2 Chronicles 21 - 36

Kings, Good And Bad

Note: This covers the reading for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday

Much of these 16 chapters are a condensed repetition of 2 Kings 8 - 25. At the end of chapter 28, the succession of kings has devolved into the reign of Ahaz - one of the most wicked kings in Judah.  A rebellious and God-denying kings, he encouraged pagan worship and repeatedly ignored the warnings of God's prophet and the spirit of the Lord.  Chapter 20 introduces us to Hezekiah - one of the more notable kings of Judah, who was righteous but vain.  The last good king was Josiah, but even he was headstrong and died as a results.

At the end of Chronicles the repetition of the exile and loss of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel are documented just as it was originally told in 2 Kings. God had to keep His Word and allow those who would not obey him to fall.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Chronicles 16 - 20

Jehoshaphat

Jehoshaphat was one of the more renown kings of Judah.  He obeyed the Lord a removed the Asherah poles and pagan shrines.  He sent out a team of men to the cities with the Torah to teach the people the ways of the Lord.  This cause the fear of the Lord to come upon the people and restored their faith and respect in the God of Israel.  Because of the Lord's presence in Judah, kings and tribes in the surrounding countries were hesitant to attack Judah and some, the Philistines and Aram brought tribute to Jehoshaphat.  His kingdom grew strong militarily and materially.

Jehoshaphat was not perfect.  He made a pact with evil Ahab, the king of Israel, and even had one of his sons marry a daughter of Ahab.  Ahab was emboldened by his alliance with Jehoshaphat and decided to attack Ramoth-gilead. He brought 400 prophets to a conference between him and Jehoshaphat, but Jehoshaphat was not satisfied and insisted Ahab consult another prophet.  Jehoshaphat was spiritual enough to realize that the prophets of Ahab were little more than hired sycophants willing to compromise the Word of God for a paycheck.  Micah, son of Imlah, a true prophet came forth and told Ahab to go ahead and fight Ramoth-gilead but that it would cost Ahab his life.  This prophecy proved to be true.

Jehoshaphat was rebuked by the prophets in Judah when he returned. But Jehoshaphat repented and remained humble and trusting of the Lord.  This humility and faith in God allowed him to see God defeat a large Army from Edom.  In spite of his good standing with God, even at the end of his life he made another pact with the wicked king of Israel, Ahaziah.

We as Christian believers need to be careful of similar actions and attitudes.  God is not interested in our being "convenience Christians" willing to profess the faith when it is to our benefit or when we have a great need, but not willing to live for Him all day, every day, irrespective of the circumstances.  Only a total dedication to the word of God will suffice.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Chronicles 11 - 15

The Succession Of Kings

Today's reading reiterates the beginning of succession of Kings in Judah and Israel after the death of Solomon.  Jeroboam began to rule Israel, while Rehoboam ruled Judah.  Neither king honored the Lord and He let them fail.  This set up a pattern where there would be wicked kings and Godly kings.  What the Godly king did, the wicked king destroyed.  The evil practices and shrines instituted by an evil king were destroyed by the good king.  This continuous up and down chaos eroded the belief of the people in the true God and set them up for ultimate failure and exile.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Chronicles 6 - 10

The Kingdom Of Solomon

Never before and never since has there been a kingdom with the grandeur of Solomon's.  Only when the millennial kingdom of Jesus Christ is instituted will the kingdom of Solomon pale in comparison.  It wealth and grandeur were extensive and magnificent. Tons of gold were brought at tribute to Solomon. Gold was so plentiful that silver had little or no worth (9:20). Even the garments worn by the servants in the palace were magnificent.

In addition to the wealth and physical grandeur, Solomon enjoyed great fame. It spread throughout all the neighboring and far-reaching countries.  Even the Queen of Sheba (modern day Yemen) heard of Solomon's great wisdom and came to observe and experience it for herself.  Solomon also enjoyed peace during his reign.  No major wars or rebellions are recorded.

This kingdom is a type of the millennial kingdom and is also a type of the life we can live in Christ Jesus right now. All of the spiritual wealth of Heaven is available to the believer. All of the healing, guidance, inspiration, and favor with our Lord Jesus Christ is available to the believer through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Even His faith is ours.  All of the knowledge and wisdom and ability to understand the unknowable is available.  We do not have to wait until we are translated to a glorified body, but as adopted sons of God, all of the spiritual blessings are ours by promise and inheritance.  Solomon fully accepted all the wisdom that God endued him with and accepted and embraced all the material blessings and honor. We, as believers, must do the same.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Chronicles 1 - 5

Solomon Builds The Temple

The first five chapters of 2 Chronicles is primarily a condensed retelling of the events recorded in 1 Kings 3-8. Solomon wastes no time establishing his kingship.  After making numerous offerings to the Lord, the Lord visits Solomon in a dream and asks him what he wants promising to give Solomon whatever he requests.  Solomon asks for wisdom in leading the nation.  This pleases God and he grants Solomon great wisdom and promises that his reign will be unlike any king before or after.

