Lesson 16

People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided

Israel’s Exile and Judah’s

Reforms
2 Kings 15–20; 2 Chronicles 26–32

Lesson Questions
First Day: Read Lesson 15 Notes.
The notes and lecture fortify the truth of the passage for understanding and application to daily life.

1. How did the notes help you better understand and apply the spiritual lessons woven into Hosea’s
experience?

2. From the lecture, what stood out concerning God’s love and His relentless pursuit of you?

Second Day: Read 2 Kings 15:8-31; 17.

Israel’s idol worship resulted in God’s judgment.

3. a. List the succession of kings who ruled Israel and the length of their reigns.

© BSF 2022 (This material may be downloaded from mybsf.org and used by BSF class members in connection Lesson 16 | 229
with their personal BSF class studies. It may not be otherwise reproduced without BSF’s written permission.)
 b. Give a general description of the life in Israel under these kings.

4. How did Assyria gradually rise as a threat to Israel? What was the final result?

5. a. From 17:7-23, what was the true source of Israel’s troubles?

b. How might a country, group of people, or individuals suffer when they turn away from God?

c. In what ways are you tempted to look somewhere besides God for what only He can give you?

Third Day: Read 2 Kings 15:1-7, 32-38; 16; 2 Chronicles 26–28.

Judah’s kings tolerated and indulged in idolatry.

6. Summarize how idol worship infiltrated Judah.

7. a. From 2 Kings 16 and 2 Chronicles 28, record the acts committed by Ahaz that directly
violated God’s standards for His people.

b. How have you experienced or witnessed the escalating cost and damage of compromise and sin?

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8. How do God’s people find hope when current events and societal trends directly oppose God?
If you can, find a strengthening Scripture to share with your group.

Fourth Day: Read 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29–31.

Hezekiah brought needed spiritual reforms to Judah.

9. a. What was Hezekiah’s first action as king, and why was this necessary?

b. In what way might you apply this action to your own walk with the Lord?

10. How did Hezekiah lead Judah to restore God-honoring worship:

Regarding the role and activity of the priests?

Calling the people back to God?

11. a. In what ways does honor for God and worship of Him require both corrective measures and
proactive positive investment?

b. How is God speaking to you about corrective and proactive actions to take in your own life?

Fifth Day: Read 2 Kings 18:9–20:21; 2 Chronicles 32.

Challenging circumstances tested Hezekiah’s faith in God.

12. What threats did Hezekiah face during his reign?

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 13. How does Hezekiah’s reign reveal human weakness as well as his overall pattern of seeking God?

14. a. Consider Hezekiah’s prayer recorded in 2 Kings 19:14-19 and Isaiah 37:14-20. How do you see:

His dependence on God?

His deliberate focus on God Himself as his source of help?

His honest statement of his predicament?

His straightforward request?

b. How did God answer Hezekiah’s prayer?

c. How was the prophet Isaiah involved with Hezekiah (see 2 Kings 19:20-34; 20:1-11, 14-19;
2 Chronicles 32:20 and skim Isaiah 36–39)?

d. Think of the most troubling situation you face today. Write a prayer to the Lord that follows
this pattern.

Sixth Day: Review 2 Kings 15–20; 2 Chronicles 26–32.

God alone deserves our wholehearted worship.

15. How do the lessons learned from Israel and Judah challenge you to seek wholehearted devotion
to God?

Passage Discovery (homiletics, word study, etc.) for Group and Administrative Leaders: 2 Chronicles 26–32

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Lecture Notes

Next step: Read Lesson Notes.

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 Lesson Notes
2 Kings 15–20; 2 Chronicles 26–32

Focus Verse
“… for the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if
you return to him.” – 2 Chronicles 30:9b

Outline
● The Final Chapter of the Northern Kingdom of Israel – 2 Kings 15:8-31; 17
● God’s Faithfulness to the Southern Kingdom of Judah – 2 Kings 15:1-7, 32-38; 16;
18–20; 2 Chronicles 26–32

Engage
What do you want people to most remember about you? The northern kingdom of Israel had
many kings whose headstone should have read “and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” King
after king failed to eradicate idol worship and lead the people to serve the one true God. What
we do exposes who or what we worship. What we love most reveals the idols of our hearts. God
deserves our undivided devotion and exclusive worship. Only He can save us. True obedience to
God rises from a heart that loves and trusts Him and responds to His lavish grace.

