Sin, for the authors of 2 Kings, is a form of forgetfulness, you could say. When people forget God, they tend to fall into sin. This takes the form of engaging in various prohibited religious practices, but also in generally selfish deeds. Gehazi tries to take advantage of a situation for his own benefit by fleecing Naaman and ends up being cursed with leprosy, for instance. People who commit the worst sins tend to be putting themselves at the center of their world—taking a giant swim in Lake Me—instead of some higher cause or reality.
Questions About Sin
- What kind of sins are present in 2 Kings? What are the worst ones?
- What makes sin so attractive? What draws people in 2 Kings to sin? (Think about Gehazi disobeying Elisha for a relatively small example.)
- Is the sin of pride at the root of other sins, for the characters in 2 Kings? What about Sennacherib, for instance?
- What are God's methods for combating sin in 2 Kings? How do his prophets, like Elisha, fight against sin?