Solomon then begins the project of building the Temple.  Nothing is spared in acquiring the finest materials and craftsmen.  Solomon devotes a huge labor force (over 150,00 men) to building the Temple.  Reading the descriptions makes it sound magnificent.  Close to 30 tons of gold is used to complete the Temple and altar. The detailed work and craftsmanship add to its incalcuable worth and is reflective of the prosperity of Solomon's kingdom.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Chronicles 25 - 29

David's Prayer For Solomon

At the end of Chronicles, in chapter 29, verses 10 to 19, is a beautiful prayer of David for Solomon just prior to David's naming Solomon as the next king of Israel.  The prayer, though short, is remarkable in that it contains a single, but significant, petition.

The prayer is in three parts.  First David acknowledges and professes the greatness of God in verses 10-13. He ascribes "greatness, power, glory, victory and majesty" solely to God.  David realized that the greatness and continuance of his kingship and dynasty were from God alone. "Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength."(v.12). Next, David presents his offerings. The only thing David has is a heart of integrity to offer God.  All the material wealth that they offer to God "comes from you!" (v.16). He offers his clean heart and the hearts of the people.

The final portion of the prayer is a petition. David asks the same thing of God for Solomon and the people, "the wholehearted desire to obey all your commands, laws, and decrees" (vs.18-19). He did not ask God for wealth or victory or even guidance for Solomon and the people.  He asked that God cause them to obey Him and to want to obey Him.  David knew that if the people's hearts were towards the will of God, then all the other things would follow.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Chronicles 20 - 24

The Temple Site

The Lord works in mysterious ways.  He allows Satan to cause David to sin by taking a census of the people (21:1).  Even when Joab protests (21:3) David insists the census be taken.  This angers God, because he wants David to rely on Him and not the size of his army.  After the census, the prophet Gad comes to David and explains that the Lord is angry and wants David to chose among three punishments: three years of famine, three months of destruction by the enemy, or three days of severe plague by the angel of the Lord. David, realizing his sin, refuses to choose stating he will accept the punishment the Lord chooses.

The Lord sends His angel with a severe plague and 70,000 people die.  Then the angel draws his sword and heads to Jerusalem to destroy the city, but God, in His mercy, stops the angel.  David (21:16) sees the angel between heaven and earth with the sword drawn and falls on his face before God to beg for mercy.  The angel instructs Gad to build an altar.

This is where the story takes a twist from punishment to grace.  The place where the angel's hand is stayed is the threshing floor of Araunah. Araunah wants to give the property to David, but David insists on purchasing it at a fair price (21:24-25).  Araunah sells the property to David, who then offers sacrifices to God, Who in turn has the angel sheath his sword.  This establishes the ownership of this property to David and his estate.

In 22:1, David declares this site to be the place to build the Temple. He knows that he is not allowed to construct the Temple, but also knows that Solomon, his son, will be the next king and will build the Temple. So out of David's sin comes a great blessing to Israel.  The Temple area is in the legal ownership of David and his descendants and is forever Israel's.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Chronicles 15 - 19

Moving The Ark, Again

After David's first attempt at bringing the Ark to Jerusalem failed and caused the death of Uzzah, David did not give up.  Instead, he did what he should have done the first time. He consulted the priests and ordered the Levites to purify themselves and set the Ark up for transport based on the teachings of Moses and the Law.  After making the correct preparation, the Levites carried the Ark to the tent in Jerusalem near David's palace. This time, because they followed the Word of the Lord, they were successful.

Why did David desire the Ark to be in Jerusalem?  First, he knew that the Shekinah glory of God dwelt in the Holy of Holies, so he wanted that presence near him.  Second, he knew that whenever the Ark was with a believer in Jehovah, that the believer would receive blessings from God.  This proved true for Obed-edom and proved true for David, in that the Lord allowed him to completely conquer all of Israel and either conquer or subject all the surrounding countries and tribes to his rule.  Finally, he wanted to build a house, a Temple in which to place the Ark.

David felt uneasy that the Ark was kept in a tent, yet he lived in a palace.  However, the Lord warned Nathan, the prophet, to tell David that he was not to build a Temple, but that his son would build it.  The Lord also promised to establish David's family as a dynasty in Israel. Because of his obedience to the Word of the Lord, David was blessed.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Chronicles 10 -14

Moving The Ark

After the lengthy genealogies, the chronicler returns to the narrative of Saul and David, starting with the battle in which Saul was killed. Chapters 10 and 11 are condensed retelling of the end of 2 Samuel and the beginning of 1 Kings. Chapters 11 and 12 give lists and counts of David's elite guard (the Three and the Thirty) and other warriors who joined with David after the death of Saul. This was critical to David amassing military power and establishing his kingship in the land of Judah and Israel.

In chapter 13, we read where David essentially tries to do what he thinks is correct, but goes about it the wrong way, when he attempts to move the Ark back to Jerusalem.  In 13:1 it states, "David consulted with all his officials including the generals and captains of his Army." This is fine, but he did not consult with the prophet Nathan, or call on the name of the Lord for guidance.  It is admirable that David wanted to move the Ark to Jerusalem, but he forgot that God allowed only certain people to handle the Ark and that it had to be transported is a specific manner.

