Category: 1st and 2nd Kings-BibleTrekToday
Trek through 1st and 2nd Kings
More for us than against us!
Scripture Reading for April 11: 2nd Kings 4-8
I recently spent time with my father who is 92 years old and a veteran of World War II. He enjoys telling stories about his time in the service of our country. He was drafted in 1941 and spent 4 years in the Army as a messenger and driver for the officers of the Third Armored Division. He went ashore a few days after D-Day on Normandy beach and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He recently told me how he was driving an officer out in the front lines away from the company when he suddenly came upon a German tank. He did a u-turn before his officer passenger could say a word and beat a path for the cover of his company. As he topped a hill, a shell landed behind his jeep but he soon passed one of his own tanks who covered him. These memories are still vivid for my father who knew what it was like to be in enemy territory! Thankfully, there were more for him than against him that day!
Elisha and his men are cutting trees to enlarge the building housing the company of prophets. As they were cutting, the borrowed axehead flew off and fell into the water. Elisha cut a stick, threw it into the water, and the axehead floated to the top. God’s unseen hand was helping them!
The Arameans were angry at Elisha, who was warning the king of Israel about their plans of attack. They found out Elisha was staying at Dothan, and came at night and surrounded the city with soldiers, horses and chariots. Elisha’s servant went out the next morning and saw the great army and came back to Elisha alarmed. (2nd Kings 6:15) Elisha prayed that the servant would be able to see the forces on their side and his eyes were opened to see more for them than against them! (2nd Kings 6:16-17)
Elisha, under the direction of the Spirit, could see the unseen realities of God’s power and provision. He prayed for his servant, and the servant could see as well! Do you need fresh vision today? Why not ask the Lord to open your eyes!
“And Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened his servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2nd Kings 6:17
What can I do for you?
Scripture reading for April 10th: 2nd Kings 1-3
As the prophet Elijah was about to depart from this earth, he asked Elisha: “What can I do for you before I am taken from you?” (2nd Kings 2:9) The understudy wisely answered: “A double portion of Elijah’s spirit.” This is essentially the same question God asked Solomon a few years earlier. (1st Kings 3:5) At that time Solomon asked for wisdom to rule God’s people.
Elijah had been instructed by God to tap Elisha to take his place some ten years earlier. Elisha was the son of a farmer. He was plowing with 12 yokes of oxen–a big rig of that day! (1st Kings 19:19) He was called when Elijah threw his cloak over him. Scripture records that he left his oxen and ran after Elijah. Then he sacrificed his oxen, burning his plowing equipment to cook the meat. He set out to follow Elijah.
As the time for Elijah’s departure drew near, Elisha had to continually choose to stay near his mentor. Elijah kept asking him to go away, but he kept insisting on staying. Those who persevere to the end will reap a reward! Elisha asked for the double portion of his mentor’s spirit. Elijah could not give that himself. It must come from the Lord. Elijah gave him a word of knowledge–that if he could see him when he departed, he would have what he asked for. (2nd Kings 2:10-12) As they walked on together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and Elijah was taken to heaven in a whirlwind right before Elisha’s eyes! It was an exciting exit for the prophet Elijah and an exciting transition for the prophet Elisha as he picked up the cloak and began to do greater things than his mentor!
Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the final word from God. He had a mantle of the Spirit without measure. (John 3:34) He has told us to ask Him for whatever we need and He will do it. (John 14:14) He has poured out the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and bring forth the gifts of the Spirit as they are needed to glorify the Lord. He has told us that we will do even greater works because He has gone to the Father. (John 14:11-14) Ask God today for the things you need to follow Him and do His will!
Ahab–slow to learn!
Scripture reading for April 9th: 1st Kings 20-22
God used prophets to speak to the Kings of Israel and Judah. They were sent to give warning, direction, and advice for governing God’s people and providing protection from enemies. Heeding their word resulted in a victory and blessing; rejecting their word brought trouble and defeat.
God had already spoken to King Ahab and Jezebel through Elijah when he pronounced the drought of three years. (1st Kings 17:1) The cause of the drought was Jezebel killing the Lord’s prophets and feeding 950 prophets of Baal at the king’s table. Elijah confronted them with this truth and demonstrated God’s power in the contest on Mt. Carmel. (1st Kings 18:18-19) He then killed the false prophets and prayed for rain again on the land and God sent a storm! It should have been abundantly clear that listening to God’s word was important and that God’s prophets should be given respect.
