Day #181

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18 - Audio
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18 - Reading

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1 Kings 22 & 2 Chron 18

1 Kings 22 focuses in on the end of Ahab’s reign.

• 22.1: For three years—again, when we see the number 3, we know something is about to happen.
• 22.6: 400 men—these might be the prophets of Asherah, since the prophets of Baal are killed at Mt. Carmel, but we hear nothing of these prophets.
• 22.6-18: See notes on 2 Chronicles 18 below
• 22.19ff: Micaiah (his name means “who is like Yah”) actually reveals the workings of God to Ahab.
• 22.30: “in disguise” is an interesting choice by Ahab. Unlike we often think, on the surface this is an act of bravery. Kings, as the rallying points of their troops, were often in the safest place on the battlefield, surrounded by their own troops and by their personal body guards. At the same time, it seems that what Ahab is trying to do is to camouflage himself from Yahweh so Yahweh can not cause him to be killed on the battlefield. In essence Ahab puts himself in greater danger on the battlefield believing that he is safer being attacked by men, then letting Yahweh get in the picture.
• 22.34: A “random” arrow show that camouflage is not good protection from the divine.
• 22.35: Ahab wants to get out of the battle but it is raging so fiercely that he can’t get away to medical treatment. Instead he is propped up in a standing position, so eventually he looks like he is still alive, but in reality he is a dead man standing. This could carry a symbolism of his entire life—he thought he was alive, but in reality he was dead he entire life.
• 22.36: “A cry spread (or went though) the army” – The writer of Kings does not tell us who spreads this cry nor why it is spread—since no on at this point knows Ahab is dead and Jehoshaphat is still alive. The sense almost seems to be that it is the voice of God.
• 22.41-50: The reign of Jehoshaphat takes on shadows of the reign of Solomon. The nation is again united, to a certain extent. There is an attempt to revive the gold trade. As in the earlier part of Solomon’s reign, Yahweh, is worshipped. The picture is one of an attempt to return to the Solomonic days of glory, but it all falls a bit short.
• 22.51: Two years mostly likely means parts of two separate years, not two complete years. In Hebrew thinking any part of something equals the whole.

2 Chronicles 18: Jehoshaphat’s name means “the LORD is Judge”.

• 18.1: After years of fighting between Israel and Judah the two sides comes to a time of
• peace. The peace is sealed by a marriage. This marriage will turn out to be a near disaster for the Davidic line since Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, will later seek to wipe out the line of David so she can gain control over Judah (2 Chronicles 22.10-12).
• 18.2: “induced him to go up against Ramoth- Gilead”. Ramoth-Gilead is a highly strategic city that lies on the eastern border of Israel. It provides an easy inroad into the interior of Israel. To control this city would strengthen Ahab’s hold on power and make Israel far less vulnerable to attack.
• 18.2: Induced: The word means to entice someone often by deceptive means to get them to do something. We can imagine that this huge banquet that was put on was a way to soften up Jehoshaphat and build a sense of family and friendship. This was not a friendly BBQ; it was a way to entice Jehoshaphat to do something he should not have done.
• 18.3: In words the echo the proclamation of Ruth to Naomi, 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” Ruth 1 Jehoshaphat commits himself to Ahab. Since the Chronicler has a great interest in faithful covenant living and since Ruth demonstrates such a life in the midst of an unfaithful time, it is worth asking if the Chronicler wants us to see in these words of Jehoshaphat a huge misstep in covenant faithfulness. These words of commitment should have been on the lips of Ahab to Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat should have been calling Ahab to a covenant lifestyle.
• 18.5: It is worth noting that at this point these prophets speak of “God” assuring that the king will win in battle. They do not speak of Yahweh, but use the generic name Elohim.
• 18.10-11: After a prophet of Yahweh is called for the Ahab’s prophets now start speaking for Yahweh. They are trying to make Jehoshaphat feel better, but it is clear that they still are simply court prophets, not speaking a true word.
• 18.12: Nobody likes an unhappy king. The servant just wants things to go well.
• 18.16-17: The truth is told, Ahab hates the truth.
• 18.18-22: We are brought into the heavenly court where God is seeking to entice Ahab to go into battle where he will be killed. The word for “entice” is a different word than “induced” in 18.2. Entice means someone who is very open to instruction in either wisdom or folly. In this case it speaks of someone who is simple-minded and easy manipulate. Ahab’s minds is already made up, all he needs is someone to push him the last inch over the line. 400 false prophets can do this nicely.
• 18.26: When confronted with the truth Ahab chooses the lie. He chooses to trust his own prophets who are set up to speak good to him, rather than Yahweh’s prophet who is set up to tell truth.
• 18.29: The sad truth is that Jehoshaphat should have dodged the battle as soon as Ahab made this crazy proposal. This proposal puts Jehoshaphat at considerable risk. Ahab shows his true colors. He will protect himself, even if it means the death of another.

Day #180

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 20-21 - Audio
1 Kings 20-21 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

1 Kings 20-21

1 Kings 20 is the story of King Ahab in trouble, Yahweh intervening with a victory and Ahab selling out that victory for business opportunity.