The Ark is placed on a new cart and the journey begins with great joy and celebration (13:8).  However, when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumble and Uzzah (one of those accompanying the Ark) reaches out his hand to steady it. Because Uzzah was not one of those permitted to touch the Ark, God strikes him dead.  This angers and frightens David and he realizes the gravity of the situation and places the Ark in the house of Obed-edom who is greatly blessed while the Ark remains there.

The lesson for us as believers is to be willing to serve and work for God, but also be aware that God has requirements for His Word and if handled incorrectly or allowed to fall, spiritual death can result.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Chronicles 5 - 9

More Genealogies

I must admit that unless I was doing a detailed study on lineages and genealogies, there is little in these five chapters that I find inspirational.  I do not doubt, for a minute, that there is a purpose for including this level of detail in the Bible, and I have read some Torah commentaries that discuss genealogies which included references to 1 Chronicles, but for me I have virtually nothing to blog about.

In chapter 9, verses 22-24, there is a description of the "gatekeepers," those who had specific duties in the Temple ranging from guarding the entrance, to blending spices, to baking the bread for the Sabbath.  It is important that we, as believers, all learn and do our job in the body in the service of the Lord.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Chronicles 1 - 4

Genealogies

This book starts off with the genealogies of the Bible characters providing details on all of their lineages. From an inspirational point of view, there is little here to work with especially given the intent of this blog.

I find two notable things in these first four chapters:

1. Chapter 1, verse 1: The descendants of Adam were Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jard, Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. To me, it is notable that Cain is not mentioned. Abel is not mentioned either, but the Bible says that Seth took his place (a type of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus) and Abel had no children.  But Cain had children and grand-children, etc.  Yet he is not mentioned! To me, it is evidence that Adam was not his father.
2. The prayer of Jabez in 4:9-10.  I know a book was written about this, but this brief narrative amongst the genealogies is, nonetheless, remarkable. His mother named him Jabez (meaning distress) because of the pain he caused at childbirth. His prayer reflects this, "...keep me from all trouble and pain!" Jabez did not want to live under the curse of his name. Because of his sincerity, the Lord "granted him his request."

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Kings 21 - 25

The Kingdoms End, The People In Exile

Today's portion ends Second Kings and details the end of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel.  After the death of Hezekiah, his son Manasseh begins his reign in Judah.  Manasseh is as evil or more evil that Ahab.  He even sacrifices one of his own sons (21:6) in worship of untrue gods.  He slaughters innocent people. He destroys the Temple and raises shrines to every idolatrous god there is.  His wickedness motivates God to prophecy the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel.  

After his death, and the death of his son Amon, who reigns wickedly too, Josiah becomes king in Judah and is the last king pleasing to God.  Josiah, though righteous and loved of the people and the prophets, only delays the inevitable destruction.  The people have gone too far and have tried the patience of the Lord too many times.  Finally, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonian attacks and utterly destroys the Temple and the city of Jerusalem. The enormity of the loss and destruction is not understated.  Israel had sinned and now, they would pay for it with exile and dominion by idol worshiping kings.

All of Solomon's Temple is destroyed.  All of the post, the gold, the brass, the wood, everything is gone. The people are carried off into foreign lands.  The land of Israel is desolate and occupied by unbelievers.  All of this because of sin and unbelief and the desire of the people to live under a king instead of the leading of God.

Second Kings completes the fourth book of history in a series of six book.  The following two books are a retelling and chronicling of the kings as originally told in the books of Samuel and Kings.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Kings 16 - 20

Hezekiah

Note: This was posted one day late.

The Bible has narratives and miracles that, no matter how many times I read them, I am still amazed at the power of the Word of God.  In today's reading, we encounter Hezekiah, the next to final "good" king of Judah before the exile and destruction of Jerusalem and Israel by the Babylonians. 

Hezekiah was a good king and did that which was pleasing to the Lord.  The Bible is extremely complimentary of Hezekiah, "Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time.  He remained faithful to the Lord in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands of the Lord." (18:5-6). Because of his obedience and faithfulness, and because of the purity of his heart, Hezekiah found great favor with the Lord Who, in turn, destroyed the Assyrians when they were threatening the destruction of Jerusalem.

In chapter 20, three notable events occur in Hezekiah's life.  First he is told by Isaiah, in verse 1, that he is sick unto death, to set his affairs in order, for he will soon die.  Hezekiah, unlike Ahab who pouted when told he would die, turns his face towards God and pleads for mercy (v. 3). In verse 4, Isaiah is stopped in the middle of the courtyard and sent back to Hezekiah to tell him that in 3 days he will recover and will live 15 more years. To me, the 3 days and the 15 years are related. Three sets of five years.  Five represents grace, and three represents perfection. 

