Shipwrecked on Earth

Once upon a time, I knew of another place,
Unfortunately, my vessel crash landed here—
I stepped out to find this poisoned planet,
And my whole self was consumed in fear.
People were selling hate on every corner,
No one seemed to care about the other—
People were starving and without a home,
Sister against sister and brother against brother...
Scientists rushing to find the most efficient way to kill—
Bombs that reign great and terrible fire from the sky
For unnecessary wars against people just like them
With no concern for how many live or die.
Polution and trash littered on every street
Because they're more comfortable with laziness and greed
So let the environment cry out in protest
Because the corporations will never concede...
And I wondered what I had done to deserve this,
Why I would land upon such a horrible place—
So I vowed to look for something good
To find this wretched land worthy of grace.

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Chandler Cruttenden

Book Review: A Long Way Gone

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is the true story of a man who's childhood was decimated by a brutal war. Forced to become a child soldier, the author recounts his troublesome childhood and invites us to see his rehabilitation. For that reason alone it feels odd to review the book—how can I rate someone's lived experience? The three-star rating I gave the book on goodreads is not about the content, it is about structure.

If you can read this story without your heart breaking, you have a very hard heart. I actually had to take a break from the story at the midway point (which coincidentally coincided with the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd). What really hit me hard was seeing the dates the events were happening. Mr. Beah is only 8 years older than me. I can't imagine surviving the things he witnessed, let alone being able to tell the world about it. Knowing that there are many children who have suffered this way and continue to suffer this way makes me angry that people can be so evil and that the rest of the world can sit by idly. This is most definitely an emotional read and there is quite a bit of violence described.

Structure

As I said, I can't review the content of the story because it's a man's lived experience and its such a powerful experience! I can only speak on the structuring of the book—the pace, the writing quality, etc.

One of the hardest things about reading a memior such as this is that you already know the major plot points. From the moment I started reading I knew that the idyllic childhood would be shattered by war, that he would become a child soldier, and that he would be rehabilitated. This makes it difficult to be a "page-turner" based on the plot. When you combine the fact that you know what's going to happen and the fact that its emotionally difficult, it makes for a very slow read.

The point in which Mr. Beah decided to end the story also did not feel like the end. Despite the fact that we know he's going to reach his final destination it would have been nicer to at least see him board the plane. Though, I will say that ending story the story with the scenario from his childhood was a great move. If you don't think about it deeply, it seems a little odd, but after a while you realize is sums up his view of the whole situation.

Overall, I gave the book a three star rating because I did feel like I had to push myself to finish and it didn't feel quite complete when I did finish.

Would I Recommend?

I think it is important to see the world through other people's eyes. Not only did this make me very thankful for my childhood, it made me ask what are we doing to help these children? I also ended up researching the conflict to learn more about how something like this happens. There are definitely parts of the book that are hard to read and you may have to self-motivate yourself to get through, but I recommend 100%.

Coming to America

My history classes totally skipped the history of Asians America; to let them tell it, Asian people just came to the country recently, but they've been here before the United States was a country. So, let's talk about it.

Introduction

The Native Americans were here. Europeans started colonizing the land after they "discovered" it. Africans were subsequently forced over during the trans-Atlantic slave trade, but what about everyone else? I don't know about your history classes, but none of mine covered when in our history people from various countries in Asia started immigrating to America and what it was like for them. Given the history of the United States, it's not hard to guess that they experienced a lot of discrimination simply for being Asian, but you might be surprised by how soon in U.S. history they started making a difference (considering there's basically no mentioning of Asian Americans in pre-Civil rights era history).

The Manila Galleon

Today, you'd be hard pressed to go into a store and find something that doesn't say "Made in China." As it turns out, that's been the case since the late 1500's. After colonizing the Philippines, the Spanish created a trade route from the Philippines to Mexico; the ship was known as The Manila Galleon. This trade route allowed for indirect trading with China in the Americas. Once a year, it would bring porcelain, silk, ivory, spices, and other goods from China.[1][2] This also enabled immigration of Chinese people to Mexico.[3]

From their arrival, Chinese immigrants were accused of taking jobs. Those doing the complaining petitioned the Spanish rulers to banish Chinese immigrants to the outskirts of the city, making it harder for them to get business. This trend of accusing others for lack of jobs has been present throughout our history and unfortunately, hasn't changed. Current president, Donald Trump, constantly talked about getting more jobs for "American" workers during his campaign. We can argue that technically that includes all races and ethnicities, but historically non-white Americans are not seen as American by their white counterpart—just take a look back at the birther movement; Barack Obama is the only president to be questioned about his citizenship and not coincidentally, also the only non-white president we ever had. In recent years, Apple has been accused of treating their Chinese employees like slaves and Google stands accused of refusing to hire Asian men.[4][5] As a member of the tech world, I'm thankful the company I work for is fairly diverse, but I've definitely seen a situation where a company's employees were predominately Indian and Chinese, but the upper management was 100% white. There's definitely still a problem with racial discrimination in our country.

First Stop: Louisiana

I was shocked to learn that the first Asian immigrants to settle in what is now the United States actually settled in Louisiana as early as 1763. Most of these immigrants were Filipino. So, when the U.S. bought Louisiana from the French in 1803, there was already a Filipino population there. I don't really think of the South as the booming place for Asian people; I've generally seen higher populations of Asian people in large cities and on the West Coast. The reason these immigrants settled in Louisiana is because they travelled by boat from Mexico through the gulf and landed in Louisiana. Of course, in 1790 the government passed the Naturalization Act of 1790 which stated only white people could be granted citizenship in the U.S.[3] Thus, like Blacks and Native Americans, the Asians that were over here during the revolutionary war and the founding of America (which claimed "all men" were created equal) had basically no rights and were not accepted into society.

The Link Between Slavery and Asian Immigrants

When the the African slave trade was abolished, European settlers still wanted a source of cheap labor, so they used Chinese and Indian immigrants as indentured servants. This was most common in the West Indies and South America. Coming on the heels of the British defeating China in the Opium War and colonizing India, it was relatively easy for colonial powers to trick people into these contracts. Though above the status of African slaves, these immigrants were still treated poorly and subjected to inhumane conditions.[3][8]

Shift in Location

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Tiago Gerken

During the gold rush, many people flooded the state of California, including people from Asia. Many of these immigrants ended up working on the transcontinental railroad, where they took the most dangerous jobs. A significant number of Asian men lost their lives building the railroad, but when the celebratory picture was taken upon completion of the project, the Asian workers were not allowed in the photograph. Discrimination against Asian workers intensified after the completion of the rail. It is due to this discrimination, which included housing discrimination, that Chinatowns began. The government went so far as to pass an act that denied Chinese immigrants entry into the country.[3] How messed up is that?

