22:8 - We see clearly where Ahab is coming from here. He only wants to hear what his prophets have to say. He doesn't consult the priests of God...he goes to 400 corrupt prophets. They have remained prophets during the reign of the corrupt king Ahab, by telling him whatever he wants to hear, whenever he wants to hear it. They are ancient "yes men." He hates Micaiah, because he speaks the truth no matter how ugly it is for Ahab to hear. We always need to make sure we have people in our lives who will speak truthfully to us...not just tell us what we want to hear.
22:15 - This part is kinda strange. The prophets of Ahab tell Micaiah to confirm what they have already told the king. Micaiah knows they have not spoken the truth, but he confirms what they have to say because he knows that God will is for Ahab to die for his rebellion.
22:16 - BUT...Ahab doesn't believe him. Ahab finally gets Micaiah to say something hat supports what he wants to do and he doesn't believe him (Ironically, he is absolutely right not to believe Micaiah!). What this tells me, is that even before going into battle, Ahab knows that what he is going to do is not God's will. He knows that a true prophet of God will tell him that he will lose the battle. So he pushes Michaiah for the truth and gets it.
22:19ff - Okay, this part is a little bit crazy. What we have to understand is that Micaiah is describing a vision he has seen. Remember the vision the ruler of Egypt had that Joseph decoded? Starving cows eating healthy cows...that didn't really happen, but it represented 7 years of feasting followed by 7 years of famine. This vision is about a big meeting in heaven to determine how they can get Ahab to die for his rejection of God. The vision is not necessarily an actual event, but it does confirm that the 400 prophets are lying and that God allows them to lie in His name so that His will, will be done. This whole section is about God's sovereignty. He doesn't make the prophets lie, but they do and He will use it to bring about His plan. He doesn't force Ahab to listen to the lies, but he does, which will lead to his doom...also fitting into God's plan.
22:31-34 - More sovereignty. The king of Syria uses good battle strategy, try to take out the king of Israel with his best troops. The Syrian King chooses this way, but God uses it in His plan. When they cannot find the king (Because he is dressed as a regular soldier), one of the charioteers chooses to shoot a random soldier in the battle, which happens to be the king of Israel. The soldier chose to shoot at random, and God used that choice to fulfill His prophecy. We can choose to join in with God on His master plan for all eternity, or we can choose to go our own path - either way, our good or bad choices will be weaved into the plan that God is working out to get as many people to Him as possible. I'd much prefer to be one of the Elijahs than one of the Ahabs.
22:38 - The prophecy of Elijah is fulfilled.
1:2 - Baal-Zebub means "lord of the flies." Probably because flies were often associated with rotting, dying bodies and so the "lord of the flies" would be able to drive disease and death away. It seems that Ahaziah has followed int he footsteps of his father and mother (That worked out so well for them).
1:9ff - They try to come in force to arrest Elijah, but he is having none of it. God consumes the enemy soldiers with fire - TWICE! It brings to mind the way that Jesus always evaded capture, until the time was right for him to allow himself to be arrested. Eventually God tells Elijah to go down the mountain with the soldiers to confront Ahaziah.
1:16 - I love the uncompromising nature of Elijah. In this time period is Israel, it seems that you can find thousands of people who will go along with whatever the king wants and just want to "fit in." No matter who is king, Elijah stands up and stays true to the Word of God. Again he faces off with, and humiliates the false god Baal...he tells the king, "Why are you sending for the lord of the flies, isn't there already a real king in Israel? Well, He tells me that because you have rejected Him, you are never going to leave that bed alive." Today in our culture, there are so many people (even Christians) who are willing to just go along with the tide of cultural acceptance...unwilling to make a stand for God. As followers of Christ, we should be uncompromising in our adherence to his way.
2:2-3 - Elisha knows that Elijah is about to be taken away from him, so he refuses to leave his side (Partially because he loves his master, but also because he wants confirmation that he is supposed to be the prophet that takes Elijah's place). He snaps at the other prophets, "I know - be quiet!" because of the tension of the moment and all the conflicting feelings. He is probably sad about losing Elijah. Excited about what God wants to do with him. Scared about what it means to be the number one voice of God to the people of God. Unsure if he has what it takes. He running through all the human emotions and fears.
2:9-10 - Let's clear something up here...when he says he wants a double portion of Elijah's spirit, he is not asking for twice as much spirit as Elijah had. He isn't arrogantly trying to get super-God powers. The double portion is a reference to the portion of inheritance given to the firstborn sons of Israelite families. Basically, Elisha is asking for his prophetic birthright. He wants to inherit the position and power of Elijah...it is a sign of respect - he is saying, "I want to be like you." We should all find people that we can learn from...people that can challenge us, to help us grow...people that can pass down the inheritance of their godly knowledge. We should also find people that we can challenge and raise up as leaders to leave behind us as a legacy of honoring God with our lives.
2:8 and 14 - Elijah slaps the water where the other prophets can see, given Elisha the perfect opportunity to later show that he is taking the place of Elijah. Elisha comes back and slaps the water, the water parts, and everyone can see that he has taken over the role as chief prophet.
2:23ff - What? That sounds a little harsh. A bunch of kids get mauled by bears because they called somebody "baldy?" Wow - talk about harsh! Well, let's clarify a few things. These juveniles, were most likely young men, who knew better than to verbally accost a prophet of God. Secondly, they don't just randomly call him "baldy" - they are calling into question his right and power as a prophet of God. Elijah was always associated with being covered in hair...when these young men say that Elisha is bald, they are basically saying they do not believe that he is God's prophet. Well the she-bears gnawing on their limbs probably showed them differently. God doesn't mes around when people doubt the way He chooses to work in the world...don't forget that.
Showing posts with label 1 Kings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Kings. Show all posts
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
I Kings Chapters 19-21
19:3 - After all Elijah has seen God do, he is still afraid? Are you and I so different?
19:9/13 - God asks, "What are you doing here?" Again, I'm feeling a little introspective...how many times has God asked me the same thing? He has gifted me with the life I have and made me unique from anyone who has ever lived (Just like you), to do a specific ministry within His will that only I can do, and yet I often find myself totally off track getting distracted by meaningless endeavors. I wonder how many times God has looked at the rabbit trails I've followed and asked, "What are you doing here?"