God again sent a prophet to Ahab with instructions on how to defeat his enemy, Ben-Hadad king of Aram. (1st Kings 20:13) Ben-Hadad had a coalition of 32 kings and was using intimidation to steal from Israel and conquer. As Ahab obeyed the prophet, God worked a miracle and Ben-Hadad was soundly defeated. But Ben Hadad appealed to Ahab for mercy, and Ahab made a treaty with him and let him live without consulting the Lord! God then sent another prophet to speak a word of judgment. (1st Kings 20:41-43) Ahab would die for letting Ben-Hadad live when God wanted him dead!
Ahab next turned to coveting a neighbor’s vineyard to build a garden for himself. The neighbor, Naboth, refused to sell or trade the family property to Ahab. Ahab complained to his wife, who promptly set in motion a plan to get the vineyard through lies and manipulation. She had Naboth killed and took the property. God sent Elijah to speak word of judgment again. Some people are slow to learn and Ahab went about sulking.
Ahab is like many leaders in the church today. They have clear instructions in the Word of God about what God wants done, but decide to do things their way. God always gives each person time to repent. We can humble ourselves and learn from our mistakes or harden ourselves and end up in judgment. Would that we all would be quicker to learn!
Provision in dry times!
Scripture reading for April 8: 1st Kings 17-19
In 1975, our family went through a drought on the farm. It rained early in the year, but then quit after the crops were in. June and July had almost no rain and the corn grew and tasseled, but did not produce silks. Ears formed but no kernels were on the cobs. It looked very bleak for feeding our animals and paying the bills. The soybeans were shorter than usual, but it rained in August when they were blooming and they produced a good crop. God provided for us even in the dry year. Today we have a story from the days of the kings, when a drought was decreed by God through the prophet Elijah.
Elijah announced to King Ahab that no rain or dew would fall from the sky except at his word for the next few years. (1st Kings 17: 1) He then left in obedience to the instructions of the Lord. God promised provision to Elijah. He commanded ravens to feed him by the brook in the Kerith Ravine. After a few weeks, the brook dried up and God sent Elijah to a widow’s house in Zarephath. However, this widow was so poor that she was gathering sticks to cook her son a last meal from a nearly empty jar of flour and oil. Elijah asked her to bring him a little water and a piece of bread. He encouraged her not to fear, that God would provide for her until the rains came again. She obeyed and God provided meals for nearly three years from that empty flour bin and oil jar!
The times we live in are also dry in many ways. Our economy is very weak, many are laid off from jobs, and it seems as if there is a judgment on the land. In times like this, we must listen to the Word of the Lord! It is imperative that each person hears the instructions God has for them. Like the widow in this passage, we must always give to God first and trust that God will provide for us. The widow was taken care of during the drought because she took care of the prophet. Dry times need not be a problem for those who honor the Lord first and listen to His instructions! Living by faith is the abundant life!
Advice of the elders!
Scripture reading for April 7th: 1st Kings 13-16
“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:32
Old people are often marginalized in today’s world. This is not something new, for apparently Solomon’s son Rehoboam also discounted the advice of the elders of his day. When we disregard or disrespect those who have life experience and wisdom, we do so to our own peril!
Rehoboam became king. His mother was an Ammonite, one of Solomon’s many wives. Solomon had accumulated great wealth through forced labor and excessive taxation. The people appealed to Rehoboam to lighten the burden and harsh yoke of his father and they would serve him. He had decisions to make and wisely consulted the elders. (1st Kings 12:4-7) They advised him to serve the people and lighten the yoke on them. But Rehoboam rejected this good advice.
He next consulted his peers, young men he grew up with and who served him. These peers advised him to answer the people with harshness and more taxes. The new king refused to listen to the people or the elders and instead took the advice of his peers. This divided the people and fulfilled the Word of the Lord to Jeroboam through the prophet Ahijah. (1st Kings 12:13-16)
In the mean time, Jeroboam returned from Egypt and was made king over Israel. Only the tribe of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to David’s house. Rehoboam mustered an army, but was warned by a prophetic word from Shemaiah to not fight against his brothers. Rehoboam wisely obeyed this time but Israel became a divided kingdom.
This passage of Scripture reminds us of the importance of having ears to hear the voice of the Lord. God is always ready to speak to us, if we are willing to listen. Our hearts can easily be led astray by sin and selfish ways. We often find that those most easy to receive from are those we agree with. The younger generation often does not value the advice of the older.
