June 2015 Bible Study Companion

The Bible Study Companion

Reflections, questions, and observations on God’s Holy Word

June

More than a Bible reading plan, the Bible Study Companion goes beyond a mere reading of the Word. The Bible Study Companion asks difficult questions about the text. It searches for a deeper meaning behind the stories and events in the Bible. In addition, it helps bring clarity to some confusing passages in the Bible.

The Bible Study Companion is a series of 365 daily readings that walks you through the Bible in Chronological order.

How to use the Bible Study Companion: Read the daily scripture using the translation of your choice.

For insight, observations and questions about each day’s passage refer to the study notes in this guide.

Make notes and ask questions as you study the Bible as well.

Presented by Gregory L. Jones, Pastor West York Church of the Brethren http://www.westyorkcob.org

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June June 1: Proverbs 17-19 Proverbs 17 • Proverbs 17:5 I watched this happen at high school basketball games. Some fans were more interested in the other team failing than in our kids excelling. The hottest emotions were for missed foul calls against our team. But no one seemed upset if the ref missed a foul our team made. I suppose that if we can get bent out of shape over some high school sporting event, I suspect we can do the same in other areas of life as well.

• Proverbs 17:8 No, this is not encouraging bribery. The Bible has already spoken against this (Exodus 23:8, and Proverbs 17:23). We must view this as merely an observation of life, not an encouragement to offer a bribe. “Pay someone off and things will go your way,” unless, of course, you happen to meet a judge who does not take bribes.

• Proverbs 17:27 Looking back over what I have written so far this year, it appears I’m not as wise as I had thought. I can’t believe how many words I have written!!!

• Proverbs 17:28 My junior high shop class teacher had these words posted above the door to his office. I didn’t get it then. I didn’t even know where they came from. I tell you, I know a lot of people who share their opinion on every subject imaginable. And their incessant blabbering really does make them look like a fool.

Proverbs 18 • Proverbs 18:13 Amen Solomon. Amen. Can I post this atop the minutes to the next Board Meeting?

• Proverbs 18:17 This Proverb guided me years ago and still guides me today. Listen to all sides of the issue before making a decision. Sadly, most people come thinking their opinion and preferences are the best. Well, it might be what’s best for them, but not 3

what’s best for the whole church. Why won’t people sit down and listen to what others are saying? Why won’t they listen to the opinions of others before coming to a decision?

• Proverbs 18:19 This is painfully true.

Proverbs 19 • Proverbs 19:3 God gets blamed for a lot of things, but for most of them, we should be blaming ourselves. “Why would God take my son from me” the mother cries. Well, God wasn’t the one driving 90 miles an hour along a twisting country road.

• Proverbs 19:9 Yes Lord, but just how soon will this happen? That’s the whole point here, isn’t it? Most of us like the idea that someone who lies and gossips about us will be punished, but we would like to know the day and the time.

June 2: Proverbs 20-22 Proverbs 20 • Proverbs 20:1 I’ve often felt that those who were too passionate about drinking were not the wisest people on the earth. I thought this, but never said it. I didn’t want to appear judgmental. Thanks Solomon for saying it for me.

• Proverbs 20:9 No one can claim they have cleansed their heart of sin, not even a Christian. Christ’s work on the cross does not make us sinless, it merely covers our sin.

If my sin was completely washed away at Calvary, then what does it say about Jesus the next time I sin. To say that Jesus washes away our sin implies that His work was not sufficient the next time we sin • Proverbs 20:22 Yea Solomon, but this is so hard to do. I hate waiting. And then, like Jonah, God might show grace, and that would really tick me off.

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• Proverbs 21:3 Does that mean I can skip my tithe because I’ve been really, really good this week?

• Proverbs 21:9 Tempting, oh so tempting to say something here. But I don’t want to start an argument. My only question is this; can the same be said about an abusive, argumentative husband?

• Proverbs 21:18 Surely this cannot be true in this life. However, saying that “The wicked receive punishment instead of the righteous” makes this verse a bit more clear.

Proverbs 22 • Proverbs 22:2 Yup, this much is true. Knowing this should kind of tear down the class barriers. Should, but it seldom does. And before you think I’m getting all judgmental about the rich, let me remind you that we are living in a time when the middle and poor class are far more judgmental about the rich, than the rich are about them.

• Proverbs 22:10 So, is there anyone from you church board that should be removed?

Maybe if you did, the meetings would be much more peaceful.

• Proverbs 22:15 My heart was never filled with foolishness, right? At least that’s the way I remember it. Anyone want to help me remember?

• Proverbs 22:24-25 I find this to be true. Hanging around someone with a hot temper seems to rub off. Irritability breeds irritability.

June 3: Proverbs 23-24 Proverbs 23 • Proverbs 23:4-5 There is nothing wrong with being industrious, just don’t get carried away for the wrong reasons. A person today is wise when their level of debt is reasonable. But I know too many who must have more and more, so they work long and hard to get more and more. Yet they never have time to enjoy the more they purchased.

Doesn’t make sense to me.

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• Proverbs 23:13-14 I guess I’m living proof that this Proverb is true.

• Proverbs 23:29-35 When I was in Radio, I was often hired to broadcast live from some local bar. They were filled with the most miserable people I’ve ever met. I don’t despise people who frequent the bars, I pity them. I’ve never seen so many people filled with so much pain.

Proverbs 24 • Proverbs 24:10 Interesting statement here. Some personalities just seem to naturally thrive under pressure, while others do not. This is not necessarily a rebuke against a personality but a statement about who should lead and who should not.

• Proverbs 24:16 There is a saying people need to hear today. Too often when a Christian falls down, they stay down. They should not. Okay, so they stumbled; so they made a mistake. We all do. Truthfully, it is the times we fall when we need God the most.

When we are down, the grace of God is there. Our Salvation is not based on perfect living but in faith for the One who makes us perfect.

• Proverbs 24:17 I agree that this statement is true, but I don’t see it happening very often, even among believers.

• Proverbs 24:30-34 I watch this happen to people’s homes. They are neglected and left to fall into disrepair. Then what they have spent their hard earned money on will be of no value. This is why I take care of the things I own. I’ve spent a lot of money on them, and it would be foolish to just let them fall apart. I don’t know if it’s laziness or foolishness, but the way some people care for their property makes me shake my head.

June 4: Song of Solomon 1-8 Some Bible translations introduce this book as Song of Solomon (like the NASB for example).

Others call it Song of Songs. Whatever its title, it is, without a doubt, one of the most complicated and mysterious books in the Bible. Yes, even more so than Revelation. It has been interpreted as an allegory with hidden spiritual meanings. Some have interpreted it as an 6

extended type, with Solomon typifying Christ and the beloved symbolizing the Church. Some say that it is simply a drama written by Solomon. Some view this as a collection of Syrian wedding songs and others see it as a collection of pagan fertility cult liturgies. The Bible

Knowledge Commentary says, “Many evangelical scholars interpret the Song of Songs as a lyric poem which has both unity and logical progression. The major sections of the Song deal with courtship (Song 1:2-3:5), a wedding (Song 3:6-5:1), and maturation in marriage (Song 5:2-8:4). The Song concludes with a climactic statement about the nature of love (Song 8:5-7) and an epilog explaining how the love of the couple in the Song began (Song 8:8-14)”. 1 I don’t think we should be surprised that God made sure a book on love made it into the Bible.

Love is, after all, His creation. And considering that the book reaches intimacy only after marriage seems to affirm God’s earliest commands.

It’s obvious that Solomon was the author of this book, but it does seem strange that a man with 700 wives and 300 concubines would author a book on faithfulness in marriage. Perhaps it was written after he married his first wife. If so, then the date would be around 971 BC before he fell into the sin of polygamy.

Song of Solomon 1 • Great sexual desire can be seen in this section, but if you look closely there is also great restraint. Viewing this as a lyrical poem, we can see the courtship section.

Song of Solomon 2 • As the courtship continues, Solomon and his beloved spend more and more time together. It seems that the woman did not feel worthy of Solomon’s affections at one time (Song 1:6), but now she finds herself dining with the King (Song 2:4). Incidentally, I wonder how many campers realized they were singing from Song of Solomon when they sang “His Banner Over Me Is Love”?

Song of Solomon 3

1 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). Vol. 1: The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1009). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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• Song 3:1-4 In the previous chapter, the bride found these three things all women want in a relationship: protection by her lover, intimacy with him, and visible expressions of love. These things help a woman develop a sense of security and self-worth. These are the things a man needs to give to his bride. It will contribute to a stable marriage. But when the king returned to the palace she was left alone in her home. That night she had a dream that she had lost her beloved. In her dream, no one could help her, not even the watchman. Eventually, she finds him and brings him back to her home. All I can say is that it is the wise man that never lets his betrothed or his wife doubt about the relationship. She should never be left to figure out your love for her.

• Song 3:6-11 The wedding day is finally here. Except for Proverbs 2:17 and Malachi 2:14 marriage covenants are not mentioned in the Old Testament. Most of these were sanctioned by civil contracts. Consider the Marriage between Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 4:111). It happened before the elders of the town, not the religious leaders. A central part of the marriage was the procession to the bride’s home led by the groom, who then escorted her back to their new residence. The groom came and got the bride. Along the path to her house friends and family would light the way with their lamps filled with oil. Traveling with Solomon were 60 of his personal bodyguards. This was a spectacular event. The carriage was elaborate as well. Solomon spared no expense.

Song of Solomon 4 • Song 4:1-7 This is the wedding night. Please read this section responsibly. But all joking aside, we see here that the passion these two people had was expressed within the confines of marriage. It did not happen before, at least according to this narrative. That’s important. On another note, may I just say the metaphors Solomon used here are somewhat unusual for our day and age. I’m not sure a flock of goats is the best way to describe someone’s hair. Whatever descriptions Solomon used, they would have been unusual for this woman to hear. Remember that she was a dark woman. But in the Ancient Near East a woman with fair skin was thought to be beautiful. However, even though Solomon’s bride did not meet society’s standard of beauty, to him her beauty was striking. Do you see the value of Solomon’s words? They were not spoken out of lust but 8

out of tenderness and affection. He knew what she must be thinking about herself, so he spoke the exact words she needed to hear.

• Song 4:8 Solomon asks his bride to put her fears and worries behind her and join him in Jerusalem as the wife of the King.

• Song 4:9-11 Solomon praises his bride’s love and affection. She is so intoxicating.

• Song 4:12-15 Solomon praises his bride’s purity. Comparing her to a closed garden speaks of her integrity. Just as the plants in the garden were unusual, so was Solomon’s bride. She was probably strikingly different than the other women Solomon knew back in Jerusalem; women who were manipulative and scheming; women who were always flirting and dancing and teasing. Solomon’s bride still had integrity; a rare trait even today.

Song of Solomon 5 • Song 5:1 The end of this verse (Eat Friends and be drunk) could not possibly mean that Solomon’s friends were in the room with them on their wedding night. That’s not even acceptable today. Then who could probably look upon these newlyweds and encourage their sexual activity? Perhaps it was God. Perhaps God had inspired their consummation on the wedding night. He would have been the only other one in the room.

Since their love came from Him, and they were experiencing this love within the boundaries of marriage, this night received His approval.

• Song 5:2-7 After the marriage there arose a problem. It seems the bride developed a slight indifference toward Solomon. We don’t know why, but the problem presented itself in a dream. Again she could not find her love.

• Song 5:8-16 When the other women in Jerusalem asked what her beloved was like (remember, this is a dream), her description here awakens her desire for him once again.

Too often, a husband and wife will spend more time focusing on the things that irritate rather than the things they love. Sometimes the best cure for marital apathy is to recall what you love about one another; what drew you together in the first place. However, if 9

you have built your relationship upon sex, there may be no cure for the apathy and irritability that creeps into all marriages from time to time.

Song of Solomon 6 • Song 6:1-3 The separation of this couple was emotional, not physical. She tells the Daughters of Jerusalem that she knows where he is (in the garden), but it’s obvious that she has opened up to him emotionally (I am my beloved’s).

• Song 6:4-7 Solomon’s love was finally returned to his bride. Whatever had caused the emotional distance was overcome, and he spoke once more of her beauty and integrity.

• Song 6:8 A few Bible Scholars see this as a reference to the Daughters of Jerusalem who had been helping bring the couple back together. Others see this as a reference to Solomon’s harem, early on of course. True, Solomon would eventually have 300 wives and 700 concubines (1 Kings 11:3), so perhaps this wife was jealous of them. But I’m not sure this is the most accurate interpretation. On the one hand, I can see from the text how they could be viewed as the Daughters of Jerusalem. But based on what we read about Solomon, the other interpretation has a bit of truth in it as well. Whichever interpretation is accurate, both bear an essential truth; Solomon’s infatuation with other women put a strain on their relationship.

• Song 6:11-13 As the bride went down to the garden looking for her beloved, she was overjoyed to hear him speak such word of love. In Song 6:12 she became enraptured; she was beside herself with joy. It made her feel as if he had “placed her on the chariots before the people”. The Hebrew word rendered “Shulammite” is actually the feminine form of the name Solomon. Thus, it means the “Solomoness.”

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Song of Solomon 7 • Song 7:1-9 As the couple matures we see the imagery becoming bolder in this section as opposed to their wedding night. When reading this section, try not to visualize the actual object (Belly like a heap of wheat), but look for the metaphor. A sack of wheat is 2 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (So 6:11–13). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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something that sustains us. Solomon is sustained physically simply by the nearness of her body. Her breasts are no spotted and brown, but like a young fawn, they cry out to be gently touched and caressed. Okay. I think that’s enough interpretation for now.

• Song 7:10-13 In the previous section Solomon took the initiative in their lovemaking. In this section, the beloved makes a direct, unashamed plea for sex.

Song of Solomon 8 • Song 8:1-4 In the Ancient Near East public displays of affection were frowned upon, except for certain family members. The woman wished Solomon was like her brother so she could publically display her affection for him.

• Song 8:5-7 This section summarizes Song of Solomon. This book is a description of love. From an empty and a barren heart comes new life in the arms of one who loves and devotes themselves to you. Once ignited, the feelings of love are difficult to quench. And Solomon is not talking about lust here. He is talking about finding beauty and completeness in the one to whom you give your heart. Knowing that someone has committed themselves to you in spite of your imperfections becomes a bond that is not easily broken (like death), and a treasure that money cannot buy.

• Song 8:8-14 It seems when the beloved was still a girl, she was raised by her brothers.

Before she had even met Solomon, her brothers worried about what kind of girl she might be. Would she be a woman of integrity, or would she flirt with every guy that happened to come along. She says that she remained pure (like a wall), not promiscuous (like a door).

It seems that Solomon had leased a vineyard to her family. It was expected that they would grow enough grapes to raise 25 pounds of silver. They kept 5 for themselves. This girl worked in the vineyard (Song 1:6), and apparently that’s where the two of them met.

Let me just summarize this book briefly here. Sex within the boundaries of marriage is not dirty. The physical attraction between a MAN and a WOMAN is all part of God’s design. But it also honors finding pleasure on one another’s personalities. Song of Solomon paints these sexual boundaries quite clearly. Moral purity before marriage is praised (Song 4:12).

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Premarital sex has no place in God’s plans (Song 2:7; 3:5). And faithfulness before and after marriage is not only expected but is honored as well (Song 6:3; 7:10; 8:12).

June 5: 1 Kings 11, Ecclesiastes 1 1 Kings 11 • 1 Kings 11:1-8 Solomon’s heart becomes lured away from God, breaking yet another command of God’s (Deuteronomy 17:17). I’m not sure if Solomon simply ignored God’s warning or if he felt that he would be immune to the temptation. I suspect he thought that God’s warning was for someone not as wise or smart as he. I suspect Solomon felt he was strong enough to remain steadfast. But he wasn’t. Neither are we. None of us is strong enough to surround ourselves with temptations and resist them all the time.

• 1 Kings 11:5-7 Ashtoreth was a fertility goddess of sex. Molech was worshiped by child sacrifice (forbidden in Leviticus 18:21). Chemosh was also worshiped by a sacrifice.

• 1 Kings 11:9-13 Still God displays mercy. Still he says that a remnant will be spared.

God is truly gracious. I wonder if it was at this point Solomon realized his mistake and began to turn back to God. Was it now that he wrote Ecclesiastes?

• 1 Kings 11:14 What was the purpose of allowing Hadad to pester Solomon? Why did God permit him to be a thorn in the flesh? It was not to destroy Solomon but to get him to open his eyes and turn back to God. I’m not sure it worked, but I am sure it made Solomon stop and think. By now, because he had married so many wives, there was little he was willing to do to cleanse Israel. I only hope that Solomon had cleansed his heart.

We just don’t know.

• 1 Kings 11:23-25 Rezon is also permitted to be a thorn in the flesh for Solomon, always making trouble.

• 1 Kings 11:26-40 This is the rebellious servant God had spoken about earlier.

Truthfully, we’ve seen hints of this division many times in the past (when David returned to Jerusalem, for example – 2 Samuel 19:41-43).

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• 1 Kings 11:40 Jeroboam flees to Egypt and hides out with Shishak, who would later invade Judah once Solomon dies. Do you think Jeroboam told him all about the gold and the wealth of the Temple?

• 1 Kings 11:41-43 Sad, isn’t it, that the one most gifted to succeed ends up failing. But the lesson for us is that success in life (God’s view of success) does not come automatically with the possession of wisdom but with the application of wisdom to one’s life. Spiritual success depends not only on insight but also on choices.

Ecclesiastes There are some modern scholars that claim Solomon did not write this book. They base their theory on the style of the Hebrew used in this text. It doesn’t match the style of the Hebrew language used at that time in history. It had to be written much later, say 350-250 BC, sometime after the exile. They argue that Solomon does not mention himself directly, but it doesn’t take a scholar to pick up on the subtle clues here and there within the book. The author identified himself as a “son of David” and a “King of Jerusalem (Ecclesiastes 1:1). He also said that he was wiser “than anyone who [had] ruled over Jerusalem before” him (Ecclesiastes 1:16); that he was a builder of great projects (Ecclesiastes 2:4-6); and that he possessed numerous slaves (Ecclesiastes 2:7), incomparable herds of sheep and cattle (Ecclesiastes 2:7), great wealth (Ecclesiastes 2:8), and a large harem (Ecclesiastes 2:8). In short he claimed to be greater than anyone who lived in Jerusalem before (Ecclesiastes 2:9).

Reading Ecclesiastes can be a bit depressing, unless you understand what Solomon is trying to say. Possibly written near the end of his life, Solomon has pursued happiness, yet never found it, and never seemed to be content. Solomon looked for meaning and purpose in the things that moth and rust destroy (Matthew 6:19-20). So at some point in his life, Solomon looks back and is shocked at how much of his life he wasted pursuing happiness. He is actually passing along very sound advice. A person will never find contentment, happiness, and fulfillment in the temporary, fleeting things in this world. These things can only be found in a life surrendered to God. When you read Ecclesiastes, don’t let the negativity get you down.

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• Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat history. It’s that simple. What has happened in the past will happen again. Oh, the circumstances will change, but kingdoms will rise and fall. Down here on earth (under the sun), what we do has no lasting value. All that we build will one day crumble back to dust. This opening rhetorical question is designed to leave us without an answer. What can we say to Solomon’s argument? He’s right. And the fact that he is right is so darn depressing.

• Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 His first pointed argument is against enlightenment. Solomon thought that if he could figure out life then things might finally make sense. But the closer he looked at the heart of Man, the more depressed he became. This is akin to science working so hard today in order to make our lives more comfortable and healthy. But regardless of how smart we get or how hard we try, there always seems to be one more problem, one more thing broken within humanity that no one can fix (no one apart of th

Jesus, that is). In the first half of the 20 -century humanity was convinced that science would solve many of the world’s problems before the turn of the next century. Oddly st

enough, the 21 century brought with it a whole new set of problems needing to be solved or cured. The idea that science and learning can make life better can be seen in most of th

the classic science fiction of the mid-20 century. Consider the television show Star Trek.

It claimed that human ingenuity and scientific advances would enable us to break free of this broken world, and reach out to help those struggling in other worlds (without violating the Prime Directive, or course).

June 6: Ecclesiastes 2-6 Ecclesiastes 2 • Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Finding no meaning in becoming smart enough to fix the world, Solomon next spent his time just enjoying the world, broken as it was. Perhaps fulfillment and meaning could be found in the pursuit of happiness. But unlimited pleasure and possessions still left Solomon empty and unfulfilled. Solomon couldn’t fix this broken world, and even all the pleasures of this broken world did not fill the emptiness he found 14

deep within his heart. Somehow I wish I could get the world to see that things will not help you sleep at night; that consumerism is more than merely spending money to possess things. At the heart of consumerism, we find that “things” and “money” actually consume you.

• Ecclesiastes 2:12-17 As Solomon reflected back upon what he has learned so far, at least he is smart enough (wise) to avoid the trapping in this world that lead to death (He doesn’t smoke, drink, or chew, or go out with girls who do). And yet, oh boy, here it comes, no matter how many wise choices he makes in life, he’s still going to die just like the fool. I can wear my seat belt, drive the speed limit, and drive defensively, yet still die in a crash just like the reckless drunk who drives the wrong way down the freeway. What has all my “wisdom” gained me? It’s obvious from passages like these that Solomon did not have his eyes set on a life after death, and perhaps that was on purpose. Remember that he is trying to get people to look at the futility of this life; this life Under the Sun. • Ecclesiastes 2:18-26 Having discussed the futility of human achievements in general, and the futility of his own achievements in view of death, Solomon tried to find any value in all that he had done; in all of his hard work. Guess what, it too was vanity of vanities.

