Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - How to Share Your Faith | Historical Books | 2 Kings 23:36-24:17

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

Do you value faith in your household? How can I share my faith with others? In today's episode, Tanya shares how 2 Kings 23:36-24:17 reminds us that the gospel is not just something we should share, but live. If you're listening on Spotify, tell us about yourself and where you're listening from! Read the Bible with us in 2025! This year, we’re exploring the Historical Books—Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings. Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it so that others can find it, too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: 2 Kings 23:36-24:17

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Tanya Wilmeth. When our oldest Braden was in first grade, his teacher gave out into the year awards at an all-school assembly. The kids just picture them. They were all lined up in front of the field elementary gym in alphabetical order, and she went down the row handing out certificates. Well, of course, our name starts with a W.

After every child had received an award, she began announcing. a few extra ones, things like Math Star and Reading Star. Only a handful of kids received these bonus awards. Braden, being at the end of the alphabet, was the last one to get a second award. When the teacher called his name, he did one of those little fist pumps like, yeah, I'm a winner. We have made fun of him for that moment for the last 16 years. Until last week, when he flipped it on us and said, you guys are entirely responsible for that. And honestly, he's right. Because we were doing our own invisible fist pump. Look at us. Our first grader is a geography star. We must be awesome parents. He's also right in another way. We have passed down a culture of competition and achievement to our kids.

We talk about it. We practice it. We value it. We reward it. We get jealous when other people do better than we do. Achievement matters to both Eric and me, and our kids have picked up on that, for better or for worse. But it made me stop and ask, what about faith? Do we talk about it? Do we practice it? Do we value it? Do we actively shepherd it in our home? There's a story in the Bible about a king named Josiah. Josiah came to the throne during one of the darkest times in Israel's history. Scripture says that the kings before him did evil in the side of the Lord. But Josiah was different. He refused to walk in the footsteps of his predecessors. He didn't worship pagan idols or build altars to false gods. Instead, he rebuilt the temple. He uncovered the long-forgotten book of the law. Had it read aloud, and most importantly, he took it to heart.

Under Josiah's leadership, Israel experienced a national revival. The temple was restored, idols were removed, the people returned to worshiping the law. Lord. There was a revival in the land and in Josiah's heart. But then, what happened next? What happened to Josiah's sons? In 2 Kings 23 and 24, we find the story. His son, Jehoez, reigned for only three months before Scripture says he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done. The king of Egypt captured Jehoyes, carried him away in chains, and imposed a heavy tax on God's people. Then Pharaoh made Josiah's other son, Elyakim, the new king, and even changed his name to Jehoicum. Jehoicum reigned for 11 years, and Scripture repeats the same tragic line. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

He taxed the people heavily to pay tribute to Egypt, then rebelled, which brought the wrath of Babylon, Arab, Moab, and Amon. The nation was crushed, and the people of Judah were carried away into exile. All of this fulfilled the word of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah. Because you have not listened to my words, you will live 70 years in exile. The heart of every parent reads this and aches and wonders. What happened to Josiah's sons? That's the question every parent who reads this story asks. And it's the question every person who hopes to pass their faith onto someone they love eventually faces.

Why wasn't it enough? Many good kings had children who didn't follow God. Many good parents have children who don't either. Maybe Josiah was preoccupied with political affairs. Maybe he assumed others would handle his son's spiritual formation. Maybe his son simply rebelled against what they'd been taught. Whatever the reason, Josiah's deep faith didn't automatically transfer to his family. Being a strong believer as a parent doesn't guarantee that your children will pick up your beliefs.

Faith has to be taught. faith has to be modeled. It has to be lived out daily. We can't delegate that responsibility to others or take it for granted that faith will somehow just stick. So how do we, as parents or mentors, share our faith with those we love? One, we can build our lives. We do build our lives on the Word of God. Practice what you preach. Let your children see what obedience looks like, not perfect, but humility. Demonstrate repentance. Show them what grace looks like by asking for forgiveness when you mess up. I'm sorry, I yelled. I was wrong. Will you forgive me? I didn't understand your feelings. I'm still learning how to be a parent of a teenager. Will you forgive me? Jesus compared a wise person who builds their house on rock by both hearing and doing God's word to a foolish person who builds on sand.

the storm still comes to both houses, but only one stands firm. A life built on obedience to God's word stands firm through the storms. It doesn't mean the storms don't come. It means they don't destroy. Because when your life is grounded in God's promise, you will not be alone or forsaken. He will not leave you. Ask yourself, as a parent, is my life built on the knowledge and obedience to God's word? and if not, what is one step I can take today? Number two, surround yourself and your family with a community of believers.

Your children need to see what following Jesus looks like at every stage of life. What does it look like to follow Jesus as a college student, as a young professional, as someone who is 70 years old and has walked with him maybe for decades? Galician 6-2 says, carry each other's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law. of Christ. No Christian is meant to live independently. We need each other. Do your children see you asking for help? Do they see gentleness and how you speak about your community? Do they see you helping those in need? Number three. Pray. Unceasingly. Pray for God to give you the desire, energy,

love, and courage, whichever one fits the day to shepherd your children's hearts. Don't delegate that task, don't let busyness or fear make you passive. It's easy to feel unprepared or overwhelmed by this responsibility, but that's exactly what can draw us toward Jesus. Lord, I'm tired. I'm afraid. Help me. Isaiah 4110 reminds us, do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. This passage in Second Kings has been a wake-up call for me. I've realized how easy it's been to take things for granted with my younger two kids to become more passive than I used to be. It's made me stop and ask, what am I taking for granted in my own faith? What priorities have shifted? What steps do I need to

take to get back on track? Just like King Josiah couldn't save his children from disaster, we can't save ours either. Only faith can save them. Only Jesus can. But we can point them to him. We can help them see his beauty, his patience, his grace, his holiness. We can live in a way that makes them curious about the God we love. We need Jesus to convict their hearts and ours. We need a better rescuer. We need a better king. And we have one in Jesus. Jesus was faithful to the cross. He never abandoned us even when we mocked him. He took our rebellion and gave us redemption. So today, as parents, grandparents, mentors, and friends, let this be our prayer. Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to convict counsel and comfort our children.

Give us your spirit to lead them well. Be our light, our wisdom, and our strength. Amen.