Japanese Internment

One of the saddest books I read as a child is The Moon Bridge by Marcia Savin. The story features two friends torn apart when one is forced into an internment camp during World War II. Despite being U.S. citizens, many Japanese people in the states were forced into internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Citizens were forced to relinquish property and assets, and relocate to one of these camps. It was finally ruled unconstitutional 5 years later, after over 100,000 people had been subjected to the atrocity. The case was brought to trial at the Supreme Court on behalf of Mitsuye Endo. She could have taken her own freedom and left it at that, but she chose to fight for everyone affected by the issue. Her case set the precedent that in future conflicts such an atrocity should not happen again.

Observation

This is something I've known all along, but I want to point it out since we just discussed some of the history of discrimination against Asians in this country. Each group in the country, be it Asians, Blacks, Native Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, poor people, etc., have had some type of struggle. For all minority groups this is the best era in the country; we have rights, protection under the law (mostly), and representation in fields and arenas we couldn't enter before. That's why Trump's "make America great again" slogan is both hogwash and offensive, but I digress. What I want to focus on is that these struggles and triumphs are fundamentally different and have had different effects on each community. While all of these groups faced types of discrimination, we should never compare them. I'm pointing this out because I hate to hear arguments that "such and such group also faced discrimination so why are Black people complaining." For example, there are major differences in having your entire heritage stripped away versus being isolated into one section of town; both are deplorable, but the effects of each will manifest differently. We should acknowledge that each group had to deal with some messed up stuff (the U.S. has a horrible track record) without tearing down any of the groups. That includes what I mentioned previously, as well as, trying to say one group had it better or worse. At the end of the day, I think learning about each culture is the best way to understand these nuances and develop respect.

References

1. "Manila Galleon". Encyclopædia Britannica. May 29, 2018
2. Johanna Hecht. "The Manila Galleon Trade". The Metropolitan Museum of Art. October 2003
3. "Ancestors in the Americas: Timeline". PBS. 2001
4. Jessica Guynn. "Google accused in lawsuit of excluding white and Asian men in hiring to boost diversity". USA Today. March 1, 2018
5. Gethin Chamberlain. "Apple's Chinese workers treated 'inhumanely, like machines'". The Guardian. April 30, 2011
6. "Japanese Internment Camps". History.com; visited June 2018
7. Scott S. Greenberger. "‘Cheap slaves’: Trump, immigration and the ugly history of the Chinese Exclusion Act". Washington Post. August 3, 2017
8. Justina Hwang. "Chinese in Peru in the 19th century". Brown University Library; visited June 2018

2 Chronicles 28: Ahaz

Ahaz takes over the throne from Jotham at the age of 20 and reigns for 16 years.

Introduction

Ahaz takes over the throne from Jotham at the age of 20 and reigns for 16 years. Ahaz is also discusses in 2 Kings 16, the post on this can be found here.
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Ahaz's Reign

Ahaz doesn't follow God's law; instead he follows the ways of the kings of Israel. Not only does Ahaz sacrifice to false gods, he practices the horrible pagan tradition of sacrificing children. This is referred to as passing children through the fire or burning them through the fire. Because of this, God's anger is kindled and Ahaz is punished. When Ahaz dies, he isn't buried with the previous kings.
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Battles

Both Syria and Israel attack Ahaz's kingdom, and because Ahaz has turned his back on God, God allows Judah's enemies to prevail. The kingdom of Judah loses 120,000 men in one day during the battle. The northern Israelites take another 200,000 men, women and children captive.

Obed, a prophet from God stops the northern tribes from enslaving their brethren. The tribes in the north were also sinful, perhaps more sinful than those of Judah, but God still wanted them to abide by the laws set during the Exodus. Fortunately for the men and women of Judah, the people of the northern kingdom heeded the prophet's advice.

With the Edomites and Philistines also warring with Judah, Ahaz sends to Assyria for help—note he doesn't turn to God. Ahaz gives the king of Judah treasures from the Temple, but the king of Assyria doesn't come to their aid. If that wasn't enough, Ahaz then turns further from God and promotes idolatry to the gods of Syria. Naturally, this provokes God's anger.

References

2 Chronicles 26: Uzziah

Uzziah, son of Amaziah, becomes king at the age of 16 and rules for 52 years.

Introduction

Uzziah, son of Amaziah, becomes king at the age of 16 and rules for 52 years.
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Battles

The major accomplishment listed for Uzziah is the restoration of a city called Eloth to the kingdom of Judah. This city is also known as Elath, Ailath, and Alion. Eloth was a seaport that belonged to Edom. It had been captured by David and lost during Jehoram's reign.^[1]

God strengthened Uzziah due to his obedience and helped him in battle against the Philistines and Arabians. He commanded an army of 307,500 men. Uzziah becomes so powerful that the Ammonites give gifts to him and word spread about him all the way to Egypt. He made great weapons of war, which included engines. These engines were not like the engines we think of today. The word here is referring to some sort of device made by skilled people to antagonize the enemy. It may refer to a tower used to hurl stones at the enemy.^[2]
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Character

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Tatyana Khramtsova

Uzziah loved farming (husbandry) so he built up vineyards and herds of cattle. While obedient, he is very prosperous.

Like so many of Judah's kings, Uzziah starts out as a good king. He follows the ways of God and experiences victory in battle. However, once Uzziah is at full strength, he turns against God. It is easy to forget that we did not become great on our own. It is also easy to believe that because we have power and wealth, we can do whatever we choose. This is the ultimate downfall of many kings of Judah, as well as, many of us today.

Uzziah rebels again God by burning incense on the altar, which which was a task only to be performed by the priests. In light of Uzziah's rebellion, 80 priests fought against him to uphold the honor of God. Uzziah does not repent, as we should when we make a mistake (and we all make mistakes eventually). Instead, he becomes defiant and is struck with leprosy by God. As a leper he is cast out and his son Jotham is given the throne.
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References

1. "Eloth." Bible Hub; visited March 2017
2. "2 Chronicles 26:15 Commentary". Bible Hub; visited March 2017

2 Chronicles 21: Jehoram

The reign of Jehoram of Judah is discussed.

Introduction

Jehoram, also spelled Joram, is one of the kings of Judah that shares his name with a king of Israel. Not only does he share his name with a king of Israel, the two reigned at the same time! Some have speculated that they are actually the same person and that Judah was under the reign of Israel at the time. This theory will be discussed below, in addition to details of Jehoram's reign.
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Who Was Jehoram?