Solomon had worked real hard to establish a prosperous business, but what will become of it when he is gone? Will his children take care of the business, or will they run it into the ground. Talk about something to keep you awake at night! Perhaps instead of finding meaning and happiness in the things you can purchase, maybe you should just be thankful for life; that God has provided you with enough food to eat, clothes to wear, and a family to love. It’s sad, but many people have those three things, yet consider their life empty and meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 3 So far, Solomon has shown us the Vanity of Human Wisdom. Here he continues to express the vanity found in human labor; specifically in chapter three the vanity in trying to control things in this world that we can’t.

• Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 The emphasis in this section is on the activity of people; the willful, deliberate desires of humanity to keep bad things from happening. Solomon gives 7 15

situations in which there will be times of delight and contrasts that with 7 situations in which there will be sorrow. No matter how hard we try to impose our will on each of these situations, God is still in control. The lesson Solomon is trying to point out here is not that these 14 opposite things impose their will upon us (as it is commonly interpreted), but the vanity of trying to impose our will on them.

• Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 Most of us know that there is something wrong in this world; something that we just can’t seem to figure out. The wicked get rich. Good people die young. The innocent are punished. Lazy people always seem to get the right jobs. Most Christians seem to understand that this is a fallen world in which we live and often times evil seems to thwart the plans of the righteous. So we Christians work and pray and preach and protest trying to make things just a little better. And yet for all our hard work, has the world really changed? Has the Labor of our hands changed the personality of this world one bit? The answer is no, our labors have not. But, God has done some beautiful things in this world. And He has changed these things by working THROUGH us. He is the One to bring redemption, but he gave us the task of preaching that redemption. God is the One who offers grace through His son, but we are the ones who need to tell this to the rest of the world. One of the hardest things for me is to simply do as God has commanded and let Him work out His plan according to His will and Him timing.

• Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 The fact that God does not change is not necessarily a bad thing.

We must be careful not to read this as a negative statement (it’s easy to do, considering all the other negative talk going on in this section). Solomon would have known the attributes of God (Exodus 34:6). His own father wrote about them in the psalms (Psalm 145:8). We worry and fear that things in this world will not work out for the best. We tremble when nature unleashes its fury against us. We shudder when death is knocking on our door. But our God is slow to anger, filled with unfailing love, forgiving every sin.

Instead of become frightened at the events unfolding in this world (and they’ve all happened before), keep your heart focused on God. • Ecclesiastes 4:16-17 This is a difficult text to understand. Pointing out that indeed God is working things out according to His plan, Solomon anticipated the obvious objection; 16

corruption in the courtroom. So he reminds us that in due time, these people (and even the wise) will be judged. But it seems that Solomon agrees with the other wisdom books that judgment would take place on this earth (Job 27:13-23; Psalm 37:17-40).

• Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 Is Solomon saying that we are no better than the animals?

Consider the insight on this section from the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It points out, “Solomon had earlier argued that death negates all differences between a wise person

and a fool (Ecclesiastes 2:14-16). Here he argued that death negates all differences between people and animals. Though people are endowed with a sense of rationality and a sense of eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11), injustice demonstrates their finitude, mortality, and ignorance of God’s plan.”

Ecclesiastes 4 • Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 Those not born have never had the misfortune of having their heart wounded and scarred by the cruelty in this world (Under the Sun). This is a wicked, corrupt world, and all of us who live here have been affected in some way.

• Ecclesiastes 4:4-6 Solomon returns to his reflection of vanities by saying the main reason people work hard is simply to get ahead of someone else. Truly human rivalry is such a joke. Why do we labor so hard and deny ourselves so much pleasure just to have more than our neighbor or a brother or sister? It makes no sense. Okay, so you have the bigger house, the nicer car, and the fastest boat. But are you really happy?

• Ecclesiastes 4:7-12 Somehow I keep going back to the idea of the American Dream. It is not a dream, my friend. It is a nightmare. To think that a person’s goal in life is to work hard just so they can get ahead is vanity! Really? You would sacrifice your wife and your children just to gain the personal satisfaction that you are number one? Remind me to tell you the story about Milton the Cockroach someday (see endnote).

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• Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 Even seeking prestige and honor is a waste of time. I think the Music and Movie industry can remind us of this. One day you’re the hottest group in town, but two weeks later some other group rises to the top. I keep thinking of an episode of the Flintstones here, and a group called The Way Outs. One day they were the hottest 17

group, but soon they were on their way out, and another group became all the rage. Now, I know Hanna-Barbera was poking fun, but it is true. Seriously, whatever happened to Lee Majors?

Ecclesiastes 5 • Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 Remember that Solomon is talking about people who are trying to get things to turn out their way. They don’t like what’s happening, they don’t like their lot in life, and they don’t like being second best. Here Solomon says don’t try manipulating God with some rash vow. “God, if you’ll let me win the lottery, I’ll give 20% to the church.”

Yes, I’m talking about those kinds of manipulative vows where a person foolishly tries to strike a bargain with God. • Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 Turning his attention to the folly of wealth, Solomon addresses a problem we even see in our government today; trickle down taxation. Local government has to increases taxes because the state government has cut funding because the national government is busy spending money as if there is an unlimited supply. In Solomon’s time, it was the king who collected the tax for his own pet projects or personal desires, at the expense of everyone else. So was Solomon scolding himself here?

Perhaps. Sometimes Ecclesiastes seems like a book of confession. Think about what happens shortly after Solomon dies. When Rehoboam becomes king, the people start complaining about the heavy taxation (1 Kings 12:1-10). Did Solomon know of their grumblings before he died?

• Ecclesiastes 5:10-17 Such futility in this world, says Solomon. People don’t like that God is in control (chapter 3), people don’t like when someone has more authority than them (chapter 4), and people don’t like it when someone has more money than them (chapter 5). It’s so pathetic, people have come to the point where life is viewed as a competition; where the sole purpose in life to win. But in the end, the one who thinks they have won (beaten everyone else in the game of life) has actually lost. They have lost so much. However . . .

• Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 to the person who refuses to play this stupid game (the American Dream), that person will find indescribable peace and happiness in life. They are not 18

concerned that someone else has a better job, a bigger house, or a faster car. They accept the providence of God and allow Him to be in control. They don’t act like the person who gets all bent out of shape when God’s timing interrupts their perfect life.

Ecclesiastes 6 • Ecclesiastes 6:1-9 When reading this section, an image of Mr. Potter from It’s a

Wonderful Life comes to mind. But then again so does George Bailey. If you know the story well, George always had his heart and mind on the things he could not have or the places he could not go. It took the intervention of an Angel to demonstrate to George just how wonderful his life really was. Mr. Potter had everything that money could buy, yet he was a warped, frustrated, old man. There is nothing wrong with having a goal that you work and save for, but that goal cannot consume you. It should not come between you and the blessings God has given you right now. And truthfully, as Solomon has pointed out earlier, the blessings are not in the possessions, the power, or the prestige, but in the community of friends and a loving family.

• Ecclesiastes 6:10-12 This section marks a change in Solomon’s advice. The second half of this book is characterized by practical advice rather than pointing out the things that are folly in this world. Here he reminds us that things do not change and that there are certain things we will never understand. Some of us still contend with God though.

Some people demand God tell them why their life is the way it is (think Job). But all their arguing and complaining is not going to change a thing. Isn’t it sad that some people spend more time and energy trying to change God rather than allowing God to change them? Isn’t it sad that people spend more time and energy grumbling about life rather than doing something for others in this world?

June 7: Ecclesiastes 7-11 Ecclesiastes 7

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There is a theme in these next two chapters where Solomon repeats “Who can discover” and “Cannot discover.” There is folly in trying to discover God’s plan for humanity (What God has done).

• Ecclesiastes 7:1-14 Solomon declared in this section that God is the author of both adversity and prosperity, and He mingles them together so intricately that man in his finite understanding cannot discover anything about his future. Solomon points out that adversity might have positive benefits and prosperity might have ill effects. But the effects of either depend on how one responds to them, whether wisely or foolishly.

• Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 Solomon was seeking to combat a false concept, namely, the rigid application of the doctrine of retribution by some of the wisdom teachers of his day; where prosperity is a sure sign of God’s pleasure, and that adversity is a sure sign of God’s anger (see Job 4:7-9). Solomon had seen the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. And, as he wisely points out, no one is always good and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The argument by those claiming to be wise is simply full of holes. Based on Solomon’s observations, their doctrine just doesn’t work.

Ecclesiastes 8 • Ecclesiastes 8:1-9 Continuing the thought from the previous chapter, Solomon draws a parallel between God and an earthly king. Considering the power of the earthly king, a wise person strives to do what is right in order to avoid being punished. But even when you do something wrong, there is a proper way to act. It is with God. You are going to sin. You are not going to live a blameless life. So when you are confronted by your sin, there is an appropriate way to act and to respond. Consider death, for example. No one knows when it will happen; it is unavoidable. It could happen in a moment. So considering that we all will one day die, how should we be living each and every day?

• Ecclesiastes 8:10-17 If the good receive blessings and the wicked are punished (that whole Divine Retribution argument from chapter 7), then please explain why an evil person is allowed to prosper, go to church, and be buried with honor in the very city they lived. Solomon says it’s because justice is delayed, and a person’s crimes become forgotten. But in view of eternity, the wicked person will not have a “prosperous” life. It 20

sounds like Solomon had the next life in view here. At some point, those who escaped judgment in this life will find themselves giving an account for their actions before God. And for the righteous who are unjustly condemned, they need to fix their eyes on eternity.

Ecclesiastes 9 • Ecclesiastes 9:1-10 Solomon’s argument here is that since no one seems to perceive life beyond the grave, why not just live it up! But it is the fool who only looks at this life.

It’s true. To the person who does not have their eyes fixed on eternity, it seems that no matter how good a life you live, you die in the end anyway. With sarcasm in his voice, Solomon says to live it up, but just be warned that once a person dies, there is no opportunity to go back and change things. That’s why it is important to live the best you can in this life. Why do you suppose Solomon tells us this? Why does he feel we need to know this?

• Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 Who can predict when a tornado will destroy all that you have worked so hard for? Who can foresee the sudden, unexpected accident on the highway?

No one can; not even the wise, the strong, and the fast. These random acts of nature strike the wise and the fool. One is not spared times of hardship because they have been good enough. Likewise, no one receives them because they have been wicked. This section came into mind when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Some religious broadcasters claimed it happened because the people there were so corrupt. I kept thinking about the question Jesus raised in Luke 13:4.

• Ecclesiastes 9:13-16 The story about the poor wise man impressed Solomon. Why? The poor man gave wise counsel, and the whole town was saved. Yet the wise man received no recognition (or reward). He was forgotten. Solomon says this impressed him. Was it because it proved his point or was it because Solomon saw something in this poor man that was lacking in his own life; that the poor man was thinking of others instead of himself; that “good” is not motivated by rewards.

• Ecclesiastes 9:17-10:1 Wisdom may overcome adversity, but it doesn’t take long for some fool to destroy all that has been gained. Wisdom’s value may be nullified by a little folly.

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Ecclesiastes 10 • Ecclesiastes 10:2-7 Wisdom’s value may be nullified by the sudden impulse of the king.

• Ecclesiastes 10:8-11 Wisdom’s value may be nullified by poor timing or planning.

• Ecclesiastes 10:12-20 Wisdom’s value can be nullified by foolish words.

Ecclesiastes 11 • Ecclesiastes 11:1-6 Solomon advises that ignorance of the future should lead not to inactivity or despair, but to diligent labor.

• Ecclesiastes 11:7-10 Solomon has shown that human effort is futile because its results are not permanent and the prospect of enjoying those results is not guaranteed (1:12-6:9).

He has also shown that people cannot know which of their efforts will succeed because they are ignorant of God’s plan and of what the future holds (6:10-11:6). Here he warns us to consider our actions with God in mind. One day we will have to give an account before Him.

June 8: Ecclesiastes 12, 1 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 10-11 Ecclesiastes 12 • Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 I could really get started on a rant that would last several pages.

Solomon, however, reduced it to seven short verses. Many people have been deceived by this world. Many have been led to believe that purpose and meaning and happiness and satisfaction are things that can be found in this world or purchased in this world. In the pursuit of happiness, we have been led astray. Nothing in this world apart from God will satisfy the empty longings of our soul. And the sad part is that many people are looking to fill that emptiness apart from God. Solomon’s advice is to find God now before it’s too late. My advice is to find God when you are young, that way you will not have years of regret to haunt you and the memory of sins to torment you. Look for God now.

He is near and not hard to find.

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• Ecclesiastes 12:8-14 One last time Solomon emphasizes the futility of finding meaning and purpose in this world apart from God. The wisest man alive spent years looking everywhere for life’s true meaning. But in the end he found it only in God; in a healthy understanding and a healthy fear (reverence) of God. This is why I do not find Ecclesiastes to be a depressing book, as some do, but rather words of sound advice.

These are words a young person should take to heart. This is advice a teenager needs to hear. Meaning is not found in the perfect career, the perfect house, the perfect spouse, in lots of toys, and in lots of money. Meaning is found in seeing God for who He is, and in seeing yourself through His eyes.

1 Kings 12 • 1 Kings 12:1-4 Remember that for 20 years Solomon had been building all around Israel. But even though he had worked people on a rotational schedule, they had grown weary of the labor and of the heavy taxes. Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, was ready to be anointed as the new king of Israel, but Jeroboam and some others from the north had one big question: would he lighten their load. This whole section reminds me of the time Israel was in bondage back in Egypt. Too bad Rehoboam didn’t make the connection.

• 1 Kings 12:6-11 The biggest difference between the two words of advice can be found in what the older men said in verse 7 and what the young men say in verse 11. The older men ask if Rehoboam would consider being a servant of the people. The young men asked if Rehoboam was going to let people push him around. These were the two choices facing the new king. Would he be a servant or would he be a lord. The people needed a shepherd to guide them, not a rancher to drive them. I have always found this advice helpful as I serve the church.

• 1 Kings 12:15 Truthfully the division between the Northern Tribes and those in the South had been festering for years. Judah had the largest population, so received the biggest portion of land. But Ephraim was Joseph’s favorite son, so the people from this tribe developed a feeling of superiority. Shechem was in Ephraim, by the way. And Shechem was the place where God appeared to Abraham (Genesis 12:6-7). This is where Joseph is buried. So although Rehoboam made a poor decision, we can’t blame 23

just him for the division. Actually, God said this would happen because Solomon had drifted away from Him (1 Kings 11:11-13).

• 1 Kings 12:16-17 The nation becomes divided. The Northern 10 tribes are now called Israel. The two remaining tribes in the south are now called Judah (The land of Benjamin being the second tribe). The year is 931 BC. Rehoboam was 41 years old (1 Kings 14:21).

• 1 Kings 12:20 It’s pretty clear that the Northern Tribes had been plotting a rebellion for quite a while. I wonder if they came to Rehoboam’s coronation planning to manipulate things for their benefit. Did they intentionally sabotage the celebration? We’ve seen this happen today. I’m sure it happened back then as well.

• 1 Kings 12:22-24 Shemaiah says that civil war is not the solution to this problem. And to his credit, Rehoboam listens.

• 1 Kings 12:25-33 Jeroboam had been given a great promise by God (1 Kings 11:3738). But rather than trust in God’s promise, Jeroboam leads with fear. He was afraid of losing Israel, so he makes several religious reforms that actually destroys Israel’s greatest strength – a relationship with God. The sad part is that most of these people blindly followed their king. It seems all Israel (the Northern Tribes) were easily swayed into practicing pagan religions. However, many Priests and Levites moved down to Judah when all this happened (2 Chronicles 11:13-17). They even abandoned their homes and farms!

2 Chronicles 10 • 2 Chronicles 10:1 Since the time of Abraham, Shechem had been a place of political importance in the northern portion of the land. It could be viewed as the Capitol of the Northern Region of Israel. Rehoboam could have been crowned king in Jerusalem, but because of the building tension between the northern tribes and the southern tribes, this was a political move. It could have worked if only Rehoboam had not been such an idiot.

• 2 Chronicles 10:2 The story of Jeroboam is quite abbreviated here as opposed to the full story mentioned in 1 Kings 11:26-40.

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• 2 Chronicles 10:3-19 This repeats the record of events mentioned in 1 Kings 12:1-20 2 Chronicles 11 • 2 Chronicles 11:1-4 This repeats the record of events mentioned in 1 Kings 12:21-24.

• 2 Chronicles 11:5-12 When comparing this section with 1 Kings 12, the fortification of Judah is not mentioned. Instead, the religious reforms of Jeroboam are given (1 Kings 12:25-33). Oddly enough, the changes referred to in 1 Kings helps explain why the priests and Levites left the Northern Kingdom and came to Judah (2 Chronicles 11:13-17), an exodus not mentioned in Kings.

• 2 Chronicles 11:18-23 Unlike the record in 2 Kings, the Chronicler points out that Rehoboam married his cousin. Interestingly enough, this woman’s parents were cousin’s as well (see 2 Chronicles 11:18). Jerimoth was a son of David, and his wife Abihail was the daughter of David’s brother Eliab. These people were not following God’s commands for marriage, that’s for sure. Actually, this king failed to follow many of God’s commands.

I find that quite sad. Rehoboam had such a godly grandfather (David). It's a shame this godliness was not passed down from one generation to the next.

June 9: 1 Kings 13-15, 2 Chronicles 12-15 1 Kings 13 • 1 Kings 13:1-3 This unnamed prophet walks right up to the pagan altar and makes this announcement right in front of Jeroboam. The surprising part is that this was spoken 290 years before this Josiah was born. The prophecy happened just as this man said (2 Kings 23:15-20).

• 1 Kings 13:4-6 Jeroboam had placed his trust in himself, but here we see that the power of God is greater than any person who might rule or be in a position of authority.

• 1 Kings 13:7-10 Hospitality was offered not out of thanks or simple kindness.

Jeroboam was asking this prophet to stay and give him continued protection. But this 25

prophet did not come looking for a job. He already had a job; to speak a rebuke to what Jeroboam was doing.

• 1 Kings 13:11-32 This story seems difficult to understand when casually reading through the Bible. But take a close look at the circumstances and the events. Here was an older prophet who apparently had become lazy and complacent. Why was he not speaking out against Jeroboam’s apostasy (falling away from God)? Perhaps motivated out of jealousy, he seduces this young prophet to come back to Bethel for lunch. But earlier that day this young prophet had spoken against eating in this town. The Bible

Knowledge Commentary sheds some light on why this young prophet’s judgment was so severe. “The severity of God’s judgment on this man, compared with His dealings with

the older prophet who was also disobedient, seems unfair. But the severity of God’s judgment was proportionate to the importance of the younger man’s mission. All Israel would have heard about his prophecy of God’s judgment on Jeroboam for his disobedience to the word of the Lord through Moses. If God had not judged His own prophet for his disobedience to the word given him by God and which he had announced publicly, doubt would have been cast on his prophecy and on God’s credibility. By comparison the older prophet’s sins were private and were judged privately by God .” 3 1 Kings 14 • 1 Kings 14:2 Why disguise herself? Why was it necessary to go incognito? Was it because Jeroboam didn’t want people to know that he was seeking the Lord’s help?

• 1 Kings 14:5 There are many times in the Bible where we see God working like this.

He prepares His servants for what is about to happen. I like this. God is not just with us when we face circumstances, He is with us even before.

• 1 Kings 14:6-16 Jeroboam’s apostasy was worse than Solomon’s. That says a lot. But his will not be the worse. In spite of this punishment, Israel (the Northern Tribes) will never find their way back to God (as a nation). Certain individuals will, but these 10 tribes will find themselves separated from God and separated from the land; separated by 3 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (1 Ki 13:20–22). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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choosing to worship pagan gods. This happened in 722 BC through the Assyrian army.

But even when they came back from captivity, their relationship with God was not the same.

• 1 Kings 14:21-24 The scene shifts south to the southern tribe of Judah. Rehoboam was not too much better. Jeroboam abandoned God entirely. Rehoboam contaminated the worship of God with the worship of pagan gods, much like his father did (Solomon).

Except here we are told that it was worse (verse 22).

• 1 Kings 14:25-26 The invasion by Shishak was the first severe foreign attack against Judah since the reign of King Saul. He captured 156 cities, a list which can be found on a wall in Karnack. Jerusalem is spared because Rehoboam humbled himself before God (2 Chronicles 12:2-12). It is purely conjecture, but perhaps Shishak took the Ark of the Covenant with him when he ransacked the Temple (verse 26).

Wall listing Shishak’s conquests in Judah

1 Kings 15 • 1 Kings 15:1-8 Although Abijah committed the same sins as his father Rehoboam, he did display some faith in God. During a battle that is recorded in 2 Chronicles 13:2-20, this trust in God gave him victory. I find it interesting that God is still showing grace to these people simply because of David’s character. When God makes a promise, He makes a promise. There is no mention as to why Abijah died after such a short reign.

Perhaps it had to do with the war between Israel and Judah.

• 1 Kings 15:11 We will read statements like this as the Bible records the brief lives of the kings. Actually, 8 of the 19 kings of Judah were declared Good, even though they had moments when they did what was evil. We should not look at this and think that their 27

good deeds outweighed their bad. But we can see this as God’s evaluation of their heart.

Although they sinned, God judged them based upon their attitude; whether they plotted evil or simply succumbed to evil during a moment of weakness. Even David did not live a perfect, sinless life.

• 1 Kings 15:12-15 Although this section is brief, 2 Chronicles 14 gives a much more detailed account of Asa’s reign. There we read that there were actually times of peace (2 Chronicles 14:1). This was probably when he instituted his religious reforms. After 10 years, Judah is invaded by the Ethiopians, but the Lord defeats them (2 Chronicles 14:915). This is followed by another season of peace (25 years).

