WEEKEND RECHARGE!

May 30, 2026

Monday, May 25—1 Kings 19 Elijah
Tuesday, May 26—Jonah 1–4
Wednesday, May 27—Daniel 1–3 Fiery Furnace
Thursday, May 28—Daniel 6 Lion's Den
Friday, May 29—Esther 

FOLLOWING THE DAILY DEVOTION OVERVIEW IS A LIST OF THE KINGS OF JUDAH AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EACH RULER. 

DAILY DEVOTION OVERVIEW | May 25–2

1 KINGS 19: ELIJAH: STILL SMALL VOICE

 

God Meets Us in Our Weariness (1 Kgs. 19:1–8)

●      Elijah became afraid and ran for his life after Jezebel's threat.

●      God cared for Elijah physically by providing rest, food, and water.

●      God strengthened Elijah for the journey.

God Often Speaks in Quiet But Powerful  Ways (1 Kgs. 19:9–13)

●      God was not revealed in the wind, earthquake, or fire.

●      Elijah heard God speak through a low whisper.

●      Unlike pagan gods, God is the God of self-revelation.  

God Still Has Purpose for Discouraged Servants (1 Kgs. 19:14–18)

●      Elijah believed he was alone, but God had preserved 7,000 faithful people in Israel.

●      God gave Elijah new assignments and renewed direction for ministry.

●      God prepared the next generation through Elijah's relationship with Elisha.

●      God took Elijah to heaven "by a whirlwind" (2 Kgs. 2:1–14)

JONAH 1–4: JONAH: WHO'S IN CHARGE OF GRACE?

 

God Pursues People with His Sovereign Grace (Jonah 1–2)

●      God pursued Jonah even when Jonah ran from him.

●      God used the storm, the sailors, and a great fish to accomplish his purposes.

●      God often works through difficult circumstances to redirect our hearts. 

God Prepares Hearts to Respond to His Mercy (Jonah 3)

●      God gave Jonah a second chance to obey his calling.

●      God had already been working in Nineveh before Jonah arrived.

●      Genuine repentance moves people to turn from sin toward God

God Alone Decides Where Grace Will Be Given (Jonah 4)

●      Jonah wanted mercy for himself but judgment for others.

●      God reminded Jonah that compassion belongs to the Lord alone.

●      God's grace reaches people we may least expect

DANIEL 1–3: SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO: NO MATTER WHAT!

 

Faithfulness to God Requires Daily Obedience (Dan. 1:3–20)

●      The Babylonian culture tried to change the identity and worship of the Hebrew captives.

●      Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego chose obedience even in small daily decisions.

●      God honored their faithfulness and gave them wisdom, strength, and favor

Trusting God Means Standing Firm Under Pressure (Dan. 3:1–18)

●      The three Hebrews refused to compromise even when threatened with death.

●      Their confidence rested in God's power.

●      True faith obeys God even when the outcome is uncertain

God Is Present Even In the Fire (Dan. 3:19–30)

●      God did not abandon his servants in the furnace.

●      The fiery trial became a testimony to God's greatness before the nation.

●      God can deliver his people through suffering or ultimately into his presence.

DANIEL 6: DANIEL: NO BACKING DOW

Faith That Stands Under Pressure (Dan. 6:1–10)

●      Daniel maintained a consistent walk with God regardless of political pressure.

●      Daniel's character gave his enemies no legitimate accusation against him.

●      Daniel chose obedience to God over personal safety

Trusting God Leads to Courage in the Crisis (Dan. 6:16-23)

●      Daniel trusted God even when deliverance was uncertain.

●      God demonstrated his power by shutting the mouths of the lions.

●      Faith in God gives believers peace in fearful times.

 

A Bold Witness for God Impacts Others (Dan. 6:25-27)

●      Daniel's faithfulness influenced King Darius to honor the living God.

●      A godly testimony can point unbelievers toward God's greatness.