Jehoram takes over the throne of Judah at the age of 32 when his father, Jehoshaphat, dies. Jehoram had several younger brothers, who were given great gifts from Jehoshaphat. The names of his brothers are given as: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. Strangely, Azariah is listed twice, which made me wonder if Jehoshaphat had two sons named Azariah. Although it sounds weird, it's strangely common according to Google searches.^[1] In the original Hebrew text, the name is not quite identical. One "Azariah" contains an extra character; this could change the name or be an indicator between siblings with the same name. Whatever the case, none of Jehoram's brothers were able to enjoy the gifts they inherited from Jehoshaphat. didn't get to enjoy these gifts because Jehoram kills them as soon as he became king.

It goes without saying that Jehoram was not a good king and did not follow God's law. He marries the daughter of Ahab, which scholars believe may have been suggested by his father in attempt to bring the two kingdoms back together.^[2] Instead, the kingdoms remain at odds and Jehoram ends up following the ways of Ahab and turns Judah into idolatry just as Israel had been.

Although God's anger is kindled against Jehoram (and a few other descendants of David) God does not destroy the lineage however, because of his covenant with David. God already knew that He would fulfill His promise to David, Abraham, and even Eve, through Jesus. In Israel God allows dynasties to die, the way Ahab and his descendants did, but God ensures that there is always a descendent of David because it is through this succession that Jesus was to come. Nonetheless, God cuts Jehoram's reign short, allowing up to control Judah for only 8 years.

The Two Jehorams

When Did He Reign?

The timeline surrounding the two Jehoram's is quite confusing. 2 Kings 1:17, 2 Kings 3:1, and 2 Kings 8:16 seem to conflict on when exactly these successions took place.

1 Kings 22:41 tells us that Jehoshaphat (Jehoram of Judah's father) began his reign during the 4th year of Ahab (Jehoram of Israel's father). Ahab reigns for 22 years (1 Kings 16:29), before his son Ahaziah takes the throne. Jehoram of Judah takes the throne after Ahaziah, who reigns for 2 years. Jehoram of Israel takes the throne after Ahaziah. Based on this timeline, it seems that Jehoram of Israel should start his reign roughly during the 20th year of Jehoshaphat. However, we are told that Ahaziah began his reign during Jehoshaphat's 17th year (1 Kings 22:51) and Jehoram during Jehoshaphat's 18th year. This makes sense if you consider that these numbers are probably rounded up; the final year of each king was probably not a complete year. On top of that, we must consider that when defining "the xth year of" a particular king, we may be starting from the beginning of the year or the point of coronation. Taking this into consideration, 2 Kings 3:1 makes sense.^[3]

However, 2 Kings 1:17 tells us that Jehoram of Israel took the throne during Jehoram of Judah's 2nd year. Many people initially believe this to be a contradiction, before considering co-regency. Co-regency often occurred as kings planned to pass the kingdom on to a particular son. If we consider a co-regency, then this verse goes from being a contradiction to a basket of new information. If a co-regency existed between Jehoshaphat and Jehoram of Judah, it would make sense that Jehoshaphat's 18th year was the same as Jehoram's 2nd year.^[3]

What about 2 Kings 8:16, though? This verse tells us that Jehoram of Israel had already been reigning for 5 years when Jehoram of Judah began his reign. How is that possible if Jehoram of Israel started his reign during Jehoram of Judah's 2nd year? Perhaps what is meant is that Jehoram of Judah began his independent reign 5 years in to Jehoram of Israel's reign. Depending on the time of year each event occurred, this would mean Jehoram of Judah took over for Jehoshaphat after Jehoshaphat had ruled 23 to 24 years. This doesn't quite line up with the 25 years Jehoshaphat reigned, though does it? Actually, it does. 2 Kings 8:16 tells us that Jehoshaphat was still king. During his last year as king, he likely handed over the reigns to his son and gave him the primary role as king.^[3]
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Where There 2 Jehorams?

With all the confusion surrounding the timeline of the Jehorams, it's not surprising that people began making up conspiracy theories. There are some who believe there was only one Jehoram and that Judah was briefly conquered by Israel. There isn't anything to back up this claim. It is not unusal for people to have the same name, in fact many people in the Bible have the same name. Further, the marriage between Ahab's line and David's could have played a role in this if they were named after someone.^[4]

Battles & Wars

Although God didn't wipe out Jehoram and his entire family, He did punish Jehoram for his sinfulness. God allows the Edomites to rebel. Prior to these events, the Edomites had been under the dominion of Judah, but now they had appointed their own king. Essentially Edom was declaring itself independent. Following Edom's lead, a place called Libnah also revolted. Jehoram sends armies to bring these nations back under his control, however, neither nation caves to Jehoram's demands. With God out of the picture—due to Jehoram's poor relationship with God—Judah was like a sitting duck and unable to take on a real army.
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Idolatry & More Warring

Jehoram also makes altars outside of the Temple; whether these were pagan or for God, were forbidden. This caused the Israelites of Judah to drift further from God. The prophet Elijah sends him a letter explaining God's disappointment for these actions as well as outlining the punishment God would give Jehoram. This possibly the only king of Judah that was contacted by Elijah, the great prophet of Israel.

God enacts vengeance through a great plague, which was a sickness of the bowels. God also stirred up the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabians near Ethiopia to battle with Judah. These nations raided the house of the king, stealing not only valuables but Jehoram's wives and children. The only person left is Jehoahaz, Jehoram's youngest son, who would go on to continue the lineage.
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Death and Illness

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/Jon Butterworth

Following such failure and lost, God strikes Jehoram with the incurable disease of the bowels prophesied by Elijah. After 2 years of suffering, Jehoram dies. Because of his shame, the people buried him with David's descendants but not with the other kings.
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References

1. "Google Search: Sibling with the Same Name"; visited March 2017
2. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 761-763. 2014
3. "2 Chronicles 21 Commentary". Bible Hub; visited March 2017
4. Dick Harfield. "Who began his reign first: Jehoram of Israel, or Jehoram of Judah?". Stack Exchange. October 2013

2 Chronicles 17-20: Jehoshaphat

The rule of Jehoshaphat over Judah is discussed. These chapters are paralleled in 1 Kings 22.