• 1 Kings 15:13 Asa deposed his own grandmother (Maacah) because of her idol worship. Some have suggested that her Asherah Pole resembled the male sex organ.

• 1 Kings 15:16 Jeroboam died in 910 BC. Asa’s reign began in 911 BC. So Baasha (909 BC to 886 BC) was king of Israel (Northern Tribes) for most of Asa’s reign.

• 1 Kings 15:17 Ramah was just 4 miles north of Jerusalem.

• 1 Kings 15:18-22 Although Asa’s plan worked, the prophet Hanani rebuked Asa (2 Chronicles 16:7-9). Asa resented the rebuke and put Hanani in prison (2 Chronicles 16:10).

• 1 Kings 15:25-34 Both Nadab and Baasha failed to receive honor from God. Their names are associated with the evil kings found in Israel (Northern Tribes). Again, God made this judgment based on what He saw within their hearts, not solely upon their actions.

2 Chronicles 12 • 2 Chronicles 12:1-12 We are given more details here as to why Shishak was allowed to attack Judah and Jerusalem. This was God’s punishment for Rehoboam’s disobedience to God’s commands.

2 Chronicles 13

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• 2 Chronicles 13:1-2 If you follow the dates closely you’ll notice that Rehoboam rules in Judah 17 years, and then his son Abijah took the throne (see 2 Chronicles 12:13). Here it th

says that Abijah began to rule in Jeroboam’s 18 year. Now either there was some sort of delay or the two nations began using different calendars; an idea that sounds far-fetched, but really is entirely possible. Jeroboam had spent time in Egypt. When he comes back to Israel, he changed the religious customs and practices. It could be he did away with the Jewish calendar as well and instead adopted the Egyptian calendar. This might explain the discrepancy.

• 2 Chronicles 13:2-19 This is a more detailed account of a battle between Israel and Judah than what is mentioned in 1 Kings 15:6. There were other skirmishes.

• 2 Chronicles 13:20 The prophet Abijah said catastrophe would befall Jeroboam because he led the people to sin (see 1 Kings 14:1-19).

2 Chronicles 14 • The rule of King Asa is mentioned in 1 Kings 15. The record there mentions that he did what was pleasing to God, that he removed his grandmother Maacah from a place of honor because she made an obscene Asherah pole, and that he was at war constantly with King Baasha of Israel. The Chronicler mentions some of the same religious reforms (in this chapter and the next), but he says the tensions between Judah and Israel happened a lot later (see 2 Chronicles 16:1-6). He also adds a story about a commander from Cush (a region near Ethiopia) who tried to invade the land. Zerah was apparently the successor to Shishak, who invaded Judah during the reign of Rehoboam. However, Zerah is defeated by the Lord. It seems that Shishak succeeded probably because of Rehoboam’s sins (2 Chronicles 12:1-2), but Asa succeeded because of his faithfulness to God. Judah would not be bothered by Egypt again until Josiah and Neco meet in battle many years later (2 Chronicles 35:20-24).

2 Chronicles 15 • Coming back from the battle against the Egyptian/Ethiopian army, Asa meets the prophet Azariah, who is only mentioned here. Asa is so moved by what he is told that he 29

became even more zealous in his religious reforms. According to the Chronicler, this is when Asa removes his grandmother from office.

June 10: 1 Kings 16-17, 2 Chronicles 16-17 1 Kings 16 • 1 Kings 16:3 Ironic isn’t it that God’s curse against Jeroboam was fulfilled by Baasha.

Yet Baasha will suffer the same punishment because of his Idolatry.

• 1 Kings 16:7 This same Hanani was perhaps the same man who rebuked Asa. Perhaps. We are not entirely sure.

• 1 Kings 16:11-12 Now it is Zimri who fulfills the Lord’s prophecy against Baasha. Will Zimri be spared the same curse? He never had a chance. This guy was not too bright.

You don’t just run up the king and kill him without making some enemies.

• 1 Kings 16:16-20 Angered at Zimri’s insurrection, the army declares Omri king, and they storm the capitol. Only after a week, Zimri commits suicide. What a way to live.

What a pathetic way to run a government. These events are important for us, because if this is the way a government (or monarchy) was run in the pagan world, then the conduct of David and the early reign of Solomon would have been a bright beacon in a rather dark land. And if this was the mindset of the nations around Israel under David’s rule, his reign becomes all the more impressive. So does Asa’s reign.

• 1 Kings 16:21-23 Omri did not become king right away. Half the people wanted Tibni to be king. And Tibni must have had ample supporters. They were able to oppose Omri for 6 years (885 to 880 BC).

• 1 Kings 16:24 This hill becomes immensely important in the future. This becomes the capital of Israel. Not only is the city called Samaria, but the whole region eventually is known as Samaria. In New Testament times, the people in this land were considered 30

enemies of the Jews living in Judah. This also explains the comments by the woman at the well (John 4:9).

• 1 Kings 16:25 Although Omri was a mighty king, he was still evil; more evil than the kings who reigned before him.

• 1 Kings 16:30 Ahab is by far the most corrupt and wicked king Israel had ever seen The morality of these Northern Tribes was indistinguishable from the pagan nations around them. Any resemblance to God’s chosen people was completely lost. I think the same can be said about a church that tosses aside the Word of God and starts adopting the religious practices of the world. Take adherence to the scripture out of the life of a church and eventually it will look nothing like the church. Anyway, I know it sounds like a rant. It is. I just get so sick and tired of this whole idea that Christians can worship with other religions. We can’t because we are not all worshiping the same God. In order to worship with them I must take out the elements that offend. And the One who offends is God. No one wants to mention Jesus because He offends other religions. I was at a community worship service once where we sang “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”. But we didn’t sing verse 2 because Jesus is mentioned.

• 1 Kings 16:34 Although Jericho had been occupied for many years, apparently this was the first attempt to restore it to its original splendor. Joshua’s prophecy was fulfilled literally when two of Hiel’s sons perished. Perhaps this reference, which seems unrelated to Ahab’s accomplishments, was included to show that as God’s word was fulfilled in this instance so it would be in Ahab’s case. Ahab was setting up a system of worship that God said He would judge, as Hiel had tried to set up a city that God had said He would judge.

1 Kings 17 • 1 Kings 17:1 I can just picture Elijah walking into the Palace and pointing his finger at Ahab. Now that’s bold. Baal was the god of rain, but Elijah said that the God of Israel (the whole nation) was the one really in control. This theme of demonstrating which god was the more powerful can be seen throughout most of Elijah’s ministry. The drought would last three and a half years (Luke 4:25).

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• 1 Kings 17:5-6 Interesting that God chose ravens to feed Elijah. They ordinarily neglect their own young (see Job 38:41).

• 1 Kings 17:8-9 Zarephath was a town along the Mediterranean Coast between Tyre and Sidon. It was beyond the north-western border of Israel.

• 1 Kings 17:12 Did you notice what this widow said here? She must have recognized Elijah as a man of God. I wonder how?

• 1 Kings 17:16 In a land that worshiped Baal (who was supposed to provide rain so people would have food), God provided the food without the rain. There should have been no question that God was indeed all powerful. But still there needed to be one more sign.

• 1 Kings 17:22 This is the first recorded instance in the Bible where someone is brought back to life. Picture the look on her face when Elijah came back downstairs with the boy awake and breathing (although apparently weak). The God of Israel will not be outdone.

The God of Israel takes a back seat to no one. There is no God like Israel’s God! 2 Chronicles 16 • It’s unfortunate that Asa looked to the King of Aram for help instead of turning to God. I know it’s easy to be somewhat critical of Asa, but it does show his humanity. Even his ancestor David was not perfect. Even he acted human from time to time. It’s a sin most of us commit from time to time as well. We forget to ask God what He would have us do.

But, it is not right for us to react the way Asa did (throwing Hanani into prison). Yes, we might have moments of weakness when we depend on our own strength to save us, but we dare not pitch a fit when someone confronts our attitude in love. Friends, family, pastors, teachers, and the Lord will try to turn us back to God when we go astray. Their words are not meant to condemn, but persuade. They are spoken out of love. If we develop a hard heart like Asa did, we too will find ourselves constantly at war. Not at war against a flesh and blood opponent, but against the Spirit of God that lives within us.

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• The Chronicler adds some details here that are absent in 1 Kings 22:41-50. Not only did Jehoshaphat display personal holiness, he sent priests, teachers, and Levites out into the land to instruct the people in the ways of the Lord. Smart man. If you want people to act with godliness, then you need to teach them what God expects. This is probably the smartest thing I’ve seen any king of Israel or Judah do. Instead of just tearing down the shrines and putting an end to idol worship, Jehoshaphat teaches why it is wrong.

June 11: 1 Kings 18-20 1 Kings 18 • 1 Kings 18:4 I know this is supposed to honor Obadiah, and it does. But why did these other prophets need to be hid from the queen? Were they unable to stand up against Jezebel? Why did they not show the same backbone as Elijah?

• 1 Kings 18:10 I know it is a pet peeve of mine, but when someone says “The Lord your God,” it just rubs me the wrong way. Why not say “Our God”? Was He not Obadiah’s God as well?

• 1 Kings 18:18 You gotta love a man of God who stands up to a wicked king like Ahab.

This is what happens when someone knows that they have the full support of God with them. When a person refuses to be manipulated by the fear of death, there is no one who can defeat them. Even if the they are killed, they are not defeated. Even in death they have won a victory. This is true for those who have been martyred, those who have been beaten, and those who have been imprisoned. The victory is won when the word of God is proclaimed.

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• 1 Kings 18:27 Elijah’s sarcasm cracks me up. He suggests that Baal needs to take a nap or that he was too busy with his own affairs to notice the shouts of his insignificant prophets. Elijah says that Baal didn’t know what was going on, and they needed to get his attention. He suggests that Baal was going to the bathroom. That cracks me up.

What kind of god has to go pee? These are human characteristics. And the God of Israel lived outside human restrictions and restraint. Do you see the contrast here between Baal and God? God did not exhibit human characteristics, at least not in Elijah’s time. This is why many Jews had a hard time believing Jesus was God. Jesus did get hungry and sleepy. He did have to go to the bathroom. And that’s not the sort of thing Israel expected from their God. • 1 Kings 18:37-38 The Prophets of Baal ranted for six hours. Elijah spoke 4 sentences.

• 1 Kings 18:46 Elijah kept telling Ahab to get going, but he was apparently moving kind of slow. So when the rains did finally come, Elijah ran the 25 miles from Mt. Carmel to Jezreel. It seems he caught up with Ahab and either arrived in Jezreel before him or was jogging just slightly ahead of Ahab’s chariot. It’s difficult to tell which translation is correct.

Either way, God had endowed Elijah with an envious gift.

1 Kings 19 • 1 Kings 19:3 Jezebel had not been present on Mt. Carmel. So she vowed to hire a hit man and have Elijah killed. Why was he afraid of this woman? Why didn’t he stand up against her threat? We can speculate all we want, but the truth is Elijah’s actions and God’s loving response have brought strength to countless of readers. Every time a servant of God becomes discouraged, they need only to turn to this story and see that even a champion like Elijah had his moments of weakness. Even Elijah became discouraged from time to time.

• 1 Kings 19:6 It was Angel Food Cake.

• 1 Kings 19:10 Perhaps discouraged because he could not rid Israel of Baal Worship, just like his ancestors, Elijah pours out his heart to God. Elijah sincerely desired that his

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people would turn away from false gods and worship the One true God. But he couldn’t seem to bring about a revival.

• 1 Kings 19:11-13 Elijah traveled all the way to Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb). Here he meets God in a gentle whisper. The personality of God never ceases to amaze me. On Mt Carmel, He roared amidst the fire. On Mt. Horeb He whispers. To those who oppose Him, He thunders. To those who obey Him, He whispers. When I am discouraged and defeated, it is a whisper that my heart longs for as well.

• 1 Kings 19:18 This would have been encouraging news for Elijah. 7,000 is not many, but it is a start. With 7,000 people faithful to God, great things can be done.

• 1 Kings 19:19 Throwing his cloak around Elisha meant that Elijah was passing along his power and authority. Elisha recognized the meaning behind this gesture as well.

1 Kings 20 • 1 Kings 20:4 When you do not place your trust in God, you become a spineless coward like Ahab. “If you don’t give me the deed to your ranch, I throw you on the railroad tracks.” “Okay,” Ahab concedes, “here’s the deed!” What a wimp. A man of God would have looked at this pagan king and said, “Go ahead, make my day.”

• 1 Kings 20:13-22 Even though he was a disobedient king, God still rescues Ahab, Samaria, and most of Israel. If there were to be any discipline, it would come from the hand of God, not the neighborhood drunks. This victory was given as a lesson for Ahab to know that the God of Israel is above all other gods, and it’s time that Ahab repents.

• 1 Kings 20:34 This seems to have been a peaceful settlement. Ben-hadad lays down his weapon, pleads for mercy, and promises restoration. But remember that God judges a person’s heart, not just the deeds of their hands. That’s why the unnamed prophet of God was displeased with Ahab (1 Kings 20:42). Ben-hadad could not be trusted.

• 1 Kings 20:43 By now Ahab must have grown tired of the constant rebukes by men of God. One day it seems God is on his side. The next, he seems to arouse God’s anger.

Ahab suffered from the same delusion many people have today. They think that God 35

exists to bring them happiness. But in reality we live by the mercy of God. We are the one’s indebted to Him. We are the ones who should be coming to Him asking what He would have us do. But most of the time people come to God dictating what He should be doing.

I want to add a note here from the history books. An event not recorded in scripture indicated that three years after this event Ahab and Ben-hadad join forced to repel an attack from Assyria, led by the mighty king Shalmaneser III. Ahab supplied 10,000 troops and 2,000 chariots. This event is recorded on a tablet written by Shalmaneser himself. It’s currently on display in the British Museum.

June 12: 1 Kings 21-22, 2 Chronicles 18 1 Kings 21 • 1 Kings 21:3 Next to Ahab’s property was Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab’s request seems innocent enough, but apparently he wanted this to be a permanent transaction, disregarding the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 25:23-28). Naboth knew the Law and lived by the Law. Apparently Ahab thought he was above the Law. The events recorded here about Naboth, Ahab, and Jezebel were given so we might know why God judged against Ahab and Jezebel. Their wickedness was similar to the wickedness in the land when Joshua first crossed the Jordon. The nations living in the land were such an offense to God that He commanded they be destroyed. When Ahab and Jezebel are killed, we can understand why God was so angry with them. They didn’t act any different than the people of the world. I believe God is just as angry with the church and with Christians whose conduct is no different than what is seen in the rest of the world.

• 1 Kings 21:11 The Elders and the Town Leaders were just as corrupt as Jezebel.

Trickery and deceit might be the way things are done in the world, but it should not be found among God’s chosen people. Backstabbing, slander, and manipulation is the way 36

the world conducts business, but it should not be found in the church. Unfortunately it is.

Unfortunately confessing Christians manipulate business meetings, petition to get their own way, and slander someone’s character just so the church can be run according to their wishes. Church Politics is probably the most frequent excuse I hear why someone will not attend church. I don’t blame them. It leaves a sour taste in my heart as well.

• 1 Kings 21:16 Not so. Even his widow could lay claim to that vineyard (remember Naomi). If he had sons, they could claim the land. Ahab would have been breaking the law of the land.

• 1 Kings 21:29 I read this and I kind of feel like Jonah. I wanted Ahab to pay for his sins. I wanted God to pour out vengeance upon Ahab. But Ahab repents and God gets all merciful. Let this be a lesson for you and for me. Thankfully, God does not do according to our wishes. He shows grace to whomever He wants. He shows kindness to whoever He chooses (see Exodus 33:19). This example to Ahab is important to you and me, for if God can show grace and mercy to this man so full of sin, then God can do the same for you and me.

1 Kings 22 • 1 Kings 22:6-7 It’s obvious that the prophets Ahab asked were not actually listening to God. Somehow Jehoshaphat knew this because he asks for a Prophet of God. I’m not sure if these 400 were prophets of Baal, but they sure were not speaking on behalf of God. • 1 Kings 22:8 Jehoshaphat is right. Ahab was not speaking as a king. Let that be your first sign Jehoshaphat. You should not be dealing with this man (I thought Ahab had repented?).

• 1 Kings 22:13-14 You see? You see? This is the kind of manipulation that makes me sick. “If you know what’s best for you Micaiah, you better agree with the crowd.” Micaiah, however, was a Champion of the Faith. He would not be swayed by peer pressure or suggestive trickery. He would remain steadfast and immovable, doing only what the Lord commanded.

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• 1 Kings 22:15-28 Man I love this Micaiah fellow. He is blunt and to the point. Rather than being politically correct, he spoke the truth. Of particular interest is the fact that God permitted a spirit (not an evil spirit) to speak a lie to the other 400 prophets. God knew that Ahab would listen to them because he had already made up his mind what he wanted to do. Ahab had a plan and basically never even consulted God. Had it not been for Jehoshaphat, even these other prophets never would have been consulted. Like Ahab, we Christians seem to fall into this same trap. We make our plans, we set goals and agenda’s and only once our plans have been made do we ask God to bless the work of our hands. Reading this narrative, it almost seems that if we start making plans contrary to what God has in mind, God might just end up working against us. Maybe our plans fail not because we are weak or because we didn’t have enough faith, but because we were not doing what God had commanded in the first place.

• 1 Kings 22:30 Ahab is a coward. He disguised himself, but Jehoshaphat wore his royal robe. I don’t think I would have agreed to this. This is your second sign Jehoshaphat.

• 1 Kings 22:31 Apparently Ben-hadad was quite angry with Ahab, perhaps because he was breaking their earlier treaty (1 Kings 20:34).

• 1 Kings 22:32-33 It’s unclear what Jehoshaphat shouted, but immediately they knew he was not Ahab. Perhaps he started praying out loud to God, something Ahab would not be doing.

• 1 Kings 22:34 God directed this arrow to bring about His word. He said that Ahab would die in battle, and He made sure it would happen. This was not just a bit of bad luck. This happened according to God. • 1 Kings 22:41 Jehoshaphat began to rule in Judah in 873 BC. He ruled with his father for 3 years because of Asa’s poor health (1 Kings 15:23).

• 1 Kings 22:43-46 More on Jehoshaphat’s reign can be found in 2 Chronicles 17-20.

There we read that he instituted the teaching of the Law of Moses throughout Judah and that God delivered Judah from a united attack by Ammon, Moab, and Edom.

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• 1 Kings 22:50 Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram began reigning as coregent with his father in 853 BC. When Jehoshaphat died in 848 BC., Jehoram continued to reign till 841 BC. 2 Chronicles 18 • This incident repeats what is recorded in 1 Kings 22:1-39. As I have said in the past, this story can be a bit troublesome. Is God a deceptive God? Did He purposefully lie to the other prophets just so Ahab would be led astray? That theology does not mix well with the attributes of God we have seen elsewhere in Scripture. The lie came from the Father of Lies. God just chose not to intervene right away. The truth was spoken but in due time. And it was spoken by a man who had been commissioned to speak for God.

June 13: 2 Chronicles 19-20 2 Chronicles 19 • Although God was not happy with Jehoshaphat for making an allegiance with the wicked King Ahab, God was pleased with his leadership skills and his desire to bring righteousness to the land. Spending time among the people and placing men to judge with righteousness is wise, very wise. Here is a good example of why a person needs to read the entire Bible. If we had stopped at 1 Kings 22, we would never have known the extent of Jehoshaphat’s religious reforms. Nor would we have the example of how a real leader takes the message of God out to the people instead of assuming that they already know it.

2 Chronicles 20 • 2 Chronicles 20:1-30 Three nations decide to wage war against Judah; three nations that were spared when all of Israel marched toward the Promised Land. It’s not known why they decided to attack. Perhaps they saw Judah in a weakened state after the 39

disaster at Ramoth- Gilead (2 Chronicles 18). Jehoshaphat wisely calls the nation together for a time of prayer and listening. The amazing part is that the Lord answers through one man (Jahaziel), and the people listen. Jahaziel must have been a man the people respected and who had spoken for the Lord in the past. Notice how the Chronicler traces his family tree (2 Chronicles 20:14), mentioning that he is a descendant of Asaph, and that his father (Zechariah) was one of the men who traveled the land teaching about the Word of God (2 Chronicles 17:7). As the Army of Judah marched along, they began to sing His Love Endures Forever. And for some reason I get this picture of a band of men following Alec Guinness into a prison of war camp along the river Kwai, whistling The

Colonel Bogey March.

• 2 Chronicles 20:35-37 After all this praise for this king, the Chronicler finishes his story about the life of Jehoshaphat with just a passing comment about his stupid alliance with the king of Israel (mentioned in 1 Kings 22:49). And truthfully, if we wanted to judge this man, then we do need to keep his life in perspective. Yes, he did make a poor judgment call by aligning himself with King Ahaziah. But, for the most part, he did what was wise and what pleased God. And that, I think, is what the Chronicler wanted the remnant to know.

June 14: 2 Kings 1-3, 2 Chronicles 21 2 Kings 1 • 2 Kings 1:2 Ahaziah was an idiot, just like his father. You’d think that the kids would learn from watching all the prophesies come true. I guess they were too blind to see.

• 2 Kings 1:3 Baal-Zebub means “Lord of the Flies,” but the original spelling in Philistia was probably Baal-Zebul, which means “Exalted Lord.” He was credited with healing powers. Ahaziah sought some prophetic word of encouragement from the oracle of BaalZebub. Yeah, he’s an idiot. You’d think that these people would have learned who is God and who is simply some wooden stick, especially after what Elijah did on Mt. Carmel.