• 1 Kings 20.1-4: Ahab responds in a way that speaks of his loyalty to Ben-Hadad. To give your family and wealth is not a literal giving, but acknowledging that all these things are there for the superior king’s asking.
• 20.5-6: Ben-Hadad’s true intentions come out. He is not really about letting Ahab profess loyalty, he is looking for a reason to attack, if Ahab will not give him a reason, he will force the issue until Ahab has to say “no” to a demand. This “no” will be the pretense for war.
• 20.7: The writer of Kings puts a good face on Ahab. While Ben-Hadad puts stuff before people, Ahab puts his family before his stuff.
• 20.10: “May the gods…” Similar words were used by Jezebel in chapter 19.
• 20.11: Another way of saying Ahab’s words, “Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched.
• 20.12: The writer of Kings has already shown us that Ben-Hadad treasures things over people, now he show us a king who is getting drunk rather than getting ready for battle.
• 20.13: Yahweh steps in to an impossible situation and promises victory. He brings this victory so that Ahab (the you in this verse is singular) will know that he is “the LORD” i.e. Yahweh. Notice the change from the Mt. Carmel encounter. There Yahweh is shown to be God, now Yahweh wants Ahab to know not that he is God, but that he is Yahweh i.e. that he is the covenant God who makes and keeps his promises. He is not merely God, but a God who can be relied on. This cuts two ways---for a faithful people it means the blessings God has promised, for an unfaithful people it means the curses that God has promised.
• 20.14: Ahab, surprisingly, takes God at his word and asks for battle instructions. This will truly be a victory of Yahweh.
• 20.15: Israel seems to have an army of only 7000 regular soldiers. What is striking here is this is the same number as the number of faithful people that God had reserved for himself in chapter 19.
• 20.16: Still drinking rather than getting ready for battle.
• 20.16: “set out at noon”—this is not wise militarily because all you do can be seen. The fact that Ahab does this shows that he is confident that Yahweh’s promise of victory will be kept.
• 20.18: A muddled sentence that shows Ben-hadad has had a few too many.
• 20.23: The idea is that not only armies fight each other, but the god’s of those armies fight on the side of their people. What you want to do is to get the other nation’s god into the place where he is weakest.
• 20.27: The way the Hebrew is constructed and the lack of the mention of Ahab in this verse indicates that it is Yahweh who has mustered this army and is supplying their needs. This too will be His victory.
• 20.30: The walls fall—think Jericho, God is at work. Ben-Hadad is again shown in a negative light. The picture is one of a king who is crawling deeper and deeper into a place for safety while leaving his troops to fend for themselves.
• 20.31-34: Ahab misses the fact that not only has Yahweh won the victory, but that all the spoils of the victory (according to covenant stipulations) are his. Ahab takes the spoils of victory for himself by making a business deal that will increase his wealth.
• 20.35-43: One of the purposes that God declares for bringing about victory is to show that he is Yahweh—the covenant God who keeps his promises. In these closing verses God shows this reality. He will bring punishment on Ahab for not following the ways of the covenant.
• 20.39: “Your life for his life” is not, “I will kill you” but rather, “you will become a slave in his place”.

1 Kings 21 tells of a monarchy that destroys the social and religious fabric of a nation in order to gain a small piece of land. As in Chapter 21 the goal is some financial gain rather than living by the ways of the covenant.

• 21.1-3: Naboth holds out that he can not give up his land because is an inheritance and trust given to him by God, it is tied up with being a faithful covenant follower of Yahweh. To give up the land is to break covenant.
• 21.4-6: Notice the narrator calls Naboth’s land “the inheritance of my fathers” while Ahab refers to the land as “my vineyard”. Ahab does not understand covenant obligations and trust as it relates to the land.
• 21.4: “Sullen and angry” just like he was at the end of chapter 20.
• 21.7: Jezebel in effect says, “Don’t worry, mommy will take care of it”. The Hebrew shows a kind of superiority over Ahab.
• 21.8-14: The people of Naboth’s town were supposed to live in covenant fidelity with him—which at the very least meant keeping him safe and treating him with justice. Instead, the leaders of the town break covenant with him to please (appease) Jezebel.
• 21.15-16: It is not clear why Ahab is now free to take the land. Is it the king’s right or is he still acting illegally but no one dares challenge him?
• 21.17-19: Elijah is called back into action. He goes to Ahab (apparently no longer in fear for his life) and delivers God’s message.
• 21.20: Apparently, after their encounter on Mt. Carmel, Ahab still sees Elijah as an enemy. Mt. Carmel has not impacted him deeply enough to see Elijah as a possible ally if only Ahab would follow God.
• 21.19,23: Both Ahab and Jezebel will experience a punishment that fits their crime.
• 21.27-29: The power of repentance is brought forth in these verses. Even with all of his sin, the repentance of Ahab impacts God and causes him to delay disaster.

Day #179

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 17-19 - Audio
1 Kings 17-19 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

I Kings 17-19

Chapter 17 – Elijah Predicts The Drought

The prophet Elijah suddenly appears to announce to Ahab that there will be no rain in Israel – a judgment God had had long ago revealed to Moses as the appropriate punishment for idolatry. (Deut. 11:16-17) Elijah goes into seclusion for a time of testing where he is prepared for his life as a prophet, learning to trust God for provision. While Israel suffers Elijah drinks water from the brook and receives food carried twice a day by ravens. The prophet then goes to Zarephath where he meets a widow who is preparing one last meal for her son before dying. By faith she receives a miraculous provision of flour and oil. The main spiritual lesson in these two miracle stories is that even in times of trouble God will provide for those who trust in His word. When the woman’s son becomes ill, Elijah works yet another miracle and brings him back to life. (Literary Bible)

v. 1 – Baal is a god of lightening and storms. He is considered responsible for the fertility of the land. By withholding rain, God is showing His power in the very area of nature over which Baal is thought to have jurisdiction.

v. 9 – Zarephath is a town between Tyre and Sidon – a harbor city, flourishing manufacturing and an industrial city. Its importance here is that it shows that God had also produced a drought in Baal’s own home territory.

v. 18-20 – The widow seems to have been convinced of the truth of Elijah’s religion by the demonstration of God’s power in v. 8-16. When her son dies, she assumes that it must be the Lord’s doing. She blames Elijah for reminding God of her sin.

v. 21-24 – Part of the profile of fertility gods was the dying and rising cycle that was related to vegetation to the seasons period. The deity would “die” during the winter months and descend to the netherworld. He would be brought back out of the netherworld and restored to life in the spring to bring fertility back to the land. His power to enable fertility extended beyond crops to animals and people as well. As a god who regularly returned from death, it was believed that these fertility gods also had the power to occasionally restore life to someone who had died. Therefore, by restoring the boy’s life, Yahweh is again showing his power in the realm considered Baal’s central arena. (IVP)