This segues to the second remarkable event.  Hezekiah asks Isaiah if God can show him a sign that he will truly be healed.  Isaiah tells Hezekiah that the Lord can move the sun forward or backwards 10 degrees - his choice.  Hezekiah chooses "backwards" since it is more of a miracle because the sun already moves forward.  The Lord performs the miracle and moves the sun back 10 degrees.  Once again, the number is signficant.  Ten degrees represents 40 minutes. (360 degrees is one revolution of the Earth, which is 24 hours.  Ten degrees represent a 36th of 24 hours which is [24*60]/36 = 40 minutes.) Forty always represents judgement in the Bible, thus God turned backed the judgement (represented by the 40 minutes) and gave Hezekiah three sets of grace, 15 years.  Praise the Lord!

The final event told in chapter 20 (and repeated in Isaiah 39:1-8) is one about which I have often pondered. It seems so antithetical to Hezekiah's life. For reasons he does not explain, even to Isaiah,  he shows all of the royal treasures to a group of envoys from Babylon.  It is inexplicable why Hezekiah seemed so naive and trusting.  Verse 13 states "There was nothing in his palace or kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them."  Isaiah is taken aback by such a foolish and careless act!  He tells Hezekiah that because of what he did, "The time is coming when everything in your palace [...] will be carried off to Babylon ... including some of your own sons." (17-18). 

At this point, I can understand that Hezekiah may have had a weak moment or may have been overcome with pride over his treasures and succumbed to a spirit of "showing-off" an bragging.  But, his reply to Isaiah is even more shocking than his careless actions with the Babylonians.  "'This message you have given me is good.' For the king was thinking, 'At least there will be peace and security during my lifetime.'" (v. 19). Isaiah tells his about the destruction of the kingdom and the enslavement of his own sons and Hezekiah calls the message GOOD??? Only because there will be peace in HIS lifetime???  It seems so self-centered for one who was otherwise pleasing to God.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Kings 11 - 15

Elisha Dies

Today's portion is a record of the continuing succession of kings in Israel and Judah.  In this point of Israel's history, both kingdoms are apparently in a rut.  Israel's king continue to do evil in the sight of God, worshiping Baal and other gods.  The kings of Judah are somewhat better in that they do what is pleasing in the site of God, but do not destroy the shrines and stop the sacrifices to other gods.  Both kingdoms are troubled and neither fully commit to serving the Lord. Because of this they are under attack for the Arameans and other nations.

During this time Elisha dies. Even in death Elisha is so filled with the Holy Spirit of God that his bones are able to revive a dead soldier (13:21). After the death of Elisha, this section does not introduce any other prophets, and both kingdoms suffer from the lack of the presence of a holy man dedicated to God.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Kings 6 - 10

Elisha, Jehu

Israel and Judah continued in sin in spite of the mighty ministry of Elisha.  Elisha informed the king of Israel of the attacks of the Arameans so that Israel continually avoided them and frustrated the king of Aram.  The king of Aram attempted to have Elisha killed, but the Lord watched over his prophet and allowed him to blind their army, convincing them of the futility of further attacks.

After this, because of the wickedness in Israel, the Lord allowed the king of Aram to lay siege to Samaria. This caused a great famine in the cities and the people resorted to eating unclean animals and even cannibalism!  Finally the Lord allowed Elisha to be victorious over the Arameans again and end the siege and famine.

Because of the wickedness of Jezebel and the continuing influence of Ahab's sons and family, God raised up Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, to destroy Ahab's descendants and to become king of Israel.  Jehu had an almost manic determination to rid the land of Ahab and Jezebel's influence.  He utterly destroyed all of Ahab's descendants, all of the officials and friends who associated with Ahab. He also had Jezebel killed. Finally, through trickery, Jehu brought all the worshipers of Baal to the temple of Baal with all the priests and killed them all, eradicating these from the land of Israel.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Kings 1 - 5

Elisha

In today's reading the ministry of Elijah comes to an end and his spirit is given in a double portion to Elisha.  Elijah is the second person in the Bible to be translated from this existence to a heavenly existence without dying (Enoch was the first).  He is taken to heaven in a chariot of fire.  Because Elisha saw Elijah depart, the Lord fulfilled a promise He made through Elijah and gave a double portion of his spirit to Elisha.  A careful examination of the miracles of both show that Elisha performed double the miracles that Elijah performed.

Elisha's ministry was similar to Elijah's. Both used the prophet's mantel to part the waters of the Jordan river. Both ministered to a widow woman - in Elisha's case the woman had to pay a debt.  Both raised a woman's son from the dead. In both cases the woman was hospitable to the prophet and thus received a blessing from God. Both ministered to the king of Israel and told him of his evil and idolatry.

Only God can make a man a prophet and prophets are born as prophets. Elijah and Elisha were outstanding examples of true prophets of the Lord.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Kings 19 - 22

Elijah

Note: This was posted one day late.

Today's portion tells the story of the end of Ahab's life.  He and his wife, Jezebel, take Israel to the depths of apostasy and idol worship angering God and sealing their fates.  While Israel was experiencing the depths of evil under Ahab, God raises up the mighty prophet, Elijah, who provides a strong and effective voice against the sin Ahab promotes. This pattern is common throughout scripture where ungodly and Godly forces are in conflict.  Every time the devil raises up his man, God anoints and sends a man full of the Holy Spirit to counteract the attack on His people and His ways.

