pride crop up in this process though because I KNOW that it is YOU working in me. In YOU there is transforming power.