Chapter 18 – The Baal Prophets

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Wicked Queen Jezebel has threatened to kill all of God’s prophets, but faithful Obadiah has hidden them in caves and is secretly bringing them what little food he has left. Even King Ahab must be suffering from the famine, for he is out looking for a little grass and water for his animals. When Elijah comes looking for Ahab, Obadiah warns him to keep his distance because Ahab has put a bounty on the prophet’s head. But the prophet is on a mission from God and insists on seeing the king. When Ahab finally has the chance to confront Elijah about the famine, he accuses him of being the “troubler of Israel”. But who is the real troublemaker here? Elijah knows that the real trouble of Israel is the worship of Baal which Ahab and his fathers have promoted. So this preliminary encounter story ends with the prophet proposing a dual: he will challenge all 450 prophets of Baal, winner takes all. The stage is set for the most heroic of all Elijah’s hero stories. (Literary)

v. 3 – Obadiah is a God-fearing man, but not to be confused with the prophet Obadiah.

v. 5 – The drought jeopardized Ahab’s government because the military depended on these animals and its’ chariot forces. Ahab’s reaction to the drought was purely practical and did not get to the heart of the issue: Who is sovereign over nature and life itself?

v. 18-22 – Although other prophets of God still existed in Israel at this time, Elijah’s emphasis is on his belief that he is the only one willing to take a public stand against Baal.

v. 27 – Myths of Baal portray him traveling, fighting wars, visiting the underworld and even dying and coming back to life. Elijah knew their beliefs and taunted Baal’s followers.

v. 28-29 – Baal worshippers cut themselves sacrificially to manipulate Baal into answering them. Such cutting was prohibited under Mosaic Law, but still was practiced by some.

v. 31 – Elijah emphasized the solidarity of the people, despite the division of the kingdom. Elijah also emphasized that the contest at Mount Carmel was not merely significant for Israel, but also for Judah. The altar of 12 stones and the 12 dousings with water (4 jars each emptied 3 times) recall the 12 tribes and the crossing of the Jordan into the promised land.

v. 45 – Jezreel was a second city of residence for Ahab.

Chapter 19 – Elijah Still Has Work To Do

Elijah comes down from his famous victory on the mountain top and descends into the valley of despair. Running for his life to escape Jezebel’s threat, the prophet loses trust and asks God to take his life. Elijah is feeling more than a little sorry for himself thinking he is the only righteous man left. God reaches down to Elijah and gives him food and rest and whispers to him with a still, small voice. God still has work for Elijah to do – prophets and kings to anoint who will fulfill God’s plans for Israel. Nor is Elijah God’s only man left: there are still 7000 Israelites who still refuse to bow down to Baal.

v. 3 – Elijah has shown himself to be a man of faith and courage who trusts God for miracles and moves to locations only in response to God’s commands. But “the word of the Lord” is absent in v. 3 and does not reappear until v. 9, when it takes the form of a question, clarifying that Elijah’s journey on this occasion was not divinely initiated.

v. 8 – Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai, where God first spoke the Ten Commandments (Ex. 19-20) to Israel. The forty days and forty nights of Elijah’s travels recall Israel’s own wandering in the wilderness (Num. 14) and Moses’ first journey on this same mountain. (Ex. 24)

v. 10 – Elijah seems to have forgotten his past: miraculous provision, raising of a dead child, and mighty acts of God on mountaintops. He mentions none of these, but only talks of Israel following other gods. Jezebel’s pursuit has turned massive victory into overwhelming defeat in Elijah’s mind. He is certainly not the only one left, but that is how he feels.

v. 20-21 – Elisha immediately leaves his normal job to follow Elijah. He kisses his parents goodbye and destroys his old means of sustenance (the 12 yoke of oxen).

Day #178

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 15:25-16:34, 2 Chronicles 17 - Audio
1 Kings 15:25-16:34, 2 Chronicles 17 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Daily Reading: 1 Kings 15: 25-16:34 & 2 Chron 17

Remember, although 1 Kings falls under “historical writings” in our English bibles, Jewish tradition considers them Prophetic. Tradition says it was written by Jeremiah. Even if this is not true, notice the frequent occurrence of prophets. Keep in mind that most prophesy in the Bible is not “predictive” but rather applies God's teaching (torah) to contemporary circumstances. Notice that Israel and Judah's kings are not measured by their worldly power, but measured by their following of Torah.

1 Kings 15:25-16.34 Kings of Israel

“From Nadab to Ahab. The fulfillment of the prophecy against the house of Jeroboam has been delayed until it has been made clear how differently God treats the house of David, whose wicked kings do not bring the downfall of the dynasty “because for David's sake the Lord his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem” (15:4). Now, however, everything turns out as Ahijah had prophesied in ch. 14.” (ESV Study Bible)

This is a very unstable time for the nation of Israel. In the course of 25 years, 5 kings sought power in Israel. Four of them came to a violent death. We can blame the recurring sin that each of these Kings commit: “the same sin Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit.” Briefly, this refers to the golden calves (resembling baals) set up at Bethel and Dan, which he told the people: “Here are your gods, who brought you out of Egypt (1 Kings 12).”

Nadab (1 Kings 15.25-32)

15.29 Jeraboam's line is short lived, Nadab only reigns 2 years. The murder of Jeroboam's family is a fulfillment of the prophesy in chapter 14.9-11: “You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have aroused my anger and thrust me behind your back. Because of this, I am going to bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam...” Most of the action that occurs in this section points forward to Baasha's time as king

Baasha (1 Kings 15.33-16.7)

Although the details of his war with Asa King of Judah are not recorded here, this is the same Baasha as yesterday.

15.34 While Baasha on the one hand is used by God to bring judment on Nadab (Jeroboam's son), he too committed the same sin as Jeroboam.

16.1 Enter prophet Jehu. Interesting that even though Israel has been in rebellion, God still refers to them as “my people.” The judgment Jehu announces is almost in the same words as the judgment given to Jeraboam. This make sense since the crimes are the same. With a just God, the judgment always matches the crime. (In our case, the penalty for our sin (death) has been taken by Jesus on the cross).