Captivity and exile loomed near for both Israel and Judah. Israel’s final kings contributed to
spiritual decline that culminated in their capture by Assyria. Meanwhile in Judah, while several
kings indulged idolatry, Hezekiah rose to shine as a beacon of light into the darkness. With
sovereign purpose and corrective love, God kept His promises to sustain the faithful remnant
and judge the rebellious majority. God alone deserves our wholehearted worship. Trusting
and obeying God offer life’s highest calling and greatest blessing. Turning away from God brings
devastating consequences.

The Final Chapter of the Northern Kingdom of

Israel – 2 Kings 15:8-31; 17
Jeroboam rose as Israel’s first king when the nation divided into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah.1
He established a destructive system of idol worship that eventually led to the demise of the northern
kingdom.2 Successive kings continued this flagrant offense against God. Despite God’s warnings
spoken through His prophets, the kings and people of Israel failed to live as God’s covenant people.
Israel’s refusal to respond to God’s grace and to repent led to their eventual exile to Assyria.

1: Divided kingdom: 1 Kings 12:20

2: Jeroboam’s sin: 1 Kings 12:26-33

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Rebellious Kings – 15:8-31; 17:1-6
A series of evil kings ruled in Israel following the physically prosperous but spiritually corrupt reign
of Jeroboam II. Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah all followed the footsteps
of their idolatrous predecessors. Power-grabbing conspiracy, assassinations, brutal violence, and
flagrant idolatry persisted during these dark years in Israel’s history. God’s judgment began to fall
in Israel during Pekah’s reign. The Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser, attacked and conquered several
regions of Israel and took the inhabitants to Assyria as captives.

Hoshea attacked and assassinated Pekah to succeed him as king. Assessed by Scripture as an evil
king, Hoshea looked to foreign nations instead of trusting God to keep Israel safe. When King
Shalmaneser of Assyria forced Israel to pay a heavy annual tribute, Hoshea attempted to escape
this burden by conspiring with Egypt. Ironically, this political scheming soon led Assyria to attack,
capture, and imprison him. Three years later, Assyria took all of Israel into captivity.

Like Hoshea, we can fail to trust God and rest in His care. Even when God allows calamity or
hardship, He can be trusted as the only source of true security. God uses situations that most challenge
us to teach us about His grace and faithfulness. Ultimate peace cannot be achieved through political
power, economic prosperity, or human solutions. God wants His people to turn to Him for help.3

God’s Judgment – 17:7-23

Israel’s demise did not result merely from the drama of world events and warring kingdoms. Rather,
God orchestrated Israel’s fall to Assyria as an act of divine judgment. Israel fell and the people
were deported because they had “sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them
up out of Egypt ….” God chose Israel to stand out as His covenant people and bring His light to
the world. Instead, Israel sought other gods and chose to live like the ungodly nations around them.
Their persistent wickedness aroused God’s righteous anger.

In stiff-necked rebellion, Israel ignored God’s clear commands and warnings. Their flagrant
idolatry gravely offended God. They worshiped false gods, the heavenly bodies God created, and
even participated in abominable human sacrifices. Prophet after prophet called Israel to repent
and warned of God’s judgment. God’s Word always comes to pass. Consequently, exile from their
homeland illustrated the fact that God had cast them away from His presence. Rejecting God leads
to separation from Him – the ultimate judgment. Those who willingly choose personal autonomy
instead of surrendering to God forfeit His favor, care, and protection.4 When people say, “I want to
go my own way,” God lets them go – but that choice comes with consequences.

In compassion, God delays judgment to allow people time to repent and turn to Him.5 However,
God will not postpone His judgment forever. People often live their earthly days with little thought
of accountability to God. However, the window of opportunity to turn to God in this life will close
for all people at a time He determines. We should not exploit God’s compassion by indulging our
sin. Israel’s history offers a dire warning to people of all times and ages. Our time on earth should be
invested in seeking the God who will be worshiped throughout eternity without rival.6

3: God protects His people: Psalms 12; 20; 31:23; 91:4

4: Sin against God: Romans 1:18-20; 2:5-11; 3:9-18
5: God’s patience: Psalm 86:15; 2 Peter 3:9.
6: Worshiping God for eternity: 2 Corinthians 6:16; Revelation 21:3

