This week’s “Come, Follow Me” study guide covers 2 Kings 16-25, which includes the scattering of Israel.
Following are a few quotes from past and present leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints about these chapters of scripture.
2 Kings 16
“The glorious preeminence of [Solomon’s temple] was of brief duration. 34 years after its dedication, and but five years subsequent to the death of Solomon, its decline began; and this decline was soon to develop into general spoliation and finally to become an actual desecration. Solomon had been led astray by the wiles of idolatrous women, and his wayward ways had fostered iniquity in Israel. The temple soon lost its sanctity, and Jehovah withdrew His protecting presence from the place no longer holy.
“The Egyptians, from whose bondage the people had been delivered, were again permitted to oppress Israel. Shishak, king of Egypt, captured Jerusalem, ‘and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord’ (1 Kings 14:25-26). The work of desecration continued through centuries. 216 years after the Egyptian spoliation, Ahaz, king of Judah, removed the altar and the font and left but a house where once had stood a temple (see 2 Kings 16:7-9, 17-18; see also 2 Chronicles 28:24-25). Later, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, completed the despoiling of the temple and destroyed the building by fire (see 2 Chronicles 36:18-19; see also 2 Kings 24:13; 25:9).”
— The late Elder James E. Talmage, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, in the October 2010 Liahona article, “A History of Temples”
2 Kings 17
“The captivity of the Jews and the scattering of the tribes of Israel, including the 10 tribes, are prominent doctrinal factors in the Restoration of the gospel. The 10 lost tribes made up the Northern Kingdom of Israel and were carried away captive into Assyria in 721 B.C. They went to the north countries (see 2 Kings 17:6; Doctrine and Covenants 110:11). Our 10th article of faith states, ‘We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes.’ We also believe that as part of the covenant the Lord made with Abraham, not only the lineage of Abraham would be blessed but also all the people of the earth would be blessed. …
“Our doctrine is clear: ‘The Lord scattered and afflicted the 12 tribes of Israel because of their unrighteousness and rebellion. However, the Lord also [utilized] this scattering of his chosen people among the nations of the world to bless those nations’ (Guide to the Scriptures, ‘Israel’).
“We learn valuable lessons from this tragic period. We should do everything within our power to avoid the sin and rebellion that lead to bondage. We also recognize that righteous living is a prerequisite for assisting the Lord in gathering His elect and in the literal gathering of Israel.”
— Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2013 general conference, “Lamentations of Jeremiah: Beware of Bondage”
2 Kings 18
“Rehoboam rejected the counsel which required him to humble himself and to serve others. Instead, he chose to reign over Israel with a very heavy hand, thus causing the great division into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah (see 1 Kings 12:20).
“For the next 220 years the people generally set aside their sacred covenants, thus wandering in the ways of the world. Then a young man named Hezekiah began to reign in Judah. ‘And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,’ and ‘He trusted in the Lord God of Israel’ (2 Kgs. 18:3, 5). …
“From King Hezekiah, as from King Benjamin (see Mosiah 2-5), we can learn a very positive lesson on leadership: circumstances do not always need to remain the same. Leaders can make a difference. Faith in the Lord and high expectations can bring about a mighty change of heart among an entire people.”
— Elder Spencer J. Condie, then a General Authority Seventy, April 1990 general conference, “Some Scriptural Lessons on Leadership”
2 Kings 20
“As we live on earth, we must walk in faith, nothing doubting. When the journey becomes seemingly unbearable, we can take comfort in the words of the Lord: ‘I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee’ (2 Kings 20:5). Some of the healing may take place in another world. We may never know why some things happen in this life. The reason for some of our suffering is known only to the Lord.”
— The late President James E. Faust, then the second counselor in the First Presidency, October 2004 general conference, “Where Do I Make My Stand?”
2 Kings 22 and 23
“The story of King Josiah in the Old Testament is a most profitable one to ‘liken… unto [our]selves’ (1 Nephi 19:24). To me, it is one of the finest stories in all of the scriptures.