How soon they forget.

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• 2 Kings 1:8 The hairy garment (probably made from goat’s dark hair) and large leather belt were the common attire for a prophet in those days. Either way, Ahaziah knew what Elijah looked like, especially after all the encounters Elijah had with his parents.

• 2 Kings 1:9-14 This is one of those really cool stories found in the Bible. And I love the confidence we see once again in Elijah. 50 men march up the hill shouting “Surrender”, and Elijah just says, “What? You wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept”. Elijah just sits there. Doesn’t bat an eye. This would make a great scene in some Indiana Jones movie. At least the third commander had an ounce of wisdom. At least he knew to respect the God of Israel.

2 Kings 2 • 2 Kings 2:1-8 Elijah’s last day on earth was a day filled with a lengthy journey. In Gilgal, Elijah was directed to travel to Bethel, about 7 miles south. From there he was directed to travel to Jericho, about 15 miles from Bethel. Elijah was not being polite to Elisha, he was testing his dedication. If Elijah was evidently leaving that day, both men knew that there had not been a passing of the cloak (the transferring of authority). If Elisha was really to be Elijah’s successor, Elisha was going to need God’s help. Without that transference of authority, Elisha would have been left depending on himself. And he would have failed. So Elijah was looking to see just how dedicated Elisha was going to be. I find it interesting that the prophets in Bethel and the ones in Jericho knew that the Lord was going to take Elijah away. And when they told Elisha he’s like, “Thanks, but could you please quit reminding me of this”.

• 2 Kings 2:9-10 Elisha asked for the blessing of the firstborn son: a double portion (Deuteronomy 21:17). The request was not difficult for Elijah to fulfill, for that was not up to him. The demand was difficult because Elijah didn’t know if God would grant that request or not.

• 2 Kings 2:11-12 Elijah was carried away by the whirlwind, not the Chariot of Fire. The Chariot separated the two men. The Chariot may have been God’s symbol that He was giving to Elisha that which he had given to Elijah. On that note, it’s important to point out that Elisha did not receive a double portion of Elijah’s power, as some preachers like to 41

claim. The power of God does not reside within a person as if it was theirs to wield and use according to their will. The power we saw in Elijah came from God. Elijah was merely the messenger.

• 2 Kings 2:19-22 Normally salt will make water worse, not better. The symbolism in this miracle is obvious. The new bowl represents Elisha, the new Prophet of God. The bad water that destroyed the crops is symbolic of how Baal worship was polluting Israel. The fact that salt made things better symbolizes that God is more powerful than Baal, who the people thought would make things right.

• 2 Kings 2:23-25 These were young men, not children. Perhaps they were young prophets of Baal taunting Elisha, hoping he would become discouraged about his work for the Lord. But the best they could do was call him baldy. Really? That’s the best insult they could come up with? That’s lame. Elisha’s curse came not because he was offended, but because these young men showed disrespect for the Lord. The fact that 42 of these young men were mauled indicates that this was probably an organized demonstration against God’s representative, not just spontaneous teasing by some kids.

2 Kings 3 • 2 King 3:4 King Omri of Israel had demanded this payment when he brought Moab under his control. But with Ahab out of the way, Moab began to rebel. However, their rebellion did not result in their freedom.

• 2 Kings 3:10-11 See what happens when you depend upon your own strength and power? See what happens when you assert your will ahead of God’s? When a person or church purposes to do according to their will, they are defeated the moment problems present themselves that are bigger than life. We can only overcome that which is within our strength to overcome. On our own we are incapable of overcoming anything larger.

But Jehoshaphat knows that no problem is beyond God’s ability to overcome. That’s why he asks for a prophet of the Lord.

• 2 Kings 3:13 Elisha knew that God had not directed this raid. The King of Israel was doing this on his own. He purposed in his heart to go to Moab, and Elisha knew it. Only 42

after they were in a jam did they think of asking God for help. The truth is, had they inquired of God, they probably wouldn’t be facing this jam in the first place. Why, oh why do so many Christians operate this way? They get an idea in their head to do something without seeking God’s leading, then blame God when they get into trouble. Will we not learn to simply get involved where God is already working?

• 2 Kings 3:14 This statement speaks highly of Jehoshaphat. His righteousness was noticed by God. His faithfulness actually saves the day.

• 2 Kings 3:27 After this great battle, the King of Moab offers his son as a sacrifice to Chemosh, wrongly assuming they lost because this god was angry at them. So disgusted was Judah at seeing this that they became angry with Israel for making them see this repulsive act.

• A remarkable archeological discovery, the Moabite Stone, contains Mesha’s own record of this battle and other conflicts with Israel. On this stone, the Moabite king claimed to have been delivered from the Israelites by his god Chemosh on this day. Though it is true that he was not captured at Kir Hareseth and the Israelites withdrew, Israel and her allies were the real victors in this campaign.4 2 Chronicles 21 • When I read about the short, but wicked reign of Jehoram, I can’t help but wonder how Jehoshaphat didn’t see this mean streak in his eldest son. Maybe it wasn’t there until after his father died. Maybe it was planted in his mind by that daughter of Jezebel, Athaliah.

Her mother certainly led Ahab down a wicked path. The letter from Elijah is significant because it is the only known written message from the great prophet. And what this terrible disease must have been is anyone’s guess. It must have been quite painful.

June 15: 2 Kings 4-5 2 Kings 4 4 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2 Ki 3:26–27). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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• 2 Kings 4:1 This widow perhaps lived in one of the towns where there was a School for Prophets; towns where Elijah and Elisha traveled on Elijah’s last day (Bethel, Gilgal, or Jericho). These men had families that they needed to care for and support. Apparently this widow’s husband had recently borrowed to support his family and then died before the debt could be paid. Taking a child into slavery until the debt was paid was not uncommon, but this widow must have depended on her two sons for support.

• 2 Kings 4:2-7 God provided the Olive Oil, not Elisha nor the widow’s faith. Some have said that if she had greater faith she could have had more. She could have had more oil if she just believed more (collected more jars to fill). But somehow it seems she had just what she needed. She had enough to solve her immediate problem (the debt), and enough to live on. “Give us this day our daily bread” Jesus taught us to pray, not “Give us this day all the bread we need for the rest of our lives”. This widow demonstrated her faith in that God would provide what she needed, not exercise her faith to get what she wanted.

• 2 Kings 4:8-36 A lengthy story about God healing this widow’s son. No, Elisha did not perform CPR. This child had been dead for a while. Possibly dying from heat stroke, the woman travels about two miles to get Elisha. Once there, he sends his aid Gehazi to lay his staff on the kid. Gehazi comes back out to meet Elisha, who then continues to the house. This could have taken upward of an hour. I doubt CPR could have helped by then. Elisha threw himself across the child in earnest prayer. God healed, not Elisha.

Elisha’s only deed was to care enough to pray. This example is given to demonstrate the difference between faith in a false god and faith in the one true God. With the people continually placing their hope in Baal, these incidents prove as examples between what faith in Baal will accomplish, and what faith in God can accomplish.

• 2 Kings 4:28-44 These two miracles are given to show that God is able to do what Baal cannot. Baal cannot fix that which is poisonous nor feed where food is not present.

• Four miracles are given here to demonstrate to Israel that their god (Baal) was not just impotent, but non-existent. It’s not that God could outdo Baal (where Yahweh is the biggest and the strongest), but that He is the only God. He alone supplied the Olive Oil. 44

He alone was the giver of life. He alone can take what is defiled and make it holy. He alone can multiply what little we have. As word of these miracles made their way into the marketplace, Israel was being shown the futility of worshiping some bull-headed god.

2 Kings 5 • 2 Kings 5:1-14 Naaman’s healing was simple. Go and wash 7 times in the Jordan River. Well of course he could do that. He didn’t need some man of God to tell him to take a bath! Naaman’s problem was that he expected some spectacular performance.

He expected a “Witch Doctor” dance. But all he got was a simple command of obedience.

Isn’t this what people expect from God even today? But all they receive is a simple command; a command that calls for obedience. Actually, most of the prayers I hear even today expect God to do all the work; to provide a great show. But from what I’ve seen, God’s answers to prayer come quietly and simply.

• 2 Kings 5:15-19 Had Elisha come out with some kind of song and dance, Naaman might have been tempted to think the healing came from Elisha. But for such power to be demonstrated through the simplest of tasks, Naaman was convinced that Yahweh was the one and only God. Elisha refused the gift because it could have been seen as payment for the healing. Elisha wanted Naaman to know that God is the one who provided the healing; he was simply His messenger. This same attitude is so desperately needed in our land today. Some religious leaders in the forefront of our society like to take all the credit for themselves.

• 2 Kings 5:17 Naaman asked for the two loads of dirt because as a polytheist (belief in many gods), he had been taught that a god could only be worship in his own land or an altar made of dirt from that land. Yes, superstition guided his thinking, but this man didn’t have the decades of teaching the people of Israel would have had. Given time, perhaps he learned the error of his theology.

• 2 Kings 5:20-27 Elisha tells Gehazi that a servant of the Lord should not be getting rich for doing nothing. God was the one who was working here; he and Gehazi were merely servants. God would provide what they needed to survive. They didn’t need to selfishly line their own pockets. Naaman was an influential man who served a neighboring 45

kingdom. Elisha’s thinking that perhaps this kind gesture will aid in a peaceful relationship. What would happen if Naaman found out about the lie? Would that not destroy his faith in God? If one of God’s servants can be deceitful and greedy, then the God of Israel is no different than any other god in the world.

June 16: 2 Kings 6-8 2 Kings 6 • 2 Kings 6:1-7 The School of Prophets was growing, and they needed new accommodations. This is actually good news. The number of men interested in learning about God was growing; a testimony to Elisha’s effective teaching (perhaps in Jericho).

As a sign that God was indeed with them and that he would care for them, God floats an iron ax head to the surface of the waters. Elisha didn’t do this trick.

• 2 Kings 6:8-12 Elisha had been informing the king of Israel (Joram) about the king of Aram’s plans (Ben-hadad II). When Ben-hadad II accuses his men of being traitors, they tell him that it’s Elisha. He’s the man of God who knows all and tells all. It makes me wonder how this official knew what Elisha was doing. Perhaps word got out to Aram what was happening. Perhaps there was a traitor in Israel?

• 2 Kings 6:13-17 Dothan was about 12 miles north of Samaria. The fact that Ben-hadad thought he could take Elisha buy surprise indicates he had no faith in Elisha’s ability, and that he had no faith in Elisha’s God. Actually, Elisha probably did know what was going on, that’s why he wasn’t startled when his new assistant got up the next morning and saw the Arameans. Oddly enough, the army of God didn’t do a thing. They were just there for moral support. God closed their eyes. Elisha led them to Samaria. There was no battle.

God was not looking to destroy these people; He was looking to change their heart.

• 2 Kings 6:22 This behavior is absolutely incredible. Of course, Israel does not kill prisoners of war. To sit down and eat with them is actually a sign that a treaty had been formed between Israel and this army. Unfortunately, Ben-hadad II was not part of the group (2 Kings 6:23). There was peace for a short time, probably because Ben-hadad 46

couldn’t get support from his troops. This gesture of friendship toward the Arameans is actually a lesson for Israel. When God is with them, what nation can they fear? If God is for them, who can be against them? This is the type of peace Israel could have if they would just turn away from worshiping idols, and turn back to worshiping God. Anguished hearts are born when a heart turns away from God. There is worry, concern, fear, alarm, and panic (as seen by Elisha’s servant) when our hearts are blinded to the presence of God. • 2 Kings 6:24-33 This is part of a lengthy record of God’s victory for wicked Israel. I don’t know how many times God will work for these people even though they continue to ignore Him. God truly is patient. The King of Israel (Joram) blames Elisha for this siege because he was the one who said to spare the army when they were within Israel’s grasp.

But again, none of this seems to worry Elisha. He appears to know just when and how God will deliver. Apparently Elisha had told Joram not surrender to Ben-Hadad, but should wait for God to deliver them. But God did not deliver according to Joram’s timing, so he decided to take matters into his own hands. Once again, he was disobeying God’s command. Once again, Joram would be taught a lesson that he would soon forget.

2 Kings 7 • 2 Kings 7:2 That officer just couldn’t believe this would happen. There was no way that amount of food could grow overnight. This officer might have believed Israel would be rescued, but in his tiny little mind he could not fathom how God could create enough food to feed the city overnight. I suggest to you that we do the exact same thing. We refuse to believe that God could do something because it is outside of our scientific understanding.

Sad, isn’t it, that we have elevated science above God? • 2 Kings 7:5-7 I wonder who told the writer of 2 Kings the reason the Arameans had fled? Um, perhaps it was Elisha. He seemed to know just what was happening the whole time. As the people began to question this turn of events, I’m sure someone asked Elisha.

• 2 Kings 7:8-9 I like the fact that their conscience began to bother them. It shows that although they were lepers, they were men of good character.

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• 2 Kings 7:17 See, Elisha was right. This officer did see the food coming into the city, but he never got a chance to eat any. These people were certainly quite hungry.

• The miracles listed in the past several chapters are not given so we might marvel at Elisha (or Elijah), but so we might see that God would not allow Himself to be diminished even by His own people. He revealed Himself to them time and time again, showing that Baal was an impotent god. The god of fertility couldn’t produce food, save a person’s life, intercede in the simple affairs of humanity, foretell the future, or bring an abundant harvest at all. Baal was powerless compared to the God of Israel. God, on the other hand, demonstrated mighty power, mighty love, and immeasurable grace to His nation and even to those who worshiped pagan gods. But in spite of this, Israel remained corrupt. How frustrating it must have been for Elisha to teach and preach, and demonstrate God’s power, yet seemingly affect no change. It’s a Pastor’s nightmare!

2 Kings 8 • 2 Kings 8:1-6 There is no such thing as coincidence. God was working here to show kindness to this woman and her son. Gehazi just happened to be filling Joram’s mind with incredible stories. The woman and her son just happened to walk into the palace that very moment. What’s sad is that Joram could have experienced this same kind of care and protection from God if he would just stop his journey away from God (his Apostasy).

But he didn’t. So all he could ever hear were stories about how God worked in someone else’s life. Do you think God does the same thing today? Do you think sinful people will only ever hear stories about God’s blessings? Do you think a person will never know what it is like to feel God’s grace while they are yet sinners?

• 2 Kings 8:7-15 I can’t help but wonder if Hazael would have murdered Ben-hadad (who died in 841 BC) if Elisha had not told him so. Some biblical scholars do not feel Elisha told Hazael the second half of this statement. The quotes should have stopped after the first half of this verse. That would explain why Hazael became uncomfortable as Elisha stared at him for a while. But even if he didn’t say Hazael would murder his king, Alisha did say that Hazael would become king (verse 13b). Either way, we cannot scold Elisha because of this conversation. Did Elisha plant the idea in his mind? It’s possible, but 48

Elisha did not need to plant wickedness in his heart, that was already there. Sure Hazael was given an idea, but that idea gave birth to action in a heart filled with sin. Take away the sinful heart and the wicked ideas have no place to grow. Hazael reigned as king of Aram from 841 to 801 BC during the reigns of Joram, Jehu, and Jehoahaz in Israel, and Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash in Judah.

• 2 Kings 8:16-23 Jehoram had a short and painful rule in Judah. It’s unfortunate he didn’t learn from his father (Jehoshaphat). Maybe his wife, Athaliah (verse 26), was too much like her mother (Jezebel). 2 Chronicles 21:2-4 records that someone murdered all of Jehoram’s brothers. It may have been Athaliah, for this is the way she behaved in 2 Kings 11:1.

• 2 Kings 8:25-29 Ahaziah of Israel should not be confused with Ahaziah of Judah; they were two different kings. Each ruled only one year and their reigns did not coincide.

Ahaziah of Judah reigned during the last year of Joram king of Israel (841 BC). He was 22 years old when his father Jehoram died. His mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and granddaughter of Omri. Influenced by his evil mother (2 Chronicles 22:3) he followed the wicked ways of his ancestors in the Northern Kingdom. Israel and Judah were still allied in Ahaziah’s day. That is why he joined his Uncle Joram in the battle against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. (This was not the battle at Ramoth Gilead in which Ahab was fatally wounded. That battle took place 12 years earlier. See 1 Kings 22:29-40.) Joram was injured in this battle and returned to Jezreel, probably where his winter palace was located, to recover (see 2 Kings 9:14-15). Ahaziah went down from Jerusalem to visit him there. While he was there, Jehu attacked and killed Joram and Ahaziah fled to Megiddo (2 Kings 9:14-27).

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June 17: 2 Chronicles 22, 2 Kings 9-10 2 Chronicles 22

5 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2 Ki 8:25–29). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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• 2 Chronicles 22:1-9 If Athaliah could lead her husband astray, she certainly could do the same for her son. See 2 Kings 9:1-13 for information about Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat.

Oddly enough, more respect was shown to Ahaziah than his father, Jehoram. And Ahaziah reigned for only a year.

• 2 Chronicles 22:10-12 Jehu almost destroyed a kingdom on his killing spree. By killing Ahaziah, no one was left to rule in Judah. We read here, and in 2 Kings 11:1-3, that had it not been for Ahaziah’s sister, the Davidic line to the throne would have ended.

2 Kings 9 • 2 Kings 9:2 Note here that although his father was named Jehoshaphat, his grandfather was named Nimshi. Jehoshaphat of Judah was the son of Asa. • 2 Kings 9:11-12 The prophet might have been recognized as such because of the way he dressed, and called a madman for the way he left (ran away). Any ideas as to why he was supposed to run away? I figure it was so Jezebel didn’t kill him.

• 2 Kings 9:15 Jehu didn’t want King Joram to find out what had just happened. He wanted to execute him first (then I guess Joram would know why).

• 2 Kings 9:17 Worried that this might be the Arameans hunting him down, Joram sends out a rider to know what's going on. Jehu’s reply about peace literally means “Don’t worry about the situation”. So the scout, recognizing there was nothing to be alarmed about, rides toward Jezreel with Jehu.

• 2 Kings 9:20 It sounds like Jehu was a teenage driver. And his reputation for being a reckless driver was well known throughout the region.

• 2 Kings 9:21 Remember Naboth that had been killed for his vineyard (see 1 Kings 21)?

This is where Joram will meet his end.

• 2 Kings 9:22 The word “witchcraft” means sorcery. Jezebel had been seeking information from demonic forces.

• 2 Kings 9:25-26 Jehu must have overheard what Elijah said in 1 Kings 21:17-19 50

• 2 Kings 9:31 Jezebel implied that Jehu would meet the same fate as Zimri. He was killed by Omri just 7 days after he had killed Elah, • 2 Kings 9:32 Jezebel did not have many in the house who were loyal to her. These two men quickly threw her down from the tower. She laid there for some time, and no one in the city showed her any respect.

2 Kings 10 • 2 Kings 10:2 Rather than fielding large armies, ancient Near Eastern leaders proposed that only two individuals join battle and so decide which family would rule (see 1 Samuel 17:8-9; 2 Samuel 2:9). This may have been what Jehu was suggesting, or he may have intended to go to war against the whole house of Ahab and the city of Samaria.

• 2 Kings 10:9-11 Jehu wiped out Ahab’s heirs in Samaria and Jezreel, which God approved. But he also executed all Ahab’s chief men (officials), close friends, and priests, which God did not approve and for which God judged Jehu’s own dynasty later (see Hosea 1:4). Jehu got carried away in his zeal and killed many innocent people who could have helped him be a more effective king than he proved to be.

• 2 Kings 10:15-17 Jehonadab, the son of Recab, was a faithful follower of the Lord and a strict observer of the Mosaic Law (see Jeremiah 35:6-7, where his name is spelled Jonadab). He was on his way to meet Jehu. Meeting Jehonadab, Jehu learned that he was a supporter of his policy to purge the land of Ahab’s apostate influence. Now, although Jehu was fulfilling the Lord’s curse against Ahab, I get the impression that Jehu was not really a God-fearing man. He seems like a murderer who used God’s curse as an excuse to kill. In his zeal, he lost sight of God’s grace. This reminds me of Pro-life supporters who kill abortion doctors. These people, in their hatred against abortion, are committing the very crime they hold against the doctors.

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• 2 Kings 10:27 Jehu tricks the worshipers of Baal into assembling in the Temple, where he slaughters them all. Then he destroys the temple, turning it into a public toilet  • 2 Kings 10:31 It was convenient to obey God’s command to kill, but Jehu didn’t obey the more important Laws of God. Is this not the mark of a true follower; to obey all of God’s commands, not just the ones which suit us?

June 18: 2 Kings 11-12, 2 Chronicles 23-24 2 Kings 11 • 2 Kings 11:1 After Jehu killed Ahaziah, King of Judea, Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah (daughter of Ahab & Jezebel) decides that she should take over the throne in Judea (got all that?) Her husband Jehoram had died of an intestinal disease (2 Chronicles 21:18-19), and her other son’s had been killed by the Philistines (2 Chronicles 21:17). In her lust for power, this woman, who reminds me more and more of her mother Jezebel, has all her grandsons killed.

• 2 Kings 11:2-3 Joash was 1-year-old when this happened. So the King of Israel is murdered by Jehu. Athaliah (his mother) assumes power. Unbeknown to her, Joash is rescued by her sister-in-law Jehosheba. Does any of this sound like a soap opera?

• 2 Kings 11:12 Athaliah, it seems, was trying to bring an end to the reign of King David in Judea. Thus far, every king in Judea since Solomon had been a descendant of David.

Had it not been for Jehosheba and her husband Jehoiada this would have happened. I want you to take particular note of what they gave the new king; a copy of God’s laws (or God’s Covenant). This command is given back in Deuteronomy 17:18-19. This young king would be instructed on how a king in Judea was supposed to behave.