19:10ff/14ff - Excuses and whining from a follower of God! I've never heard of such behavior! Oh wait, that's right, I see it all the time from myself and basically every other Christian I come in contact with. I love the realism and humanity that the men and women of the bible are painted with...they were messed up, quirky people just like you and me that didn't always know how to do the "following God" thing very well. If that applies to you, you've got some good company in the bible.
19:12 - I love that God is not in the huge, elemental shows of power, but in the quiet whisper or as the ESV offers as a secondary translation, "the thin silence." That term reminds me about a Celtic Christian idea called "the thin place" - sacred places they believed that the veil between the spiritual and physical worlds were the thinest and they could more easily connect with God. The thin silence is there...God is calling to us...speaking His love into our hearts, but do we allow the "noise" of this world and our lives to drown out His quiet whispers? More often than not...I think so.
20:13 - God gives Ahab a chance to change. He clearly states that He is bringing Ahab victory so that he will know that God is the Lord. Unfortunately, we see that it doesn't change Ahab's heart. Yet, Ahab's failure to change does nothing to take away the mercy of God.
20:36 - Probably a good idea to listen tot he prophets of God, huh?
20:42 - Ahab refused to finish the task that God set him to. Remember, God was bringing about the destruction of the Syrians to show the world that He was the only God. In ancient times, a king was the god's right hand man...when Ahab allowed Ben-Hadad to walk, he allowed the Syrian "god" a minor victory. Ahab's choice brought dishonor to God - not good.
21:13 - Jezebel's sick plan only works in a corrupt community where people will listen to the voices of two worthless men.
21:29 - Is this fair? Ahab is off the hook and his children will have to pay for his crimes? It seems clear from everything we have read in the bible so far that God is always willing to forgive. Look a Ahab himself...God cals destruction down on his head, yet shows mercy when Ahab repents. If Ahab's children die is disaster, it will be because of their own rejection of God.
19:9/13 - God asks, "What are you doing here?" Again, I'm feeling a little introspective...how many times has God asked me the same thing? He has gifted me with the life I have and made me unique from anyone who has ever lived (Just like you), to do a specific ministry within His will that only I can do, and yet I often find myself totally off track getting distracted by meaningless endeavors. I wonder how many times God has looked at the rabbit trails I've followed and asked, "What are you doing here?"
19:10ff/14ff - Excuses and whining from a follower of God! I've never heard of such behavior! Oh wait, that's right, I see it all the time from myself and basically every other Christian I come in contact with. I love the realism and humanity that the men and women of the bible are painted with...they were messed up, quirky people just like you and me that didn't always know how to do the "following God" thing very well. If that applies to you, you've got some good company in the bible.
19:12 - I love that God is not in the huge, elemental shows of power, but in the quiet whisper or as the ESV offers as a secondary translation, "the thin silence." That term reminds me about a Celtic Christian idea called "the thin place" - sacred places they believed that the veil between the spiritual and physical worlds were the thinest and they could more easily connect with God. The thin silence is there...God is calling to us...speaking His love into our hearts, but do we allow the "noise" of this world and our lives to drown out His quiet whispers? More often than not...I think so.
20:13 - God gives Ahab a chance to change. He clearly states that He is bringing Ahab victory so that he will know that God is the Lord. Unfortunately, we see that it doesn't change Ahab's heart. Yet, Ahab's failure to change does nothing to take away the mercy of God.
20:36 - Probably a good idea to listen tot he prophets of God, huh?
20:42 - Ahab refused to finish the task that God set him to. Remember, God was bringing about the destruction of the Syrians to show the world that He was the only God. In ancient times, a king was the god's right hand man...when Ahab allowed Ben-Hadad to walk, he allowed the Syrian "god" a minor victory. Ahab's choice brought dishonor to God - not good.
21:13 - Jezebel's sick plan only works in a corrupt community where people will listen to the voices of two worthless men.
21:29 - Is this fair? Ahab is off the hook and his children will have to pay for his crimes? It seems clear from everything we have read in the bible so far that God is always willing to forgive. Look a Ahab himself...God cals destruction down on his head, yet shows mercy when Ahab repents. If Ahab's children die is disaster, it will be because of their own rejection of God.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I Kings Chapters 16-18
16:11 - When people with authority and power (i.e. fathers, mothers, leaders, etc.), they don't only affect their own lives, but the lives of the people in realtionships with them. These kings have the blood of their children on their hands because of their failure to lead as godly men. Out lives and choices are not simply about ourselves - we have to remember that the consequences of our actions an choices are far reaching and involve far more than ourselves.
16:24 - The king makes a pretty shrewd strategic move. He moves to a place that he has built up (so nobody is goin to try to kill him). Samaria is on high ground overlooking a major trade route. This is the Samaria that eventually gets overrun and destroyed by foregin armies and eventually becomes the home to the half-Jewish, half-Gentile Samaritan people often referred to in the NT.
16:30ff - Ahab is the worst king yet. The text says that he views the sins of the kings that came before him as nothing - he easily walks in rebellion against the Lord with no regrets. That is dangerous ground to tread. There are many times that I see Christians (myself included) who are more willing to make excuses for sin in their lives than they are willing to combat it with everything they have. Again, dangerous ground to tread.
16:34 - The curse given by Joshua after the conquest of Jericho falls harshly on the family of Hiel who is rebuilding the destroyed city at the order of Ahab. All his children are killed during the building process. It is possible (Though not proven) that Hiel may have even used the pagan building practice of placing his infant children in jars and cementing them into the foundation of Jericho, to ward off evil spirits. If it is true - it is just another example of how far the leadership in Israel had fallen.
17:1 - "Tishbe" means settler. This verse basically tells us that Elijah, one of the greatest prophets in Israel's history, was not an Israelite! Very cool. When Elijah calls down the drought in the name of the Lord, he is directly challeneging the false god Baal. Baal was known as the "rider of clouds" - he was the god of fertility and rain...God has thrown down the gauntlet.
17:5ff - God takes care of Elijah like he did the Israelites in the desert.He looks out for his faithful.