Elijah is an enigmatic figure in scripture. Virtually nothing is written about his lineage other than he was a Tishbite.  Nothing is told of his youth or calling to be a prophet.  He is a prophet in the true sense of the word in that he unhesitatingly obeys the Lord in all things. He is abruptly introduced in chapter 17 when he tell Ahab that "there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!" (17:1). Of course, being a true prophet of the Lord, everything Elijah prophesied came to pass.  But, in spite of his power with God, Elijah was still just a man subject to the same passions and fears all of us face.

Elijah journey takes an interesting arc after he announces the drought to Ahab. First he is directed by God to the brook called Kerith (or Cherith in some translations).  This word means "cutting, shaping, or molding." It is representative of the first work of grace in a believers life - justification.  While at the brook, God commands ravens to feed Elijah and they bring him a meal each morning and each evening.  After the brook dries up, God directs Elijah to the village of Zarephath. This word means "refining" and is representative of the second work of grace - sanctification.  While there he is sent to the house of a widow who is preparing the last bit of flour and oil for her and her son son they can eat it and die.

Elijah tells the widow woman to prepare the cake for him first and to give him a drink first. She takes his advice and prepares the meal (a type of Jesus as a sacrifice) and oil (a type of the Holy Spirit) and uses two sticks (a type of the cross of calvary) into a cake and feeds Elijah.  Because she obeyed Elijah, 17:16 states there was always enough flour and olive oil in the containers,  just as the Lord promised Elijah."  Later her son dies and Elijah resurrects him. In verse 24 she confesses that "now I know for sure you are a man of God, and the Lord truly speaks through you."

After these two events, Elijah is sent to Ahab to condemn him and Jezebel for their sins.  This leads to the Mt Carmel show down that I wrote about for the previous portion. Mt Carmel was representative of the third work of grace - the baptism of the Holy Spirit, fire. After the Mt Carmel miracle, Jezebel swears to kill Elijah.  Fearing for his life, he goes deep into the wilderness and rests under a juniper tree. Here and angel is sent to feed him.  The progression is beautiful. He is fed first by ravens, then the widow woman, then an angel.  Elijah then journeys to Horeb. Horeb means "desert" and there in a cave, Elijah is tested by God. God sends a strong wind, then an earthquake, then fire, but is not in any of them. Then he send a "still small voice" (19:12) and that is what Elijah pays heed to!  The Lord explains that he has 7,000 people in Israel that have not bowed to Baal and for them did he send Elijah to destroy the evil in the land.

Elijah's spirit was so loved by God that he uses it five times. Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist (Malachi 3), the Elijah of Malachi 4 promised for the last days, and the Elijah with Moses in Revelations 11.  Elijah also appears with Moses on Mt Transfiguration and talks with Jesus.  His ministry was unwavering and true to the Word of God in every aspect.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Kings 14 - 18

Displeasing The Lord, Asa, Elijah

The kingdoms of Israel and Judah were in near total apostasy. Both had a succession of kings that did evil in the sight of the Lord. Israel goes through a series of kings each of which are more evil than the previous king. Finally they end up with Ahab, one of the most wicked kings in all of Israel's history.  Judah fares a little better in that after several evil kings, the Lord appoints Asa as king of Judah.  In 15:9, 14 we read, "Asa did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight. Asa's heart remained completely faithful to the Lord throughout his life."

As Israel fell deeper into sin, the anger of the Lord was kindled against them. Ahab marries Jezebel who is a worshiper of Baal and influences weak Ahab into setting up temples and shrines to Baal (16:31-32). Jezebel was extremely wicked and hated anyone and anything that served the true God of Israel. In 18:4 it records that she attempted to kill all the Lord's prophets. Only the cunningness of Obadiah prevents their demise.

During the time of Ahab's reign, the Lord raises up a might prophet, Elijah. He has great favor with the Lord and can perform miracles. He is not afraid to tell Ahab about his wickedness, nor is he fearful of prophesying doom to Ahab and Jezebel. He is introduced in chapter 17 in an ominous manner, calling for a devastating and protracted drought. Only at his (Elijah's) word will the drought be stopped.

To demonstrate his power with the Lord, Elijah arranges a Mt. Carmel showdown with all the prophets of Baal. He has them construct an altar, prepare and ox for sacrifice, then demand fire from their god, Baal. It is no surprise that no answer is forthcoming from a dead idol.  Then Elijah builds an altar, prepares and ox, and then has 12 large jars (about 3 gallons each) poured over the sacrifice.  It is again no surprise when the true God of Israel answers with fire consuming the ox, the altar, and the water!  The people of Israel are in awe. Elijah has them capture of the prophets of Baal, and unlike Jezebel, he is successful in killing them all.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Kings 10 - 13

Divided Kingdom

All things involving man and time must come to an end.  As great as David was, his kingdom ended and Solomon's reign began. In terms of greatness of any kingdom in Israel, none can compare to Solomon's reign. But it, too, came to an inglorious end.  Solomon's sin of worship of other gods and building shrines to them taint his reign and prematurely ended the dynasty of David's lineage over all of Israel.  If only Solomon had obeyed and followed the leading and command of the Lord!