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• 2 Kings 11:14 She had the nerve to call out treason? She was the one who committed treason. And she was justifiably executed for her crimes against God. He had willed that a descendant of David would always rule in Jerusalem.

• 2 Kings 11:17-18 Acting on behalf of the new king Joash, Jehoiada institutes many reforms.

2 Kings 12 • The beginning of Joash’s reign marks the commencement of over 100 years of consecutive rule by four men who were all judged as good kings. None of these four— Joash, Amaziah, Azariah (Uzziah), and Jotham—was as good for Judah as Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, or Josiah, but together they did provide the longest continuous span of Godapproved leadership in Judah’s history. 6 • 2 Kings 12:1 At 7 years old, Joash was the youngest king to rule in Judah. His reign began in 835 BC and ended 40 years later in 796 BC • 2 Kings 12:6-8 It seems everyone thought repairing the Temple was a great idea, but the priests were not willing to make a sacrifice so this could happen. They had been living on all the money given to the Temple. So Joash suggests they hire people to make the repairs, and they are to be paid out of the Temple offerings. This idea seemed to work.

• 2 Kings 12:15 See what happens when righteousness returns to a nation?

• Several events transpired during the reign of Joash that are not recorded in 2 Kings but do appear in 2 Chronicles. Jehoiada, the high priest, died at the uncommonly advanced age of 130 years (2 Chronicles 24:15-16). After this, Joash followed the counsel of certain Judean officials whose advice turned his heart away from the Lord. When the king did this, God sent prophets to warn the nation (2 Chronicles 24:17-19). Jehoiada’s son, Zechariah, who had replaced his father as high priest, also spoke a prophetic warning.

But Joash had him stoned to death for his rebuke (2 Chronicles 24:20-22).

6 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2 Ki 11:18–20). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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• 2 Kings 12:17-18 Had Joash not fallen away from God, there is a good chance he would not have had to bribe Hazael. Had he placed his trust in God, perhaps God would have rescued them. It doesn’t take much to get one’s eyes off of God and on the problems of this world. I’d say that for every hour of news a person watches, they should spend three in their Bible. When you fill your mind constantly with hopelessness and despair, your heart is soon to follow. The worries of this world need to be balanced with the assurances of God. I know too many Christians who live their lives out of balance; not enough of God, and way too much of the world.

• 2 Kings 12:20-21 Joash is assassinated by his officers because he had the High Priest Zechariah killed (2 Chronicles 24:26).

2 Chronicles 23 • Repeating an event that is recorded in 2 Kings 11:4-20, the Chronicler tells the story of how Joash came to be king. Of significance is the fact that Joash was given a copy of The Law, as commanded by God in Deuteronomy 17:18-20. Shortly after this, the wicked queen Athaliah is killed, pagan shrines are torn down, and then peace returns to the land.

I wonder; if there is there turmoil in a nation or within a church, is it because evil is tolerated? Will removing those who cause dissension and strife bring peace to a church?

2 Chronicles 24 • Isn’t it amazing the difference a man of God can have on the life of others. We see this happening between Jehoiada and Joash. As long as Jehoiada lived, King Joash seemed to make godly decisions. But when Jehoiada died, Joash was easily swayed. What I don’t get is that why none of this instruction sunk in. It almost seems as if the godly instruction went in one ear and out the other. And if Joash was supposed to have been such a great king, how in the world could he have Jehoiada’s son Zechariah stoned to death. Surely the two would have known one another. They probably ate meals together.

I know that people can change. We’ve all known someone who begins strong, yet later abandons the faith. And we are left to wonder if they had not been faking it all those 54

years. I think this is why the Chronicler says that while Jehoiada was alive, Joash did what was pleasing to God (see 2 Chronicles 24:2), but apparently not afterward.

June 19: 2 Kings 13-14, 2 Chronicles 25 2 Kings 13 • 2 Kings 13:1 Jehoahaz ruled in Samaria from 814-798 BC. Different systems of dating began to be used in both Judah and Israel, thus making for a two-year deviation in the dating system.

• 2 Kings 13:4-5 Isn’t it interesting that in spite of their wickedness, God sends a deliverer. It was possibly Adad-nirāri III of Assyria (811-783 BC), who had begun his marauding during this time.

• 2 Kings 13:10 Jehoash was the third king of Jehu’s dynasty to rule over Israel.

• 2 Kings 13:11 Isn’t it sad that the name Jeroboam became synonymous with wickedness and evil?

• 2 Kings 13:14 Apparently Elisha was suffering from a terminal illness. And although King Jehoash did not follow the Lord completely, he did recognize that God had been the one to rescue Israel time and time again.

• 2 Kings 13:18-19 Elisha’s instruction was to shoot the remaining arrows at the ground, not grasp them and bang them against the ground. How many arrows would you have shot? I didn’t see this prophecy coming, did you? From the text, it seems that Jehoash understood this. That’s why Elisha was upset.

• 2 Kings 13:20 Elisha was wrapped in cloth and placed in a tomb or a cave carved into the rock. It would not have been simply in the ground.

• 2 Kings 13:21-23 Rolling the stone away, the men threw the body into the same tomb that held Elisha. The men probably witnessed this miracle, intended, perhaps, for

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Jehoash. For although life was difficult because of the Arameans, God was indeed merciful.

• 2 Kings 13:25 Three arrows into the ground. Three victories for Jehoash.

2 Kings 14 • 2 Kings 14:1-6 Amaziah began to rule a year after Jehoash became king in Israel.

Amaziah was 22 when he became king and reigned from 796-767 BC. Following God’s Law (Deuteronomy 24:16), he does not execute the children of his father’s assassins (Joash was assassinated because had the High Priest Zechariah stoned).

• 2 Kings 14:7 This battle took place on the marshy plain at the south end of the Dead Sea. Sela, renamed Joktheel, was later called Petra, the stronghold city of Edom carved out of sheer mountain walls.

• 2 King 14:12-14 Amaziah was defeated here because after his battle with Edom, he brought back Edomite Idols and began to worship them (see 2 Chronicles 25:14-20).

2 Chronicles 25 • The parallel story of Amaziah is found in 2 Kings 14. Both stories tell of his faithfulness to at least one of God’s commands, not holding the children responsible for their father’s actions (see Deuteronomy 24:16). But it’s obvious that Amaziah was not obedient to God. If he knew what God had said about punishing the children for their father’s sins, Amaziah surely knew what God had said about worshiping idols. Amaziah did what many of us do today. We chose which commands we want to follow, and which commands we want to ignore. Those commands that we agree with, we follow. Those we don’t agree with, we ignore. When Amaziah told the prophet of God to be silent, he was, in effect, telling God to shut up. Amaziah might as well have said to God, “I’ll decide what is right and what is 56

wrong.” So when a person picks and chooses which of God’s laws or commands they will obey (an attitude of epidemic proportions today), they set themselves above God. From the outside, they may appear righteous because they do this or that according to God’s commands, but in their heart they are not submitted to God. They are not willing to let God speak to their sin, nor convict them of sin. However, it is the person surrendered to God and submitted to Him that hears the words of conviction, and obeys. There is a difference between being a person who decides to follows God’s commands and being a person obedient to God.

June 20: 2 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 26, Jonah 1-4 2 Kings 15 • 2 Kings 15:3-4 When a person is put into a place of leadership, especially spiritual leadership, they are no longer merely responsible for the spirituality of their own life, but for the lives of those they lead. Uzziah might have been a God-fearing man, and he may have been upset by the pagan shrines and altars, but he had a responsibility to do something about them. This is the cost of leadership. This is the price one must pay to be given a high level of responsibility. Uzziah was a good man, and he was probably a good king. But either he was afraid to make these changes because of making people angry or he only thought of his own spirituality. What James says is true. A leader (or teacher) is judged by a stricter standard (James 3:1).

• 2 Kings 15:5 Uzziah served as coregent alongside his father Amaziah while he was in prison in Israel. When his father died, Uzziah became the King (767 BC). He served as king longer than any other king of Judah or Israel. In 750 BC Uzziah is struck with leprosy because at 33 he developed a bit of arrogance. He went into the Temple to burn incense (see 2 Chronicles 26:16-21).

• 2 Kings 15:6-7 According to the writer of Chronicles, Isaiah was the one to write about Uzziah’s life (2 Chronicles 26:22). Isaiah may have recorded the events of several kings.

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• 2 Kings 15:8-12 Zechariah the king (not the prophet) reigned in Israel for six months in 753 BC. It was a short reign, but at least the Lord fulfilled His promise to Jehu (2 Kings 10:30). However, if you think his reign was short . . .

• 2 Kings 15:13-15 Shallum, who had killed Zechariah, ruled for a month in 752 BC. Although it was short, it was still longer that the reign of Zimri – 7 days (1 Kings 16:15-20).

He was assassinated by Menahem, commander of Jeroboam’s army.

• 2 Kings 15:18 By now I am not surprised to read that a King in Israel was evil. By now I just assume they would be wicked in the Lord’s sight. In Israel, Kingship was nothing more than a political office that wielded great power, not a position of spiritual leadership filled with great responsibility. Sometimes even church leadership can lose that focus. To be in leadership within the church is not to be granted a position of power, but to be placed in a position filled with great spiritual responsibility.

• 2 Kings 15:19-20 Some Bibles call this man Pul. Assyrian inscriptions have identified him as Tiglath-Pileser III. The only thing the 37 tons of silver did was to buy Menahem some time. Assyria will be back. Money is not what they wanted. They wanted the land.

They wanted slaves.

• 2 Kings 15:23-24 This is getting ridiculous. Murder and conspiracy have become normal in Israel. Pekahiah reign for two years (742–740 BC), and was assassinated.

This is pathetic. How much longer will God allow this to continue? Israel has completely degenerated.

• 2 Kings 15:27-28) Pekah reigned for a little longer, but he was just as evil and corrupt as the rest. An interesting note about his reign is mentioned in The Bible Knowledge

Commentary. “Pekah began to rule over Israel from Samaria. However, he had apparently never accepted Menahem’s claim to the throne and had set up a rival government east of the Jordan River in Gilead. There Pekah lived as a military officer under the Samarian government, till the time was right for him to assert himself. His 20year reign means that he began ruling in Gilead at the same time Menahem took the throne in Samaria (752 BC). His reign overlapped Menahem’s and Pekahiah’s (752-740 58

BC). In 740 BC, he assassinated Pekahiah and started ruling in Samaria where he remained until he was overthrown in 732 BC.”

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• 2 Kings 15:29 Perhaps Pekah felt Israel should take a harder stance against Assyria.

Menahem had no backbone, and was willing to submit to Assyrian control. Pekah apparently favored a harder line of resistance. When Pekah had taken power in Samaria, he made a treaty with Rezin, king of Damascus, against Assyria. This resulted in TiglathPileser III leading a campaign into Philistia, Israel, and later Aram in 734-732 BC (See 2 Chronicles 28:5-8). This first deportation of the Israelites probably took place in 733 BC. • 2 Kings 15:30 On one of the Assyrian inscriptions, Tiglath-Pileser III claims to have had a hand in establishing Hoshea on the throne. Apparently Hoshea submitted to being a pawn of Assyria just like Menahem and Pekahiah.

• 2 Kings 15:32-36 Now back to Judah. Uzziah’s son Jotham ruled for 16 years (760735 BC). Although he did not take a firm stance against the pagan shrines, he did do some work on the Temple, perhaps to encourage the worship of God. More building projects and his war against the Ammonites are listed in 2 Chronicles 27:3-5. Notably, 2 Chronicles 27:6 says that he carefully lived in obedience to God. Too bad he didn’t encourage others to do this as well.

2 Chronicles 26 • 2 Chronicles 26:1-3 If you have been watching the dates carefully and studying your history of Israel, there is a significant discrepancy here in the reign of Uzziah. Notably is the reference that he studied under the teaching of Zechariah. To make a very, very long story as short as possible, Uzziah must have been at least 10 years old before Zechariah was killed in 796 BC (see 2 Chronicles 26:5). This would mean that for 23 years he must have served as co-regent with his father, Amaziah. The people of Judah must have appointed Uzziah as co-regent (at age 16) while his father was waging battle against the king of Israel. So in other words, after Amaziah reigned for 6 years, (796-790), Uzziah

7 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2 Ki 15:27–28). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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(who was 16) was appointed co-regent. They reigned together for 23 years until Amaziah’s death in 767 BC. Then Uzziah reigned alone for the remaining 29 years.

• 2 Chronicles 26:5-23 Uzziah began so well, and, as the Chronicler points out, he did well as long as he sought guidance from the Lord (2 Chronicles 26:5). But unfortunately he finished poorly. It seems arrogance and self-righteousness began to rule his heart.

And it drove him to do what only an anointed priest could do. Struck with leprosy as punishment from God, Uzziah spent the remaining years serving as king in a house outside the city. What’s odd about this is that often we hear about young people being impetuous and headstrong; needing restraint and guidance from an older mentor. We’re not used to an older person acting like this. Maybe it was his mid-life crisis, who knows.

The point is, a person never outgrows the need to be mentored; guided toward the path of righteousness. We have seen this happen with several kings so far. They begin so well but finish so poorly. As you grow old never forget to allow someone hold you accountable for your actions.

Jonah 1 • Jonah 1:1 Jonah was from the town Gath Hepher, located a few miles north of Nazareth. As far as we know, he was the only Old Testament prophet who tried to run from God. Since Jonah spoke for God during the reign of Jeroboam II, he served with both Amos and Hosea.

• Jonah 1:2 Nineveh was located on the east bank of the Tigris River, about 550 miles from Samaria. Nineveh was large and, like Babylon, was protected by an outer wall and an inner wall. The inner wall was 50 feet wide and 100 feet high. Before Jonah arrived at this seemingly impregnable city, two plagues had erupted there (in 765 and 759 BC) and a total eclipse of the sun occurred on June 15, 763. These were considered signs of divine anger and may help explain why the Ninevites responded so readily to Jonah’s message, around 759.

• Jonah 1:3 Considering that Jonah was called during the lifetime of both Amos and Hosea, and in light of the prophecies these two gave (Israel’s destruction by a Kingdom 60

from the east), perhaps Jonah feared that his call to Nineveh would help bring about the destruction of Israel.

• Jonah 1:4 The journey from Joppa ( on Israel’s West Coast) to Tarshish (in southern Spain) was about 2,500 miles. This would not be a small ship, and they would have had ample supplies. The sailors were probably Phoenicians. A big ship filled with wellseasoned sailors would not be alarmed at merely turbulent seas. This storm was severe enough to make Captain Jack fear for his life.

• Jonah 1:6 Isn’t it sad that a pagan sea captain had to call a man of God to prayer?

Isn’t it sad that while the people of this world fear for their lives, the church continues to sleep? The most troubling part of this picture is that in a time when people might be killed, Jonah didn’t care if they died not knowing God. I see the church in North America doing the same. So many churches pour all their time and energy into planning potluck meals or organizing fundraisers, yet not once do they show concern for the man down the street who does not know the message of salvation. Why do we sleep? Why don’t we care? That’s a question I would love to hear answered someday.

• Jonah 1:9 Isn’t it strange that Jonah claimed to worship God, but he was not obedient to God? That is very sad, but not uncommon, even today.

• Jonah 1:13-14 I am amazed at how much these sailors seemed to care for Jonah, especially considering how little he seemed to care for them.

• Jonah 1:15-16 Amazingly, the storm stopped at once, and these hardened sailors took a moment to offer a sacrifice to God. Yes, God. Not one of their gods. I love the way God works sometimes. Even in his disobedience, Jonah brought a witness to these men, which possibly changed their lives forever. Now, what I want to know is how did we find out about this event. I hold to the belief that Jonah is the author of this book, even though he refers to himself in the third person. That literary form is not unusual in the Bible.

Isaiah does it from time to time. Moses did it as well. But considering these men were on a long journey, and that when they offered the sacrifice Jonah was overboard, how did anyone find out about this event. The only conclusion we can draw is that these sailors told people. These sailors confessed about what they did. Either the ship was damaged 61

and they rowed to shore immediately or they came back later and told their version of the story. Imagine their surprise to find Jonah still alive after they threw him into the sea!

• Jonah 1:17 This great fish which God provided was possibly a sperm whale or a whale shark.

Jonah 2 • Jonah 2:1-9 This prayer by Jonah was not a plea for deliverance (there were no petitions in it). The prayer is a psalm of thanksgiving (see Jonah 2:9) to God for using the fish to save him from drowning. The prayer was made while Jonah was in the fish’s stomach, but it was written of course after he was expelled from the fish’s stomach. Sensing that the great fish was God’s means of delivering him, Jonah worshiped God for His unfathomable mercies. Jonah praised God for delivering him from death (compare Psalm 30:3) in a watery grave.

• Jonah 2:10 I wonder if God sacrificed this great fish in order to save Jonah? The fish may have beached itself along the shore of Palestine and died there. The symbolism is amazing.

Jonah 3 • Jonah 3:1 It’s clear that Jonah knew from the beginning what he was supposed to say and do in Nineveh. This is probably why he objected in the first place. Jonah knew the heart of God. He knew that if these wicked people would repent, God would relent (Jonah 4:2). Yet God was insistent that Nineveh hear this message, and in a way God was insistent that Israel hear the same message. Jonah’s adventure would become a lesson on God’s grace not just for the evil nations around Israel, but for Israel herself.

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• Jonah 3:3 It certainly does not take three days to travel through a city with an eight-mile circumference. But if Jonah traveled to every town surrounded by the outer wall, it might have taken three days.

• Jonah 3:4-9 From the greatest to the least, the whole region repented of their wicked ways, and God relented. He held back His wrath. Some liberal scholars will tell you that the book of Jonah cannot be historically accurate because Assyrian records do not mention this event. But as we have seen in the past, embarrassing events are not included in the history books of the worldly nations. Egypt does not record Israel’s escape through the Red Sea, and Assyria does not record the loss of 185,000 soldiers in Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35).

• Jonah 3:10 Was their repentance genuine? 37 years later in 722 BC the Assyrians will destroy Israel. It is probably best understood as one generation forgetting what the previous had done. We see this happening in Judah and in Israel, where the next king does not follow in his father’s footsteps. Although we might wonder if it was real, apparently God decided that it was. And their repentance spared Nineveh for 150 years, being finally destroyed in 612 BC. Jonah 4 • Jonah 4:1-4 For a long time Israel had been hearing about God’s character. They had seen it in action from time to time ever since God announced it to Moses (Exodus 34:6), but nowhere else do we see it demonstrated so clearly than to Nineveh. Up to this point, it seems Israel had grown to believe they deserved this kind of grace; that they were worthy of His loving kindness. But no one else desered this, especially those who were Israel’s enemies. This is where the whole book of Jonah becomes so significant. What God seems to have intended for Nineveh actually becomes a lesson for Israel. And it sets the stage for lessons yet to come.

• Jonah 4:5 Jonah knew that God was merciful and compassionate, and when he saw the people repent, he assumed God would relent. But what if his assumptions were wrong? What if God would not relent? So Jonah went out to a hill overlooking the city and waited. He waited to see what God might do. Apparently Jonah had forgotten that 63

he was spared even though he deserved death because of his disobedience (running from God). And if God were willing to do that for him, He would be just as willing to do this for Nineveh.

• Jonah 4:10-11 God makes Jonah uncomfortable, and he starts to complain. He acts childish. In his whining, he demonstrates that he is more concerned about himself than he is about anyone else. And as a prophet of God, he has a responsibility to represent God even to the wicked people in this world. At the height of his rant, God asks a very pointed question. “Jonah, why are you so selfish? Why don’t you care about anyone except yourself?” God points to the people of Nineveh and says, “These people don’t know right from wrong. No one has ever told them what good and acceptable behavior looks like.” This is the whole point of Jonah’s story. To those who much is given, much is demanded. Those who know right from wrong need to be the messengers to those who do not. The church has been shown tremendous grace, but that grace was not something to be kept hidden and secret. Christ did not die on the cross just so you can go to heaven. Yes, He died to forgive your sins, but also that you might know grace, and so that you might be the one to tell others about God’s mercy and compassion. Come on church, stop being so selfish! There is good news to be preached. Get out and tell someone!

June 21: Amos 1-6 Amos (and Hosea) prophesized under the reign of Jeroboam II, and it gives us a glimpse into what life was like during this period of Israel’s history. In spite of God delivering Israel from Aramean oppression, He still called them to turn away from their sin. It’s sad that God has stepped in time and time again, yet Israel continues in their apostasy (turning away from God).

Amos 1 • Amos 1:1 Amos was from Tekoa, a town about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. He was not just a simple shepherd. The Hebrew word here nōqēḏ refers to a breeder of sheep.

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Apparently Amos owned a large herd of sheep and was in charge. Amos probably supervised a group of rō‘eh – shepherds.

• Amos 1:1 I love the way the Bible gives specifics as we see here. It speaks of who the person was, where he was from, who were the kings, and it even provides us with a wellknown natural disaster as a time frame. Amos probably spent two years speaking against Israel (762-760 BC). The earthquake here is mentioned by Jewish Historian Josephus, and is connected to the events mentioned in 2 Chronicles 26:16-20 (see Antiquities of the

Jews, Book 9, Chapter 10.4). Archeological excavations at Hazor and Samaria have uncovered evidence of a violent earthquake in Israel about 760 BC. • Amos 1:3-5 God speaks out against Damascus, probably not just the city but the Arameans in general. This judgment was carried out by the Assyrians under TiglathPileser III in 732 BC. (see. 2 Kings 16:7-9).