17:8-9 - Another challenge to the Baal worshippers. Elijah is told to go to Zarephath which is in the heart of Baal country. There the prophet of the one and only God is kept alive by a foreign woman in the land of Baal worship. Clearly, God is in control.
17:15-16 - The widow trusts the Lord so much, that she is willing to give out of her poverty and she is rewarded for her faith - God takes care of her.
17:21 - Elijah stretches himself out over the boy. This is not a magic trick or anything...he is interceding for the boy. He is going against Israelite law and touching a dead body - he is associating himself with the boy's death and offering himself to God in the boy's place (metaphorically). It is similar to the time when Moses asked God to blot his name out from the book of life so that the other Hebrew people would be saved. It is also a picture of the death that Jesus was willing to take on for all of our sins. It is clear from these passages that God is the giver of water, food and life...Baal is nothing.
18:17-18 - Ahab blames Elijah for the problems that his own sins have brought upon the kingdom. Typical, huh? He lives in denial seraching for someone to shift the blame to other than himself. We would never do anything like that, would we? It also shows that Ahab is faithless even in his rebellious worship of Baal...because if Baal was real (And if Ahab actually believed that) Elijah would have no power, right? He has put his trust in a god he knows is false and will let him down. Again, doesn't sound like soemthign we would ever do, right? Oops.
18:21 - I love that verse! My version says, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions?" The people are being spiritually crippled because they are trying to serve two masters. Elijah makes it clear that you cannot serve God and anyone else...trying to do so destroys your worship, your life, your heart - everything!
18:27 - LOL! Is your god going to the bathroom? Is your god taking a little nap? Elijah's reference to Baal sleeping is a sarcastic way of saying that Baal is dead. Elijah mocks their foolishness. How can a god that never existed be dead - he was never alive!
18:30-37 - 12 stones...12 jars of water poured on top. What could that possibly represent? Everything Elijah is doing points towards a restoration of the nation of Israel. God is about to destroy the Baal worship cult and set his people free from their bondage. Very similar to the freedom he offered them from the Egyptians - this time they are freed from spirutal bondage.
18:40 - They act decisively to destroy the sinful influences in their lives. There are times when you and I need to act decisively and harshly in removing sin from our own lives (I wouldn't suggest slaughter though). If you struggle with porn - get rid of the internet. If you keep have sex with a boyfriend/girlfriend, break up with them. Be willing to act decisively in the best interest of your realtionship with God.
18:46 - There are some people that think that Elijah hiked of his robes and ran off with super-human - God-given speed, outrunning Ahab's chariot. Thsi could be the case and it would be really cool (God created the universe with a few words...I think he can make a guy run fast!). But the phrase "ran before" and "go before" is a term referring to servants who would go before their masters. It seems like Elijah is willing to go before Ahab and serve as his advisor is restoring Israel to God worship. Unfortunately Jezebal has a little something to say about that in the next chapter!
16:24 - The king makes a pretty shrewd strategic move. He moves to a place that he has built up (so nobody is goin to try to kill him). Samaria is on high ground overlooking a major trade route. This is the Samaria that eventually gets overrun and destroyed by foregin armies and eventually becomes the home to the half-Jewish, half-Gentile Samaritan people often referred to in the NT.
16:30ff - Ahab is the worst king yet. The text says that he views the sins of the kings that came before him as nothing - he easily walks in rebellion against the Lord with no regrets. That is dangerous ground to tread. There are many times that I see Christians (myself included) who are more willing to make excuses for sin in their lives than they are willing to combat it with everything they have. Again, dangerous ground to tread.
16:34 - The curse given by Joshua after the conquest of Jericho falls harshly on the family of Hiel who is rebuilding the destroyed city at the order of Ahab. All his children are killed during the building process. It is possible (Though not proven) that Hiel may have even used the pagan building practice of placing his infant children in jars and cementing them into the foundation of Jericho, to ward off evil spirits. If it is true - it is just another example of how far the leadership in Israel had fallen.
17:1 - "Tishbe" means settler. This verse basically tells us that Elijah, one of the greatest prophets in Israel's history, was not an Israelite! Very cool. When Elijah calls down the drought in the name of the Lord, he is directly challeneging the false god Baal. Baal was known as the "rider of clouds" - he was the god of fertility and rain...God has thrown down the gauntlet.
17:5ff - God takes care of Elijah like he did the Israelites in the desert.He looks out for his faithful.
17:8-9 - Another challenge to the Baal worshippers. Elijah is told to go to Zarephath which is in the heart of Baal country. There the prophet of the one and only God is kept alive by a foreign woman in the land of Baal worship. Clearly, God is in control.
17:15-16 - The widow trusts the Lord so much, that she is willing to give out of her poverty and she is rewarded for her faith - God takes care of her.
17:21 - Elijah stretches himself out over the boy. This is not a magic trick or anything...he is interceding for the boy. He is going against Israelite law and touching a dead body - he is associating himself with the boy's death and offering himself to God in the boy's place (metaphorically). It is similar to the time when Moses asked God to blot his name out from the book of life so that the other Hebrew people would be saved. It is also a picture of the death that Jesus was willing to take on for all of our sins. It is clear from these passages that God is the giver of water, food and life...Baal is nothing.
18:17-18 - Ahab blames Elijah for the problems that his own sins have brought upon the kingdom. Typical, huh? He lives in denial seraching for someone to shift the blame to other than himself. We would never do anything like that, would we? It also shows that Ahab is faithless even in his rebellious worship of Baal...because if Baal was real (And if Ahab actually believed that) Elijah would have no power, right? He has put his trust in a god he knows is false and will let him down. Again, doesn't sound like soemthign we would ever do, right? Oops.
18:21 - I love that verse! My version says, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions?" The people are being spiritually crippled because they are trying to serve two masters. Elijah makes it clear that you cannot serve God and anyone else...trying to do so destroys your worship, your life, your heart - everything!
18:27 - LOL! Is your god going to the bathroom? Is your god taking a little nap? Elijah's reference to Baal sleeping is a sarcastic way of saying that Baal is dead. Elijah mocks their foolishness. How can a god that never existed be dead - he was never alive!
18:30-37 - 12 stones...12 jars of water poured on top. What could that possibly represent? Everything Elijah is doing points towards a restoration of the nation of Israel. God is about to destroy the Baal worship cult and set his people free from their bondage. Very similar to the freedom he offered them from the Egyptians - this time they are freed from spirutal bondage.
