How does 2 Kings 15:3 connect with Deuteronomy 6:18 about doing right? Setting the Scene • Deuteronomy records Moses’ final instructions before Israel enters Canaan. • 2 Kings narrates how later generations either obeyed or ignored those instructions. • Linking the two shows Scripture’s consistency: God’s command and its lived-out demonstration in history. What Deuteronomy 6:18 Commands “Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, so that it may be well with you and that you may enter and possess the good land the LORD your God swore to your fathers.” • Clear instruction: actively “do what is right and good.” • Audience: the whole covenant community. • Motivation: well-being and covenant inheritance. • Assumed standard: what the LORD Himself defines as right. 2 Kings 15:3: A Case Study in Obedience “And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done.” • Subject: King Azariah (Uzziah) of Judah. • Evaluation: measured by “the eyes of the LORD,” not human standards. • Continuity: follows his father’s positive example. • Historical note: later verses describe specific failures (v.4), yet God still acknowledges genuine right conduct in primary matters. Key Connections Between the Verses • Same divine perspective: “in the sight of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:18) equals “in the eyes of the LORD” (2 Kings 15:3). • Continuity of expectation: centuries later, God still judges leaders by the Deuteronomy benchmark. • Covenant fulfillment cycle: Azariah’s obedience illustrates how faithfulness keeps Judah within the blessings Deuteronomy promised (cf. 2 Chron 26:5). • Parental influence: Amaziah’s earlier righteousness shows Deuteronomy’s call is generational (cf. Deuteronomy 6:6-7). • Partial but real obedience: even imperfect kings can receive God’s commendation when their hearts align with His standard, affirming Deuteronomy’s emphasis on direction more than perfection. Takeaway Truths for Today • God’s definition of “right” never shifts with culture or time. • Individual obedience contributes to corporate blessing; national history bears out Moses’ words. • Parents and leaders shape the next generation’s capacity to “do right.” • Genuine righteousness is recognized by God even amid lingering flaws. • Scripture’s narrative portions serve as living commentary on its commands, confirming their reliability. Supporting Passages • Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – reiterates the call to fear, love, and obey. • 1 Kings 3:14 – God to Solomon: walk in My ways for long life. • 2 Chronicles 26:5 – “As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.” • Psalm 119:1-3 – blessing on those who “do what is right.” |
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