Today's first reading describes the attempts at religious reform by Hezekiah, one of the kings of Judah after the fall of Israel. Despite these reforms, Judah also faces invasion from Assyria, and only prevents defeat by becoming a vassal state of the Assyrian empire, led by the emperor Sennacherib.
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety
The second selection describes the reign of Josiah, perhaps the greatest of the kings after David and Solomon. After one of king's advisers brings a book of the law discovered by the high priest in the Temple (sometimes believed to be Deuteronomy), Josiah reads it and immediately sets out to reform the entire kingdom. While these actions greatly please God, they ultimately will not be enough to prevent the eventual defeat of Judah -- though it will not be during Josiah's lifetime.
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If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 Kings 16-20 today.