●      God uses steadfast believers to display his glory to the world

ESTHER: FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

God Rules Over Kings and Kingdoms (Esth. 1–3)

●      God is in charge of all events and circumstances.

●      No human authority can override or cancel God's sovereign purposes.

●      God's plans are fixed and cannot be reversed by human power or authority

God Works Through History and His Promises (Esth. 4–8)

●      God orchestrates national events to fulfill his covenant promises.

●      Even exile and delay are part of God's faithful timeline.

●      God is working "all things" toward his determined purpose

God Places His People in Strategic Moments for His Purpose (Esth. 9–10)

●      God positions his people in specific places for divine assignments.

●      Silence or action both carry spiritual consequences in God's unfolding plan.

●      God and his people celebrate his victory.

THE KINGS OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM
There were 19 kings who led the northern kingdom (Israel) before the country fell to the Assyrians in 722 BC. The fall is documented in 2 Kings 17:6–23. The northern kings did not follow God and led Israel astray. 

Below is a list of the kings who led the southern kingdom (Judah) after Solomon. Dates listed are approximate and dependent on resource used: Then and Now Bible Maps (Rose Publishing, 2021).

REHOBOAM (931–913 BC) 1 Kgs. 11:43–12:24; 14:21–31; 2 Chron. 9:31–12:16
Solomon's son. Set up altars to pagan gods. Shishak, the king of Egypt, raided the temple. He died of natural causes. 

ABIJAH (913–911 BC) 1 Kgs. 14:31–15:8; 2 Chron. 12:16–14:1
"And he walked in all the sins that his father did before him, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father. Nevertheless, for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem, because David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite" (1 Kgs.15:3–5). He died of natural causes. 

ASA (911–870 BC) 1 Kgs. 15:8–24; 2 Chron. 14:1–16:14
Removed cult prostitutes and destroyed pagan altars. Mostly followed the Lord during his days. He died of a foot disease seeking only physicians, not the Lord, for healing. 

JEHOSHAPHAT (870–848 BC) 1 Kgs. 22:1--50; 2 Chron. 17:1–21:1
"He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.  Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel" (1 Kgs 22:43–44). He died of natural causes. 

JEHORAM (JORAM) (848–841 BC) 2 Kgs. 8:16–24; 2 Chron. 21:1–20
"And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord" (2 Kgs. 8:18). He died a painful death. 

AHAZIAH (841 BC) 2 Kgs. 8:24–29; 9:14–29; 2 Chron. 22:1–9
"He also walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done" (2 Kgs. 8:27). His mother was Athaliah, Jehoram's wife. Israel's King Jehu killed both Jehoram and Ahaziah. 

QUEEN ATHALIAH (841–835 BC) 2 Kgs. 11:1–20; 2 Chron. 22:10–23:21
Athaliah did evil in God's eyes. When her son, Ahaziah, was killed she appointed herself as queen. She killed Ahaziah's family except for Joash who was hidden by Jehoshabeath. When Jehoshabeath's husband, Jehoiada, installed Joash as king, Athaliah was killed by her own army. 

JOASH (835–796 BC) 2 Kgs. 11:1–12:21; 2 Chron. 22:10–24:27
Was raised by Jehoshabeath and mentored by her husband Jehoiada the priest. During Jehoiada's life Joash followed God. But after Jehoiada died he ignored the prophets and did evil. His own officials assassinated him. 

AMAZIAH (796–767 BC) 2 Kgs. 12:21; 14:1–20; 2 Chron. 24:27–25:28
"And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not like David his father. He did all things as Joash his father had done. But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places" (2 Kgs. 14:3–4). Was killed by his officials. 

UZZIAH (767–740 BC) 2 Kgs. 14:21–22; 15:1–7; 2 Chron. 26:1–23
For most of his life Uzziah followed in the ways of God. As long as he obeyed God he prospered. But in the end pride got the best of him and after he entered the temple and attempted to do the work reserved only for priests, God struck him with leprosy and he was alienated from the people. He installed his son as a co-regent. 

