Justin Houtz

2 Kings 21, Hebrews 3, Hosea 14, Psalm 139

DateVersionReading Plan
@November 8, 2024ESV (2016)M’Cheyne Plan 2024

2 Kings 21

2 Kings 21:7 (ESV)
7 And the carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name forever.

“The author reiterates God’s covenant with David and Solomon (see 2 Sam 7:13 and note) to show that Manasseh’s actions had violated it. By placing an idol in the temple, Manasseh defiled the place where God had chosen to put His name.” (FSB)

By recounting the covenant God had made to dwell in the house in Jerusalem, Manasseh’s placement of the carved image of Asherah in the house is made all the more abominable. Manasseh’s worship of a pagan idol notwithstanding, to set it up in the house that was built for the God of all creation demonstrates an extreme level of depravity.

2 Kings 21:12 (ESV)
12 therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.

“This same phrase appears in Yahweh’s message to the young prophet Samuel regarding the destruction of the house of Eli (1 Sam 3:11) and in a prophecy of Jeremiah against Judah and Jerusalem (Jer 19:3).” (FSB)

It is harrowing to read how the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah would be so devastating that the ears of those who heard of it would tingle. It elicits a shiver in the spine at the sheer magnitude of God’s power and righteous hatred of sin.

2 Kings 21:23–24 (ESV)
23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him and put the king to death in his house. 24 But the people of the land struck down all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

“Amon was assassinated by his own servants, probably a victim of the internal struggle between the pro-Assyrian and anti-Assyrian parties. The common people (lit “people of the land”) emerged as the group that maintained loyalty to David’s dynasty.” (CSB Notes)

The series of events here is remarkable: 1) Amon killed Manasseh, 2) Amon’s servants killed Amon, 3) the people killed the servants who had conspired against Amon. This string of killings serves to underscore both the moral corruption and the governance tumult of the times.

Hebrews 3

Hebrews 3:5–6 (ESV)
5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

“Although Moses was faithful in relaying God’s law, his appointed role was to point toward the coming Son of God. Jesus, who was faithful in his role of bringing the gospel to those under the condemnation of the law, is therefore worthy of more glory.” (CSB Notes)

The hierarchy between Jesus and Moses seems crucial to capture, especially as it relates to their respective roles of servant and Son. Moses was certainly faithful in all God’s house but his role as servant was always meant to be a prefiguring of the coming Messiah, the One who has now been revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 3:14 (ESV)
14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

“Verses like this are often misused to teach that a person can be saved and then lost again. However, such an interpretation is impossible because the overwhelming testimony of the Bible is that salvation is freely bestowed by God’s grace, purchased by Christ’s blood, received by man’s faith, and evidenced by his good works. True faith always has the quality of permanence. We don’t hold fast in order to retain our salvation, but as proof that we have been genuinely saved. Faith is the root of salvation; endurance is the fruit. Who are Christ’s companions? The answer is, “Those who by their steadfastness in the faith prove that they really belong to Him.” (BBC)

Hosea 14

Hosea 14:9 (ESV)
9  Whoever is wise, let him understand these things;
whoever is discerning, let him know them;
for the ways of the LORD are right,
and the upright walk in them,
but transgressors stumble in them.

“Hosea concludes with a Proverbs-like exhortation to seek true wisdom in following the ways of Yahweh (compare Psa 107:43; Jer 9:21; Prov 10:29).” (FSB)

It is apropos that the FSB describes this last verse in the Book of Hosea as Proverbial since reading it without context could lead one to assume that they are the words of Solomon. What a wonderful exhortation to be reminded of the righteousness of the LORD’s ways and that we should strive to walk uprightly in them.

Psalm 139

“Psalm 139 is a wisdom psalm—meant to pass along wise teachings—that has the features of a hymn and lament. These various features are expressed in the themes of the psalm rather than its structure; the hymn-like elements focus on Yahweh’s greatness (especially His knowledge), while the lament-like elements focus on Yahweh’s power over the psalmist. However, the contrast between the way of the wicked (vv. 19–22) and the way of God (v. 24) creates the “two ways” motif that characterizes biblical wisdom; this becomes the dominant feature of the psalm since the psalmist’s response to God’s greatness and power is the primary issue.” (FSB)

Psalm 139:11–12 (ESV)
11  If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12  even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.

“If a person wanted the darkness to hide him from God, he would be trusting a false refuge. Night cannot shut out the presence of the Lord. Darkness is not dark to Him. ‘The night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.’ God is absolutely inescapable. As Pascal said, ‘His center is everywhere; His circumference is nowhere.’” (BBC)

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