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 The Resettling of Samaria – 17:24-41
The Assyrian king sent people from many surrounding tribes and nations to inhabit the cities of Israel.
God’s sovereignty remained evident. As foreigners overtook the land, God sent lions to harass these
people who did not worship Him. The Assyrian king shrewdly concluded that his people were dying
because they did not worship the God of the land they now inhabited. In response, the king sent a
captured Israelite priest to teach the foreigners God’s law. The people learned about God and His laws,
but simply added God to their list of deities to worship. This corrupt hybrid worship and eventual
intermarriage with non-Jews established in Samaria led the Jewish people to despise the Samaritans.7

Centuries later, Jesus intentionally entered Samaria and called a pagan, immoral, outcast Samaritan
woman to saving faith.8 Those who reject God and His Son face judgment, while those who turn to
Him receive grace and mercy. Even though Assyria decimated the kingdom of Israel, deported
the Israelites, and corrupted the land with false worship, God’s redemptive plan prevailed.

God’s Faithfulness to the Southern Kingdom

of Judah – 2 Kings 15:1-7, 32-38; 16; 18–20;
2 Chronicles 26–32
God faithfully upheld His promise to protect the lineage of David and bring His promised
Messiah. After devastating judgment, the nation of Israel would emerge as a solitary dynasty
through which God would send His own Son to redeem mankind. God’s plans cannot be thwarted
by human opposition.

The Rise of Idolatry Within Judah

The Mediocrity of Azariah and Jotham – 2 Kings 15:1-7, 32-38; 2 Chronicles 26–27
God blessed Azariah, also called Uzziah, with a successful 52-year reign because he “did what was
right in the eyes of the Lord.”9 Azariah (Uzziah) experienced military success, fortified national
security, and improved farming efforts throughout the land. However, serious spiritual compromise
tarnished Azariah’s reign. The people throughout Judah continued in idolatry because he did not
remove the shrines of idol worship. The prophet Amos prophesied during Azariah’s reign that God’s
judgment would come if Judah did not turn from idolatry and return to Him. Azariah started
strong, but pride led to his downfall. He foolishly offered incense in the temple – a function
designated exclusively to a priest. God punished Azariah with leprosy, and he never again entered
God’s temple.

Azariah’s son Jotham followed his father’s pattern. Although he obeyed God, he also neglected the
removal of idolatrous shrines and failed to lead the people to worship the one true God. God gave
Jotham a much shorter reign of 16 years and began to set Syria and Israel against Judah to
punish their idolatry.

7: Disdain for Samaritans: John 4:9; 8:48

8: Jesus and the Samaritan woman: John 4:1-26
9: Uzziah: Isaiah 1:1; 6:1; Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1; Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 1:8-9

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Wholehearted commitment to God involves eradicating damaging compromises from daily life.
While we often justify some allowances, failure to intentionally take action against sin brings
consequences. Pride remains a constant threat as we enjoy God’s gifts and blessings. God lovingly
disciplines His children to turn them from sin. God remains the only source of true success. His
love is our greatest blessing.

The Idolatry of Ahaz – 2 Kings 16; 2 Chronicles 28

Jotham’s son Ahaz propelled Judah full steam into idolatry. Ahaz sacrificed his own children –
an abomination in God’s sight.10 He led Judah in outright acts of idolatry that deliberately rejected
God’s presence and protection in favor of Assyria’s false gods. In response, God subjected Judah to
attacks by Syria and Israel. Ahaz did not repent or respond to God’s discipline, despite experiencing
alarming defeats in battle.

As he sought protection and favor from Assyria, Ahaz desecrated the temple and rejected God’s
presence. He offered the Assyrian king gold and silver from the temple and royal treasuries. He
sought to impress this pagan king by redesigning God’s temple to mimic Assyrian worship practices.
Ahaz constructed a large new altar, moved the bronze altar, and sacrificed to Assyria’s gods. He chose
friendship with the world rather than commitment to God.11

God brought suffering upon Judah to provide an opportunity for her to repent and call on Him
for help. Difficult circumstances often reveal whom and what we really trust. God’s discipline flows
from His love and desire for our best.12 Regardless of the source of our difficulties, hard times allow
us to recognize our lack of control and need to depend on God.