16.7 This is a tricky verse. We learn not only that Baasha was punished because he was like Jeroboam, but also because of the blood he shed in Jeroboam's family. But this judgment was God ordained. According to the ESV Study Bible: The fact that God had ordained that Jeroboam's house be destroyed did not absolve Baasha of moral responsibility for his actions.” God often punishes the people of Israel for shedding blood. We find this out way back in the times of Noah, when God points to the violence on the earth as his reason for sending the flood. A “way out” of this problem is that Baasha had gone far beyond the meaning of Ahijah’s prophecy, which mentioned only the killing of ‘every last male’ The purpose was that Jeroboam will be left with no male descendants who could lay claim to the throne. The language of 15:29 implies that Baasha went further than this and slaughtered the entire family. (New Bible Commentary)

Elah (1 Kings 16.8-14)

Elah's reign piggybacks on Baasha's. The details of Elah's reign closly mirror Nadab (a similar prophesy against his father comes to fulfillment after just two years). Both dynasties end with murder. Elah is infamous for being killed by one of his own officials while he was drunk.

Zimri (1 kings 16.15-20)

Zimri's seven day reign is the shortest of any Israelite King. With the power vacuum left by Elah, both Zimri and Omri try to claim the throne at the same time. Omri, though, had the power of Israel's army. He surrounds Tizrah, and when Zimri see's his cause is lost-he sets the palace on fire to cause as much damage as he can in his own suicide.

Omri (1 Kings 16.21-28)

Things get ugly during Omri's reign. His reign begins with a civil war that lasts an undefined amount of time. “The writer tells us nothing of Omri’s political stature. However, we can assume he was “noteworthy” by historical standards, which we glimpse only from Assyrian inscriptions and the Moabite stone (NBC).” At the least, he restored political stability by establishing his dynasty in Israel. The only other detail we know from the text is that the capital of Israel moves from Tizrah to Samaria. Rememeber, these kings are being evaluated by Torah. So all that gets recorded is that “he sinned more than any king before him.”

Ahab (1 Kings 16.29-34)

The next five verses introduce the rest of 1 Kings that will recount the reign of the most evil king in Israel's history: Ahab.

16.31 This verse tells us that he made the sins of Jeraboam look tame. It also links his establishment of Baal worship in Israel to his marriage of Jezebel. The fact that Ahab built the altar to Baal in Samaria (Israel's capital) suggests that he makes Baal worship the new “state religion” of Israel (NBC).

16.34 Jericho gets rebuilt during Ahab's time. The destruction of Jericho and command not to rebuild goes back to the very beginning of Israel's history in the promised land. This shows how fundamentally evil things got during Ahab's reign.

Jehoshaphat King of Judah (2 Chronicles 17)

17.1-6 “Jehoshaphat's actions at the start of his reign are directed toward reforming the nation's religious life and strengthening its military capabilities, no doubt in view of the border conflicts with the northern kingdom that marked the previous reigns. As long as he continues in this attitude of faith in God and loyalty to the ways of David (vv. 3–6), his kingdom will enjoy security and prosperity. On later occasions, however, Jehoshaphat will be drawn into alliances through marriage or military and commercial arrangements with the northern kingdom, and all of these will lead to potentially disastrous consequences (ESV Study Bible)” Jehosaphat is in stark contrast to Ahab: “he did not consult Baals” and did not follow “the practices of Israel.”

17.7-9 This is a true sign of devotion. Jehoshaphat mobilizes his resources to teach the people the Torah. This includes not only “moral” devotion, but more importantly standards of justice and guidelines for worship.

17.10-19 Because of the great armies Jehoshaphat is able to amass, even the Philistines respect his sovereignty. Lots more on Jehoshaphat in the days to come.

Day #177

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16 - Audio
1 Kings 15:1-24, 2 Chronicles 13-16 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

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• 1 Kings 15.1-24

• In Kings the son of Rehoboam is Abijam (My father is the Sea [god]), his Chronicles it is Abijah (My father is Yahweh). They are the same person and no reason is given for the name differenct. Kings gives a much shorter life story of both Abijam and Asa than the book of Chronicles.
• Asa’s reign is seen only in a positive light in the book of Kings. There is just a hint of the problems of Asa when we are told that he had a disease in his feet.

2 Chronicles 13-16

• 2 Chronicles 13.1: King Jehoboam is the first king of the Northern Kingdom. Abijah is the son that Rehoboam has picked to succeed him as king of Judah.
• 13.2: The recounting of this war goes far beyond anything recorded in the book of Kings. We find the emphasis on a masterful speech given by Abijah. It reminds the readers of Chronicles that the Davidic dynasty is the one God has selected and called to rule over Israel.
• 13.5: The speech begins with a reminder of the covenant God had made with David. Salt was used in treaties because it represented preserving thing. A covenant of Salt meant a covenant that was meant to endure.
• 13.9: The condemnation speaks of Israel seeking to put in place it’s own system of worship that ignores the God given place of the Levities. This action showed greater concern for holding on to power, than holding on to worshipping the true God.
• 13.9: Anyone who brings the right offering could become a priest. But more to the point, in calling these golden calves “no gods”, Abijah undermines the confidence that the soldiers of Israel have because their gods are on the battlefield with them.
• 13.10-11: At every point where the people of Israel have been unfaithful, Abijah proclaims the faithfulness of Judah. We see the recurring theme of the importance of right worship in these words. All told, this speech of Abijah is used by the Chronicler to call the people of his day to come under the banner of the Davidic dynasty and worship God rightly. In our own day, it is the same call. We are to bow down to one king: Jesus and we are to worship God in spirit and in truth.
• 13.21: Abijah’s number of wives and children reflect God’s blessing.
• 2 Chronicles 14.1: For the land to have rest is a sign of God’s blessing and of covenant faithfulness on the part of the king.
• 14.3: “high places” were often connected with the worship of idols. The “pillars” are known as Standing Stones.
• 14.4: “commanded” is a word that speaks of someone who has the authority or right to tell another what they are to do. The command to seek the Lord means to inquire or learn of God and his ways. The sense seems to be the people are supposed to inquire about the ways of covenant living so that they live a covenant lifestyle.
• 14.7: Building in the Ancient Near East was a sign of a successful and good king. It is interesting to see that the Chronicler uses a “secular” measure of success to show that all is well with Asa. Perhaps building is in fact not a “secular” but a “sacred” sign of success since God himself is about “building” a new Jerusalem. It could be that the human heart is drawn instinctively to that which God is doing and will do.
• 14.13: While God brings about the defeat, he uses the army as well. Notice, that the army is called the Lord’s Army. It is not Asa’s army or the army of Judah. God is the commander in chief. The map below shows the basic movement of the armies.
• 15.3-5: These verses refer to the time of the Judges when everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The flavor of this time and the lack of peace is captures in Judges 5.6“In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned, and travelers kept to the byways.
• 15.8: The hill country of Ephraim is in the land of Israel (Northern Kingdom). Asa has extended the land of Judah in a previous battle that we have not heard about.
• 15.8: “detestable idols: The word “idol” is not in the text. The full meaning of this passage is that Asa put away all detestable practices from food, to worship, to the idols themselves that were contrary to the right worship of Yahweh.
• 15.9: This large desertion of people from the North will precipitate an attack from the North that will be the end of Asa’s following God.
• 15.12-15: A renewal of the covenant of Sinai. This is the highpoint in the reign of Asa. All is going well, God’s blessing is on the nation, the people have listened to his command to seek God and his nation is secure.
• Chronicles 16.1: Baasha, King of Israel, has watched as many from his nation leave to go to Judah. This has brought greater power and economic prosperity to Judah, while weakening Israel. His solution to the problem is to block the boarder between Israel and Judah, building a kind of Berlin Wall to stop the movement of people and goods. It is a threat to squeeze Judah into submission.