• Amos 1:6-8 God speaks out against Gaza, and specifically several Philistine cities.

Whole communities were captured and sold into slavery. For their many sins, God would soon destroy them. This judgment was partially fulfilled when the Assyrians invaded later in the eighth century BC, and more completely during the Maccabean period (168-134 BC). Interestingly, the Assyrians captured the Philistines and made them slaves.

• Amos 1:9-10 God speaks against Tyre, specifically because they broke a treaty with Israel. This could refer to the one with Solomon (1 Kings 5), or the one established by the marriage of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 16:29-31). Alexander the Great overran the city of Tyre in 332 BC after besieging it for seven months. Six thousand people were slain outright, 2,000 were crucified, and 30,000 were sold as slaves.

• Amos 1:11-12 God speaks against Edom, a nation that traces its roots back to Esau, Jacob’s brother. Edom was subdued and forced into slavery by the Assyrians in the eighth century BC, turned into a desolate wasteland by the fifth century BC. (Malachi 1:3), and overtaken by the Nabateans, an Arabian tribe, around 400-300 BC.

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• Amos 1:13-15 God speaks against the Ammonites. They were merciless, murdering women and their unborn babies. This judgment was fulfilled through the Assyrian conquest under Tiglath-Pileser III in 734 BC.

Amos 2 • Amos 2:1-3 I find it interesting that Moab is being judged for a crime against Edom, not Israel. The crime may refer to the event that took place in 2 Kings 3:26-27. Moab, like Ammon, fell to the Assyrians under Tiglath-Pileser III. • Amos 2:4-5 Just when you thought God’s chosen people would be spared His judgment, Amos opens his mouth and allows God to speak even against Judah. I’m sure that took them by surprise. Can you imagine listening to Amos talk about all those wicked nations, and then suddenly include you in the list? It would be like mentioning the crimes of Germany, of Italy, of Japan, Iraq, China, and then mentioning America. And we would think, “What crimes?” Ah, but in God’s eyes, a crime of Apostasy is just as bad as a crime of murder. And America has indeed turned her back on God. These were Judah’s crimes. They had not followed the Laws of Moses. The punishment for this faithlessness would be the destruction of the nation, fulfilled in 586 BC when Nebuchadnezzar, after a lengthy siege, broke through Jerusalem’s defenses, slaughtered the royal family, burned the temple, the palace, and all houses in the city, and deported a third of the population to Babylon (2 Kings 25:1-12). The rest died by the sword or died of pestilence.

• Amos 2:6-8 God pronounces judgment against Israel (the Northern Tribes).

Unfortunately, Israel gets a very stiff rebuke here, the most lengthy of them all. He points out five things Israel had been doing that was contrary to His laws. The poor were being exploited, the legal system was corrupt, sexual sin was rampant, there was disregard for another person’s property, and they had turned their back on God. • Amos 2:9-12 Before God announces His punishment, He reminds Israel about all that He had done for them.

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• Amos 2:13-16 The history of the Northern Kingdom came to an end only a few decades later with the Assyrian Captivity in 722 BC (2 Kings 17:1-23). The Northern Tribes of Israel were lost, absorbed into the culture of their captives. They lost their uniqueness; their ancestry. Some have contended that God still knows who is descended from these Northern 10 tribes. I know a Rabbi who contends that every time a man (like me, for example) feels a calling to minister, it is because that man is a descendant of the tribe of Levi. I’m not so sure I believe this. I would attribute this to the work of the Spirit, not heritage.

Amos 3 • Amos 3:1-2 When God chooses to show grace, it is always meant to influence a person’s conduct. And when our conduct needs shaping, God will correct and sometimes discipline; not to destroy us, but to purge us of evil (Luke 12:47-48; 1 Corinthians 11:2732; Hebrews 12:4-11; 1 Peter 1:7-9; 4:17). Because His love is so great, His people must be holy.

• Amos 3:7 Out of mercy God is speaking to Judah and Israel through His prophet Amos.

He has told the people of the discipline to come. What would have happened if Judah or Israel had repented like Nineveh did when Jonah spoke God’s judgment? I don’t think He would have relented. Israel can say “I’m sorry” only so many times. Eventually, there needs to be punishment even if they were sorry.

• Amos 3:10-11 This is why Judgment will come. This is why Israel and Judah need to be disciplined. Like Paul’s rebuke to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:1), a level of sin existed among God’s people that did not even occur among pagans.

• Amos 3:12-15 Bethel was the royal sanctuary of Jeroboam II, the most popular religious center in Israel. As the site of the golden calf erected by Jeroboam I (1 Kings 12:26-30; Hosea 10:5), its altars symbolized Israel’s continued rebellion against God. If a person were to plead for mercy, they could grab the horns of the altar and receive protection (1 Kings 1:50). By cutting off these horns, God was saying that there would be no sanctuary. There would be no escaping the punishment that was to come.

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Amos 4 • Amos 4:1-3 We are not given the image of a loving, caring woman, but a demanding, selfish woman whose goal in life is the pursuit of pleasure; a woman lounging in security within a fortified city engaging in all sorts of sins. This will soon pass. They will be sold into slavery, their cities destroyed, and many of them killed.

• Amos 4:4-5 Israel practiced an empty, shallow religion. Their worship and sacrifices to God were devoid of any real devotion. They even disobeyed the regulations concerning an acceptable offering. Unleavened bread was the appropriate offering, not bread made with yeast.

• Amos 4:6-11 This is a listing of the many things God did just to get Israel to repent; to turn away from her foreign gods and worship their true God. But, even though these times of discipline were harsh, the nation continued to disobey.

• Amos 4:12-13 God had tried plenty of times to get Israel to turn back to Him, yet they refused. So they will suffer His wrath and judgment through the invading army he announced in chapter 2.

Amos 5 •

Amos 5:1-3 In the height of their prosperity under the rule of Jeroboam II, this lament would have seemed strange. You can hear the people cry out “Yout crazy Amos to say Israel has fallen. Look at all the prosperity around you.” And yet Amos speaks as if it has already happened.

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Amos 5:4-6 Although the Nation of Israel was to be judged, individuals living in the land could turn back to God and live. They would be the remnant who are not destroyed (Amos 5:15).

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Amos 5:7-15 A righteous man was willing to speak in defense of an innocent person who had been wrongly accused. Righteousness was the action; justice was the end result. To do what was “right” and “just” on behalf of the needy was a clear demonstration of a person’s humanity. This attitude toward the weak and the

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oppressed demonstrated the depth of an individual's relationship with God (Genesis 18:19; Psalm 72; Jeremiah 22:15-17). Justice and righteousness actually were more important to God than following prescribed rituals and sacrifices (Proverbs 21:3; Amos 5:23-24). And nowhere were righteousness and justice more crucial than in the courts.

Here the weaker members of society, those without money or influence, could receive protection from their oppressors and find fairness under the Law. But Israel, through greed, had turned justice into “bitterness”—literally, “wormwood”. The judicial system, instead of being like a medicinal herb to heal wrongs and restore the oppressed, had itself become a fatal poison within the nation.

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Amos 5:18-20 A person might think they are clever enough to escape God’s judgment; that they can stay one step ahead of Him, but they are fooling themselves. His judgment will find them when they least expect it.

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Amos 5:21-24 This should alarm even us today. A person with religion on the outside is not fooling God. A person who goes through the motions of being a Christian is not actually worshipping God. What we would call the worship of God does not become worship until it is received by God as worship. Just because we did “A”, “B”, and “C” on a Sunday morning does not mean God has accepted them. He is looking first for a heart that loves Justice and Kindness; a heart that walks humbly with the Lord (Micah 6:8).

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Amos 5:25-27 Even after witnessing all of God’s power and miracles in Egypt, Israel still carried her pagan idols. Sure they participated in the worship of God while they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. But in secret times of solitude they would dig out their idols to Sakkuth (the earth god Molech) and to Kaiwan (the star god Saturn).

Amos 6 • It seems Israel felt they were immune to God’s wrath, but God is sending a foreign nation to punish these people. Isn’t it interesting to think that God permitted the Assyrians their victory? I’m sure they thought more highly of themselves than they should.

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June 22: Amos 7-9, Isaiah 6 Amos 7 • Amos 7:1-9 In both the vision of the locusts and the vision of the fire, Amos pleads with God that these severe punishments will destroy Israel. Both times God relents, but only in using those two forms of punishment. The punishment will come, as God reveals in His vision of the plumb line.

• Amos 7:10-13 Immediately after these images were shared with Israel, Amaziah the Priest (not Amaziah, King of Judah) runs and tells the King (Jeroboam II). This incident actually testifies to what God had said in His vision. Both of Israel’s religious and political institutions were corrupt; they failed the plum line test; they did not measure up to God’s standards of righteousness. From the time of Jeroboam I, Israel’s religious practices were an abomination to God. Jeroboam I created a duplicate religious shrine in Bethel that mimicked what was established in Jerusalem at the Temple (1 Kings 12:26-33). No wonder God was angry with them.

• Amos 7:14-17 Amos was perfectly content with his life down in Judah, managing flocks of sheep and caring for orchards. In other words, he had a large ranch with several employees. He had no ambitions to be a prophet, and he had no training to be a prophet.

But God had something else in mind. It seems that once Amos had finished his task, he then returned to Judah and whet back to ranching. This is significant because it proves that Amos wasn’t looking to gain anything through this. He was simply obedient to God’s calling. God’s announced judgments in verse 16 and 17 are against Amaziah.

Amos 8 • Amos 8:1-6 The end has come for Israel because of what God sees happening (mentioned in Amos 8:4-6). Here’s what’s strange though. Apparently this practice was mainly accepted by the people. I mean, I guess it was. There doesn’t seem to be any kind of civil revolt against the state. No one, apart from a man of God here and there, appeared to be alarmed by the behavior. After all, if the king was corrupt, why shouldn’t the people be just as bad? Only when the nation was served by a godly king did the 70

nation act godly. We see this especially in Judah. It’s almost as if personal holiness was a product of those in public office (the King, the High Priest, etc.). In Old Testament times, the righteousness of the King would affect the righteousness of the people. Today we live any way we please, that’s the freedom our independence has purchased. But when we find a judge or a representative or a president or anyone in public office whose behavior is not exemplary, we pitch a holy fit, yet we the people still live in corruption. In today’s age, we hold others to a higher standard than we hold ourselves. Call me strange but it just doesn’t seem to make sense.

Amos 9 • Amos 9:1-4 This altar at Bethel was where Israel worshiped God in an abominable way. Their worship was a corruption of what He had commanded through Moses. There were prescribed guidelines to follow, but Israel either ignored them (bread sacrifice made with yeast, for example) or corrupted them. One day, as the people assembled for worship, the temple (not THE Temple in Jerusalem) would collapse, killing many who participated in this. Not all would be killed though, and those at this detestable worship service who lived would be killed. There would be no place to escape; no place to hide from God’s judgment.

• Amos 9:7 Just a God worked to bring Israel out of Egypt, so too did God act toward the Philistines and the Arameans. God was at work in those nations as well. But only to Israel did God reveal Himself. Only to Israel did God give His Law. Only to Israel did He demand obedience to that Law. The other nations didn’t know God’s laws; they didn’t know right from wrong (see Jonah 4:11). By knowing the Law, Israel was judged according to the Law. • Amos 9:8-10 It’s quite clear that God is looking to only punish the wicked; those who had turned their backs to God. In words symbolic to what Jesus says He will do, the tares will be separated from the wheat (Matthew 13:30), and the sheep from the goats (Matthew 71

25:32). There will be a remnant spared. A portion of these Northern Tribes will remain.

That is God’s promise. The rest, however, will die by the sword.

• Amos 9:11-12 After Israel’s ordeal, God will restore the nation and unite it once again.

A new King will rule who will not just be a blessing to Israel, but even to the Gentiles.

Israel’s perpetual enemy Edom will even be blessed by this King. God intended all along that “All Nations” would be blessed through Israel (see Abraham’s promise in Genesis 12:3). Even James, the brother of Jesus, quoted from this passage as proof the Gentiles did not need to be circumcised (see Acts 15:13-20).

• Amos 9:13-15 The promise that Israel would return never to be uprooted again seems more like what happened in 1948, not the return from exile in that took place in 538 BC. Although Israel did return after the exile, they were dispersed later on in 70 AD by the Roman Empire. Israel remained scattered until the United Nations gave them back a portion of their land on May 14, 1948. However, how do I know the event in 1948 is “The One”? Perhaps, unknown to me, another dispersion of Israel is yet to come. Then that would make 1948 null and void. It is so difficult to be absolutely, positively sure about God’s plans, especially when the only thing I can do is look backward.

Isaiah Isaiah is probably the favorite Old Testament book for today’s Christian. It contains the greatest number of clear prophecies about the coming Messiah.

According to tradition (not precisely a fact) Isaiah lived in Jerusalem and was a cousin of King Uzziah. Again, this is simply a traditionally held belief. No actual fact about this relationship can be found.

Isaiah was commissioned to be a prophet in the year Uzziah died, sometime in 739 BC. He spoke for God up to the time Hezekiah was king, which was in 686 BC. And considering that Isaiah wrote Hezekiah’s biography (see 2 Chronicles 32:32), Isaiah was probably alive up to the time Sennacherib died (681 BC). This means Isaiah ministered at least 58 years. It may 72

have been longer, especially if we take into account that according to a tradition, dating back to the second century AD, Isaiah was martyred by King Manasseh. Justin Martyr (100-165 AD) wrote that Isaiah was sawn in two (compare Hebrews 11:37).

It’s true that Isaiah seems to be divided into two themes. You’ll notice this as we study the book. But it does not mean it was written by two different authors. Critics in the 18th century began to attack many Old Testament books, and considering how Isaiah’s emphasis seems to change after chapter 39, they concluded that this section was written much later; after Cyrus had freed Judah from Babylonian captivity. It's a shame these 18th-century critics (and those today) do not believe in prophecy.

Chapters 1-39 speak of God’s coming judgment on Judah by the Babylonian empire, and chapters 40-66 speak of God’s Deliverance.

Isaiah 6 • Isaiah 6:1 Either this vision happened earlier and is merely mentioned here to give credence to Isaiah’s prophecy, or Isaiah received this unique vision for strengthening and clarity. This would not be unusual. Even Peter, who began to minister once filled with the Holy Spirit, received his vision of the great picnic blanket filled with unclean animals to give more clarity to his ministry (see Acts 10:11-15).

• Isaiah 6:2 We have met the Cherubim before (Angels that reflect God’s power), but here we meet the Seraphim. They appear to reflect God’s glory. On another note, Angels, like Michael or Gabriel, seem to be God’s messengers. Perhaps these different titles describe their function within heaven.

• Isaiah 6:5 Isaiah recognized his sinfulness and demonstrated humility within the Temple and in the presence of God. Uzziah, on the other hand, lost his humility when he gained power and honor, and literally walked into the Holy Place to burn incense before the Lord. The priests ran in after him to point out his disobedience, but he refused to leave. Because of Uzziah’s pride before God, he was struck with leprosy (see 2 Chronicles 26:16-20).

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• Isaiah 6:6-7 Isaiah’s sin is removed and, most importantly, his mouth is touched with this cleansing fire. It would be through Isaiah’s mouth that God would reveal Himself.

Elijah, on the other hand, revealed God through signs and wonders. Pastors, just because you can’t raise someone from the dead or call down fire from heaven (although we’d like to), does not mean you are disqualified to be used by God. Your mouth and your words and your teaching are the ways God has chosen to work through you. You may not be like Elijah, but you are like Isaiah. Maybe that’s why I find Isaiah to be my favorite prophet.

• Isaiah 6:8-9 Isaiah accepts the task. He is willing to be God’s spokesman to the people. But it will be a difficult task, for the words he is about to speak will not find a warm reception. This is the burden given to all who are called to be a spokesman for God. There are times we have been called to speak words of love, comfort, and care. There are the glorious times when we speak God’s grace. But then there are times we must speak God’s rebuke and God’s judgment. That’s the hard part.

• Isaiah 6:9-10 How about this for an encouraging commissioning service. Go out and preach and teach, but the people will not listen anyway. If you knew that God was calling to you tell someone about His love and His grace; to call them to repentance, yet they would not listen, would you still speak God’s words? Maybe, just maybe Isaiah’s words were not for those who would hear them, but for those who would read them later on.

Maybe Isaiah’s commissioning was for the remnant that would return? Maybe it was for those who were in exile to not lose hope. We know his words did not change the people, and they would find themselves in a distant land for 70 years, but when the people returned, there was no more idol worship. As a matter of fact, that remnant was so concerned about slipping back into sin that a sect formed called the Pharisees who took obedience to the Law to a whole new extreme.

June 23: 2 Chronicles 27-28, Micah 1, Isaiah 7 2 Chronicles 27 74

• Jotham began to reign with his father when Uzziah was struck with leprosy (for some reason Uzziah had this disease the rest of his life. Apparently he never came to God seeking forgiveness for his actions).

They reigned together for 11 years. During that time together this son learned a lesson from his father’s mistake. He did the good as his father had done and avoided the bad. Watching God discipline someone else will sure make a person think twice about being disobedient themselves.

2 Chronicles 28 • 2 Chronicles 28:1-4 The Chronicler gives a few details about King Ahaz’s reign. But what stands out to the reader is that Judah was tolerating more and more wickedness. I know in God’s eyes it’s just as bad to worship some wooden pole representing Asherah as it is to worship Molech (to sacrifice your child in a fire), but from my perspective, burning your own children is an all-time low.

• The Valley of Ben-Hinnom was where this child sacrifice to the Ammonite god Molech frequently took place. It was located southwest of Jerusalem (see map below). This is the place known as Gehenna (from the Hebrew word Ge – Valley and the proper name

Hinnom. This is where Jerusalem threw their trash. A fire burned there continuously, and the stench of these human sacrifices was a reminder to the entire city that this was a place of death. It later becomes a symbol of Hell. Jesus uses this place in several examples to help people understand just what Hell will be like.

• 2 Chronicles 28:5 Although the Chronicler does not mention this, Jerusalem is not overcome by the attacks from both Rezin from Aram and Pekah from Israel (see 2 Kings 16:5).

• 2 Chronicles 28:6-15 The account of this raid in 2 Kings 16:1-6 does not share the full details mentioned here. The leaders in Israel, who called for the release of these prisoners, demonstrated a fear of God, which is interesting because sometimes you begin to wonder if there was one godly person left in Israel. They actually listened to Oded, the 75

prophet. But not stopping there, they treat the captives from Judah with dignity and kindness. Now, we all know God’s hand was in this, probably trying to teach a lesson.

But would Ahaz and the people of Judah learn from God’s “Pay it Forward” lesson. Well, maybe a regular citizen of Judah might have learned this, but it seems Ahaz did not. If God was using this as a lesson, Ahaz had skipped school that day.

• 2 Chronicles 28:16-27 Thinking that he still needed help, Ahaz asks the Assyrian king (Tiglath-Pileser III, remember him?) for help. He offers him a bribe to come and help, and that’s when the Arameans are defeated and King Rezin is killed (2 Kings16:9). It was at this point that Ahaz becomes impressed with the Assyrian gods, travels to Assyria, and brings back an idea for a new Altar. Ahaz replaces the one designed by God with an Altar to some foreign god. He puts is right in the Temple (see 2 Kings 16:10-18). Needless to say, God was not pleased with this, and apparently neither were the people. Ahaz was not given a royal burial.

Micah 1 • Micah 1:1 Micah was born in Moresheth, a town about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem near the Philistine city of Gath. Along with Isaiah, Micah spoke his prophecies during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, speaking about the Assyrian invasion of Israel, and the Babylonian invasion of Judah. There are basically three messages in this book, each calling the people to listen or hear. Micah spoke very clearly and plainly about the coming Messiah, speaking about His birthplace, His lineage, and His origins.

• Micah 1:2-7 Through Micah, God speaks against Samaria (the capital of Israel) and Jerusalem (the capital of Judah). Both the northern tribes and the southern tribes failed to live according to God’s commands. So he will pass judgment and drive them from the land. There seems to be something holy or sacred about this section of the world. God appears to be a bit particular about the conduct of the people who live in this little parcel of land next to the Mediterranean Sea. He drove out the Canaanites because of their wickedness. Soon He will drive out Israel because of her wickedness.

• Micah 1:10-12 This section is a play on words. Gath sounds like the Hebrew word “tell”. “Beth-leaphrah” means House of Dust. “Shaphir” means Pleasant. “Zaanan” 76

sounds like the Hebrew word to Come Out. “Beth-ezel” means Adjoining House. And “Maroth” sounds like the Hebrew word for bitter.

• Micah 1:15 “Mareshah” sounds like the Hebrew word Conqueror. She would be conquered herself, probably by Sennacherib. And all the leaders will hide in Adullam, just like David did (1 Samuel 22:1) Isaiah 7 • Isaiah 7:1-2 These events are recorded in 2 Kings 15:37; 16:5. Syria is called Aram in Hebrew.

• Isaiah 7:7-9 King Ahaz was beside himself with fear, probably out checking the city’s water supply in preparation for the attack. That’s when Isaiah shows up to bring encouraging news, for some. Things will go well for Jerusalem, but within 65 years Israel would no longer even be a nation. Isaiah gave this prophecy in 734 BC, so 65 years later was 669. When Assyria conquered Israel in 722, many Israelites were deported to other lands by Assyria, and foreigners were brought into Samaria (2 Kings 17:24). However, in 669 an even larger deportation took place (Ezra 4:10). This completely “shattered” Israel.

