II Kings 17:18-20

The Battle Is the Lord’s. There is a spiritual battle going on between God and Satan (see the reading plan “The Great Battle”). There are also a lot of wars and battles going on between humans. And sometimes there is a clear connection between the two. This reading plan covers several Bible stories about earthly battles where the Lord was clearly involved.

As Christ-followers we acknowledge that Jesus is not only our Savior, but also our Lord. We recognize that everything belongs to Him and that we’re only stewards of His good gifts. Through this plan’s devotional content and brief Scripture readings, you’ll discover that being a good steward of those gifts requires that we become more and more like Him—the essence of conformity.

What began as a victorious return to the land in Joshua ends in destruction, defeat, and exile in 2 Kings. The idolatry and sinfulness of Israel and Judah lead to their expulsion from the land - a final ignominy in a long history of unfaithfulness. Yet even in exile, God was preserving his people and the line of David for a future coming King, whose reign would know no end.

We are surrounded by injustice and pain. We see it not only in our world but also in our own lives and it can be disheartening and overwhelming. But we are not without hope. This is what Micah is all about. He is not afraid to get in our face about some hard topics like sin and judgement.