Note: It is important to see that Asa’s sin is not that of making an alliance with Syria. Other Kings of Judah make treaties and alliances without a problem. Asa’s problem stems from:

• Making his choice out of fear rather than trusting in God
• Not seeking God’s wisdom in this time of crisis.
• Not being a person of prayer

Day #175

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 12-14 - Audio
1 Kings 12-14 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

12

"Shechem" = is a place of covenant renewal (Josh. 24:1–27), and the place also where kingship first briefly intruded itself into the tribal life of Israel (Judges 9). It is the ideal place for a prospective king to be invited and confronted with the question of how he is going to exercise his kingship.

Good Summary by the ESVSB on 1-33 = "The Kingdom Torn Away. As Moses once led his people out from slavery under the Egyptian pharaoh, so Jeroboam now leads Israel out from “slavery” under the house of David; but “Jeroboam as Moses” is soon transformed into “Jeroboam as Aaron” as he fashions golden calves for Israel to worship. Such idolatrous worship will eventually result in disaster for Israel." Here is a map of where all this took place:

4 = The people of Israel don't feel freedom anymore because the end of Solomon's reign was painful. They are looking for relief.

6-14 = A CALL TO THE ELDERLY! The following verses are why we need older and wiser people in the church. Us young guys need guidance and direction from those who have gone before us. The men who stood by Solomon understood that a gentle word breaks a bone. King Rehoboam chooses to break the people instead. It does not turn out well.

"scorpions" - Probably a type of whip, or just an expression saying that it will be much worse.

15 - Found in 11:11 & 11:31-36

16 = One is only a king with the consent of the people.

18 = Rehoboam insulted “all Israel” by sending the man in charge of the Canaanite slave work force. By sending Adoram, Rehoboam implied that Israel was to be dealt with the same way.

21-24 = God's prophetic word ends up stopping a war that could have ended Israel.

25-33 = Archaeology = A ritual complex from the ninth century B.C. has been discovered at Tell Dan. It consists of a square enclosure with a raised platform inside, perhaps as a base for a temple, and a sacrificial altar. This sacred center is possibly what remains of what Jeroboam erected at the site of Dan. -ESVSB-

27 = Jeroboam invents his own type of worship, almost pointing directly back to the golden calf of Aaron's in Exodus. I'm once again appalled by the stupidity.

27-33 = Jeroboam just can't stop committing great sins against God...creating improper worship, improper sacrifices, idols, etc....ugghhh

13

1-10 = A prophecy against the Bethel altar which is part of a larger miracle story. Specific mention of Josiah connects this to the fulfillment narrative associated with that king in 2 Kings 23:15–16. Proof of the validity of long–range prediction is a short–range prediction in v. 3 fulfilled in v. 5. The story cannot have achieved its current form until after the reforms of Josiah, ca. 620 BCE. Like the following story, this narrative emphasizes the importance of divine obedience. -JSB-

17-18 = The man lies to the prophet saying "by the word of the LORD..."

24 = The man did not listen to the word of the LORD, but instead listened to someone leading him astray. He disobeys God.

33 = Jeroboam will not stop sinning against God.

14

8 = A portion of Israel was torn away and given to Jeroboam so that he would walk in God's ways...However, he has failed miserably.

10 = Since Jeroboam has failed to be like David (v. 8) and has worshiped other gods as Solomon did (v. 9), his dynasty will come to an end for lack of male descendants. The Hebrew behind “every male” is literally “he who urinates against a wall” (see also 1 Sam. 25:22, 34; 1 Kings 16:11; 21:21; 2 Kings 9:8), and the imagery is thus connected to that of God’s judgment (as a man burns up dung or excrement until it is all gone). God is going to clean up Jeroboam’s house. The Hebrew behind bond and free appears on four other occasions in the OT (Deut. 32:36; 1 Kings 21:21; 2 Kings 9:8; and, in a slightly different form, 2 Kings 14:26). It is a difficult phrase to interpret, but probably is an idiom for the ability of the males of the royal house to be of strong help to the king; neither those who are important to Jeroboam in this regard nor those who are not will be able to assist him. A contrast with David’s dynasty is seen here: David “shall not lack” (lit., “there shall not be cut off for David”) a descendant on the throne (1 Kings 2:4; 8:25; 9:5), but Jeroboam’s descendants will be cut off. -ESVSB-

11 = Jeroboam’s dynasty will come to a dishonorable end, since the bodies mentioned will not be buried but will be eaten by dogs and birds (cf. 1 Sam. 31:8–13 for the importance of proper burial in Israel). Only Jeroboam’s son Abijah will escape this fate (1 Kings 14:13). -ESVSB-

12-13 - Jeroboam's son will die in 14:17-18

14 - Fulfilled in 15:29

16 - Clearly the reason all these evil things come to pass is sin.