• Isaiah 7:9 According to The Bible Knowledge Commentary, “The second sentence in Isaiah 7:9 has been translated in various ways. But it challenged Ahaz to believe what Isaiah was telling him. Obviously Ahaz was not alive 65 years later. But he could have faith that God would fulfill both predictions: that Israel would be shattered 65 years later and that in his day the northern confederacy (Aram and Israel) would not overpower Judah. If he did not believe those predictions, he too would fall”.

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• Isaiah 7:10-12 In order to confirm Isaiah’s prophecy, Ahaz was told to ask for a sign that would confirm what Isaiah said was true. This is an unusual gift God is giving Ahaz.

Seldom, very seldom, is anyone ever asked to name the sign. Usually, God says that “such and such” will be the sign so that the recipient of the promise might know and be strengthened. So God’s offer here is quite unusual. But Ahaz says he would never test 8 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (Is 7:7–9). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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God that way. Now, don’t start thinking that Ahaz has found religion all the sudden. His statement indicates that he either didn’t believe Isaiah or didn’t want to believe that God was speaking through Isaiah. If God was speaking through Isaiah, then all the earlier prophecies he spoke were true; the messages of Judah’s doom and destruction; the exile they too would experience one day. “I won’t believe it. I don’t want to believe it”, said Ahaz. Actually, by his refusal, Ahaz was testing God; he was testing His patience.

• Isaiah 7:14 The Hebrew word here for virgin is “almâh” which means an unmarried woman who is old enough to marry. She is sexually mature but has not “Known” a man.

The question here is whether or not Isaiah had Jesus and Mary in mind or something else. If it was only Jesus, then the verse seems out of context with what Isaiah had said and will say next. Isaiah was speaking of the alliance between Israel and Aram. He says that before the boy is very old, the alliance will fall apart. The alliance fell apart just two or three years after this prophecy (732 BC - see 2 Kings 16:7-10), long before Jesus walked this earth. So how do we interpret this verse so that it makes sense? The key to understanding this is that the prophecy was not meant only for Ahaz, but for the whole house of David. That’s what was threatened here, not just Ahaz. The word “You” in verses 13 and 14 are plural (“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign”). At the time Isaiah spoke these words, an unmarried virgin would get married, conceive a child, and give birth. Before that child was old enough to know right from wrong, the alliance would fall apart. Perhaps Ahaz would know this girl, and hear that she named the child Immanuel and gain strength. However, we must read more into this verse. We must make this application to New Testament times simply because, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Matthew attributed this prophecy to Jesus (Matthew 1:22-23). In the case of Jesus though, Mary remained a virgin. Although she had married, she remained a virgin (almâh), until Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25). It seems logical to assume that Ahaz was given courage because a child was born named Immanuel, and he was born as a sign to Ahaz that God’s promise was true. But the prophecy did not stop there. Just as Ahaz needed a sign for courage and faith, so does the rest of the world even today. The Immanuel born for us is also a sign that God’s promise is true.

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June 24: Isaiah 8-11 Isaiah 8 • Isaiah 8:1-4 Some might be tempted to say this son of Isaiah was the Immanuel mentioned in the previous chapter. But it just doesn’t work. Isaiah’s wife already had a son, so was not previously a virgin, and his name was not Immanuel. I’m so glad my parents didn’t turn to this verse looking for a name for their son.

• Isaiah 8:5-10 Again God instructed Isaiah to remind Judah that Assyria would descend upon the land almost to the point of destruction (chin deep in water). But God will be with them (Immanuel). All the plans of those nations who come against Judah will amount to nothing. God will not permit it this time.

• Isaiah 8:11-15 Judah was not to fear the Israel- Aram alliance, nor fear the Assyrian army. They needed to fear the Lord. The Lord would be a sanctuary for those who trust in Him. But for those who do not, He will be their means of destruction (a stone, a rock, a trap, a snare).

• Isaiah 8:20 I see this happening so much now days. Apparently it was a problem in Isaiah’s time as well. Like Isaiah, I’m not surprised by the senseless advice coming from people who have no idea who God really is. But why would a person of God listen to the words spoken by some clueless idiot? Why would a Christian succumb to the world’s explanation of things, and interpret God’s Word through worldly eyes? Case in point is the whole almâh thing. There are actually some Christians and theologians who claim that Mary was not a virgin, just a young woman. Science says that it is impossible for a virgin to conceive. So these foolish Christians interpret the Bible to match what science claims. Well, if science is right and the Word of God is wrong, then what do we do with Matthew’s claim (Matthew 1:25)? Either Matthew spoke the truth or he spoke a lie. And if we discredit Matthew then who else in the Bible got things wrong? Do you see how this kind of thinking will cause us to end up living hopelessly in the dark?

Isaiah 9

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• Isaiah 9:1 Remember that Isaiah had previously spoken of Israel’s doom and destruction. But here he says that one day out of them will shine a bright light; a light of hope and encouragement. Galilee of the Gentiles will give the world hope, not Judah; not Jerusalem. How insulting would these words be to the ears of Judah?

• Isaiah 9:3-5 God Himself will lead the people from spiritual darkness to light. He will do this by . . .

• Isaiah 9:6-7 giving us a Son. He will be from Israel (a Son), He will be a ruler, not a warrior (Government), He will be distinguished (Wonderful), people will listen to Him (Counselor), He will display God-like characteristics (Mighty God), His rule will never end (Everlasting), and He will be the One to bring peace to a troubled heart (Prince of Peace).

Today I hear people, especially atheists, complain that if God was real, why doesn’t He do something about the nasty weather, feed the hungry, and cure the sick. Ironically, this is precisely what Jesus did when He walked the earth, and the people rejected Him as God anyway.

• Isaiah 9:8-21 This Son will come at a later time, after God’s discipline is completed. In the meantime, the Lord is ready to send foreign armies, showing no mercy even to the orphans and the widows. He is ready to send natural disasters, and will create tension within families. But even though God will send all of this, the people will not turn. They will still reject God. Consequently, His fist is still poised to strike.

Isaiah 10 • Isaiah 10:1-4 These words of God through Isaiah sound strikingly familiar. Jesus spoke similar words to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. This whole section of woes (the Hebrew “Oy Vey” means “Oh woe is me”) makes me wonder why God spoke these woes or sorrows. If the people were not going to listen anyway (see Isaiah’s commissioning in Isaiah 6:9-10), why would God take the time not only to prophesy these woes, but discipline Israel in the first place? There must be some reason God spoke these woes to a people would not listen and would not change. Perhaps this is not intended to benefit the disobedient, but those who would be alive afterwards. Maybe it was a lesson for the exiles, not the corrupt Jews living in Isaiah’s time.

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• Isaiah 10:5-11 There is an incredible lesson to be learned here; a lesson America needs to learn. We hold our position in the world today only by God’s design. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there is an absence of humility in our nation’s leaders, and it concerns me. We strut around as if we own the world. We look other nations in the eye and tell them “No you can’t” while we feel that we can. If we can own nuclear power plants, why not another nation? Are we really more trustworthy than them? Perhaps we trust ourselves, but does the rest of the world trust us? I would love to hear Washington start talking about living responsibly and acting righteously. I would love to see Washington speak more about helping the world than controlling the world.

• Isaiah 10:12-19 Assyria will face God’s wrath once He is finished using them to discipline Israel and Judah. Just as quickly as they arose to power, they will fall. Isn’t it interesting that at one time God used Israel to punish the wicked nations living in the land of Cana? Now God will use Assyria to punish Israel. Eventually, God will use Babylon to punish Assyria (609 BC). God will then use Persia to discipline Babylon (539 BC).

Greece conquers Persia, Rome conquerors Greece, and on and on marches the fall of one empire after another. However, as empires rise and fall, God’s promise still remains.

A king will rise in Israel whose kingdom will never end. His will be an everlasting Kingdom. That’s why I pledge my allegiance to God’s kingdom, not a kingdom of this earth that will one day fall from glory and power.

• Isaiah 10:25 These are very encouraging words for Judah. God has promised that His punishment would come to an end. Is this something that is always true of God’s discipline? As we’ve read in earlier parts of the Bible God spoke judgment against people, and had them destroyed. But here His judgment against Judah seems more like discipline; punishing the child for doing something wrong, not kicking him out of the house. Just like Israel, you and I have been bought with a price, and God is not looking for ways to crush us but to strengthen us; to turn us away from sin and into the path of righteousness.

Isaiah 11

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• Isaiah 11:1 Speaking about the royal line of kings that had descended from David (not the nation as a whole), God promises that out of the stump that remains, a new shoot will begin to grow. It seems God was blaming the king for the wickedness of Judah. So God cut off the entire line of kings that had been in power in Israel and then in Judah. But eventually, a new King will arise who is a descendant of David that will be unlike any king Israel has ever seen. Isn’t it amazing to think that God expected the king to be the one who led the nation in righteous behavior; who called the people to fear God and follow His commands. That’s an overwhelming responsibility. I wonder if God expects this from His Pastors today.

• Isaiah 11:2-5 This description of the coming King (the Messiah), would cause anyone to exclaim “Wow!” Could you imagine a president who demonstrated these attributes?

Looking at the Messiah’s characteristics, I see two things that really stand out concerning His judgment; He will judge with righteousness and fairness. Sometimes I think we Christians need to keep this in mind. Too often, we portray a Jesus who judges with anger and indignation. Truthfully, there is a big difference between pointing out someone’s sin in hopes that they look for Jesus and introducing them to Jesus who cleanses them of sin. I know too many Christians that are more eager to identify someone’s sin than to help them meet Jesus.

• Isaiah 11:6-9 When the Messiah reigns on this earth (a reference to the Millennial Kingdom when Christ returns), those who were at war with one another will be at peace, even Israel and Judah. Some people interpret the animals mentioned here figuratively, but it’s not too difficult to imagine that with Christ dwelling on the earth, these animals could get along.

• Isaiah 11:10 This verse says it all. Not only will this Messiah be the hope of Israel, but He will be the hope of all nations. This was a lesson the early Christians needed to learn.

And it’s interesting that God chose someone who knew the scriptures very well to be the one that introduced that banner of hope to the Gentiles. Who better than Paul to teach the Gentiles about God’s promise.

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June 25: Isaiah 12, Isaiah 17, 2 Kings 16-18 Isaiah 12 • This testimony of praise could be sung when Israel returned from Babylonian captivity, and it may be sung when Christ returns to establish His 1000 year reign on the earth.

This chapter begins by referencing “that day”, which takes us back to the previous section. I’m sure Israel rejoiced when they came home from exile. I know they will rejoice when Jesus does become King one day.

Isaiah 17 • Isaiah 17:1-6 Again Isaiah is speaking an oracle that Aram (Syria) and Israel (the Northern Tribes) would be destroyed by Assyria, Syria was destroyed in 732 and Israel was destroyed in 722.

• Isaiah 17:7-11 If it seems that Israel, Judah, and the surrounding nations will be facing hardship for the next 150 years, it’s because they had turned their backs to God. This mighty warring nation that leaves destruction in its wake is being used by God to discipline His people. It’s unfortunate that the nations surrounding Israel had to suffer as well. But this is what happens when those who have been called to live holy lives begin acting like the rest of the world. Without the godly, the world actually does suffer. There is no one to call the nations to righteousness; there is no one to call for justice and mercy.

• But even though God would use Assyria as a tool for a time, they would suffer His wrath. Isaiah 17:12-14 reminds me of the morning Jerusalem would find 185,000 Assyrian soldiers killed right outside their gates.

2 Kings 16 • 2 Kings 16:1-4 Reading this story makes me sad. As the account of the kings had shifted back and forth between Judah and Israel, it was always refreshing to find the King of Judah doing what was right. It gave us, the reader, hope that all was not lost. But here we find the son of a good king, and the grandson of a good king offering his own son as a

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sacrifice (probably to Molech, god of the Ammonites). How does something like this happen?

• 2 Kings 16:7-8 I find it sad that Ahaz turned to some Assyrian king for help instead of God. And instead of bringing an offering to God, he gives an offering to some pagan king.

Can the destruction of Judah be too far off?

• 2 Kings 16:9 Ahaz acted foolishly. According to Assyrian practice, they would conquer a town, move its residents out, and move Assyrians in. So this brought an Assyrian stronghold even closer. At the same time, the Edomites and the Philistines invade, making Judah even weaker. All of this was the result of Ahaz’s Apostasy (2 Chronicles 28:19).

• 2 Kings 16:10 This altar was probably an Assyrian design.

2 Kings 17 • 2 Kings 17:2 According to some Jewish tradition Hoshea allowed the Israelites to go to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.

• 2 Kings 17:3-6 The Assyrian captivity began in 722 BC with the capture on Hoshea and the capture of Samaria. Shalmanesser’s dad, Tiglath-Pileser III had already captured the area around the Sea of Galilee. This captivity ends the existence of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. After nearly 200 years of existence, the nation is wiped out never to be seen again. 7 of her 20 kings were assassinated; all were judged to be evil by God. • 2 Kings 17:13-14 Have you ever met someone like this; someone who never listens to the advice of others? I’ve offered spiritual counsel to many people who have come looking for advice. Their whole life seems upside down, job, relationships, spirituality. Yet when I give them counsel it’s like it falls on deaf ears. They’ve become so accustomed to their life that they cannot picture life without the problems. I’ve met people who have held on to emotional pain for so long that the pain defines who they are. Take away the pain caused by an unforgiving heart, and these people would not know who they are. I think this is what happened with Israel. Apostasy became so much of who they were that they just couldn’t picture a life without it. Both then and now a person cannot muster the 84

strength to change or to heal from within themselves. The strength must come from somewhere else; from someone else. Only the Spirit can change a person so deeply rooted in sin.

• 2 Kings 17:24 By now the King of Assyria was probably Sargon II. Shalmaneser died shortly after the siege of Samaria.

• 2 Kings 17:26 Before we get too impressed with these Assyrians, remember that they felt a god was tied to a particular place. So they figured that the God of Israel was not being worshiped correctly. They did not make the correlation between the lions and Yahweh, THE one, and only God. In their ignorance, they figured there was something they must DO to appease this god. They had no idea that this God was looking merely for an attitude from the heart.

• 2 Kings 17:27-28 If this priest was originally from Bethel, he probably taught the Assyrians how to worship one of the golden calves, not how to worship God. • 2 Kings 17:30-31 Nergal was the Babylonian god of the underworld; the exact identity of the other gods is uncertain.

• 2 Kings 17:32-41 It’s possible that this is how the Samaritan people came into existence. With the Assyrians being moved in and the influential Israelites being moved out, the descendants of Jacob were absorbed into the Assyrian culture. So there was a deep-seated hatred between those who remained separate and pure in Judah to those who became Samaritans. This would explain why, in Jesus’ time, a Jew would not even travel through the area. This would explain the objection by the woman at the well (John 4:9).

2 Kings 18 • 2 Kings 18:1 Evidently Hezekiah reigned as coregent with his father Ahaz for 14 years (729-715 BC). He reigned alone for 18 years (715-697) and then as coregent with his son Manasseh for 11 years (697-686). Together these two reigns were 29 years (715-686 BC).

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• 2 Kings 18:4 Isn’t it sad that things used by God in a miraculous way can become objects of worship. If a church isn’t careful, even the building can become an object of worship. Sometimes particular items in the church can become an object of worship. A picture or chairs or Stain Glassed windows or even a pulpit can become sacred objects, and a church will place too much emphasis on their presence or their location.

• 2 Kings 18:5-8 Hezekiah was the greatest of the kings found within the Southern Kingdom. 2 Chronicles records even more of his reforms in Judah; the cleansing of the Temple (2 Chronicles 29:3-36), his celebration of Passover (2 Chronicles 30), and other religious reforms (2 Chronicles 31:2-21).

• 2 Kings 18:13 Hezekiah’s rebellion against Sennacherib (705-681 BC), king of Assyria, set the stage for this Assyrian invasion. Hezekiah decided to join an alliance with neighboring nations (Phoenicia, Philistia, and Egypt) and began making preparations for Assyria’s anticipated retaliation. Sennacherib led his armies into Judah as expected in 701 BC. On their way to Judah, the Assyrians defeated the rebels in Phoenicia, which caused several other members of the alliance to withdraw. Then Sennacherib marched his armies down the coast into Philistia where he brought the Philistine cities into line.

Next he attacked all the fortified cities of Judah except Jerusalem and captured the people. Sennacherib’s inscriptions refer to his conquest of 46 strong cities of Hezekiah plus many villages.

• 2 Kings 18:17 This aqueduct brought water from the Gihon spring to the place where people washed their clothes. This was within earshot of the wall of Jerusalem.

• 2 Kings 18:22 It’s interesting how little Sennacherib actually understood the Worship of God. Hezekiah actually tore down these shrines in obedience to God. People didn’t know the God of Israel. They didn’t have a clue. I think the same can be said about the world today. People just don’t get Christianity. They world keeps thinking it’s all about a religious practice, but Christianity is all about a relationship.

• 2 Kings 18:25 Although this claim seems a bit unlikely, it is not impossible. Assyria had been sent by God to deal with Israel. Perhaps he had sent them to Judah as well.

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• 2 Kings 18:29-35 Hezekiah was a man of God. He obeyed the Lord passionately. But here are these Assyrian officials trying to sway the people against him. Don’t we see this very thing today? There never seems to be an end of those who love to defame the character of a righteous person. But Sennacherib’s boasting is going to be his demise.

You just don’t go around saying God can’t beat you and get away with it.

June 26: Hosea 1-6 Hosea 1 • Hosea 1:1 Although Hosea spoke mainly to the Northern Kingdom, his prophecies were for both Israel and Judah. The listing of kings mentions only Jeroboam II from Israel, but when compared to the listing of kings from Judah, Hosea’s prophecies span six more kings of Israel, from Jeroboam II (about 750 BC) to Hoshea (about 725 BC).

• Hosea 1:2-3 There is a lot of disagreement over Hosea’s wife. Some argue that she was pure when they married but later played the harlot (unfaithful to Hosea). But this narrative speaks clearly. Hosea was to take a woman who was already a harlot ( zōnâ).

Maybe she was just a typical Israelite woman for this time period – one who had been participating in the Canaanite fertility worship. In preparation for marriage, she would go through an initiation process with Baal priests to prepare her for childbearing. Maybe she was a prostitute. Either way, she had already played the harlot.

• Hosea 1:4-6 Okay, I can see naming a kid for a location (like Bethany, just like the beach in Delaware), but to call a little girl “not loved” seems a bit harsh. Not only did God ask an awful lot of Hosea, but He asked a lot of the family as well.

• Hosea 1:10-11 At some point Israel will be reunited and restored. God will be with them again. They will be His people. It’s obvious this looks to the return from exile.

Israel (the Northern Tribes) will not come home, but Judah (the Southern Tribes) will, and she will come home as Israel (the House of Jacob) once again. It’s important to realize here that although the northern nation of Israel will cease to exist because of its apostasy, 87

some individuals from those northern tribes did not turn from God. There were people from Dan, from Manasseh, from Naphtali and Zebulon (and the others) who remained faithful to God. Some fled to Judah when Jeroboam I came to power. Others were faithful even though they still lived in the land. Their heritage did not disappear, only the political institution known at this time as Israel.

Hosea 2 • Hosea 2:2-13 Here is the symbolism that comes with Hosea’s marriage to a prostitute.

Israel acted as if all the other gods had been the ones to provide for them. Israel threw themselves at those gods in adoration and worship. Yet all the blessings and love and care came from her Husband; came from God. Israel treated God like a prostitute, throwing herself at any other god that happened to come along. How long would a husband put up with a wife like this? How long will God put up with a people like this?

• Hosea 2:14-23 It seems the well of God’s love will never run dry. We cannot peer down into His heart and see emptiness. The depths of His love are unfathomable. In spite of Israel’s unfaithfulness, God will call her near once again. He will reach out to her and love her. And He will wipe the many names of Baal from her lips (Hosea 2:17). This is exactly what has happened. Once Israel returned from captivity, she remained faithful to the worship of God. Oh, she became legalistic and ritualistic in her worship of God, but she did not corrupt her worship. This is why many Jews had a hard time accepting Jesus.

For some, Jesus seemed to be tempting them to fall away or contaminate the worship of God once again. Jesus came along and proclaimed the He was God, but Israel would hear nothing of this. They worshiped more than one God before and look at the trouble it caused.

Hosea 3 • Hosea 3:1-3 Even though Gomer had agreed to marry Hosea, she could not stop playing the harlot. Was she a prostitute? It’s hard to tell. It almost seems as if she had a pimp who would sell her for sex. Maybe Gomer was a temple prostitute to Asherah or Baal, and those priests owned her. This would explain why Hosea had to purchase her back at such a high price. I still wonder if she was taken away from Hosea, of she left on 88

her own. I suspect that she left on her own because this would fit with the object lesson God is trying to make here. No one stole Israel away and forced them to worship other gods; they did this on their own.

Hosea 4 • Hosea 4:1-7 God gets real tough here with those who had the responsibility to keep Israel focused on God. He blasts the priests for leading the people astray, and He is right.

The people of Israel may have been tempted to walk away from God or contaminate the worship of God, but these priests did nothing about it. They even joined in. With great power comes great responsibility (thanks, Stan Lee). It did no good for the priest to point their fingers of blame at the people. These priests did nothing and said nothing to call the people back to God. They were responsible.

• Hosea 4:8-13 Even the priests themselves were corrupt. They worshiped these false gods. They spoke to a wooden stick as if it could answer.