Ask the Lord to help you with discerning His voice today. Identify an “elder” God has placed in your life who has been a source of wisdom for you. Thank the Lord for that person today. Call that person and thank them for their wisdom.
Fame, fortune, and falling away!
Scripture reading for April 5th: 1st Kings 9-11
“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.” Proverbs 27:21
Fame and fortune bring lots of praise from the lips of men. These blessings can easily lead our hearts away from faith in the Lord. God warned the Israelites that when they entered the promised land and settled down and became prosperous, they would be tempted to forget God. (Deuteronomy 8:10-13) In a sense, prosperity and fame can be a more difficult test than sexual lust. Solomon found this to be true.
After Solomon finished dedicating the temple and achieving all he had desired to do, God appeared to him a second time. God promised that He would hear the prayers said at the temple and watch over it. God then warned Solomon against turning away from Him and going after other gods. (1st Kings 9:6-9) God understood the test that Solomon would face as his fame and fortune grew.
Solomon was soon headed down a wrong path. His heart was not obedient to the Lord. He left the Caanites in the land and put them in forced labor. Solomon married foreign women and took 700 wives and 300 concubines from among the nations. God had warned that their hearts would be led astray to idolatry. (1st Kings 11:1-6) Solomon’s heart was not fully committed to the Lord and he did evil in God’s sight! He built high places for these gods of his foreign wives and they offered sacrifices, further angering God.
God raised up adversaries against Israel. Hadad the Edomite and Rezon from Aram (Syria) were both hostile towards Israel. One of Solomon’s own officials, Jeroboam, son of Nebat, also rebelled against the king. Solomon tried to kill Jeroboam, but he fled to Egypt.
We all think that it would be wonderful to have what Solomon enjoyed, but we must be reminded of how our hearts are tested by this. The pride and power of prosperity can make one as drunk as wine! God is jealous (Exodus 34:14) and will not tolerate idolatry. Many mighty have fallen through pride and idolatry!
Pray today for someone who has fame or fortune, who is in a position of authority and influence. Pray for God’s grace to protect and keep that person from falling away and leading others astray.
The Glory of the Lord filled the Temple!
Scripture Reading for April 4th: 1st Kings 5-8
Solomon had heard God’s decree that he would build the house where God’s Name would reside among His people. He knew of the desire of his father David and willingly offered himself to the Lord to build this “House”. (1st Kings 5:5) In building the temple, Solomon employed many people. Some came from lands outside Israel. Solomon made covenants with many nations and the nations were drawn to Israel during this time of peace. God granted favor and peace during the reign of Solomon for this purpose.
The temple was made of stone, cedar and pine wood, and precious metals. Craftsmen worked off site on the stones so that the temple could be assembled without saws, chisels or hammers used on the site. (1st Kings 6:7) The temple took seven years to construct with thousands of workers meticulously adding every piece and detail in precise order and design. (1st Kings 6:38) God is truly a God of order and a master craftsman!
The crowning moment at the dedication of the temple tells how God filled the House with His Glory! The priests had carried the Ark into the Holy of Holies and then withdrew. The priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud of God’s glory! (1st Kings 8:6-11) Solomon declared a blessing over the people gathered there and thanked God for His faithfulness!
Solomon then knelt down, raised his hands toward heaven, and prayed a magnificent prayer of petition and dedication! In this prayer are eight petitions of God to “hear from heaven” when His people call upon Him for help. The central focus is forgiveness! All of man’s troubles are caused by sin, either against God or man made in God’s image. The consequences of sin bring famine, disease, plague, war, and death. As God’s people cry out, God’s glory is that He will hear and forgive and act to bring healing and restoration!
Another focus of Solomon’s prayer was for the foreigner and those drawn to the temple from other lands and peoples. Solomon asks God to hear their prayer as well so that all peoples of the earth may know His Great Name and fear the Lord! (1st Kings 8:41-43, 60) This prayer reminds us of Jesus instructing his followers to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations! His house would be a house of prayer for all nations! (Mark 11:17)
What do you want from God?
Scripture Reading for April 3: 1st Kings1-4
I often ask people who come to me for direction in their lives a simple question. If you could do anything you wanted, what would you do with your life? This question opens us up to many possibilities and helps us discern the true desires of our heart. If we have truly committed our way to the Lord and delight ourselves in Him, He tells us that He will give us the desires of our heart! (Psalm 37:4) We will want what He wants!