21-31 = The End of Rehoboam. The story of Rehoboam’s reign, begun in ch. 12, has been delayed as the authors have followed Jeroboam through rebellion to idolatry and judgment, and on to death. They now return to what has been happening in Judah in the meantime. -ESVSB-

Day #173

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9 - Audio
1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

1 Kings 10

1-5) The queen of Sheba came to see for herself if everything she heard about Solomon was true. Contests using riddles or proverbs were commonly used to test wisdom. The queen may have used some of these to see if the reports of Solomon's wisdom were true. When she realized the extent of Solomon's great wisdom and his awesome wealth she was 'blown away" and no longer doubted his power or wisdom. No longer a competitor, she became an admirer. Her experience was repeated by many foreign kings and leaders who paid honor to Solomon.

In chapter 10 and in some earlier portions of 1 Kings we begin to get small hints that Solomon is beginning to drift from the Lord. Great success and money have a way of making us think we are too special to obey all of God's commands. So do cottages, AAU Basketball, and our overall sense of self importance. We skip worship without blinking an eye, but would never think of missing something as important as our kid's basketball game. Solomon's wisdom was from God, but he began to trust his own wisdom instead of simple trust in the Word of God. Perhaps that is the problem with all success; we become numb to our desperate need for God. We begin to feel above it all and that keeping the rules are for other people. Does our life-style indicate we are passionately seeking Jesus? In the recovering community it is well known that we are more likely to relapse when things are going well. We need meetings to constantly be reminded of our need for God and healthy spirituality. The church as well needs to be reminded that we are broken sinners and have a desperate need for God. We need to be following God's Word even more when the blessings flow.

26-29) Solomon begins to acquire horses and gold which is a violation of Dt. 17.16-17. The note from the ESV says, "All but one of the instructions about kingship in Deut. 17:16-17 have thus far been violated by Solomon. That remaining one (he must not take many wives) will be taken up in 1 Kings 11.

1 Kings 11

11-13) Solomon's incredible kingdom did not need to end; instead, it was heading toward a cliff. Solomon enjoyed God's blessing, love, and promises, and yet encouraged sin to remain all around him. Eventually it corrupted him so much that he walked away from God. As a result, he lost everything. It is not enough to start out with faithfulness to God's Word; we must remain faithful to the end.

The sin of Solomon is quite staggering to see, and its impact on the nation was devastating in every way. Solomon married foreign women, worshiped gods which required children to be sacrificed by fire, and introduced slave labor. Ultimately when leaders do not rule by the truth of God's Word there can be no social justice and oppression is the result. As we will see in Chapter 12 the conscription of people, the deaf ears to legitimate concerns, and the confiscation of wealth by leaders will end in serious division. The people who were oppressed in Egypt are now being led by leaders who are oppressing others.


14-22) Edom was the kingdom southeast of the Dead Sea. David had added this nation to his empire (2 Samuel 8.13-14). It was of strategic importance because it controlled to route to the Red Sea. Edom's revolt was disturbing the peace of Solomon's kingdom.


29-39) The prophet Ahijah predicted the division of the kingdom of Israel. After Solomon's death, 10 of 12 tribes would follow Jeroboam. The other two tribes, Judah and the area of Benjamin around Jerusalem would stay loyal to David's family.

Day #168

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8 - Audio
1 Kings 9, 2 Chronicles 8 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

1 Kings 9

Once again, Solomon and his successors are confronted with a choice. If they keep the covenant, walking with God the way their father David did, then their throne will be established forever. However, if they turn away from God to worship other deities, then Israel will be cut off from the land, and the very temple that they built for God will be utterly destroyed. History records the tragic choices that they made, and as the historian records the splendors of the Solomonic age, he is setting the stage to show how even the greatest earthly glories are forfeited when people abandon the one true God.

4 = "If you will..." - There is a condition being given here to Solomon...unfortunately we know that Solomon messes this up, big time.

7 = This happens to the nation of Israel as we will see in 2 Kings.

9 = This is our response today to what happened to Israel...go figure, the Bible was right.

11 = Hiram king of Tyre was first encountered in 5:1–18, where Solomon’s wise dealings with him were described. In one sense 9:10–14 simply confirms the impression gained there, that Hiram is the “junior partner” in his relationship with Solomon. The gold mentioned in v. 11 was not referenced in the agreement struck between the two kings in 5:1–18, but Hiram nevertheless supplied Solomon with as much as he desired. Solomon in turn “rewards” him with twenty cities of dubious worth. -ESVSB-

13 = The name Cabul was a pun meaning “like nothing,” an allusion to Hiram’s assessment of the region.

15-23 = Solomon’s labor force. Solomon conducted construction projects in many parts of his kingdom and depended on a combination of conscripted workers under a labor tax system as well as partially enslaved populations. The location of sites mentioned suggests that he felt threatened by Arameans northeast of the Sea of Galilee, Philistines from the coastal plain, and Egyptians from the southwest. The author drew this information from the same source as 5:27–31. -JSB-

15-28 = These are various things that Solomon did during his tenure. We can see that He was very powerful and had authority over the peoples.

2 Chronicles 8

1-16 = Solomon’s Other Accomplishments. Solomon’s further conquests and building projects are revealed, as well as his attention to matters of worship, both for himself and for the people. The success of Solomon’s various building projects are seen as blessings that follow his obedience in building the temple (which, along with his palace, took twenty years to complete). -ESVSB-

10 = 250: 1 Kings 9:23 reads “550.” Medieval commentators (Rashi, Radak) averred that the present v. refers only to Israelites, whereas 1 Kings ch 9 includes the foreign officials. Some have observed that the differential of “300” corresponds to a similar difference between 2:17 (3,600 overseers) and 1 Kings 5:30 (3,300 overseers); thus the total number is the same in each book. This explanation is problematic; Chronicles plainly states that Gentile overseers are involved at 2:17, Israelites here. The present v. may simply be the result of scribal error. -JSB-

*Again, as stated in an earlier post, the number translations/transmissions from Oral to Hebrew to present day English is finicky at best.

16 - The completion of the temple did not come with its building or dedication but with the institution of its regular services.

*Solomon is still faithful to God at this juncture.