18:40 - They act decisively to destroy the sinful influences in their lives. There are times when you and I need to act decisively and harshly in removing sin from our own lives (I wouldn't suggest slaughter though). If you struggle with porn - get rid of the internet. If you keep have sex with a boyfriend/girlfriend, break up with them. Be willing to act decisively in the best interest of your realtionship with God.
18:46 - There are some people that think that Elijah hiked of his robes and ran off with super-human - God-given speed, outrunning Ahab's chariot. Thsi could be the case and it would be really cool (God created the universe with a few words...I think he can make a guy run fast!). But the phrase "ran before" and "go before" is a term referring to servants who would go before their masters. It seems like Elijah is willing to go before Ahab and serve as his advisor is restoring Israel to God worship. Unfortunately Jezebal has a little something to say about that in the next chapter!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I Kings Chapters 13-15
13:1 - Sorry guys, we know nothing about this man except that he is: male, a man of God and from Judah.
13:18 - When people know the truth of God, it is their responsibility to live by that. Yes, the man of God is lied to by the old prophet (Who I guess is testing him?), but the man also knows what God has told him and he should have stuck to the truth he knew...not the word of another human being. This is a great lesson for all of us. We must be discerning in what we hear...compare it to the word of God...seek God's wisdom in prayer, because we are the only people responsible for our actions.
13:24-25 - There is some really cool symbology here. At the beginning of the chapter we see Jeroboam standing helpless beside his false altar that God destroys...in these verses we see the donkey standing dumbly beside the body of the dead man of God, not knowing what to do. Jeroboam is the picture of a dumb animal. Then we have the lion who kills the man of God as God instructs him to, but does not eat the body. The lion stands beside flesh that it probably longs to devour, but the lion stays true to the instructions of God unlike the man from Judah. The moral of this story? Be a lion, not a donkey. Stand by the word of God and let His instructions guide your life - if you don't you'll end up on the side of the road in this life, lost and having no idea where to go next.
13:29-31 - The old man treats the prophets body with a great deal of respect, even instructing his sons to bury them together when he dies (I'm sure he has got to feel a little guilty about the lie!). This also gives us hope. Yeah, the man of God disobeyed Him and paid the price, but there is still hope for his soul. You and I will feel the sting of consequences when we reject the way of God, but His mercy is more vast than we could ever imagine.
14:10 - God rips the kingdom away from the house of David and gives Jeroboam a chance to make things right...a chance to lead as a man humble before God, but he allows pride and jealousy to lead him away from God. He brings destruction down on his entire household.
14:15-16 - Jeroboam instead of cleaning up Israel actually takes them another notch down. He introduces Asherah poles (phallic, fertility symbols of pagan Canaanite Baal worship - Asherah was, in theory only, the wife of El (chief Canaanite god) and the mother of Baal) and brings a pagan scourge into Israel that plagues the kingdom throughout their history. That is his legacy! What is mine?
14:29 - At the same time this is all going on, Rehoboam is doing a little terrible leading of his own. He introduces the kingdom of Judah to all the Canaanite idols. They go so far as to welcome in the Canaanite cult prostitution program where you can get whatever you want - male or female. Judah is becoming like Sodom. Again, what a legacy.
15:3 - This verse becomes a haunting theme in the history of the Hebrew kings. I wonder what are some of the haunting themes of western church leaders today. "And he walked in the way of materialism, making excuses for his congregations maniacal spending." "He walked in the ways of the world, allowing the message of Jesus Christ to be drown out by the promise of comfort." What do you think?
15:11ff - Asa is like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert! Finally a king who has the guts to stand up and fight for the honor of God. He starts cleaning house - even willing to kick his grandmother out of her position of power because she is heading up the pagan cult worship. Do you and I have the strength to stand up and speak out against the forces in this world that are directly opposed to the way of Jesus and the heart of God?
15:29 - Just like was prophesied to the wife of Jeroboam, ever living member of his family is butchered. The only person in his household that received an honorable burial, was the sick boy who the country mourned in chapter 14. That boy has found a better home and a father who will not teach him the ways of evil.
13:18 - When people know the truth of God, it is their responsibility to live by that. Yes, the man of God is lied to by the old prophet (Who I guess is testing him?), but the man also knows what God has told him and he should have stuck to the truth he knew...not the word of another human being. This is a great lesson for all of us. We must be discerning in what we hear...compare it to the word of God...seek God's wisdom in prayer, because we are the only people responsible for our actions.
13:24-25 - There is some really cool symbology here. At the beginning of the chapter we see Jeroboam standing helpless beside his false altar that God destroys...in these verses we see the donkey standing dumbly beside the body of the dead man of God, not knowing what to do. Jeroboam is the picture of a dumb animal. Then we have the lion who kills the man of God as God instructs him to, but does not eat the body. The lion stands beside flesh that it probably longs to devour, but the lion stays true to the instructions of God unlike the man from Judah. The moral of this story? Be a lion, not a donkey. Stand by the word of God and let His instructions guide your life - if you don't you'll end up on the side of the road in this life, lost and having no idea where to go next.
13:29-31 - The old man treats the prophets body with a great deal of respect, even instructing his sons to bury them together when he dies (I'm sure he has got to feel a little guilty about the lie!). This also gives us hope. Yeah, the man of God disobeyed Him and paid the price, but there is still hope for his soul. You and I will feel the sting of consequences when we reject the way of God, but His mercy is more vast than we could ever imagine.
14:10 - God rips the kingdom away from the house of David and gives Jeroboam a chance to make things right...a chance to lead as a man humble before God, but he allows pride and jealousy to lead him away from God. He brings destruction down on his entire household.
14:15-16 - Jeroboam instead of cleaning up Israel actually takes them another notch down. He introduces Asherah poles (phallic, fertility symbols of pagan Canaanite Baal worship - Asherah was, in theory only, the wife of El (chief Canaanite god) and the mother of Baal) and brings a pagan scourge into Israel that plagues the kingdom throughout their history. That is his legacy! What is mine?