Introduction

Asa's son Jehoshaphat not only follows God, but seeks out peace with the northern kingdom. He is a devout king that brings much good to Judah during his 25 year reign. Jehoshaphat takes the throne at 35 years old. The passages in 2 Chronicles 17-20 are paralleled in 1 Kings 22.
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Reform

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Tom Low

When Jehoshaphat takes over the throne, he is determined to keep Israel on the path of righteousness. He even sends princes and Levites to teach the law of God in different cities. Due to his faithfulness, the kingdom experiences peace during his reign. No one dared attack, and the Philistines and Arabians even send gifts in his honor. Faithfulness does not prevent Jehoshaphat from building an army, however. We are given an outline of the mighty captains who led the army, which was largest army Judah had seen thus far.

Jehoshaphat had removed "groves" or idols from Judah, though he does not remove the "high places" or altars. God did not want idolatry among His people and was likely very proud of Jehoshaphat for destroying such things.

Jehoshaphat sets judges over the cities. He warns them, even then, about judging a person; that is God's job alone. We can discern the right actions and tell someone when they are in the wrong, but we cannot judge the soul of the person. Amariah was the chief priest at the time. Top

Healing the Rift

Jehoshaphat recognized that the Israelites of the north were the same people as those of the south and tried to repair the bonds between the two kingdoms. While meeting with the king of the north, Ahab, he agrees to go to war with Syria, despite a prophet of the LORD proclaiming their defeat.

The entire exchange about the battle is quite weird. Following the exchange, it is obvious that God wanted Ahab to go into the battle to meet his demise. Jehoshaphat understood that God wants Ahab to go into this battle and therefore complies. During the battle Ahab disguises himself which almost gets Jehoshaphat killed. However, when Jehoshaphat calls on God, God protects him. There is a lot to think about here. On one hand, this could be an indication that Jehoshaphat was not in the wrong when he went to battle, because God spared him. On the other hand, this could be a lesson in choosing our acquaintances wisely. Ahab essentially set Jehoshaphat up for death. Had Jehoshaphat not called on God, he would have died in the battle. God knows that we will make mistakes, so we are fortunate that when we call to Him for help that He will answer. However, we should remember that when we associate with ungodly people we are more likely to end up in ungodly situations.

Jehoshaphat survives the battle, but Ahab does not. While we will see continued attempts to heal the rift between Israel and Judah, I can't imagine this situation helping the relation. Imagine, the reaction of Israel that their "enemy" Judah had agreed to go to battle with them, but Israel's king dies in battle and Judah's king walks away free. I'm sure conspiracy theorists of the time had a field day with that.
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Jehoshaphat Condemned

In 1 Kings we never see a reaction from God or Judah about Jehoshaphat's attempt to make peace with Israel. Since God told Rehoboam not to fight his brothers, it seems reasonable to assume God would be pleased with Jehoshaphat's actions. However, a prophet of God condemns Jehoshaphat for associating with those that hate the Lord (Ahab). In the same chapter Jehoshaphat is praised for his actions in following God. This adds to the confusion of which lesson we are to take from this scenario.

Today we often make the mistake of believing God wants peace at all cost, including compromise of His word. This is not true. Now that the northern kingdom had fallen so deeply into idolatry, they were just as dangerous as the pagan nations to Judah's relationship with God. God may not have wanted them fighting each other, because there was always hope for Israel's return, but He didn't want His holy nation joining with a disobedient and pagan nation, either.
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Interesting

In 2 Chronicles 19 we read about Zebadiah, the son of Ishmael was over Judah. I find this interesting considering the rift that existed and still exists between the children of Isaac, verses the children of Ishmael. Clearly there was an intermarriage that placed Zebadiah in this position. God forbade the Israelites from intermarrying with the Canaanites (which they did anyway), or the other pagan nations, but we see plenty of examples where people from these nations committed to follow God and were accepted into the nation. This reiterates the fact that we all have an equal opportunity to be accepted into God's nation.
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Moab and Ammon Attack

When the Moabites and the Ammonites come against Judah, Jehoshaphat's reaction is to seek God. He even proclaims a fast throughout the kingdom. This is what God expected of his people and is in stark contrast to the kings who sold the treasures of God to buy allies from pagan nations during times of distress (even Jehoshaphat's father Asa fell prey to this mentality). God fights the war for Israel, causing the allied armies to turn against themselves and kill one another.
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Downfall

Overall Jehoshaphat is described as a great, God-fearing king. However, near the end of his reign, he joins himself with Ahab's son Ahaziah who does evil. God does not allow the works of their collaboration to prosper. It is important to choose our friends and collaborators carefully.
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References

2 Chronicles 14-16: Asa

Asa was the son of Abijah who inherited the throne after his father's death. Asa leads the southern kingdom of Judah for 41 years, most of which are peaceful.

Introduction

Asa was the son of Abijah who inherited the throne after his father's death. Asa leads the southern kingdom of Judah for 41 years, most of which are peaceful.
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Asa Does Right By God

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/David Marcu

Asa is a good king for Israel because he follows the way of God. God rewards the kingdom with 10 years of peace. During this time of rest they expand their cities and prosper. Israel always experienced favor when they followed God, however it is obvious that like us today, they were prone to chalking this up to coincidence. Despite the obvious correlation of peace under godly kings and war under ungodly kings, the Israelites still bounced between obedient and idolatrous like a yo-yo.
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An Ethiopian Army Attacks

The peace did not last forever, however. At some point, presumably at the end of the 10 years, an Ethiopian army came against Israel. As the army approached, Asa cried out to God for help and God defeated the army.

This is something to remember and contrast with later kings of Judah. Near the end of the kingdom, kings stop relying on God to fight their battles and begin to spend the treasures of the Temple to buy allies. When God fights our battles, we are guaranteed a sure victory. While God may send us allies (re: fellow believers) to support us, mankind can never guarantee us a victory. God told the Israelites not to associate with the pagan nations, which means He would never advocate for the joining of these nations in alliance.
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A Message From God

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.2 Peter 3:9 KJV

God sends a man named Azariah to speak to Asa about Israel (the is likely a reference to the northern kingdom, not the nation a a whole). God reminds Asa that even though Israel has completely lost their way, when they repented and returned to God, He heard their pleas and answered. Throughout the Old Testament God lays out the consequences and curses of disobeying Him, but He always adds the clause that when Israel calls out to Him, He will hear.

When Asa hears this, he is determined to stay on the right path with God. He gathers the people of Judah together to offer the spoils of their war with Ethiopia to God. During this time, they make a covenant to kill anyone who does not worship God. The depth of Asa's commitment is shown when he demotes his grandmother, Maachah, because she made idols. Remember the Bible never uses the words grandmother, grandfather, grandson, or granddaughter, as we do today. Everyone is referred to as mother or father, son or daughter, regardless of how many generations have passed. We know that Maachah's relationship to Asa was actually grandmother because Maachah was the wife of Rehoboam (Asa's grandfather).