Day #165

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5 - Audio
1 Kings 8, 2 Chronicles 5 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

This was the entrance of the ark. The most important part of the temple was the ark of the covenant, which contained the tablets of the law. Once the temple was complete, Solomon had the ark brought up and placed in the Most Holy Place. This dedication story shows how God gives His blessing on what Solomon has done by filling the temple with glory.

v. 2 – The dedication of the temple takes place in the seventh month during the Festival of Succoth (refer back to Lev. 23:33-43)

v. 3-4 – Moving the ark symbolized God becoming a God of permanent dwelling as opposed to a God of exodus.

v. 9 – The ark had once contained a jar of manna and Aaron’s rod. (Refer to Heb. 9:4) There was now nothing in the ark except two tablets of stone on which were written the 10 commandments. Nothing in the ark may also anticipate that nothing on earth can “contain” the Lord (v. 27). The ark was simply a witness to God’s covenant and a symbol of his real presence; it could not contain Him.

v. 10 – A cloud was often associated with God’s appearing in the OT and a cloud also covered the tabernacle when it was completed (Ex. 40:34-38)

v. 17 – In Solomon’s speech the word “name” is used to avoiding saying that God himself actually dwells in the temple. God’s presence in the temple was real and the people would get his attention by calling his name, but he was not to be thought of as “living” in the temple in any sense that would detract from the reality of his transcendence.

v. 25 – God promises in 1 Kings 2:4 that as long as they walk with God there will be a descendant of David on the throne.

v. 27-30 – Though God will dwell in the temple, it is not the only place where He is. He cannot be contained by space.

v. 31-32 – There are seven specific petitions concerning a legal case in which evidence or witnesses make it impossible to resolve the case in a normal fashion. God is invoked as judge to condemn the guilty and clear the righteous individual.

v. 33-40 – The next three petitions concern exile, drought and siege. In each case the cause of the problem is sin requiring forgiveness although God’s instruction is also requested.

v. 41-43 – The fifth petition is for the foreigner who prays toward the temple. Solomon desires that this person would know answered prayer and fear God’s name.

v. 44-45 – The sixth petition concerns when going into battle, God will hear their prayer and bring victory.

v. 46-51 – The seventh petition returns to defeat and exile. If exile takes place and the people should repent and pray, then God is asked to maintain their cause.

v. 62-66 – The people went home rejoicing, deeply satisfied in the realization that God’s blessing was on the king and the nation as a whole.

Day #164

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 4 - Audio
1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 4 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

Daily Reading: 1 Kings 7 and 2 Chronicles 4

Today's readings record the building of the Solomon's palace and decoration the temple built to YHWH. The reading is a bit tedious, but very visual in places. Pay special attention to the artistic furnishing of the place.

Fun Fact: Isaac Newton studied and wrote extensively upon the Temple of Solomon. He dedicated an entire chapter of The Chonology of Ancient Kingdoms to his observations regarding it. Newton was intrigued by the temple's sacred geometry and believed that it was designed by King Solomon with privileged eyes and divine guidance.

Note: There is a lot of overlap, so I will not provide separate notes on the two chapters.

1 Kings 7.1-12 Solomon builds his palace.

It takes almost twice as long for Solomon to build his palace as it did the temple. Remember that chapter divisions didn't occur until medieval times so 1 Kings 6.38 would read right next to 7.1. This may be a subtle critique of Solomon's priorities. “He built the temple in seven years, but as for his own house, he built it thirteen years and completed all of it (literally).” The royal complex, which comprised of several building, appears to be considerably larger than the temple. The “House of the Forest of Lebanon” ie the palace treasury and armory is alone larger than the temple. We also hear about an entire palace built especially for Pharaoh's daughter whom he had married. “This text raises some questions about Solomon's worldly ambition. It is a reflection of the vanity of Solomon and the dangerously compromising character of his reign (New Interpreters Bible Commentary.”

1 Kings 7.13-51 and 2 Chronicles 4: Solomon builds the temple

• Bronze Pillars:

• pomegranates (on top of the pillars): symbol of fertility. God is the God of our whole person: including our sexuality.

• Lilly (on the top of the pillars): a symbol of beauty. We find references to lilies in Song of Songs. In his excellent book Simply Christian,NT write points to the beauty we see around us as an echo of God.

• Sea of cast metal: a large metal basin designed to contain water, representing the forces of chaos subdued and brought to order by the Lord, who is Creator of the world

• Movable Stands: evidently used to cut up sacrificed animals. This explains their very “animal” decorations. The lion and the bull are symbols of nobility and strength.

• Palm trees (on the stands): represent victory.

Hiram from Tyre: an interesting thing to think about is that wile account of the work of Hiram for the temple parallels to some extent that of the work of Bezalel for the tabernacle (Ex. 36–38), and we are doubtless intended to note the broader parallel between the construction of the tabernacle and the building of the temple. However, while the tabernacle and its equipment were commanded in detail by God (Ex. 25–27, especially 25:9), no such claim is made here for the temple or its furnishings. (New Bible Commentary)

Make sure to read this passage alongside Stephen's sermon in Acts 7.47-48: But it was Solomon who built a house for him. “However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: ‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” Paul also calls the church (not the building) God's temple in several places. 1 Corinthians 3.16: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” This is far more profound than the most luxurious building of gold, bronze, and cedar.