After Solomon's death (which strangely, almost nothing said about in 1 Kings) the kingdom is divided into Israel and Judah with Jeroboam ruling the northern kingdom of Israel and Rehoboam ruling the southern kingdom of Judah. The Lord offers, in His matchless grace, an opportunity to Jeroboam to establish a new dynasty in Israel if Jeroboam will only obey the Word of the Lord. But, spurning the grace of God, Jeroboam erects shrines and false gods and seals his and his descendant's fate.  Rehoboam, one of Solomon's sons, is also very evil, continuing the sin of his father in erecting shrines and disobeying the Lord.  Thus begins a long line of evil rulers that ultimately ruin the kingdoms of Israel and Judah and cause Israel to disperse among the heathen nations.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Kings 5 - 9

No Sound

Today's reading explains, in exquisite detail, the building of the Temple. First envisioned by King David who was not permitted to build it, the temple is built by King Solomon as promised by God to David. The description in the Bible is detailed down to the size of the foundation, the types of materials, the artisans and skilled labor used to build it, the source of the materials, and the time it took - 7 years. It had to be magnificent and beautiful!

In chapter 6, verse 7 we read, "The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, ax, or any other iron tool at the building site." To me this is a beautiful type of how the Holy Spirit works in the Christian's life today.  We are molded in shape by God's spirit. Sometimes this is a loud process (crying, prayer, etc.) and has to be done by skilled laborers - pastors, evangelists, etc. It is done in a public way. But once we are molded to His image, then we are ready to be placed into His body for service. This is done in quiet, in private, in the heart of the believer. 

Think about this process. Stone is quarried - representative of election and grace.  The quarry master determines which stone is cut and prepared for use in the Temple. Then the quarried stone has to be shaped by the master cutter so that it fits in the Temple where it is need to serve its purpose.  Some stones are large and massive, to be used in the foundation.  Some have delicate work and are small and decorative. Some are walls to be hidden by cedar wood.  Some are support stones for the altar.  All of these must be shaped and prepared for use. This is a loud and demanding process requiring skill on the part of the mason.  The stone does not complain or tell the mason where it is to be used.  It is shaped, cut, polished and transported to the building area for placement.

So is it with the believer. The Lord chooses us by election and grace. Then He works in us removing all the unwanted and unneeded portions. Some of us are part of the foundation, some are part of the edifice, but all of us have a role in the body of Christ.  

Once the stone is ready to be placed, there is no sound.  Once a believer is ready for service, the Lord quietly positions us and puts us into the body to do His will.  Lord help us to submit to your will.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Kings 1 - 4

David To Solomon

Today we begin the third book in a series of six historically oriented books of the Bible (1 Samuel through 2 Chronicles). David's life draws to a close and like many other incidences in David's life, this phase is not without its drama. One of David's sons, Adonijah, attempts to usurp the throne while David is in his elderly feeble condition. Because of Nathan, the prophet, Adonijah's reign is stopped before it begins.  Nathan conspires with Bathsheba to have David install Solomon as king of Israel.  Quickly those, who were part of the rebellion, turn from Adonijah to Solomon when he is crowned king.

Solomon begins a long reign of peaceful rule in Israel. David provides Solomon with counsel on how to unify the kingdom by removing the rebellious elements left over from David's rule, and Solomon fully complies with David's wishes.  Then, in a dream, the Lord asks Solomon what he wants to rule the kingdom. Solomon, realizing his weaknesses, his youth, and his lack of experience, asks for wisdom.  The Lord is pleased with Solomon's request and not only grants him great wisdom, but also grants him tremendous wealth and the promise of peace and security.

Solomon's reign is the golden age for Israel. His wisdom becomes famous throughout the eastern world drawing dignitaries and visitors from all over to see and observe his wisdom.  His rule over Israel is deeply establish with all the surrounding kingdoms paying tribute money and goods to him on a monthly basis.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Samuel 20 - 24

Celebration Of David's Reign

In today's reading we find a psalm (also included in Psalms, 18:1-50) in chapter 22. It is interesting how the books of Samuel are bookended, in the literary sense, with songs.  Hannah's song of praise is presented in 1 Samuel 2 to begin these two books and David's song of praise is at the end of the two books.  Both have common themes of deliverance.  Hannah is delivered from barrenness and David is delivered from his enemies. Both make reference to the Lord as a Rock. Both greatly magnify the Lord and discuss how He grinds His enemies to powder.