JOTHAM (746–732 BC) 2 Kgs. 16:1–20; 2 Chron. 28:27–32:20
Co-reigned with his father for six years. "And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord according to all that his father Uzziah had done, except he did not enter the temple of the Lord" (2 Chron. 27:2). Died of natural causes. 

AHAZ (732–716 BC) 2 Kgs. 16:1–20; 2 Chron. 27:9–28:27
"And he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as his father David had done, but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made metal images for the Baals, and he made offerings in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom and burned his sons as an offering, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. And he sacrificed and made offerings on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree" (2 Chron. 28:1–4). Died of natural causes. 

HEZEKIAH (716–687 BC) 2 Kgs. 18:1–20:21; 2 Chron. 28:27–32:20
Unlike his father Ahaz, Hezekiah did right in the eyes of the Lord. He cleansed the temple and restored temple worship. He reinstituted Passover and invited those in Israel who had not been taken captive by the Assyrians. He destroyed pagan altars. When the Assyrian king, Sennacherib, invaded Judah, Hezekiah and Isaiah prayed for God's deliverance. God sent an angel to deal with the Assyrians. Hezekiah was struck with a terminal illness but God graciously gave him fifteen additional years. Unfortunately, his pride during that time led him to show the Babylonians his military weapons and treasures. God granted him peace during his lifetime but the consequences of Hezekiah's pride was Judah's ultimate downfall. Hezekiah died after the fifteen promised years. 

MANASSEH (687–643 BC) 2 Kgs. 21:1–18; 2 Chron. 32:33–33:20
Manasseh was Judah's longest serving king. Unfortunately, he did not follow the Lord. He "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had broken down, and he erected altars to the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them" (2 Chron. 33:2–3). He was overthrown and taken captive by the Assyrians. Only then did he humble himself and repent "and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God" (2 Chron. 33:13). 

AMON (643–641 BC) 2 Kgs. 21:18–26; 2 Chron. 33:20–25
Amon "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as Manasseh his father had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that Manasseh his father had made, and served them.  And he did not humble himself before the Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred guilt more and more. And his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his house" (2 Chron. 33:22–24). 

JOSIAH (641–609 BC) 2 Kgs. 21:26–23:30; 2 Chron. 33:25–35:27
Josiah followed God and sought to restore the temple that had fallen into disrepair. During the restoration process, the Book of the Law was found. Josiah read God's Word and initiated a spiritual revival in Judah. He also celebrated Passover according to the instruction of the law. He was a strong king who served the Lord. He was killed in battle by the Egyptian king, Neco. 

JEHOAHAZ (SHALLUM) (609 BC) 2 Kgs. 23:30–34; 2 Chron. 36:1–4
Put in chains by the Egyptian king, Neco. Died in Egypt.

JEHOIAKIM (ELIAKIM) (609–597 BC) 2 Kgs. 23:34–24:6; 2 Chron. 36:4–8
Jehoiakim did "what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. Against him came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon" (2 Chron. 36:5–6). Jehoiakim died in Babylon. 

JEHOIACHIN (JECONIAH) (597 BC) 2 Kgs. 24:6–16; 25:27–30; 2 Chron. 36:8–10
Jehoiachin did evil in the sight of the Lord. He was captured by Nebuchadnezzar with 10,000 others and taken to Babylon where he died. 

ZEDEKIAH (MATTANIAH) (597–586 BC) 2 Kgs. 24:17–25:7; 2 Chron. 36:10–13
Zedekiah was installed by Nebuchadnezzar as a puppet king. Zedekiah "did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord" (2 Chron. 36:12). He eventually rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. After an eighteen-month siege of Jerusalem, the Babylonians breached the wall, destroyed the city, burned the temple to the ground, and took most of the survivors back to Babylon.