Newly crowned King Solomon had an encounter with the Lord. He had gone to Gibeon to sacrifice to the Lord and that day offered a thousand burnt offerings! Extravagant worship marked the life of this newly anointed king! That night as Solomon lay asleep, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” (1st Kings 3:4-5) Solomon first thanked the Lord for his kindness to his father David in placing him on the throne. Then he confessed his need for God’s help in ruling His people. He asked for a discerning heart and wisdom to rule wisely. (1st Kings 3:7-9)
This pleased the Lord! Solomon was granted what he asked for! God gave him riches and honor in addition so that there would be no equal among kings of that time. (1st Kings 3:10-14) God’s Word has proved true in history in the life of this son of David!
As we think about the question God asked Solomon, what would you ask the Lord for today? Many would ask for riches and honor first, thinking about what would make them personally happy. When you are a worshiper of the Lord, your focus on God brings His desires into your heart. When we see God’s greatness and understand His great plan of reaching the world, we ask for wisdom and anointing to complete our mission.
Jesus Christ has been made to us wisdom from God! (1st Corinthians 1:30) We are told that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God for it and He will give us liberally! (James 1:5-7) He encourages us to make the same choice King Solomon made. Wisdom is found in knowing Jesus Christ and daily drawing from His wisdom.
Sunday Rest and Reflection:Powerful Bones
Dear Friends,
Greetings in the Glorious Name of Jesus Christ! What a beautiful season of the year! Spring is in full swing here in Kentucky and gardens are growing, trees are full of leaves and flowers are blooming everywhere! New life is springing forth as we have passed Resurrection Sunday and move toward Pentecost Sunday! I pray that you are enjoying a day with God’s people and resting in His great love and care!
Reflecting on this past week’s reading and all that transpired in the history of Israel and Judah, I remembered a small incident that relates to the resurrection that is worth noting. Elisha the great prophet of the time of 2nd Kings had died and was buried. Later a band of Israelites were burying a man when a group of Moabite raiders interrupted their grave digging; they threw the body of the man in the tomb of Elisha. When the dead body touched the bones of Elisha, the man came back to life and stood on his feet! (2nd Kings 13:20-21)
We remember that Elisha had a double portion of Elijah’s spirit granted to him. He was powerful in ministering the miraculous and had himself raised a woman’s son to life. It is hard to understand, but the power of God must still have been present in Elisha’s bones.
We now have the Holy Spirit residing in us and our bones are also charged with resurrection power. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will also quicken our bodies and raise us up in a glorified body! Our bones may be aging and we may have aches and pains, but we who have had contact with the body of Jesus Christ have already been raised and seated with Him in the heavenly realms! (Ephesians 2:6) We are just waiting for the final fulfillment! God is so good to give us glimpses of our future and strengthen our faith in resurrection!
In His Love, Pastor John
Marks of Revival
Scripture reading for April 16th: 2nd Kings 22-25
I long to see a real revival in my time and in my day! I want my children and grandchildren to experience a genuine move of God that makes God real to them, not just something that their parents or grandparents tell them about. In today’s reading, we get insight into a revival in Judah that was instituted by one of the youngest kings, Josiah.
Josiah came into office at 8 years of age and when he was 26, he made a discovery that brought revival! Hilkiah the high priest, in his work in the temple, had uncovered the lost Book of the Law. He gave it to Shaphan, the king’s secretary who took it to Josiah, who asked that he read it to him. As Josiah heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes and sent his officials to inquire of the Lord about what he heard. He knew that the Lord must be angry because of their neglect of His word and disobedience.
They went to Hilkiah the priest who directed them to Huldah the prophetess. She told them of the Lord’s anger against idolatry. She also told them to tell King Josiah, that because he humbled himself and sought the Lord, that the anger would be averted during his lifetime! Prayer and humility have a definite appeal to the Lord. He would rather show mercy than judge! Even though this king was young, he was very humble and responsive to the Lord’s word.
Josiah called together all the elders and leaders and people of Judah and Jerusalem and read the words of the Book of the Law to them. He renewed the covenant to obey the Lord and ordered the high priest to remove any idols from the temple and it’s grounds. He did away with pagan priests and desecrated all the pagan places of worship. He stopped child sacrifice to Molech and did away with sun worship. He then celebrated Passover according to the Book of the Law! (2nd Kings 23:4-21)
Revival brings godly repentance and delivers many from judgment. Revival starts with the word of God being read and believed. Revival comes with a godly fear of the Lord and trembling at His decrees. Revival tears down idols and removes pagan worship. Revival restores biblical worship and faith in God’s sacrifice! Pray for revival today!