There commitment to God is wonderful and brings peace once again. This peace lasts until the 35th year of Asa's reign.
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Israel vs. Judah

We aren't told what type of conflict begins during Asa's 35th year, but likely tensions began to rise between Israel and Judah. I say this because during Asa's 36th year, Baasha, the king of Israel, begins building a fort at Ramah to cut off Judah from the world. This indicated a conflict between the two kingdoms. Naturally, with Israel being the larger of the two kingdoms, this caused Asa to worry.

Unlike Asa's encounter with Ethiopia, Asa doesn't rely on God to help Judah. Instead he sends gold and silver from the Temple to Benhadad, king of Syria for support. It is interesting to me that despite being overall described as a good king, Asa's reaction was not to call on God. Surely God could have delivered them without the need of emptying the Temple of its treasures, besides Asa had already witnessed God's miracles.

We often doubt God and take problems into our own hands rather than seek God's help, even today. I think this issue proves that the nature of experiencing God is tethered to faith. The Israelites struggled with faith for their entire history despite having so many close encounters with God. One would think after seeing God's cloud in the Temple, or being led our of Egypt, or witnessing God decimate an entire army, everyone would know that God was the One True God. The fact that this didn't happen proves that we see what we want to see.

Nonetheless, Asa's plan is successful and Syria decimates Israel, causing Baasha to cease his work on the fort to defend his kingdom. When he leaves, the people of Judah carry away the stones and wood he was using to build the fort. If he wanted to continue the project, he would have to start from scratch.

When Asa returns to Jerusalem, a seer (or prophet) makes the same point I make, that Asa should have relied on God to win. The prophet, tells Asa that because of his failure to do so, he will have wars from then on out. Asa is angry with the assessment (as we often are when told we are wrong). Thus Asa places the man in jail and begins oppressing some of the people.
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Death of Asa

During Asa's 39th year, he gets a disease in his feet. Again, instead of seeking God, he goes to physicians. We aren't told what the physicians do, or even what the disease is, but Asa manages to live another 2 years before dying. Upon his death, the people bury him in the city of David.

Asa's disease is thought to have been diabetes, which can cause a host of problems in the foot.^[1][2] Most people interpret that his sin was not that he went to healers but that he did not seek out God during the process.^[1]

References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 755. 2014
2. Foot Complications. American Diabetes Association; visited March 11, 2017

2 Chronicles 13: Abijah

But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him...2 Chronicles 13:10 KJV

The reign of Rehoboam's son Abijah over Judah is discussed. This is paralleled in 1 Kings 15.

Introduction

Abijah, also called Abia and Abijam is the 2nd king to take the throne after the division of Israel. He is the son of Rehoboam, the grandson of Solomon, and the great-grandson of David. His mother is Maachah (also spelled Michaiah), who is the granddaughter of Absalom. Abijah only reigns for 3 years.
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War with Israel

Abijah continues the war his father began with Jeroboam. Despite God's desire for Israel to be one nation, the rift between the two sides was not closing. When Abijah confronts Jeroboam, he points out the problems of idolatry within the northern territory. Unlike Rehoboam, Abijah relies on God to win this battle. 1 Kings 15 tells us Abijah (referred to as Abijam) had a very poor relationship with God, so this may have been a one time occurrence.

Jeroboam had come up with a great military strategy, which almost defeated Judah, however because God was on their side, Judah defeated Israel. Abijah expands the territory of Judah and Jeroboam grows weak.
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Legacy

Abijah marries 14 women and has 22 sons and 16 daughters. His son Asa inherits the throne.
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References

1. "Abijam". Bible Hub; visited March 2017

2 Chronicles 10-12: Rehoboam & The Division of Israel

A look at the division of Israel and the rule of Rehoboam. Also covered in 1 Kings 12.

Introduction

Photocredit: Holy Spirit Interactive

Rehoboam takes the throne after Solomon, and shortly after, he is confronted by the tribes of the north. The tribes from the north were unhappy with how Solomon had treated them, likely during the building of the Temple. Instead of following the wise council of the elders to heed the tribes' request, Rehoboam decides to make it even harder for them. This prompts the splitting of the kingdom. God allowed Rehoboam to do this because he had already foretold that the kingdom would split and Jeroboam would be king of the north. This was punishment for Solomon's fall into idolatry and a consequence of Rehoboam's lack of a relationship with God.
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Battling the North

When the people of the north disassociate themselves from Rehoboam's rule, he tries to reign them back in using his chief overseer, Adoram. The northern tribes confirm this dissatisfaction and reinforce the split by killing the man. Following this, Rehoboam sets up a an army consisting of the men of Judah and the men of Benjamin, numbering 180,000. These men were to fight the rebelling tribes of the north, but before they go into battle, God speaks to the prophet Shemaiah and stops them from going forth. This is recounted in 1 Kings 12, as well. Although the army retreats, Rehoboam continues to build cities of defense (a way of listening to God without really listening to God).
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A Turning Point

Meanwhile, in the north, Jeroboam turns the people against the service of the Levites in fear that they will return to Jerusalem, which naturally leads to idolatry. Since the Levites are no longer of use in those territories, they leave their cities to live in Jerusalem. This placed them under Rehoboam's control and gave the southern kingdom an advantage. For 3 years, the southern kingdom of Judah followed the ways of God and were strong because of this.
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Wives

Like Solomon, Rehoboam had many wives. His wives were quite closely related to him (though not close enough to be considered incest) and bore him 28 sons and 60 daughters. Of his wives he loved Maachah most. Maacah is described as the daughter of Absalom, though this likely means granddaughter since the 2 Chronicles 13:12 refers to her as the daughter of Uriel (note that Michaiah is an alternate form of the name)^[1]. Her son Abijah (also called Abia and Abijam) would inherit the throne. It is interesting that the granddaughter of the man who attempt a coup to subvert power from Solomon; had Absalom succeeded, Rehoboam would never have inherited the throne.
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Shishak of Egypt

Once Rehoboam found his footing and was confident in his leadership, he turned away from God, thinking he could take care of everything himself. As punishment for turning away from God, God allows a pharaoh from Egypt (Shishak) to attack Jerusalem. As usual, God sends a message through His prophet warning Rehoboam and his generals of their evils. When they repent, God grants them reprieve, but that doesn't mean everything ends perfectly as though Rehoboam never rebelled. Shishak steals everything from the Temple.