Hezekiah’s Reign and Reforms – 2 Kings 18–20;

2 Chronicles 29–31
Hezekiah Reigned Faithfully – 2 Kings 18:1-8; 2 Chronicles 29:1-2
God raised the reign of King David as the standard for assessing kings. Hezekiah, Ahaz’s son and
successor, “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.” Hezekiah
rejected idolatry and called Israel to rightly worship God. Though he made mistakes, Scripture evaluates
Hezekiah as a faithful, righteous king. God worked through Hezekiah to faithfully preserve the
royal line of King David despite the dark cloud left hanging over Judah by Ahaz’s reign.

Hezekiah Restored Proper Worship – 2 Chronicles 29:3–31:21

The Physical Repair of the Temple – 2 Chronicles 29:3-36

The spiritual decline of the people led to the physical disrepair of God’s anointed place of worship.
In the first month of his reign, Hezekiah prioritized the cleansing of the Jerusalem temple. This
purification process led the way for proper worship to be returned. Hezekiah ordered the defiled

10: Child sacrifices: Leviticus 20:2-5

11: Friendship with the world: James 4:4
12: God’s loving discipline: Hebrews 12:5-11

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 Inadequate Substitutes for the One True God

The Doctrine of Idolatry

Christianity hinges on the exclusive worship of the one true God. Worship of anything else,
whether nature, ideology, wealth, power, pleasure, or work, is called idolatry – a sin in God’s eyes.
Is God selfish to demand undivided worship? God’s jealousy for our devotion rests on the fact that
He alone is God and Creator.13 Worshiping anyone or anything other than God is a sin because
only God deserves our worship. The prophet Isaiah confronted the foolishness of worshiping
idols as he described a man who cuts down a tree and uses some of the wood to make a fire to warm
himself and bake bread. With other pieces of the same wood, he carves an idol and prays to it.14
Powerless gods of our own making cannot save us or do us any good.

Idols include more than carved images. The Bible teaches that we commit idolatry when we
make anything other than God our source of security, safety, or provision. God deserves
nothing less than wholehearted, undivided allegiance. Sadly, sinful humans can turn almost
anything, even God’s blessings, into idols. People seek fulfillment in the approval of others, sex,
money, power, prestige, technology, entertainment, and many other things – failing to see that
only God provides ultimate peace and satisfaction.15 God willingly and graciously saves us when
we call on Him for salvation and worship Him alone.16

The first and greatest commandment declares, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your mind.”17 When our inner cravings lead us anywhere but to
God, we fail to recognize the reality and danger of idolatry. Loving anything more than God
distorts our perspective on reality and misaligns our priorities.

On our own, we cannot love and worship God supremely. God had to love us first to save us
from our sins and then enable us to love Him in return.18 God’s sacrifice of His own Son to
save us perfectly illustrates His unfathomable love. Why would we worship anyone or anything
else when God has loved us this way? The Holy Spirit enables us to love and worship God in spirit
and truth.19 God guides our wandering hearts to grow in wholehearted devotion to Him. What
do you love and seek more than God Himself ? Ask God to awaken a hunger in you that only He
can satisfy. The right response to every joy, struggle, uncertainty, or loss we face in this life is to
worship God. Nothing is more secure than God Himself. He deserves all our worship.

13: Worship only God: Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Isaiah 44:6-8; 1 Corinthians 8:6; James 2:19
14: Foolishness of idols: Deuteronomy 4:28; Isaiah 44:9-20; Revelation 9:20
15: Cannot serve two masters: Matthew 6:24
16: Only God can save: Psalm 49:15; Isaiah 43:11; John 3:16; Acts 4:12; Hebrews 1:3
17: Greatest commandment: Matthew 22:37-38
18: God first loved us: 1 John 4:19
19: Spirit and truth: John 4:23-24

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temple to be cleansed and mobilized the Levites to prepare and consecrate the temple and its
furnishings to restore worship as God had prescribed.

Hezekiah made a covenant with God and reinstituted animal sacrifices. Musicians played as
the people were called to bow in worship. So many sacrifices were offered that the priests could
not keep up with the demand. Hezekiah and the people rejoiced at how quickly temple worship
had been reestablished.

The Spiritual Renewal of the People – 2 Chronicles 30–31

Hezekiah also called people from Israel and Judah to gather and celebrate the Passover and
Festival of Unleavened Bread as they had before. A letter from the king circulated throughout
Israel and Judah calling God’s people to “return to the Lord.” The Passover celebration celebrated
their Hebrew identity and commemorated their deliverance from Egyptian slavery by God’s mighty
hand.20 When Israel and Judah strayed from God, they neglected their national festivals that God
designed to consecrate and unify them as His people.