14:29 - At the same time this is all going on, Rehoboam is doing a little terrible leading of his own. He introduces the kingdom of Judah to all the Canaanite idols. They go so far as to welcome in the Canaanite cult prostitution program where you can get whatever you want - male or female. Judah is becoming like Sodom. Again, what a legacy.
15:3 - This verse becomes a haunting theme in the history of the Hebrew kings. I wonder what are some of the haunting themes of western church leaders today. "And he walked in the way of materialism, making excuses for his congregations maniacal spending." "He walked in the ways of the world, allowing the message of Jesus Christ to be drown out by the promise of comfort." What do you think?
15:11ff - Asa is like finding an oasis in the middle of a desert! Finally a king who has the guts to stand up and fight for the honor of God. He starts cleaning house - even willing to kick his grandmother out of her position of power because she is heading up the pagan cult worship. Do you and I have the strength to stand up and speak out against the forces in this world that are directly opposed to the way of Jesus and the heart of God?
15:29 - Just like was prophesied to the wife of Jeroboam, ever living member of his family is butchered. The only person in his household that received an honorable burial, was the sick boy who the country mourned in chapter 14. That boy has found a better home and a father who will not teach him the ways of evil.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I Kings Chapters 10-12
10:1 and 9 - People see the wisdom and success of Solomon and they are drawn to him. Once they come in contact with Solomon, they see that the Lord is at work in his life. God's name is made great through Solomon's wisdom and Israel's prosperity. I would hope for each of us that when people come in contact with our lives, that they will walk away knowing that God has made a difference.
10:19 - We can clearly see the seeds of destruction are being sown into the reign of Solomon. The wealth that Israel is acquiring is not in itself evil - remember, it is from God. But Solomon uses that wealth to bring honor to himself. He constructs a huge throne of ivory and gold. The Throne has six steps which implies that it has seven levels in total. The pagan empires around the Israelite built their thrones and temples with seven levels because it represented rule over the cosmos. Solomon's ego has started to grow out of control. When you are only being told how wise and incredible you are all the time - it has got to be hard to stay humble (Not that I would know much about being called wise and incredible all the time). Solomon needed somebody in his life who could bring him down a few pegs - you better have people like that around you too.
Wealth - What are we supposed to believe when it comes to wealth. It was a sign of God's protection and provision in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament it is something to be given away at all costs (i.e. rich young ruler). What are we supposed to think? Well, I think in the case of Solomon. The Israelite people are being given this wealth in the same way they were being given manna in the desert. It had nothing to do with them, and everything to do with God. They started to loose site of God's provision, went back on the covenant and were eventually forced into slavery under foreign rulers again (Like the slavery God saved them from in Egypt). They worshipped money and they paid the price. It all comes down to what you worship. The rich young ruler wanted to do good and live an honorable life, and money was standing in the way of that. Jesus told him to give it all away because he knew money was the man's god. The man couldn't do it. Money in itself is not evil, but if pursuit of it gets in the way of you honoring God with your life, it has got to go. You can't serve two masters.
11:2 - This is where we see that being really smart can have a negative side. Solomon decides that God's marriage laws don't really apply to him. I'm sure he used his wisdom and convinced himself about why it was necessary - to maintain peace with other people groups, to form alliances, etc...but in the end, he simply rationalized a way for himself to acquire a lot of sex and money and he flushed his kingdom down the toilet.
11:4 - Can you imagine this! Trying to make 1,000 women in your harem happy?! Can you even fathom that "to do" list?! Again Solomon probably rationalizes all his actions. He seeks peace with his wives, so instead of fighting 700 of them about their gods - he just builds them temples. Then instead of explain 700 times why he will not worship their gods - he just does it...only to please his wines of course, and then he is worshipping false gods. Good thing we never rationalize sin in our lives, huh?
11:8ff - Given all the wealth and resources in the world directly from God, he eventually uses those gifts to worship false gods created by men...what a shame. The Ammonite and Moabite gods were known for having worship that involved child sacrifice, so Solomon may have even stooped that low! Sick.
11:30 - Remind anybody of David's ascension to the throne after Saul went of the deep end? A prophet comes to Jeroboam and tells him that he will eventually become the ruler of 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel, because Solomon has turned from God.
12:4 and 7 - Solomon forced labor on his people and levied large taxes against them, but he was Solomon...he was the wisest man ever...in some ways he could get away with it. When he son asks the elders of Israel how he should rule, they tell him to ease up a bit. They think he should lead through humility and service, because after doing that the people will serve him forever. Young leaders should always come into new situations willing to work hard and humbly. It's good advice.
12:10ff - Unfortunately he doesn't take the elders advice - he goes to all his old childhood buddies and asks them what he should do. They think he should show the world that he is every bit the man his father was and more - he should raise the taxes and he should whip his servants with scorpions (Whips with weighted steel tips). He listens to the younger men who have grow up with privilege and wealth and have had everything given to them on a silver platter (actually it was probably gold from what I've read!)...they advise from youthful arrogance and he destroys the unified country his father had brought together.
12:28 - The hits just keep on coming! Even Jeroboam who God has anointed as king over Israel immediately turns away from God. He is fearful and jealous of the other kingdom and so he created to pagan idols for the people to worship as their gods. His rule is on the way down almost before it is even started. Every new policy he puts into place is a rebellious act against God. What is that saying about absolute power? I think I'm cool with being a lowly youth minister.
10:19 - We can clearly see the seeds of destruction are being sown into the reign of Solomon. The wealth that Israel is acquiring is not in itself evil - remember, it is from God. But Solomon uses that wealth to bring honor to himself. He constructs a huge throne of ivory and gold. The Throne has six steps which implies that it has seven levels in total. The pagan empires around the Israelite built their thrones and temples with seven levels because it represented rule over the cosmos. Solomon's ego has started to grow out of control. When you are only being told how wise and incredible you are all the time - it has got to be hard to stay humble (Not that I would know much about being called wise and incredible all the time). Solomon needed somebody in his life who could bring him down a few pegs - you better have people like that around you too.