The same is true today, God may welcome us back, and spare our lives, but we still have to pay the price for our actions. Unfortunately, in Rehoboam's case, this does not bring Rehoboam back to God permanently. One in the clear, he continues to live in sin.
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References

1. Zondervan. "Michaiah". via Bible Gateway. 1988

1 Chronicles 18-21: David's Military

David was a powerful leader and led his military to great success. Perhaps pride in his army is what leads to him carrying out the illegal census.

Introduction

David defeats many great armies during his time, including the Philistines, the Moabites, Ammonites, and Syrians. A major shift in Israel's relationship with God can be seen by viewing the outcome of David's battles with these nations versus the outcomes just before the exile. During David's reign the Syrians became servants of Israel, but just before the exile, Israel is forced to serve Syria. Their military strength is directly correlated to their faith in God. Similarly, our success (note, what we consider success may not necessarily the same as what God does) is directly correlated to our relation with God.
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Preparation

Photocredit: Unsplash.com/JJ Jordan

When David wins battles, he also acquires spoils of war. The spoils, particularly the brass, that he acquires are stored and put aside for the Temple. David may not have been able to build the Temple but he was still in a position to make sure the necessary preparations were made.
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Ammonite/Syrian War

The information given on the war between Israel and Ammon, which later includes Syria, is given in both 1 Chronicles 19 and 2 Samuel 10.

When the Ammonites' king dies, his son Hanun takes over. David had been friends with the previous king, so he sent men to comfort the newly crowned king Hanun. However, the people of Ammon were suspicious of David and treated the men he sent disgracefully instead. They convinced Hanun that these men were actually spies. Naturally when these men returned, David was angry with the Ammonites. Knowing that this would cause war, the Ammonites hired 32,000 chariots from Syria.

David's captain, Joab, is forced to fight a two front battle. Joab takes men with him to fight the Syrians and sends men with his brother, Abishai, to fight the Ammonites. Israel defeats the Syrians so thoroughly that the Syrians become servants of Israel and refuse to help Ammon anymore. Ammon does not give up so easily, however; they take a year to regroup and reinitiate the war. David does not attend the battle, but Joab defeats them and destroys the city of Rabbah. The crown of the Ammonite king, which was very valuable, is taken by David.
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Philistine War

The Israelites also battle with the giants of the Philistines. The Philistines were known for their giants, like Goliath. The summary of the Israelites' victory over these giants is given in 2 Samuel 21 and 1 Chronicles 20. This time we learn that the brother of Goliath, killed by Elhanan, was named Lahmi. David's brother, Jonathan, kills a giant who has 6 fingers and 6 toes on each hand and foot. A third giant named Sippai was killed by Sibbechai.
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Controversial Census

1 Chronicles 21 brings us back to the issue discussed in the post on 2 Samuel 24; the bulk of the discussion on the "contradictions" found in this chapter, but I'll touch on it here briefly. There are 2 major conflicts in the retelling of David's illegal census: who prompted him to number the people of Israel and how many men were found.
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Who Authorized the Census?

Was it God or was it Satan that orchestrated the census? 2 Samuel 24:1 says God told him to do it, but 1 Chronicles 21:1 says Satan was behind the census. This is largely considered a contradiction by non-believers, but it actually makes sense

Satan can only do what God allows—remember he had to ask permission to torture Job. In 2 Samuel 24:1 we see that God was angry with Israel and set against them. Thus, in anger, God allowed Satan to tempt David into carrying out an improper census.

Moreover, God had already outlined how censuses were to be carried out during Moses' time and 2 examples are given to us in Numbers. There were clearly times when God called on his people to number all those eligible for war and there were clear protocols for carrying out such a census. David didn't follow these protocols though, and Satan would have been the one to convince him to do it his way instead of God's. Thus, even if God had required David to number the people, Satan would have been the one to convince David to do so contrarily to God's decree.
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How Many Israelites?

According to 1 Chronicles 21, David determines that there were 1,100,000 people in Israel and 470,000 men in Judah. Benjamin and Levi are not included in these numbers. 2 Samuel records a different set of numbers: 800,000 men from Israel and 500,000 men from Judah. A major difference in the text is the wording. 2 Samuel 24 specifies that the men from Israel were "valiant men" there were likely men in the army that were not considered valiant. These men would have been included in the general total given in 1 Chronicles 21, hence the 300,000 extra men. The men of Judah are described as swordsmen in 1 Chronicles, but this distinction is not made in 2 Samuel. Thus, it is possible that the extra 30,000 were military personnel who did not use swords. A full description of this is found in the post on 2 Samuel 24.
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David's Reaction

David quickly realizes that he has sinned and rushes to repent. When he repents, God gives him a choice of 3 punishments. David states that he does not want his shame to come on him by the hands of a man and opts for direct punishment from God instead. God sends pestilence upon Israel which kills 70,000 men.

David begs for mercy from God when he sees an angel with his sword drawn against Jerusalem. The angel appears at Ornan's threshing floor, the future home of the Temple. David asks God to transfer the punishment to himself since it is he who ordered the census. This is the sign of a true leader; he is willing to take the fall for his mistakes rather than have the nation be punished unjustly.

Ornan also sees the angel; perhaps this is why he was so willing to sell the land to David. David didn't want a free handout, though; he insisted that Ornan be compensated. Giving to the Lord something that has been given to you is not like re-gifting in our world today. Giving something to God that you didn't work for is meaningless.
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References

1 Chronicles 11&12, 14: David Becomes King

1 Chronicles' treatment of David after his anointing through his crowning as king of Israel.

Introduction

Chapters 11, 12, and 14 give a more in depth look at David's leadership.
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David is Anointed

The beginning of chapter 11 tells us about the anointing of David. This information is also given in 1 Samuel 16. David was anointed king well before he actually took the throne.
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Valiant Men

Several verses in 1 Chronicles 11 discuss David's "30 valiant men," but if you count the number of men listed, you will note that there are more than 30. Some of the names mentioned, such as Uriah who is killed by David to hide his sin with Bathsheba, definitely died before David. Likely, when these men died, another man was appointed to take each man's place. David probably kept the group at 30, which is why they're always referred to as the 30 valiant men.
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David Hides from Saul

Tribe	Men Sent
Asher	40,000
Benjamin	3,000
Dan	28,600
Ephraim	20,800
Issachar	200
Judah	6,800
Levi	4,600
Manasseh	18,000
Naphtali	38,000
Simeon	7,100
Zebulun	50,000

