by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Kings 12-13
So the kingdom is split. Sad, sad, sad. To think that just a generation ago Israel was the greatest nation of all time so that people would come from afar to see the wealth and wisdom. Now look at it.
Solomon’s sin causes God’s favor to wane and Jeroboam rises up to take most of the nation to himself.
Now we have two nations. Judah and Israel. Judah remains with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, and Israel is ruled by Jeroboam.
If the division isn’t enough, Jeroboam wants his people to have a place to worship, so he has two golden calves installed in his territory. The inhabitants are encouraged to worship the calves instead of Jehovah God.
The fires of revival have to be tended. That is true today as well as in these Biblical times. When one generation gets lukewarm, the next generation could be totally cold. That’s what seems to be happening in Israel and that is what is threatening to happen in our world today.
I pray that the bellows of the Holy Spirit will blow on the coals of awakening in our land. We need a fresh fire from God – to wake us up to the truths of His Word.
Blow, Holy Spirit, blow!
Luke 22: 1-20
Jesus and His disciples partake of the “covenant meal” before His crucifixion.
He is introducing a new concept to them; He is introducing a new covenant. These Jews have known for many centuries that they were in covenant with God through their father, Abraham. God and Abraham made a covenant, and all of Abraham’s descendants would be blessed if they would keep their part of the covenant. (The laws and principles laid down by God through the Law of Moses).
This is different. I wonder what’s going on in the minds of these disciples as they drink the wine and take the bread with Jesus. This is a new covenant.
Jesus is saying that when we eat the bread and drink of the wine (or grape juice), we are ceremoniously agreeing to the covenant He is making.
See, the covenant Jesus is making is not like the one that Abraham made. Abraham made a covenant that required bulls and goats to be sacrificed every year for remission of sins. Once was not enough. During those years, our Father was pointing to the day when He would make His own sacrifice for our sins.
That day is here, as Jesus lifts His cup and drinks with His disciples. I’m sure that it’s difficult for the disciples to understand this new concept.
Jesus is going to the cross to make a final sacrifice for all time. The final sacrifice for our sins. He is God’s lamb, and all of the animals which were slain over the centuries were pointing to this one moment – the final sacrifice.
The revelation of what is happening cannot come through someone’s mind. You can hear about it and talk about it, but only someone who has received the new birth can actually begin to understand. It’s understood only by the Spirit of God.
I pray that my spiritual eyes, and yours, will be opened more and more so that we can come to know Him better. The tremendous gift given to us through Jesus is more than a human mind can comprehend. Only God can show us glimpses of what He has for us.
I pray that you and I will be some of those who truly walk with Him and comprehend all that He wants to share with us. It’s amazing.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Kings 8-9
Here we see the high moment of Solomon’s reign. After all of those years of procuring the materials and artisans, building the house of the Lord, and fashioning all of the furnishings of bronze and gold, the ark is moved to be set in its place under the cherubim in the holy of holies.
And God shows up! He is pleased with Solomon as he establishes this house, and Solomon is pleased with God. The glory of God fills the house like a tangible presence – a cloud, and the priests could not even stand because of that glory. (8:11)
Solomon’s prayer is touching. “There is no God like Thee in heaven above or on earth beneath, who art keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Thy servants who walk before Thee with all their heart.”(8:27). Thus begins Solomon’s long prayer with supplications to God for forgiveness to remain with the Israelites as long as they stay repentant.
After this celebration, many sacrifices, and feasting before the Lord for many days, the Jews return to their homes “joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David His servant and to Israel His people.”(8:66)
When the Lord appears to Solomon a second time, He reminds him of the need for faithfulness. If Solomon will continue in faithfulness to God, he will not lack an heir to sit on the throne. However, if he turns away from God, then the throne will be removed.”(9:1-9)
Why is our Father so determined to keep our hearts pure before Him? He is determined because He is the only source of life for us. Since his fall, Satan has tried to fabricate other gods and have men worship them – demonic gods, which bring only death. Then men over the ages have lifted themselves in pride and created other “gods,” with the same results – death.
There is only one true God – the Creator of the universe, and only this true God has life to offer. He is full of love and wisdom – everything good that can be obtained. He alone should be worshipped.
“Every good and perfect gift comes down from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, nor shifting shadow.”(James 1:18)
He is the only One I want to worship!
Luke 21:1-19
Jesus reveals some of the end times events, and He gives us a charge.
“and you will be hated by all on account of My Name, yet not a hair on your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.”(17-19)
Just as the Lord spoke to Solomon, He is speaking to us “stay faithful, endure, don’t waiver in your beliefs.”
Most of us haven’t had to give our lives for the gospel, and we usually don’t feel hated because of His Name. Yet there is rising up an attitude of mocking toward those who really believe Him.
In many parts of the world, persecution is indeed real for Christians. In some places, ministers and believers are being beaten, jailed, and even killed because of their beliefs.
In other parts of the world, people are not being killed, but they are being mocked for their beliefs. Truth is being twisted and contorted so that many don’t even know what to believe.
We are called to stay faithful to the end. We can’t let other men, who don’t believe, be the ones to determine our beliefs. We may be mocked, but that doesn’t matter. We know that God’s Word is true – regardless of what others say.
“By our endurance, we will gain our lives.” I am determined to endure!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Kings 6-7
Don’t try to tell me that God isn’t a God of detail!
Whew! Just reading these two chapters, it’s clear that there is nothing incidental in Solomon’s temple. The length, width, height, shape, color, texture – everything is noted about the temple and its implements.
It gets confusing to me trying to imagine what it looks like with all of the handiwork.
One thing is for certain. Only the choicest materials are used and only the finest artisans are procured for the job. Solomon even brings a worker of bronze from Tyre to fashion the bronze work.
It takes seven years from start to finish, and it must be a beautiful place indeed.
Tomorrow, we’ll read about the dedication. Can’t wait!
Luke 20:27-47
Jesus turns the tables. The Sadducees bring a question concerning a woman whose seven husbands die and each time she would marry another brother. Which would be her husband in heaven?
Now the Sadducees did not believe in a resurrection, so they are trying to show that resurrection doesn’t make sense. Yet Jesus turns the question back to them.
He says, “That the dead are raised, even Moses showed…Moses calls the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”(v.37-38)
He has them in a bind now, because these people say they believe in Moses. Why would Moses call Him the God Abraham, etc. if Abraham was dead?
Then He goes in a little deeper. “Why did David say the Lord said to my Lord… if Christ is his Son?”
As usual, these intellectuals don’t know how to answer.
Intellectualism can really get you into trouble, because our minds aren’t large enough to comprehend God. Even the most educated, when they start trying to come against the Word of God, wind up with inconsistencies in their reasoning.
I learned a long time ago that God is smarter than we are. We just might as well accept that fact and live with it.
We can’t out figure God and we can’t always figure Him out. We receive Him by faith, and walk with Him. He proves that He is real in a thousand ways as we walk with Him. We will know lots of things, but those things won’t come through our reasoning.
After all, He is our Creator.
