A few things stand out to me in this section of scripture:

1. It covers a great deal of the life and ministry of the prophet, Elisha…like yesterday’s reading covered most of the life of his predecessor, Elijah.
2. A number of kings are mentioned (Ben-Hadad, Hazael, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Jeru, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Amaziah, Jereboah II, Azariah, Zechariah, Shallum, and Menahem).
3. Much of this section of scripture was filled with violence.
4. 2 Kings 5 tells the story that we heard at our 5-Day Bible Club this week.  Naaman was healed by God of his leprosy.  Though initially he questioned how he would become clean when Elisha told him to go wash 7 times in the Jordan River, he finally did it.  Naaman thought that the Abana or Pharpar rivers of Damascus were much cleaner.  He quickly found out that the water wasn’t the point, it was being obedient to God.  When he obeyed and did what the Lord said, he was cleansed.  The Lord is willing to cleanse our hearts too – if we will only trust and obey Him as our savior.

One of the primary people in this section of reading is Elijah.  What a guy.  This man had some gumption and was a devoted follower of the One True God.  Elijah rejected those who worshiped Baal and spoke out against people like Ahab and his wife, Jezebel.   My favorite part of this reading today was when Elijah stood up against the prophets challenged them and their gods to “outdo” the Lord.  In the end the Lord brings down fire on the soaking wet sacrifice (1 Kings 18).  I love when it says in 1 Kings 18: 39… “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘the Lord – he is God!  The Lord – he is God!”  Wouldn’t it be amazing if that happened today?  If people all around the world began to follow Jesus, fall prostrate on the ground, give up their sinful ways, and declare that the Lord is God!

When I read sections of this book like today’s reading, it’s just more affirmation that this Book is what it says it is.  For example, it’s cool to know that even non-Christians believe that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba walked on this planet.  Take a few minutes to read a little about the history of these two on Wikipedia.com  Click either King Solomon or The Queen of Sheba to be taken to their Wikipedia sites for some historical evidence and background about their lives.  One thing I never knew is that these two leaders were not only mentioned in the Bible, but also in the Qur’an.  It might surprise you, but Solomon’s Wikipedia article is as long as the article about our first President, George Washington (and we know that he was a real historical figure).