Celebration filled Jerusalem as the people sought God’s forgiveness and turned their hearts to
seek Him. Just as their idolatry led to sin and suffering, their obedience brought great joy. Hezekiah
personally encouraged the Levites, who returned to fulfilling the roles God intended for them –
leading His people in worship. As the people left Jerusalem to return to their towns, they smashed
the remnants of idolatry on their way. Hezekiah led the people by offering a contribution from his
own possessions as he called them to bring offerings to support Israel’s temple and priests.

Scripture commends Hezekiah’s practical and spiritual leadership as Judah’s king. The people
will again fail and turn from God. However, God blessed Hezekiah for his wholehearted work to
uphold Israel’s unique calling as God’s people.

Hezekiah Rebelled Against Assyria – 2 Kings 18:9–20:21;

2 Chronicles 32

Hezekiah’s Faith Was Tested – 2 Kings 18:9-37; 2 Chronicles 32:1

The northern kingdom of Israel fell to Assyria in the fourth year of Hezekiah’s reign. Ten years later,
Assyria launched attacks on Judah. In fear, Hezekiah attempted to appease the Assyrian king by
giving him gifts of silver and gold, even stripping the gold off the door and doorposts of the temple.

Hezekiah Turned to God for Help – 2 Kings 19; 2 Chronicles 32:2-23

The Assyrian king Sennacherib sent Hezekiah a threatening letter, and the Assyrians continued
to mock Hezekiah and the Lord in front of all the people. Judah’s enemy intended to undermine
Hezekiah’s faith and leadership and control his nation. However, Hezekiah put his eyes on the Lord
to find courage to rebel against Assyria. Hezekiah confirmed his loyalty to God as the divine king
over Judah. He would serve God and God alone.

20: Passover: Exodus 12

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 What did Hezekiah do in the face of this ominous threat? The Assyrians were known for their
cruel brutality. First, Hezekiah sought God in prayer. He acknowledged the real trauma he faced
as he spread out Sennacherib’s menacing letter before the Lord. His powerful prayer, recorded
in both 2 Kings 19:14-19 and Isaiah 37:14-20, offers a beautiful example for us. Hezekiah set his
eyes deliberately on God and recited truth about God’s limitless power. He asked God to listen to
Sennacherib’s offensive ridicule and blasphemy. He acknowledged the cruelty of their enemy and the
powerlessness of Assyria’s false gods. Then, in a simple and direct request, he asked God to deliver
them to show the world that He alone was God.

Secondly, Hezekiah received a message God sent through His prophet Isaiah. With God’s
authority behind his words, Isaiah foretold Sennacherib’s defeat and Judah’s victory.21 Hezekiah took
practical steps to fortify Jerusalem, including building a famous waterway. However, ultimately only
God could provide Hezekiah and Judah with the security and victory they needed.

In answer to bold prayer and in a vibrant display of God’s power, the “angel of the Lord”
killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. Sennacherib and his troops returned to Assyria where
Sennacherib was eventually killed by his own sons. God showed Himself as mighty, and God’s
people witnessed His power.

Hezekiah’s Human Sinfulness Remained – 2 Kings 20; 2 Chronicles 32:24-33

The order of events in Hezekiah’s story can be difficult to determine with certainty. Sometime
around the time of the Assyrian threat, Hezekiah became gravely ill. The prophet Isaiah told him
he was going to die. Once again, Hezekiah prayed. God verified His promise to heal Hezekiah by
giving a miraculous sign. The sundial’s shadow went back 10 steps – literally reversing the direction
of the sun’s normal movement. God added 15 years to his life. Despite this miracle, Hezekiah’s heart
became proud, and God’s wrath fell on Jerusalem. When Hezekiah repented, God relieved the city
of suffering.

Hezekiah was a great king, yet still a sinner. When a Babylonian envoy visited Jerusalem, Hezekiah
showed off his wealth and boasted about his riches. He felt so secure that he hid nothing from
the Babylonians. As a result, Isaiah told Hezekiah that all the wealth he had flaunted before the
Babylonians would one day be theirs. Some of his descendants would be taken captive by Babylon.
Despite Hezekiah’s commitment to the Lord, he did not obey God perfectly.