“Josiah was only eight years old when he began to reign in Judah, and although his immediate progenitors were extremely wicked, the scriptures tell us that ‘he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left’ (2 Kings 22:2). This is all the more surprising when we learn that by that time (just two generations before the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.), the written law of Moses had been lost and was virtually unknown, even among the priests of the temple.
“But in the 18th year of his reign, Josiah directed that the temple be repaired. At that time, Hilkiah, the high priest, found the book of the law, which Moses had placed in the ark of the covenant, and delivered it to King Josiah.
“When the book of the law was read to Josiah, he ‘rent his clothes’ (2 Kings 22:11) and wept before the Lord.
“‘Great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us,’ he said, ‘because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us’ (2 Kings 22:13).
“The king then read the book before all the people, and at that time they all made a covenant to obey all the Lord’s commandments ‘with all their heart and all their soul’ (2 Kings 23:3). Then Josiah proceeded to clean up the kingdom of Judah, removing all the idols, the groves, the high places, and all the abominations that had accumulated during the reign of his fathers, defiling the land and its people. …
“‘And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him’ (2 Kings 23:25).
“I feel strongly that we must all of us return to the scriptures just as King Josiah did and let them work mightily within us, impelling us to an unwavering determination to serve the Lord.”
— The late President Spencer W. Kimball in “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball,” 2011, Chapter 6, pages 62-63
“My favorite example from the Old Testament is Josiah, the boy-king who took the throne at the age of eight. His story illustrates the impact of a young person who found the scriptures to be more precious than gold and sweeter than honey. All of the kings before Josiah and after him were wicked. Either they did not have the law or they chose not to read it and heed it. But during Josiah’s reign, Hilkiah the high priest found the lost book of the law in the house of the Lord (see 2 Kings 22:8). It was read to Josiah. Josiah’s heart was tender, and he repented and wept before the Lord (see 2 Kings 22:19). Then he gathered all of his people to the temple and read the words to them, and together they covenanted to keep God’s commandments:
“‘And he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the Lord.
“‘And the king [and his people] stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant’ (2 Kings 23:2-3).
“What an inspiring story that is. I often wonder why Josiah was such a valiant spirit who responded to the teachings in the book of the law. Why was his response different than that of kings both before and after him? Is there an application in this to you at your young age about prizing the scriptures by reading them, heeding them, covenanting to keep the commandments in them and then standing by the covenant? Maybe the scriptures struck an immortal chord in Josiah or jogged some remembrance of a premortal teaching.”
— Sister Susan W. Tanner, then the Young Women general president, in her September 2005 Brigham Young University devotional, “Scriptures — More Precious Than Gold and Sweeter Than Honey”
2 Kings 25
“Let me tell you what that phrase ‘bear the vessels of the Lord’ means. Anciently it had at least two meanings, both related to the work of the priesthood.
“The first refers to the recovery and return to Jerusalem of various temple implements that had been carried into Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. In physically handling the return of these items, those early brethren were reminded by the Lord of the sanctity of anything related to the temple. Therefore, as they carried back to their homeland these various bowls, basins, cups, and other vessels, they themselves were to be as clean as the ceremonial instruments they bore (see 2 Kings 25:14-15; Ezra 1:5-11).
“The second meaning is related to the first. Similar bowls and implements were used for ritual purification in the home. The Apostle Paul, writing to his young friend Timothy, said of these, ‘In a great house there are… vessels of gold and of silver… of wood and of earth’ — these means of washing and cleansing common in the time of the Savior. But Paul goes on to say, ‘If a man… purge himself [of unworthiness], he shall be a vessel… sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.’ Therefore, Paul says, ‘Flee… youthful lusts… follow righteousness… call on the Lord out of a pure heart’ (2 Timothy 2:20-22).
“In both of these biblical accounts the message is that as priesthood bearers, not only are we to handle sacred vessels and emblems of God’s power — think of preparing, blessing and passing the sacrament, for example — but we are also to be a sanctified instrument. Partly because of what we are to do but more importantly because of what we are to be, the prophets and apostles tell us to ‘flee… youthful lusts’ and ‘call on the Lord out of a pure heart.’ They tell us to be clean.”
— The late President Jeffrey R. Holland, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, October 2000 general conference, “‘Sanctify Yourselves’”