• Hosea 4:17 I wonder if there is a lesson in this for us today. I don’t want to make a connection where none is present. This is, after all, God’s pronouncement against Israel, not all of humanity. I know we must be careful not to take something meant for another person at another time and make it apply to all people for all time, but something just keeps jumping out at me here. Should a church that has remained faithful in its worship of God participate in an ecumenical worship service with congregations that have not and do not faithfully worship God? I know some pastors who refuse to participate because of the theology of the other churches in the service. I’ve seen pastors withdraw from local ministers groups because they felt some of the other churches had compromised the word of God. Where do we draw the line? At what point does a Pastor “leave these others alone”? I struggle with this because the way I see it, perhaps I can be an influence for righteousness on those who have corrupted righteousness, unless I'm just fooling myself; that I'm not nearly as strong in the truth as I think.

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• Hosea 5:6 There is a ton of theology in this verse. I bet we could spend a day just talking about what is required to actually worship God. But the bottom line is this: it doesn’t become worship until it is accepted as such. Although the priests went through the motions, God wasn’t there. He wasn’t present in their worship because of their sin.

So this makes me raise the question why a sinner can be heard by God when they pray the sinner’s prayer. The answer, as I have argued many times before, is found in the attitude of a person’s heart. Worship becomes authentic based more upon a person’s attitude then in the way they practice worship.

• Hosea 5:12 Israel destroyed. Judah weakened.

Hosea 6 • Hosea 6:1-3 A future generation will feel remorse. A future generation will feel guilt because of their sin after they are punished (Hosea 5:15).

• Hosea 6:4-7 God sent prophets continually to warn these people to turn away from their sin and turn back to God. But their words fell on deaf ears. Here, God likens Israel with Adam, which is interesting because God says that Adam broke his covenant with God and betrayed God’s trust. Even Adam, who walked with God, turned his back on Him. So too has Israel. After everything God had done for them, after all the times He came to their rescue, this nation would just shrug their shoulders and walk away. When God is only something on the outside, the best we can do is to try and change our behavior. But with God on the inside He can change our character.

June 27: Hosea 7-11 Hosea 7 • Hosea 7:1-13 This snapshot of Israel gives us a glimpse into the behavior of the nations who lived in the Promised Land during Joshua’s time. Just as these nations aroused the wrath of God because of their behavior, so too has Israel. God’s wrath is not aroused against the person who occasionally sins; who tries to do what is right and good, 90

but against those who are blatantly evil. Now, I said God’s wrath, not God’s judgment.

The non-Christian will face His judgment one day, but not this wrath that leads to destruction.

Hosea 8 • Hosea 8:4 Two example of Israel’s sin are listed here; appointing kings without consulting God, and making Idols to worship, a direct violation of Exodus 20:4.

• Hosea 8:5-6 Israel “rejected” God and worshiped two golden calves. God here rejects the idols. What God finds strange is that a person would worship something their own hands had made. But we don’t do things like this, do we? We don’t worship the things we make, or do we? Oh, we may not create some Golden Chandelier, but there are many things that take our hearts and minds off of God. • Hosea 8:9-10 Israel’s alliance with Assyria may be seen here as an attempt to escape the Lord’s judgment. But regardless of this, He will find them.

• Hosea 8:13 Israel would return to the nation of Egypt, but not physically. They would find themselves living just as the did back in Egypt. Israel would become slaves once again.

• Hosea 8:14 Even Judah had become self-sufficient; trusting in their own strength and skill. But through Sennacherib, even Judah’s fortified cities would fall (2 Kings 18:13).

Hosea 9 • Hosea 9:1 Offering a sacrifice on the threshing floor is an indication that Israel was involved in the worship of fertility gods. Supposedly, these gods would supply rain for the crops, and they needed to be appeased so they would give food and wine and livestock.

• Hosea 9:3 I read the end of this verse and think of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Although these men were in Babylon, it would be true for those taken into Assyrian captivity as well.

• Hosea 9:8 Here’s a question: if someone works hard to make a pastor fail, are they, in effect, conspiring against God? If a church sets itself against the man God sent to lead, 91

are they truly fighting against God? I read this verse and wonder if we should make the same correlation between a prophet and a pastor. It’s a difficult question because I’ve watched plenty of churches work against their pastor, and suffer because of those actions for years to come. But, a church does need to hold the pastor accountable for his actions.

So how can the leadership of a church know when it has crossed that line? This has always bugged me. When a pastor is morally and ethically pure, yet is not challenging the church to move forward spiritually, what action should they take?

• Hosea 9:9 Here God must be referring to the events mentioned in Judges 19; the rape and murder of the Levite concubine.

• Hosea 9:15-16 I find it sad that Israel has fallen to the same position as those people living in Canaan that aroused God’s wrath, and just as He used the nation of Israel to drive the Canaanites out, He will use Assyria to drive out Israel.

Hosea 10 • Hosea 10:5 Beth-aven means House of Wickedness. This is a slam against the town Bethel which means House of God. • Hosea 10:6 This is a reference to the Golden Calf erected in Bethel (one was also erected in Dan).

• Hosea 10:14 mentions a historical incident that was apparently well known in Hosea’s time. But the identity of Shalman and the location of Beth Arbel are uncertain. The most popular identifications of Shalman have been: (a) Shalmaneser III (an Assyrian ruler who campaigned against the West in the ninth century BC.), (b) Shalmaneser V (the Assyrian ruler from 727 to 722 BC.; but his invasion of Israel postdates Hosea’s prophecy), and (c) Salamanu (a Moabite king mentioned in a tribute list of the Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III and a contemporary of Hosea). Beth Arbel has been identified by some (Eusebius, for example) with modern Irbid (Arbela) about 18 miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, and by others with modern Arbel two miles west of the Sea of Galilee. At any rate, this particular battle was vividly remembered for its slaughter of women and children.

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• Hosea 11:1-11 God uses the imagery of a parent and child here. But although the child has deeply angered the parent, the parent will not completely abandon the child. God demonstrates His greatest power here; the power of grace. God’s emotions are not like our emotions. We can allow our emotions to overrule our thinking, but it is not the same with God. Although His anger with Israel is great, that anger does not overpower Him. He is the master if His emotion. This is why He, and He alone, is worthy to be the One to judge. This is how He can judge with fairness and justice.

June 28: Hosea 12-14 Isaiah 28, Isaiah 1 Hosea 12 • In a comparison with history, the entire nation (both northern and southern tribes) is reminded of what happened to Jacob. He was a deceiver who resorted to trickery to get what he wanted. He even wrestled with God to get that blessing he so desired. But on the day he returned and met God at Bethel, the Lord was ready to restore and redirect Jacob’s life. Hosea says that Israel has resorted to the same trickery and deception.

They only needed to return and they would be restored just as well.

Hosea 13 • Hosea 13:14 This is an interesting contrast to what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:55.

Here God calls on death to be Israel’s punishment. But Paul says that through Christ, death has lost its power. It is no longer a form of punishment.

Hosea 14 • Although Hosea’s prophecy ends on a positive note, Israel, as a whole, will reject this final plea. But these words will plant a seed of hope in the hearts of a remnant that have not completely turned their backs on God. • Hosea 14:9 How true this statement is. God’s laws are placed before all humanity.

They are the pathway all people must walk throughout life. The righteous find the journey easy and enjoyable while transgressors (sinners) stumble and fall. They find the passage 93

difficult. A person may think they have the freedom to live in this world any way they may choose, but they are deceiving themselves. Life is something that has been granted to us, not something we have created on our own. And the creator of life (God) has set forth laws by which we are called to live by. We can either obey those laws and find happiness or ignore them and find grief. It is the wise and discerning person who understands these things.

Isaiah 28 • Isaiah 28:1-8 Again another prophecy concerning the destruction of the Northern Tribes of Israel, and her capital city of Samaria. This time they are described as a bunch of alcoholics, too drunk to know what’s going on. Either they truly were alcoholics or it speaks of their worship of false gods, and they had completely lost touch with the spirit of the Living God. • Isaiah 28:9-10 But the priests and prophets in Israel were offended at God’s remark.

They claimed He still spoke to them continually. They actually mocked Isaiah as if he was the little child, speaking baby talk. That’s what is meant by “A little here and a little there”.

• Isaiah 28:11-13 Since they would not listen, God would speak to them through a foreign oppressor. And they would treat Israel like a little child.

• Isaiah 28:22 Israel had made all sorts of plans and contrived all kinds of schemes in order to defeat the army that God would send against them. But it would not stand. All their plans would be crushed and destroyed because that’s what God desired. And if they continued to mock God’s Word anymore, things would be even worse.

• But, God says in Isaiah 28:23-29 that what He is about to do is not designed to completely destroy. He paints an image of a farmer who prepared the soil first, then plants the seed. Israel will soon face a time of cultivating. They are being prepared just like the soil. Soon good seed will be planted, and the harvest will be incredible. These should have been encouraging words, but I know none of us enjoy the times in our lives when our hearts and our souls are tilled; when we are uprooted and overturned. But God is right. Those trying times prepare us for what He intends to plant in our hearts.

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Isaiah 1 • Isaiah 1:2-4 Isaiah is not just speaking of the Northern Kingdom here. He is also speaking of Judah.

• Isaiah 1:5-7 Israel was battered and bruised both spiritually and physically. They bruised themselves spiritually by turning their backs to God, and He bruised them physically with His rod and staff of discipline.

• Isaiah 1:9 God has begun to view Israel as Sodom and Gomorrah. Israel was just as wicked and evil as those two cities. Their sin against God was that great. Now think about this for a moment; if Sodom and Gomorrah aroused God’s wrath even though they did not know the Law, how much greater might God’s wrath be against Israel who did know His Law? • Isaiah 1:11-15 Can there be a more clear statement that God detests empty worship?

A person’s heart is always the most important thing to God. Even those who correctly followed the religious rituals were despised by God simply because their heart was not right. I see this same thing over and over again even today. I’ve watched people sit in a pew on Sunday but live like the rest of the world on Monday. It made be sick when I was a teenager, and it turns my stomach today. And if I despise worship that is empty of righteousness, I think I can understand why God spoke these words through Isaiah.

• Isaiah 1:16-17 This is what God really wants to happen in a person’s life. He’s looking for the person who repents of their sin and starts living as if God’s commands were important. That’s the kind of worship God wants. Just out of curiosity, does anyone else think that we have missed the whole point during the Worship Wars? The style of music, the format of the service, or the placement of furniture means nothing to God. He doesn’t care if it is through a drum and guitar or through an organ. But what He does care about it whether it is through a broken and humble heart.

• Isaiah 1:18 Like a judge in the courtroom, God wanted to settle the issue clearly and plainly; Israel was stained with sin, and only God could and would wash them clean and make them white as snow.

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• Isaiah 1:24-25 God is calling Israel His enemy here. It is against Israel that He will raise His fist. I’m sure many an Israelite found these words offensive. What a great start for a ministry. First day in the pulpit and Isaiah’s comparing them to Sodom and Gomorrah, calling their worship a waste of time, and telling them that God has raised His fist against them. Do you think he would be invited to speak next week?

• Isaiah 1:29 The desired result of the Lord’s discipline is to get Israel to turn away from these things; to make them feel remorse for their sin.

June 29: Isaiah 2-5 Isaiah 2 • Isaiah 2:1-4 Perhaps Isaiah did not know when the events in these verses would happen, but he did know that a day was coming when the world would turn to the God of Jacob. Other prophets point to this as the 1000 year reign of Christ. Isn’t it interesting that World Peace will not come by human achievement but rather by the work and the presence of the Lord upon this earth • Isaiah 2:6-9 Here is a snapshot into the detestable things Israel was doing. So many things God said not to do, we find within Israel: Idol worship, witchcraft, violence. No wonder He was angry.

• Isaiah 2:11 I really like this verse except one part; “On that day”. I want the proud to be humbled on this day. I want it to happen now. I want those who boast arrogantly against God to receive their judgment while I watch. Yet I know those feelings are not very Christlike. I know this attitude should not be found within a follower of Christ. I know this, but still I struggle with this.

Isaiah 3 • Isaiah 3:1-3 Do you notice what this list is insinuating? God is saying that instead of depending on Him, Israel had depended on the craftiness and cleverness of men.

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• Isaiah 3:4-7 This may not be a reference to age but to maturity. A man gives to others; a boy takes from others. A man accepts responsibility; a boy hides from responsibility. A man leads with courage; a boy trembles with fear. A man rejects passivity; a boy refuses to get involved.

• Isaiah 3:16-26 Isaiah mentions here many of the external things that are supposed to make one beautiful and attractive. Judah looked great on the outside, but inside they were detestable to the Lord. Isn’t it still true today? And I’m not talking about the unchurched; I’m talking about those who profess to be Christians. Far too often they appear good and righteous, but they devour people like a hungry lion. They prey on others, destroying them and their church. They smile so sweetly, clasp hands so warmly, yet all along look for a way to devour; to destroy another human soul. Why do they do this?

Perhaps it is to trample those whose righteousness threatens to expose their wickedness.

Isaiah 4 • Those who considered themselves to be highly important and quite cultured (see Isaiah 3:16-26) will find themselves stripped bare of all they thought important; stripped so badly that they will actually compete for a husband. But in spite of this, a remnant will be restored. Jerusalem will find herself cleansed of unrighteousness and wickedness. I wonder if the people heard these words of cleansing, or if they simply heard the words of punishment. Most of us only wail about the Lord’s discipline. Seldom do we consider the effect it will have on us when it is through.

Isaiah 5 • Isaiah 5:1-7 In a powerful parable, God portrays Israel as a vineyard that He tended and cared for. Faithfully He guarded His vineyard; diligently He watered; tenderly He pruned. Yet the grapes were no better than what could be found growing on a vine in the wild.

• Isaiah 5:8-23 Several references are made here to the sorrow that awaits those who have ignored God. For the people of Israel, living in this world had become more important than living for God. The pleasures of this life were far more important that doing 97

what is right and living according to God’s holiness. People would gather, and their conversations surrounded the latest scandal, the recent weather, the neighbor down the street, the local chariot races, the price of olive oil, the most recent gossip about politics and kings. But no one thought about the Lord. No one thought of righteousness and holiness.

• Isaiah 5:24-30 One day those living comfortably in their worldliness would hear the rumble of distant chariots racing toward Jerusalem with destruction and conquest in their hearts. One day all their luxury and wealth would be stripped away. Judah and Jerusalem would be carried away all because they produced oppression and violence instead of justice and righteousness (see Isaiah 5:7).

June 30: Isaiah 13-16 Isaiah 13 • At first glance, it seems that Isaiah is speaking about the fall of the Babylonian Empire

by Cyrus and the Medo-Persian Empire that attacked Babylon in 539 BC. But that attack left Babylon mostly intact, and Isaiah 13:19-22 speaks of its destruction. Isaiah points out that Babylon’s destruction would come quickly (Isaiah 13:22), so this may be a prophecy of the Assyrian conquest of Babylon in December of 689 BC. A few years after this destruction, Babylon was rebuilt by Sennacherib’s son Esarhaddon (681-669 BC). All this preceded the rise of the Babylonian Empire in 626 and its fall to Medo-Persia in 539. Of course, Babylon will be rebuilt once again, but this time it will be destroyed by God (see Revelation 18).

Isaiah 14 • Isaiah 14:2 This verse should make you stop and think. One day the Gentile Nations will help the Lord’s people return to Canaan (Israel). We could say this about the return from exile to a certain degree. Cyrus the Mede did grant them permission to return home.

But at no point did the Medes or the Persians or the Greeks or the Romans ever become 98

Israel’s servants. At no point in Israel’s history from then until today have they ever ruled over these nations or any other nation. This verse must speak of an event that has yet to happen. Some scholars point to the kingdom of Christ, where through the message of the Gospel, nations are conquered spiritually, and become part of the Family of God (heirs to the promise of God – Galatians 3:29). Some believe this verse points to Christ’s second coming, where all nations one day look to the Banner in Jerusalem for hope. And in 1948, the Gentile nations of this world helped Israel return to the land, marking the beginning of this process.

• Isaiah 14:4-23 Portions of this section sound like a reference to Satan (Isaiah 14:1214), but other portions do not. Satan has no body to be eaten by worms (Isaiah 14:11) or to lie out in the open in disgrace (Isaiah 14:19). It seems God is speaking of a human king that the world despised; a king that was a tyrant, which ruled with fear; who thought himself above the gods, and who laid waste to every city he captured. Now I’m not trying to say that I know better than some Bible Scholars, but this king described here just might th

be Sennacherib. Assyria had ruled over Babylon ever since the 10 century BC (much like England ruled over America for a number of years). Babylon would rebel every now and then, but Assyria would subdue the nation, and place a puppet king in charge. This is who Tiglath-Pileser III was. He was Assyria’s aggressive ruler from 745 to 727 but was crowned king of Babylon. After Sargon II had died in 705 BC, Babylon rebelled once again. That’s when Sennacherib destroyed the city in 689 BC. Eight years after he destroys Babylon, he is assassinated by two of his sons (2 Kings 19:37). If we listen to Sennacherib’s taunt against King Hezekiah, we can see just what a megalomaniac this man truly was (see 2 Kings 19:10-13). He thought he was a god; a bright and shining star. But he was defeated; thrown down to the place of the dead. And those who had been trampled beneath his feet will rejoice that he too has been destroyed.

• Yes, it does sound like Isaiah is speaking of Satan in certain portions of this section, but perhaps he is also speaking about an earthly king who was an instrument of destruction of Satan. In this case, it might just be Sennacherib, King of Assyria.

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• Isaiah 14:24-27 This section probably refers to the destruction of the Assyrian army as it surrounded Jerusalem (see 2 Kings 19:35) • Isaiah 14:28-32 King Ahaz dies in 715 BC, and Isaiah is warning the Philistines not to get all excited because Isaiah spoke of Assyria’s destruction. Just 4 short years after this oracle was given, Assyria will descend upon the Philistines and destroy their kingdom, under the rule of Sargon II. Isaiah 15 • Isaiah also tells Moab that they will be destroyed by the Assyrian army. The people of Moab will run for their lives, all the way to the land of Edom Isaiah 16 • Isaiah 16:1-5 Isaiah’s advice to the people of Moab is to find refuge in Judah. Isaiah has already said that Jerusalem would be spared. He is suggesting to Moab (if they might read this oracle, by chance), that they send a peace offering of Lambs on ahead so Jerusalem would show them mercy and grace. But would Moab humble themselves and seek Judah’s help?

• Isaiah 16:6-12 Unfortunately, Moab was too proud to seek Judah’s help. And all that was glorious in the land was destroyed.

• Isaiah 16:13-14 Isaiah says that in three years Moab will be destroyed. There is some debate as to which King destroyed Moab. It could have been at the same time Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz about the Aram-Israel alliance. When Tiglath-Pileser invaded Aram, he continued southeast into Moab in 732 BC. Or Isaiah could be saying that Moab would be attacked by Sennacherib after his failed attempt against Jerusalem. Considering the context, I’d guess that it spoke of Sennacherib’s invasion. And considering how much destruction this king brought to all the nations, it’s no wonder they rejoiced on the day he was killed.

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i When Walter started working for the biggest corporation in the world, the personnel director said he would have to start at the bottom and work his way up. So Walter found himself in the basement working in the mailroom. Walter liked his job, but often daydreamed about what it would be like to be a junior executive, vice-president, president, or even chairman of the board. One day, as Walter was busy collecting the mail, he heard footsteps in the corner. It was a small cockroach. Just as he was about to step on it, he heard a small voice scream, "Don't kill me! Please, don't kill me! I'm Milton the cockroach. And if you spare my life, I promise to grant all of your wishes." That sounded like a pretty good deal to Walter. So he spared Milton the cockroach's life.

Walter's first wish was to get out of the mailroom and be a junior executive. Milton granted that wish. A couple of months later, Walter wanted to become one of the vice-presidents of the corporation. That wish was granted too. In fact, Milton the cockroach kept granting every one of Walter's wishes until years later Walter was Chairman of the Board to the largest corporation in the world.

Walter was very happy. Every so often, he would say to himself, "I am Walter. Everyone respects me. No one is bigger or better or more important than me." However, one day Walter met a little boy down in the lobby. He was kneeling in prayer. "Are you praying to become like me,� Walter asked? "Of course not," said the little boy. "I'm praying to become someone important. I want to be like Jesus!" Walter was quite disturbed by this turn of events, so the next day he told Milton the cockroach, "I want to be like Jesus". So Milton the cockroach granted Walter's wish and Walter went back to the mailroom in the basement.

When Walter started working for the biggest corporation in the world, the personnel director said he would have to start at the bottom and work his way up. So Walter found himself in the basement working in the mailroom. Walter liked his job, but often daydreamed about what it would be like to be a junior executive, vicepresident, president, or even chairman of the board. One day, as Walter was busy collecting the mail, he heard footsteps in the corner. It was a small cockroach. Just as he was about to step on it, he heard a small voice scream, "Don't kill me! Please, don't kill me! I'm Milton the cockroach. And if you spare my life, I promise to grant all of your wishes." That sounded like a pretty good deal to Walter. So he spared Milton the cockroach's life.

Walter's first wish was to get out of the mailroom and be a junior executive. Milton granted that wish. A couple of months later, Walter wanted to become one of the vice-presidents of the corporation. That wish was granted too. In fact, Milton the cockroach kept granting every one of Walter's wishes until years later Walter was Chairman of the Board to the largest corporation in the world.

Walter was very happy. Every so often, he would say to himself, "I am Walter. Everyone respects me. No one is bigger or better or more important than me." However, one day Walter met a little boy down in the lobby. He was kneeling in prayer. "Are you praying to become like me,� Walter asked? "Of course not," said the little boy.

"I'm praying to become someone important. I want to be like Jesus!" Walter was quite disturbed by this turn of events, so the next day he told Milton the cockroach, "I want to be like Jesus". So Milton the cockroach granted Walter's wish and Walter went back to the mailroom in the basement.