Day 109: January 17, 2026 – II Kings 16-20 and Psalm 139

We see some historic occurrences here in these writings. The first that we see is the complete destruction of the northern kingdom, Israel. It is taken into captivity into Assyria and ceases to be completely. The king of Assyria even brings in other folks from the surrounding region so that there would not be people who were native to that land, like the Israelites. That doesn’t work great because God wants to be worshipped and so He sent some lions until a priest came to the north and showed them how to worship God. That made things a bit better.

In the south, king Hezekiah is reigning and guess who his prophet is? That’s right, Isaiah. I love it when Scripture overlaps. The Assyrians try to do to Judah what they were able to do to Israel, but God defeats them and so saves them for the time being. Then the Babylonians, in a good will gesture, send people to a sick Hezekiah to wish him well and basically take inventory of all the things that they want to take with them the next time that they come with their army. Isaiah wasn’t happy that Hezekiah let them in, but Hezekiah was thinking, it’s okay if we become captives to the Babylonians. At least there is peace then. There are worse things than peace.

Psalm 139 is a tremendous Psalm that I often use when I go visit pre-surgery because it reminds us of how God has wonderfully and fearfully made us. What a great reminder that it is God who commands, and not us.