Wealth - What are we supposed to believe when it comes to wealth. It was a sign of God's protection and provision in the Old Testament, and in the New Testament it is something to be given away at all costs (i.e. rich young ruler). What are we supposed to think? Well, I think in the case of Solomon. The Israelite people are being given this wealth in the same way they were being given manna in the desert. It had nothing to do with them, and everything to do with God. They started to loose site of God's provision, went back on the covenant and were eventually forced into slavery under foreign rulers again (Like the slavery God saved them from in Egypt). They worshipped money and they paid the price. It all comes down to what you worship. The rich young ruler wanted to do good and live an honorable life, and money was standing in the way of that. Jesus told him to give it all away because he knew money was the man's god. The man couldn't do it. Money in itself is not evil, but if pursuit of it gets in the way of you honoring God with your life, it has got to go. You can't serve two masters.
11:2 - This is where we see that being really smart can have a negative side. Solomon decides that God's marriage laws don't really apply to him. I'm sure he used his wisdom and convinced himself about why it was necessary - to maintain peace with other people groups, to form alliances, etc...but in the end, he simply rationalized a way for himself to acquire a lot of sex and money and he flushed his kingdom down the toilet.
11:4 - Can you imagine this! Trying to make 1,000 women in your harem happy?! Can you even fathom that "to do" list?! Again Solomon probably rationalizes all his actions. He seeks peace with his wives, so instead of fighting 700 of them about their gods - he just builds them temples. Then instead of explain 700 times why he will not worship their gods - he just does it...only to please his wines of course, and then he is worshipping false gods. Good thing we never rationalize sin in our lives, huh?
11:8ff - Given all the wealth and resources in the world directly from God, he eventually uses those gifts to worship false gods created by men...what a shame. The Ammonite and Moabite gods were known for having worship that involved child sacrifice, so Solomon may have even stooped that low! Sick.
11:30 - Remind anybody of David's ascension to the throne after Saul went of the deep end? A prophet comes to Jeroboam and tells him that he will eventually become the ruler of 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel, because Solomon has turned from God.
12:4 and 7 - Solomon forced labor on his people and levied large taxes against them, but he was Solomon...he was the wisest man ever...in some ways he could get away with it. When he son asks the elders of Israel how he should rule, they tell him to ease up a bit. They think he should lead through humility and service, because after doing that the people will serve him forever. Young leaders should always come into new situations willing to work hard and humbly. It's good advice.
12:10ff - Unfortunately he doesn't take the elders advice - he goes to all his old childhood buddies and asks them what he should do. They think he should show the world that he is every bit the man his father was and more - he should raise the taxes and he should whip his servants with scorpions (Whips with weighted steel tips). He listens to the younger men who have grow up with privilege and wealth and have had everything given to them on a silver platter (actually it was probably gold from what I've read!)...they advise from youthful arrogance and he destroys the unified country his father had brought together.
12:28 - The hits just keep on coming! Even Jeroboam who God has anointed as king over Israel immediately turns away from God. He is fearful and jealous of the other kingdom and so he created to pagan idols for the people to worship as their gods. His rule is on the way down almost before it is even started. Every new policy he puts into place is a rebellious act against God. What is that saying about absolute power? I think I'm cool with being a lowly youth minister.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
I Kings Chapters 7-9
7:1 - Hmmmm...he spends 7 years on building God's house and 13 building his...anything wrong with that picture? How often do I give more priority to my stuff than God's?
7:22 - What do the pillar names mean? Jachin means "it is firm," which I thought was a pretty good name for a pillar and it also most likely represents the solidarity of God's kingdom in Israel (When they are being faithful anyway). Boaz means "in strength," which again, is another great pillar name - I would want strong and firm pillars in any building I was hanging out in! This is probably also a challenge to the kings of Israel to rule with strength. We live in a crazy tempting world and it would do us all some good to remain firm in the will of God and depend on His strength instead of our own. We should have people or things in our lives that will remind us of this truth like Solomon had.
7:26 - This huge bowl would have contained about 12,000 gallons of water! 12,000!!! It is the big bowl in the picture of the temple I posted yesterday. So why did they have this thing in the temple courtyard? Well, they needed a lot of water to clean up all the blood and guts from animal sacrifices, but this bowl was too massive and impractical for that kind of use. This huge "sea" represented God's rule over all creation and stood as a huge reminder of the power and sovereignty of God. (Th smaller bowls described on the wheels would be the ones they used for cleaning the courtyard.)
8:8 - Why is this random info about the poles sticking out thrown in? Well it seems that the poles that were used to carry the ark around were so long that they stuck out the sides of the curtain around the holiest of holies. That means anyone who entered into the temple would be able to know for certain that the ark was still there. They know that God is with them. This is significant for you and me because we also have a reminder that God is with us...it is called the Holy Spirit of God that is living and active within the lives of believers. You and I can be confident that God is with us because His Spirit is inside of us - the counselor, the teacher, the inspirer - within us! That is so cool!
8:27 - Solomon understands that the creator of the universe cannot be housed within a human made temple...he knows that and states it here. His point in this passage, is that this temple carries the honor of the Name of the Lord. This temple stands as a testament to the Name and power of God for all the world to see. Today you and I are the temple of God...Christians of this world of the representatives of God's Name in this world - what message are you sending?
8:56 - "Rest" here means that the people of Israel finally have the place of peace and security that God promised them - The Promised Land...they are home!
8:61 - Solomon closes his dedication speech by begging the people to remain always loyal to the way way of God. Unfortunately, Solomon himself and the rest of Israel do not even honor this charge in his lifetime.
9:4 - We see the covenant continue to be passed down. We saw it passed from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...now the Israelites have the Promised Land and God passes the covenant of David on to Solomon. If you remain faithful to my Name, there will be a descendant from your family on the throne forever. Even after the unfaithfulness of the Israelites - God in His great mercy sends Jesus, the Son of David, to bring a kingdom of mercy to earth that will reign forever! Praise be to Go!
9:9 - There are always dire consequences when you break a covenant with God. Here it is made clear that if the people of Israel turn away from God, the whole world will know of their folly. I know some Christians that cannot understand why God allows them to go through the consequences of their actions after they have asked for forgiveness. But because of His great love for us, He allows us to experience some of the pain our choices bring to our lives so that we will throw ourselves always on His mercy.