Chapter 12 covers David's time in hiding from Saul. If you remember from 1 Samuel 30, David hid in Ziklag. We are given a list of the men who followed him, which includes details on which tribes had men come to join him (Gad and Manasseh). 217,100 men join David! With such an army, the Philistines feared that having David among them was dangerous because he might turn back to Saul and come against them. This is the end of the loose treaty that bound David and the Philistines.
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David's Many Wives

David takes many wives, something that was likely not encouraged by God. While the Bible doesn't condemn multiple wives, it definitely forbade kings from taking "too many" wives (see Deuteronomy 17:15-17). From a modern view point we would likely think anything more than 1 is too many, and if we compare David to his son Solomon, David doesn't seem like he has many wives anymore. However, compared to other Godly men such as Moses, Abraham, and Jacob, he still has too many wives. Moses only had 1 wife—2 if you are part of the camp that believe Zipporah and the Ethiopian woman were two different women. Abraham had a total of 3, but his third wife was likely taken after Sarah, his first wife, died. Jacob topped these men with 4 wives, but we see he only intended to have 1 wife. So how did David get away with so many?

My History of the Old Testament professor once asked us why God was OK with some people breaking the rules and I think David is perfect example to talk about this question. God doesn't explicitly condemn David for marrying lots of women, neither do we see Him explicitly condemn Solomon for the same. However, it is the love of women that gets both men into trouble with God. David lusts after Bathsheba causing him to commit adultery, then murder to cover up his adultery. Solomon gets sucked into the paganism of his wives and disappoints God as well. I think God doesn't explicitly condemn their behavior because we see the ramifications of it and should be able to conclude that it isn't good. In every example of a multi-wife family, we see problems: jealousy, paganism, and warring of nations. With the exception of Jesus, no human in the Bible perfect.
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Back in Battle

The Philistines were smart not to trust David. Once he becomes king, it is inevitable that he Israel goes to battle with them. David follows through with God's original command about war and commands his army to burn the images of the Philistine gods on the battlefield. This is part of why David was said to be a man after God's heart; he didn't hesitate to follow God's instructions.
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References

2 Kings 24&25: Rebellion and Captivity

2 Kings 24 and 25 reveal the last days of the southern kingdom before it is taken captive by Babylon. Just as the last days of Earth will be for us, these days were filled with turmoil.

Introduction

2 Kings 24 and 25 reveal the last days of the southern kingdom before it is taken captive by Babylon. Just as the last days of Earth will be for us, these days were filled with turmoil. Jehoiakim, who was already indebted to Egypt, falls to Babylon and is forced to be a servant to them for 3 years before he rebels against them. During his reign, he is attacked by the Chaldeans, the Syrians, Moabites, and Ammonites. This was all punishment for the sins Judah has committed under Manasseh and for the innocent blood that had been spilled. Since Jehoiakim was an evil king, the Israelites had likely drifted back into idolatry at this point.
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A New King

When Jehoiakim dies, his son Jehoiachin takes over the throne. Jehoiachin is 18 years old when he begins to rule. He only reigns 3 months before taken captive by the king of Babylon. Like his father, Jehoiachin led the people to idolatry and rebelled against God's law. Perhaps if these two men had been more like Josiah, Judah would not have fallen to Babylon (and perhaps they would have lived longer, as well).
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Babylon Attacks

Prompted by the rebellion started by Jehoiakim, Babylon takes advantage of Israel's weakness and attack the city of Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem are taken captive after this siege. At least 10,000 men ranging from craftsmen to the poorest men are taken back to Babylon, including princes, soldiers, and the king's family. Wealth and stature did not exempt anyone from being taken prisoner.

After improsioning Jehoiachin, who was reigning as king, the king of Babylon appoints the brother of Jehoiakim, Mattaniah, to be king. Just as Egypt changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim, Mattaniah's name is changed to Zedekiah by the king of Babylon. In many cultures it is thought that changing someone's name gives you power over that person. In changing these kings' names, the other kings were exerting their power and claiming superiority. Note that many celebrities in our world also undergo name changes. In the Bible, we that both God and pagan kings change the names of people, which means the practice is not exclusively good or evil. We must listen carefully to discern if it is in God's will that our name change when such opportunities arise.
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The Fall of Judah

Photocredit: ShutterStock.com/Akos Nagy

2 Kings 25 discusses the capture of the southern kingdom, known as Judah. Once Judah fell, the nation of Israel ceased to be for quite some time. It is interesting to think about this because it isn't the only time the nation of Israel was eradicated then reborn. The Israelites of Judah eventually find their way back to Israel only to be dismantled by the Romans after the siege on Jerusalem in 70 ad. After almost 2000 years of being scattered, the Jews reclaimed Israel in the 1960's and created the modern country of Israel. God was true to His promise that though He would scatter them, He would always bring them back.

The final siege lasted so long it caused a famine! The king of Judah was forced to watch his sons murdered. The Temple was raided and all the wealth was taken to Babylon. In the end, Babylon releases Jehoiachin from prison and sets him up as a fake king.
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Extra Biblical Evidence

Atheists and agnostics don't view the Bible as a valid history source, though for some reason secular history sources are automatically seen as valid sources. Nonetheless, the seige and captivity of Judah is coraborated by the Babylonian chronicles. Excavations of Babylon have also turned up tablets referencing the rations of Jehoiachin, who is confirmed as the king of Judah and a captive of Babylon.^[1][2]
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References

1. "Babylonian Captivity". Wikipedia; visited February 2017
2. "Biblical Archaeology 24: Jehoiachin’s Rations". Theosophical. August 25, 2011

2 Kings 18-20: Hezekiah

King Hezekiah was on of the Souther Kingdom of Israel's God-fearing kings. Although he is not perfect, he takes great strides to turn Israel back to the Lord.