Summary #22

Weekly Summary
Psalm 111-119, Proverbs 1-3, S.of Solomon, 1 Kings 1-4(Other Passages Between)

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Day #152

Sermon - Audio
1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72 - Audio
1 Kings 3-4, 2 Chronicles 1, Psalm 72 - Reading

Daily Insights - Please Comment

108

1 Kings 3-4

• 3.1: Solomon’s marriage to a daughter of Pharaoh tells us two things. First, that Israel is a prominent nation at the time, second, that Solomon is already heading down hill after having the kingdom established firmly in his hands.
• 3.3-4: Although Solomon is heading downhill, the writer of Kings points out that for the most part he still is following God’s covenant. Gibeon is the most important high place because the tabernacle is located there.
• 3.5: It was often the practice of people to sleep in a holy place in the hopes that God would come and speak with them.
• 3.7: “little child” –Solomon is about 30 years old when he becomes king. He is not a child literally, but he feels incompetent to rule wisely.
• 3.9: Solomon’s request for wisdom focuses on the ability to administer justice (cf. Moses and his role in administering justice in Exodus 18).
• 3.14: A long life is contingent on following the ways of the covenant.
• 3.15: “feast” is a special festive dinner with wine. The meal was to be one that was joyous and celebrative. Solomon’s holding this feast celebrates the promise that God has made to him.
• 3.16: Prostitutes usually became such in two ways. First, people would abandon infant girls to die. These girls would be found by those who ran brothels and they would be raised to be prostitutes. The second way that women entered prostitution was because of poverty. Parents would sell their daughters or a woman who found herself a widow or for some other reason living in poverty could turn to prostitution. We can imagine this is one of the reasons that care for widows was such a high priority for God, he did not want women ending up in this degrading place. In spite of God’s heart on this matter, prostitute still are part of Israelite society.
• 3.16-28: The story shows the wisdom of Solomon as he administers justice.
• 1 Kings 4 continues the theme of the wisdom of Solomon. His wisdom is shown in the administration/government that he puts together and in knowledge about God’s creation.
• 4.6: “forced labor” This group of people is mainly those who have been captured in wars with foreign nations.
• 4.7-19: These 12 districts are not the same as the 12 tribes. It seems that Solomon is trying to solidify his power and weaken tribal affiliations.
• 4.11,15: Two of the governors are son-in-laws of Solomon. This list, then, must come from a bit later in Solomon’s reign.
• 4.20-21: Again we see the writer of kings showing how God’s promises are kept. The people being as numerous as sands of the seashore fulfills God’s promise in Genesis 22.17 and 32.12. The extent of the nation’s boarders fulfills the promise of God to Abraham in Genesis 15.18 and 17.8.
• 4.24: Solomon enjoys the benefits that came from David’s battling against the nations. David had war, Solomon gets peace. This peace made possible Solomon’s focus on building the temple and his palace.
• 4.25: “Safety” The Hebrew word means to have a sense of well-being and security because you have someone you place your confidence in who will keep you secure. Here, given the context, the someone would seem to be Solomon who is living covenantally (in a manly way) and so protecting the entire nation.
• 4.25: Vine and fig tree is an expression that speaks of prosperity and peace. The vine and fig tree were symbols of both Israel and agricultural abundance. The picture comes from an actual practice of growing vines and fig trees so they go up walls and make for a shady place where people can sit and relax.
• 4.29: Solomon’s wisdom was broader than administering justice. Apparently God gave him a broad expanse of wisdom to understand creation and the wisdom (proverbs) to understand how to do life well.
• 4.34: The world comes to Solomon’s door to learn from him.

2 Chronicles 1

• Chronicles 1.1: The promise to the exiles that have returned to Judah in this verse is: when God is with you, great things can happen. Solomon will show his covenant commitment in this chapter as he faithfully makes preparations to build “the House” (Temple) and calls the people to join in the effort.
• 1.2: The event of Solomon’s speech includes “all Israel”. The Chronicler gives us a united nation seeking after God and a wise king leading them to God.
• 1.3: Solomon connects the beginning of his reign with the faithful servant of God, Moses. As Moses was a faithful leader, so Solomon seeks to be the same. His heart for such leadership will be revealed in his nighttime request to God in 2 Chronicles 1.7-13.
• 1.4: As his father had brought all the people together for the moving of the Ark, Solomon brings all the people together at the beginning of his reign. There is to be no favoritism toward any one tribe.
• 1.5: Solomon and the people seek out God at the tabernacle. They long to have his guidance as a new ruler takes his place. This will be the first, and only, peaceful transition of power in Israel. The peaceful transition is connected with seeking God’s wisdom and honoring him with sacrifices.
• 1.6: 1,000 is a number of completeness and fullness. Solomon did not offer 1000 sacrifices; rather he offered an abundance of sacrifice that reflected the completeness of his devotion.
• 1.7: It is likely that Solomon remained in the temple and slept before the altar seeking a vision from God as he began his reign. In the Ancient Near East people would sleep in temples or holy places in order to receive visions. Jacob receives a vision on the way to Laban’s. After he does, he declares that he has been in the house of God but he did not know it.
• 1.8: Steadfast love is covenant love. This connects to 2 Samuel where God makes his covenant with David to establish David’s line on the throne.
• 1.10: Solomon asks for wisdom to govern and to make judgments in difficult cases. (Remember the set up of Moses—the most difficult cases came to him, while other leaders handled the others. We see this hinted at in David’s reign when we find Absalom in the gate keeping people from going to his father to have their cases settled so Absalom can build a coalition to take over the country.) God not only gives him this wisdom, but as we find in the book of Proverbs he receives a wealth of other types of wisdom as well.
• 1.11-12: God is pleased with Solomon’s response because it shows his concern for being a godly judge, being a king who cares for the people and also the dynasty.
• 1.13: Solomon leaves the tabernacle and returns to Jerusalem to begin his reign. In a small way this foreshadows Jesus who spends 40 days in the wilderness and then begins his ministry.
• 1.14-17: God shows that he keeps his promises to those who are faithful to him. This theme of God’s covenant promises kept and covenant curses sent for the unfaithful will flow constantly through 2 Chronicles.

Psalm 72 is a royal Psalm that was used at the coronation of kings.

• The heading on this psalm says “of Solomon”. This is an interesting bit of info since in 1 Kings 10 the queen of Sheba points out that true leaders pursue righteousness and justice.
• The “of Solomon” also gives us some insight into the context of justice. We have a picture given to us in the story of the two prostitutes in 1 Kings that justice means giving wise and fair decisions
• Solomon’s reign is a cautionary tale because he starts out as a King of righteousness and justice and ends up be a person who is focused on himself
• An interesting point to this Psalm is that the king’s first concern is with the needy and afflicted and weak. Their blood is actually precious in his sight. This is an upside down way of looking at things. One might note that Solomon was known for his high taxes that sucked the life out of people and that his son Rehoboam promised to make things worse.
• Vs 17 tells that rulers should not only seek to bless their own people, but be a blessing to other nations as well.