David song, and its placement at the end of 2 Samuel also parallels the book of Deuteronomy where the great song of Moses is placed at the end of the book.  Moses was the first great leader of Israel delivering them from the Egyptians and taking them to the Promised Land.  David was the next great leader of Israel, establishing all the tribes in the Promised Land and delivering them from their enemies.  Both songs talk of these great deliverances.  Additionally, Moses makes five references to the Lord being a Rock (Deut 32:4, 15, 18, 30, 31) and David makes five references to the Lord being a Rock (2 Samuel 22:2, 3, 32, 47 (a and b)). This, to me, just demonstrates the inspiration and consistency of the Bible!

Several other notable incidents are recorded in today's portion:

• The rebellion of Sheba
• The recounting of the Three and the Thirty - great warriors of David's elite guard
• The battles against the Philistines
• The revenge of the Gibeonites against Saul's family. This is done by David to end a famine.
• The census that David takes that angers the Lord. This ultimately causes the death of 70,000 Israelites. This also causes David to purchase the threshing floor of Araunah in Jerusalem, giving David's lineage and abstract deed to the territory.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Samuel 15 - 19

Loss And Return

Today's reading covers David's loss of the kingship of Israel, his battle with Absalom, Absalom's death, and David's return.  In many ways, David's peripatetic experience matches that of the Lord Jesus many hundreds of years later.

David is rejected by Israel and Jesus was rejected by His own people, the Jews. The rejected king goes to the Mount of Olives and weeps for Jerusalem and Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives and weeps for Jerusalem.  As David goes into exile and hiding (a type of Jesus' death) he is cursed by Shimei and while Jesus goes to the the Cross he is cursed and spat upon by the Jews. David's throne is usurped by his son, Absalom. Jesus is betrayed by his disciple, Judas, and denied by his disciple Peter and the other disciples. After 3 days, Jesus resurrects and ascends to the right-hand of God and the Throne of Heaven.  David is restored as full king of Israel and Judah. To me, the parallels are unmistakable.

The rebellion by Absalom is a direct result of the sin that David committed with Bathsheba and the resulting curse from God for that sin. In tomorrow's reading we will find that his troubles did not cease with the death of Absalom.  In fact, David lived by the sword and with heartache for the remainder of his life.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Samuel 10 - 14

David Sins

Note: This is posted one day late.

Like all humans, David was not perfect.  He was blessed. He relied on the Lord and followed His leading and obeyed His commands. David was fair with his people and ruthless to his enemies.  Because of his desire towards God and the love of his people, he increased in power and wealth, subduing all the surrounding kingdoms. Yet, David was a man subject to the passions of fallen man.

While on the roof of his palace one afternoon, he observes a beautiful woman, Bathsheba, bathing and succumbs to lust. In spite of the fact that she was married to one of David's loyal soldiers, Uriah, David takes her and she becomes pregnant. When David finds out, instead of confessing his sin and making things right, he, through treachery, has Uriah placed in the heat of the battle and Uriah is killed. After this, the prophet Nathan visits David and reveals that God has told him of David's great sin. This brings about a curse on David and his family and sets up years of turmoil, deceit, and pain within his family and the nation of Israel.

While it is true that the first child born of David and Bathsheba dies shortly after birth, the union of David and Bathsheba brings Solomon - a person who will play a critical role in the history of Israel.  But, before Solomon's great reign of peace, David's family experience major heartbreak.  His sons Absalom and Amnon get locked in a deadly battle of vengeance when Amnon rapes Tamar, the sister of Absalom.  This horrid act and Absalom's revenge killing sets up a future rebellion by Absalom whereby David has to flee for his life.

In our lives we live in the blessings of God, yet we must constantly guard against the temptations of sin. This is why the baptism of the Holy Spirit is so critical to a Christian's life. Without His spirit we are no match for the Devil and his temptations. Only through prayer and the indwelling of God's spirit do we even have a chance of making it.  Like David, good intentions and success are no guarantee against failure and sin. Also like David, many times one mistake can lead to multiple and dire consequences with long lasting results.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Samuel 5 - 9

David - King of Israel

In today's portion, David is crowned king of all Israel (5:3). He wastes no time taking over the entire country and surrounding areas. First he conquers Jerusalem and drives out the Jebusites.  Next, he makes arrangements to have the Ark moved to Jerusalem.  Tragically, one of the oxen stumbles and causes the Ark to tilt and one of the men moving the Ark reach out to steady it. Because he is not a priest, the man Uzzah, who touches the Ark is immediately struck dead by the Lord. This causes David to reconsider the move and the Ark is stored temporarily in the house of Obed-edom of Gath.  Not surprising, Obed-edom and his family are blessed while the Ark is there.

After three months, David learns of the blessings of Obed-edom and strongly desires the Ark's presence in Jerusalem where he resides. He again makes arrangements to have the Ark moved.  In 6:13, the Bible states, "After the men who were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, David sacrifice a bull and fatted calf. And David danced before the Lord with all his might."  After six steps! 

His dancing disturbs and embarrasses his wife, Michal, Saul's daughter and she derides David. She is the only wife of David who never has any children. Additionally, after she complains to David, she is never mentioned in scripture again. 