God promised to send a Messiah from the tribe of Judah and the line of David. The people of Judah
looked to each successive king seeking the promised One who would bring lasting peace. Hezekiah’s
reforms brought blessing to Judah, but Hezekiah was not the promised Redeemer-King.22 He
did not rule with perfect righteousness. His son and the people veered from the righteous reforms
he instituted.

Israel’s exile and Judah’s slide into idolatry did not overrule God’s master plan. Hezekiah’s needed
reforms did not bring deep enough transformation to prevent Judah from returning to idolatry and
sin. As their exile approached, God’s grace remained evident. The story of Israel and Judah warns of
the peril of rejecting God and the amazing opportunity to turn to Him. God alone deserves our
wholehearted worship. God alone reigns over heaven and earth.

21: Isaiah’s prophecy: '''Isaiah 37:21-35

22: The Messiah’s perfect rule: Isaiah 9:7

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Take to Heart
Hold Fast
God repeatedly warned Israel, graciously giving opportunities and time to turn from their sin. The
idol worship instituted by Jeroboam persisted as Israel’s last kings spiraled into deeper and deeper sin.
Sin moves down a path that is increasingly destructive. Just as God had promised, Assyria defeated
Israel and took them into exile. Even though God compassionately delayed His judgment, His
promise stood firm.

Judah’s kings failed to lead the people to worship God. This evil escalated as Ahaz led Judah into
flagrant idolatry and cared more about the favor of other nations than pleasing God. His son and
successor, Hezekiah, rose as a shining star in Judah’s history. Hezekiah purified the temple, restored
national worship, and resisted the Assyrian king Sennacherib. In times of distress, Hezekiah sought
God and called on His unlimited power. As a result, God miraculously delivered Judah from Assyria.
By His sovereign will, God preserved the kingly lineage of David and a faithful remnant in
Judah. Though not a perfect king, Hezekiah led Judah well. God’s promises cannot be broken.23

Apply It
God demonstrates His compassion not only by removing pain, but also by revealing sin. He calls
us to repentance. He unmasks the powerlessness of the idols we trust more than Him. How serious
it is to spurn God’s grace and abuse His compassion! The next time God convicts you of a specific
sin, how will you recognize His love, turn from that sin, and experience His deliverance? When
God uses something unexpectedly hard to get your attention and reveal how much you need Him,
what will you do to joyfully run to Him? When you are disappointed or disillusioned by something
or someone, will you recognize that only God can give you what you need most? Lord, help us
recognize the many ways you express your compassion to us and respond in a way that honors You!

The magnetic pull and downward spiral of sin should alarm us. We find it easy to excuse compromise,
explain our divided loyalties, and ignore the threat posed by choices that seem inconsequential. We
usually do not foresee sin’s escalating damage when we take that first step away from God’s best. We
can learn from Israel and Judah that sin never delivers what is promised. God lovingly disciplines
us to spare us greater pain and prove His faithfulness. Love for God and gratitude for Christ’s
sacrifice offer the supreme reason to seek and obey God. The Holy Spirit gives believers the power to
overcome sin and obey God. When your eyes are on God, sin’s appeal fades.

Crisis tested Hezekiah’s trust in God. Hard times reveal what matters most to us. Hezekiah
demonstrated his well-placed faith in God by seeking Him through prayer and listening to Isaiah,
God’s prophet. How do you respond in times of crisis? Do doubts overwhelm you, or does faith
sustain you? God does not test our faith to learn something He does not already know. However, we
benefit from experiencing God’s sustaining power when we are rendered weak and helpless. We grow
when we experience that what we believe about God remains steadfastly true. Your current crisis is
an opportunity to worship and glorify almighty God.

23: God’s enduring faithfulness: Psalm 117

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 Do you feel burdened by trying to obey God but always failing? Do His commands seem
overwhelming? We cannot obey God perfectly. God praised Hezekiah, but we know his faith and
obedience faltered. God sent Jesus to lift the burden of obeying God’s laws perfectly. Jesus says,
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. … For my yoke is easy
and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). When Jesus came, He perfectly fulfilled the laws God
gave to Moses and freed us from earning His favor with our performance. Because of what Jesus did,
when we put our faith in Him, God graciously turns away His judgment of our sin. “For God so
loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life” ( John 3:16). God does not condemn us, but makes us His own children so we can
walk in His ways.24 We are great sinners, but we have a greater Savior!

24: No condemnation: Romans 8:1-4

242 | Lesson 16 All Scripture quotations in this publication are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® NIV ®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.