Introduction

Hezekiah takes over as king of Judah during the 3rd year of Hoshea. During his reign, Judah watches Samaria and the northern kingdom be taken captive by Assyria. Meanwhile, Assyria was clamoring to conquer Judah next. I imagine the atmosphere was much like that of countries across Europe during World War II. The question for the citizens would not have been if Assyria attacked, but when would Assyria attack. With God on their side, Judah would have been able to defeat any enemy that came it's way, but Judah wasn't immune to the idolatry that had plagued the northern kingdom. Luckily, Hezekiah was one of the kings who trusted in God and led the people toward righteousness. Unlike the kings before him—including those who had followed God—Hezekiah destroyed the pagan and illegal altars that were being used in the kingdom.
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A Peace Treaty

Hezekiah's obedience to God may have earned him a pass in giving much of the Temple's wealth to Assyria in exchange for peace. Hezekiah is neither praised nor condemned for this action, so it is unclear if God accepted this or expected Hezekiah to coalesce an army to fight for their land. God would have known that Judah would eventually fall to Babylon, but it isn't obvious whether Hezekiah's actions contributed, if only even the tiniest bit, to God's anger toward Judah. A sign that God may not have been pleased with the way the matter was handled is the fact that the treaty doesn't last.
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Taunting God

The king of Assyria shows up at Jerusalem's gates to taunt the Israelites. He sends a message to Hezekiah attempting to derail the Israelites' faith in the walls of Jerusalem. Assyria's argument was that Hezekiah had angered God by tearing down the illegal places of worship. He also claims that God cannot save the people, but the messengers do not respond to this disrespect.

This is much like the actions of today. Many people don't actually understand the true relationship with God we are to have so participate in pagan practices. When those practices are threatened, they side against God to protect the pagan tradition. Every day people fall for the enemy's claim that God will be angry at us for turning back to His law. If we are not strong in our relationship with God, we would fall for Assyria's claim that God sent them to punish Hezekiah for doing what was actually the right thing. God often sent armies from other nations to attack the Israelites due to his anger towards the Israelites, so it's easy to see how the Israelites would be quick to believe their king was in the wrong when their peace shattered. When the Israelites take the message they've been given back to Hezekiah they rent their clothes, proving that despite their stoic lack of response to the king of Assyria, his words had brought them despair.
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Consulting God

When Hezekiah hears the despair of his people, he is saddened and seeks counsel from God. The prophet of Hezekiah's time was Isaiah, and Hezekiah wisely trusted his counsel. In this situation, Isaiah tells Hezekiah not to be afraid of the Assyrian king's blasphemous threats. God has promised that not only will He take care of Judah, but the Assyrians will fall on their own sword.
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A Powerful Prayer

Hezekiah's prayer to God is quite powerful. I think it is a beautiful example of true faith; it states all of the basics about how we should view ourselves and God. First, Hezekiah acknowledges that God is the Creator of all things and the only God. Second, he asks God to intercede in the situation. Hezekiah admits that Assyria is powerful and has defeated the gods of the surrounding nations, but Hezekiah also proclaims that those gods were not real. This is a reiteration of Hezekiah's statement that God is the only God. Hezekiah ends the prayer with his request for God to defeat Assyria. Even though this is beneficial to Judah, Hezekiah actually asks for God to show Assyria what the true God of the world is capable of and give testimony to the world that the God of Israel is the supreme God. Essentially, Hezekiah is asking God to take advantage of the situation to spread His glory and remind the world who is in charge. This may be part of the blessings Israel was provide the rest of the world.

Naturally, God agrees to use this moment to showcase His power and protect the city of Jerusalem. God also sets forth a task for the people to stir their faith. God instructs them to eat only that which grows voluntarily for the next two years. On the third year they could sow the land again. This is similar to the Year of Jubilee, which was commanded by God and written in the Books of Law. Whether it was actually the Year of Jubilee, or not, was irrelevant; God assured them that these uncultivated fruits and herbs would be enough for the people (and it was).
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The Battle

When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, camps outside of Judah to prepare for the attack, God springs into action. That night, God smites their army such that they are forced to return to Assyria. Some time after their retreat Senacherib is killed by two of his sons while praying to a pagan god. A third son of his presumes the throne.

Sennacherib was king of Assyria from 705 - 619 bc
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Sickness

Possibly during this whole ordeal, Hezekiah falls ill. Isaiah tells Hezekiah that God has confirmed his death. Given this information, Isaiah also instructs Hezekiah to get his house in order (i.e. choose a successor). Hezekiah pleads with God for a cure. In his plea, Hezekiah reminds God that he has walked in perfect faith and he weeps at his fate. God, being the merciful God He is, hears Hezekiah's plea and chooses to extend Hezekiah's life by 15 years.

God instructs them to place a fig on Hezekiah's boil, which was likely what was endangering his life, and the boil is miraculously healed. A quick search over the internet confirms that figs are often considered a home remedy for healing or soothing boils.^[2] This knowledge likely stems from God's revelation of the cure to Isaiah for Hezekiah's benefit. In addition to these instructions, God gives Hezekiah a sign, at Hezekiah's request, that he will be healed.
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Downfall

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Manuel De La Pena

Some time after Hezekiah is healed, a prince of Babylon visits seeking an alliance. Hezekiah shows off all of his wealth to this prince. Although we are not told that pride is what motivated Hezekiah's actions, Hezekiah is condemned by God for this action, which implies pride was involved.

Most of us are taught at an early age that it is not a good idea to show off wealth. If we are showing off our wealth to those who are less fortunate, it comes across as bragging. Furthermore, it places you as a target for theft. If people don't know what you have, there's more of a risk in attempting to steal from you—imagine getting caught after breaking in to an apartment that was completely empty. In Hezekiah's case, he was showing off the wealth of the nation. The U.S. is currently interested in the middle east because that's where most of the oil in the world is; the land itself is of value to us. However, we don't see the US entangled in what's happening in 3rd world countries such as Haiti. Why? Because in the U.S.'s mind, there is nothing there for us. If we tried to conquer a country like Haiti, we would only take on a financial burden. Similarly, when Hezekiah showed this Babylonian prince the wealth that was found in Israel, he tipped Babylon off that Israel was a country worth conquering.

This proves true in God's punishment decree. God declares that the Babylonians will take all that Hezekiah has shown them and that his sons would be eunuchs in Babylon instead of kings of Judah. Strangely, Hezekiah accepts this news as "good. " It is unclear whether he accepts this punishment because he knows he was in the wrong, or if he is merely happy that the effects will occur after his death.^[3]
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The Name Hezekiah

Used almost exclusively in the Black community, Hezekiah is a popular name today. The name itself means "YHWH strengthens." The name ranked 678th in US popularity in 2015.^[4] One famous Hezekiah of our day is gospel singer Hezekiah Walker.^[5]
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References

1. Henry W.F. Saggs. "Sennacherib". Encyclopæpdia Britannica. October 24, 2007
2. Joe Willis and Elsa Willis. "Wounds and External Ailments". Amazing Health. August 27, 2009
3. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible, pg. 672. 2014
4. Mike Campbell. "Hezekiah". Behind the Name. 1996
5. "Hezekiah Walker". Wikipedia; visited February 2017