7:22 - What do the pillar names mean? Jachin means "it is firm," which I thought was a pretty good name for a pillar and it also most likely represents the solidarity of God's kingdom in Israel (When they are being faithful anyway). Boaz means "in strength," which again, is another great pillar name - I would want strong and firm pillars in any building I was hanging out in! This is probably also a challenge to the kings of Israel to rule with strength. We live in a crazy tempting world and it would do us all some good to remain firm in the will of God and depend on His strength instead of our own. We should have people or things in our lives that will remind us of this truth like Solomon had.
7:26 - This huge bowl would have contained about 12,000 gallons of water! 12,000!!! It is the big bowl in the picture of the temple I posted yesterday. So why did they have this thing in the temple courtyard? Well, they needed a lot of water to clean up all the blood and guts from animal sacrifices, but this bowl was too massive and impractical for that kind of use. This huge "sea" represented God's rule over all creation and stood as a huge reminder of the power and sovereignty of God. (Th smaller bowls described on the wheels would be the ones they used for cleaning the courtyard.)
8:8 - Why is this random info about the poles sticking out thrown in? Well it seems that the poles that were used to carry the ark around were so long that they stuck out the sides of the curtain around the holiest of holies. That means anyone who entered into the temple would be able to know for certain that the ark was still there. They know that God is with them. This is significant for you and me because we also have a reminder that God is with us...it is called the Holy Spirit of God that is living and active within the lives of believers. You and I can be confident that God is with us because His Spirit is inside of us - the counselor, the teacher, the inspirer - within us! That is so cool!
8:27 - Solomon understands that the creator of the universe cannot be housed within a human made temple...he knows that and states it here. His point in this passage, is that this temple carries the honor of the Name of the Lord. This temple stands as a testament to the Name and power of God for all the world to see. Today you and I are the temple of God...Christians of this world of the representatives of God's Name in this world - what message are you sending?
8:56 - "Rest" here means that the people of Israel finally have the place of peace and security that God promised them - The Promised Land...they are home!
8:61 - Solomon closes his dedication speech by begging the people to remain always loyal to the way way of God. Unfortunately, Solomon himself and the rest of Israel do not even honor this charge in his lifetime.
9:4 - We see the covenant continue to be passed down. We saw it passed from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...now the Israelites have the Promised Land and God passes the covenant of David on to Solomon. If you remain faithful to my Name, there will be a descendant from your family on the throne forever. Even after the unfaithfulness of the Israelites - God in His great mercy sends Jesus, the Son of David, to bring a kingdom of mercy to earth that will reign forever! Praise be to Go!
9:9 - There are always dire consequences when you break a covenant with God. Here it is made clear that if the people of Israel turn away from God, the whole world will know of their folly. I know some Christians that cannot understand why God allows them to go through the consequences of their actions after they have asked for forgiveness. But because of His great love for us, He allows us to experience some of the pain our choices bring to our lives so that we will throw ourselves always on His mercy.
Monday, February 22, 2010
I Kings Chapters 4-6
4:4 - Yes - it is THAT Benaiah...the mighty man of David and slayer of Joab.
4:7 - Solomon does exactly what Samuel told Israel a king would do to them - he starts taxing them and lives off what the people produce. Solomon is very wise in the way he breaks down his organization of the country and his taxation, and from everything we see in this passage - Israel really begins to flourish. Unfortunately, we will see as the life of Solomon plays out, that the abuse of power that comes so naturally to kings and rulers will eventually destroy Israel. Solomon, the wisest man in the world, begins to rely on wealth and military power instead of on the Most High God (Check out Deut. 17:15-17). As Christians, no matter what is going on with the political powers in authority over us, we must remember to never allow ouselves to get caught up in the pursuit of wealth and power, and push God aside.
4:34 - I think this is a really good challenege for us as Christians. People came from all over the world to listen to what Solomon had to say, because his knowledge base was so strong and he spoke from wisdom. There are a lot of Christians out there, myself included, that often act as if the only knoweledge they need is doctrinal and theological. But if we will spend our life learning and expanding our knowledge base...I believe it will give us better opportunity to influence people outside the faith, because they will most likely have more respect for our opinion. (Which definitely does not mean that you stop studying the bible, it just means be a lifestyle learner)
5:13 - Uh oh! Forced labor...Solomon's kingdom is starting to look more and more like the kingdoms of the rest of the world. He has set up a fair system (I know a lot of guys that would like to work one month and then get two off!), but it is still forced labor. The people escaped forced labor in Egypt only to get it forced on them in their own country.
6:38 - So here is a pretty good rendition of what Solomon's temple might have looked like. Pretty cool, huh? I like that he completed it in seven years - seven is the biblical number of completeness.
4:7 - Solomon does exactly what Samuel told Israel a king would do to them - he starts taxing them and lives off what the people produce. Solomon is very wise in the way he breaks down his organization of the country and his taxation, and from everything we see in this passage - Israel really begins to flourish. Unfortunately, we will see as the life of Solomon plays out, that the abuse of power that comes so naturally to kings and rulers will eventually destroy Israel. Solomon, the wisest man in the world, begins to rely on wealth and military power instead of on the Most High God (Check out Deut. 17:15-17). As Christians, no matter what is going on with the political powers in authority over us, we must remember to never allow ouselves to get caught up in the pursuit of wealth and power, and push God aside.
4:34 - I think this is a really good challenege for us as Christians. People came from all over the world to listen to what Solomon had to say, because his knowledge base was so strong and he spoke from wisdom. There are a lot of Christians out there, myself included, that often act as if the only knoweledge they need is doctrinal and theological. But if we will spend our life learning and expanding our knowledge base...I believe it will give us better opportunity to influence people outside the faith, because they will most likely have more respect for our opinion. (Which definitely does not mean that you stop studying the bible, it just means be a lifestyle learner)
5:13 - Uh oh! Forced labor...Solomon's kingdom is starting to look more and more like the kingdoms of the rest of the world. He has set up a fair system (I know a lot of guys that would like to work one month and then get two off!), but it is still forced labor. The people escaped forced labor in Egypt only to get it forced on them in their own country.
6:38 - So here is a pretty good rendition of what Solomon's temple might have looked like. Pretty cool, huh? I like that he completed it in seven years - seven is the biblical number of completeness.