David wants to build a temple for the Ark, but God forbids him, stating that his son will build it (chapter 7). In chapter 8, David continues to expand his kingdom, defeating the Philistines, the Moabites, and the Edomites, and establishing a military presence in Syria. In 8:6c we read, "The Lord made David victorious wherever he went."

As a final act of kindness to Saul and Jonathan's memory, David takes Jonathan's crippled son, Mephibosheth,  into his household and restores all of Saul's land to him providing him with economic security.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

2 Samuel 1 - 4

Treachery And Murder

Note: Today we begin the second of six major books of history in the Old Testament.

Second Samuel is a linear continuation of first Samuel starting off with the death of Saul being reported to David.  The person who tells of Saul's death is the Amalekite who killed Saul. He mistakenly thought that David perceived Saul as his enemy, which was not true, and thus David had him killed.  This same sort of treachery is rewarded in the same way in chapter 4 when the murderers of Saul's son, Ishbosheth, think they are doing David a favor by killing him. Once again, David has the murderers killed.

David's ascent to the throne and complete rule over Judah and Israel begins in chapter 2 when he is crowned king of Judah.  He makes an appeal to Abner, the leader of Saul's army, asking for their loyalty to his kingship.  However, Abner refuses and establishes Ishbosheth as king of Israel.  This leads to war between Judah and Israel which is costly to both kingdoms. 

Finally, in chapter 3, Abner decides to make peace with David when he realizes David's ascendancy and Ishbosheth's weakness as king. This decision ultimately costs Abner his life. However, in all the treachery and murder, the path to David's rule of the entire country is set up.

An interesting observation is the poetry of David in chapter 1:19-27 in his lamentation for Saul and Jonathan.  Additionally, a brief lamentation is recorded in 3:33-34 for Abner. These are precursor to the Psalms, most of which were composed by David.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Samuel 26 -31

The End Of Saul

Today's reading concludes 1 Samuel and describes the end of Saul's life and kingship. Ironically, 1 Samuel begins with Israel in a similar condition to what they were in when 1 Samuel began. They had no leader then and have no leader now.  The Philistines constantly attacked and occupied their cities then, and the book ends with the Philistines attacking Israel, killing their king Saul and his sons, and occupying their city.  Samuel has already died, so they don't have the benefit of his spiritual leadership.  David had been living in Philistine in fear of Saul and although he has been secretly anointed king, he has not taken the throne.

This condition was brought about by the disobedience of Saul and his obsession with killing David. Saul was a great leader but he did not rely on God, instead he relied on what he thought was best and only consulted the Lord when it was convenient. He is so far removed from God's presence near the end of his life that he resorts to consulting a medium (a witch) to call up Samuel's spirit. It is interesting to note that even though Samuel was dead, he still preached the same message to Saul and still was a prophet. He prophecies (accurately) Saul and his son's deaths.

David, because of Saul's relentless pursuit, goes into exile in Philistine. Only divine intervention prevents David from attacking his own people in the war that King Asich of Philistine wages that takes Saul's life. After living in a city in Philistine and taking revenge on the Amalekites for burning that city, Ziklag, and taking his wives, David finally plans a return to Judah.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word

1 Samuel 21 - 25

David And Saul

The ups and downs of David's life continue to be told in today's portion. David was a man of considerable restraint in his youth. He also starts to show two sides of his personality - bravery and fear. He continuously runs from Saul in fear, yet is able to defeat the Philistines almost at will. He eats the show bread in the temple in defiance of the Law, yet is concerned about cutting a piece of Saul's garment.  He shows remarkable character in not killing Saul, honoring the anointing of Samuel to be king - but in God's time and choosing.

The incident with Nabal (which means "fool" in Hebrew) is similar to his continuing struggle with Saul.  David and his men had guarded and protected Nabal's land and when they ask for support and food after returning from a battle, Nabal is indignant and does not provide any food.  This enrages David.  Like Saul, David had done nothing but good for Saul, yet Saul repays David by trying to kill him.  In the case of Nabal, David is dead set on killing him, but Nabal's wife Abigail intervenes.  David's anger is allayed.  Several days later Nabal dies and Abigail becomes David's wife.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.

1 Samuel 16 - 20

David, Goliath, Jonathan

Note: Posted a day late

Today's portion tells one of the most famous stories in the Bible - the story of David and Goliath. Against impossible conditions, David, a shepherd, with no military training, defeats a might, gigantic, Philistine warrior with only a sling, in a single shot. This one act defines and establishes David as a major figure in Israel's history.  It also signaled the beginning of the end of Saul's reign as king. Because of David's victory, Saul is overcome with a jealous spirit to the point that he wants to murder David.  Saul's own children, in particular Jonathan, has developed a love for David and prevents his murder, numerous times.

In his fight against Goliath, there are several notable things. First, David had been anointed to be king of Israel, so he knew he would defeat Goliath. David did not accept Saul's armor, instead he trusted in the things the Lord had provided him with while tending to the sheep - a sling and the Lord.  He took five stones representing faith. He prophesied the death of Goliath and the routing of the Philistines which both came true.

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.