Passage: The vision concerning Judah and Jerusalem that Isaiah son of Amoz saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
Journal: 1. King Uzziah -- He was a faithful king in his early years but, much like King David and King Solomon, did not finish as strongly. His downfall was his pride (2 Chron.26:4) and resulted in him being smitten with leprosy in his final years. 2. King Jotham -- The son of King Uzziah, who was both a powerful military leader (like King David) and a prolific builder (like King Solomon). His reign was considered a good one (2 Chron. 27). 3. King Ahaz -- The son of King Jotham, he was completely faithless and his reign was a wretched one (2 Chron. 28). He closed the temple, used temple money to pay tribute to Assyria and allowed Canaanite religion. He even burned alive his own children as a pagan ritual. Assyria was at the gates of Jerusalem and Judah in horrible peril during the reign of this faithless king. 4. King Hezekiah -- The son of King Ahaz. God raised him up just in time, as he was the most faithful king since King David. His reign was characterized with the constant threat from Assyria but, with the faithful message of Isaiah, he was able to resist the temptation of a faithless response to the threat.
These are the men leading Judah during the ministry of Isaiah. The threat of Assyria, placing hope in faithless men and nations, and the allure of paganism are the common enemy at the end of each scepter. As we were reminded in the Book of James, it is in the midst of the test and at the height of suffering that our faith is refined and defined. God is our strength, and our wandering eyes can be our greatest weakness. It is to Him alone that we must look.
John Dee Spicer
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About Me
I started the Daily Journal in 2000. I sent it as an email to a few friends (it was a round number, either 10 or 20, I can't remember exactly). It has grown over the years, primarily due to those original few forwarding it to others. During this time, I have journaled through Genesis, selected Psalms, the Gospel of John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and Peter's letters. (These are the books I can remember for sure this morning, anyway.) I don't have seminary training and don't claim to have special wisdom. Rather, I simply desire that others develop a love for God's word. There is only one interpretation for any Bible passage, and I will rely on the wisdom of scholars through the ages (at least those at my disposal) to help with that one interpretation. I will also attempt some practical application. Somewhere along the way I started sharing some funny things my kids would say, and this became known as "Heard 'Round the House." I will continue to share these priceless nuggets as my kids provide material. The "Daily" Journal is a bit of a misnomer, since I only do it Monday through Thursday. I don't do it on Friday because I attend a 6 am Bible Study. I don't do it on the weekends because so many received it at work (I may revise this approach since I have gone to the "Blog" format). I do read my Bible on a daily basis, and strongly recommend a chronilogical daily Bible - you will read the Bible completely each year, and the events unfold in a historical fashion.