Monday, February 15, 2010
I Kings Chapters 1-3
*Sorry about all the lack of blogging...it has been a crazy couple of days.
1:6 - I thought this verse was pretty interesting, we see another instance of bad parenting coming back to bite David in the butt. He never once disciplined his child or inquired as to why he was doing the things he was doing. It is important for parents to shape their children by understanding what they do and where they go and being willing to call them on the carpet when its inappropriate. David's lack of attention to his children leads to the raising of yet another rebellious kid.
1:50 - Jewish people could run to the altar and throw themselves on the mercy of God. This would protect the innocent from a summary execution in the heat of anger. Unfortunately for those who were actually guilty, it only delayed the inevitable death they would recieve for their crimes. (Solomon offers mercy to Adonijah, but will eventually have him killed for his rebellious behaviors)
2:2-3 - This is a great verse for young men and women out there (I think this will be the next one my boys memorize). David gives his son a charge, "Show yourself to be a man who is willing to offer himself completely to God." So many times we get in the message in this culture that being a man is about being physically strong, emotionally vacant, arrogant, etc. David, a warrior king - a man among boys, makes it clear to his son that the ultimate mesaure of a man is his dedication to God. Humility before your God is the ultimate sign of manliness.
2:6 - I thought this was pretty interesting. David calls Solomon to do what he couldn't do - to bring justice to Joab and consolidate the power of the kingdom. It seems that even the great king David never really had total control of what was going on in Israel...Joab was far to influential with the army. But he wants his son to bring peace and unity tot he kingdom and that will only come through justice.
2:8-9 - Again, David showed mercy to Shimei, because their conflict was in a time of war and David could not risk bringing further in-fighting to the people of Israel. But on his deatbed, he makes sure that the rebellion and disrespect Shimei showed to God's annointed king will not go unchecked.
2:22-25 - Solomon actually tried to show his brother mercy, but Adonijah gave him to choice. When he tried to marry the beautiful woman that kept king David warm in his bed, he was making a political move to try to take back power. The really interesting questions is - why does Bathsheba come to Solomon and make the request for Adonijah? She is Solomon's mom, why would she want to bring these problems to her sons rule? Well, I believe that she knew Solomon would have to kill Adonijah after his request and shw knew that would leave him with no real rivals for the throne. She helped to push him into making the tough call to get rid of Adonijah.
2:31 - Justice has finally, after all those years, come crashing down on the head of Joab. Multiple times he has killed innocent men of Israel to gain power and disrespected the king. This illustrates the difference between the rules of David and Solomon. David was a man of war, that never really unified his kingdom under peace. Solomon is a man of wisdom who is making all the right moves to bring unity and peace to Israel.
3:2 - Before the temple was built, these high places were used for legitimate worship of Yahweh. People would go up to the high points and worship God and offer sacrifices to Him. After Solomon builds the temple, these high places become illegitimate places of worship that become used for pagan idols. (This kind of thing gets Solomon in trouble later in his life). I find it so freeing that we have the ability to worship God anywhere and everywhere. Jesus' sacrifice has given us a freedom to connect with God that even these great men of the bible never understood.
3:9 - I hope that in my life and in my ministry I will always seek the wisdom of God before any other earthly things.
1:6 - I thought this verse was pretty interesting, we see another instance of bad parenting coming back to bite David in the butt. He never once disciplined his child or inquired as to why he was doing the things he was doing. It is important for parents to shape their children by understanding what they do and where they go and being willing to call them on the carpet when its inappropriate. David's lack of attention to his children leads to the raising of yet another rebellious kid.
1:50 - Jewish people could run to the altar and throw themselves on the mercy of God. This would protect the innocent from a summary execution in the heat of anger. Unfortunately for those who were actually guilty, it only delayed the inevitable death they would recieve for their crimes. (Solomon offers mercy to Adonijah, but will eventually have him killed for his rebellious behaviors)
2:2-3 - This is a great verse for young men and women out there (I think this will be the next one my boys memorize). David gives his son a charge, "Show yourself to be a man who is willing to offer himself completely to God." So many times we get in the message in this culture that being a man is about being physically strong, emotionally vacant, arrogant, etc. David, a warrior king - a man among boys, makes it clear to his son that the ultimate mesaure of a man is his dedication to God. Humility before your God is the ultimate sign of manliness.
2:6 - I thought this was pretty interesting. David calls Solomon to do what he couldn't do - to bring justice to Joab and consolidate the power of the kingdom. It seems that even the great king David never really had total control of what was going on in Israel...Joab was far to influential with the army. But he wants his son to bring peace and unity tot he kingdom and that will only come through justice.
2:8-9 - Again, David showed mercy to Shimei, because their conflict was in a time of war and David could not risk bringing further in-fighting to the people of Israel. But on his deatbed, he makes sure that the rebellion and disrespect Shimei showed to God's annointed king will not go unchecked.
2:22-25 - Solomon actually tried to show his brother mercy, but Adonijah gave him to choice. When he tried to marry the beautiful woman that kept king David warm in his bed, he was making a political move to try to take back power. The really interesting questions is - why does Bathsheba come to Solomon and make the request for Adonijah? She is Solomon's mom, why would she want to bring these problems to her sons rule? Well, I believe that she knew Solomon would have to kill Adonijah after his request and shw knew that would leave him with no real rivals for the throne. She helped to push him into making the tough call to get rid of Adonijah.
2:31 - Justice has finally, after all those years, come crashing down on the head of Joab. Multiple times he has killed innocent men of Israel to gain power and disrespected the king. This illustrates the difference between the rules of David and Solomon. David was a man of war, that never really unified his kingdom under peace. Solomon is a man of wisdom who is making all the right moves to bring unity and peace to Israel.
3:2 - Before the temple was built, these high places were used for legitimate worship of Yahweh. People would go up to the high points and worship God and offer sacrifices to Him. After Solomon builds the temple, these high places become illegitimate places of worship that become used for pagan idols. (This kind of thing gets Solomon in trouble later in his life). I find it so freeing that we have the ability to worship God anywhere and everywhere. Jesus' sacrifice has given us a freedom to connect with God that even these great men of the bible never understood.
3:9 - I hope that in my life and in my ministry I will always seek the wisdom of God before any other earthly things.
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