by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Kings 21-22
Should we say, “Corruption in government?” When we see lies, cover-ups, and greed in our modern government, we sometimes think that it’s a new thing. It isn’t.
Jezebel and her entourage were masters of corruption. When the honorable Naboth wouldn’t sell his land to King Ahab, Jezebel flippantly devised a plan to have people give false testimony and have Naboth murdered. To her, it was just a matter of course – and her followers were so very willing to comply. Such evil!
Elijah had gone up on Mount Carmel and had confronted the priests of Baal. So all of Israel had a demonstration of the one true God, but Jezebel wasn’t moved. The Word says, “Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him.”(21:25)
Jezebel controlled her husband through and through.
Then here come the false prophets. When evil leaders are in power, they definitely have an influence over those around them. There are some who will do anything to gain the praise of these leaders.
It’s worth noticing that Ahab says, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”(22:8) Imagine that! A true prophet. The majority are dishonorable “yes men.”
The king is warned that when he goes into battle he will not prevail, but he locks up the true prophet in a dungeon and goes anyway, disguising himself, thinking that he can outsmart God.
But, no! He can’t outsmart God, and the evil king is killed in battle, just as was prophesied. His evil son, Ahaziah, takes over the reigns of Israel.
In the meantime, Jehoshaphat is king in Judah, and he is more honorable. In fact, he is considered to be a “good” king in the sight of the Lord.
As I go through these books of the Bible and these times in history, I often see our modern era. I’m sure that you do also.
When prosperity and sophistication come to a nation, there is always a tendency to start changing God’s message. The culture gets mixed with the gospel, and a hybrid gospel appears.
For any generation to remain true to God’s plan the plumb line has to remain in place. The plumb line of God’s Word.
When the building doesn’t look straight, move the building, not the standard.
Luke 23:26-56
As Jesus is taken to the cross, He makes a poignant remark. The women are crying and mourning over Him, but He tells them to stop.
He says, “For behold, the days are coming when they will say…to the mountains, ‘fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘cover us.’ For if they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?”(v.30-31)
Jesus is speaking of the judgment which is coming on the Jewish nation. They are the green tree, and should know when the Savior finally arrives. After all, the underlying reason for God’s covenant with this nation over these many centuries was to bring forth an understanding of God and to bring forth the Messiah.
Here He is: the Savior, and they are killing Him. There is no way that the blessing will be remaining on this generation. They will be dry, and no telling what will happen.
Jesus is saying to the women who are crying, “Mourn for yourselves and your nation. Hard times are coming.”
There may be times when God seems to be quiet and His Word seems to be far away. However, His Word is true, whether we believe it or not. All that He says will come to pass.
Just thinking about that makes me want to stick close to Him!
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.
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Kings 3-5
Solomon begins his reign with everything going for him.
There is peace all around and his country is unified and strong. In fact, very strong and prosperous. Solomon’s provision is abundant and his military might is also.
Good times for the nation of Israel.
God gives Solomon a dream in which he sees himself asking for wisdom – an understanding heart to judge between good and evil. A wisdom to lead the people in God’s way. In the dream, God is happy at the request and promises to give Solomon, not only wisdom, but riches and long life also. As Solomon awakens, it’s as if he had asked these things himself, and all of these blessings begin to come to him. God gives him great wisdom – so much so that he becomes famous for his ability to discern and rule justly.
There is one hint, however, that things will not always go so well. I Kings 3:3 says, “Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” It’s a tiny mention, but it’s important in the long run.
The high places were altars put on the hills around the land. They were like substitutes for the Ark of the Covenant and the real altar of God. I little bit of compromise was there.
Still, with that tiny mention of compromise, Solomon is pursuing God. He begins to make provision to build a house for his Creator. The vision for the famous Solomon’s Temple is beginning to take shape.
Only the best materials for God’s temple. The finest timber, the most beautiful rocks, the finest all the way around.
Luke 20:1-26
Once again the scribes and pharisees try to trick Jesus, but they just can’t do it! His wisdom is beyond anything they have ever seen. There is no trick question which can be a “gotcha” moment for the Son of God. He always has a discerning answer to their questions.
“They watched Him and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, in order that they might catch Him in some statement, so as to deliver Him up to the rule and authority of the governor.”(v. 20) “But He detected their trickery and said…” (v.23) They just didn’t realize who they were dealing with!
In verses 9-18, Jesus tells a parable, which is really a prophecy for the Jews. He speaks of a vineyard planted by a man who went on a journey. At harvest time, he sent back slaves for some of the produce, but the slaves were beaten and sent away. (These slaves are a type for the prophets).
Then the vineyard owner said ,”I’ll send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.”(v.13). Yet the vine-growers killed the only son, thinking the inheritance would be theirs.
The owner of the vineyard would now come and take the vineyard away from them and give it to others.
What is Jesus saying? He is saying that Israel has been God’s vineyard – His special nation, cared for and tended with love. Yet the caretakers of this vineyard have not honored the prophets, and now they haven’t honored His Son. There was about to be a change of dispensation.
After the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, the vineyard (God’s planting on the earth) would go into the hands of Christians. Those who believe on Jesus would now be God’s covenant people.
In this new covenant, there would be no difference between Jew and Gentile. The new covenant would be based on a relationship with God through Jesus, His Son.
The Jews were “rejecting the cornerstone of God’s building,” Jesus. (v.17)
Now those of us who receive Jesus as our Savior are part of the new building – or the new covenant, and ours is a better covenant than the first one.
We are such a blessed people!
by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible
I Kings 1-2
Those transitions are rough, aren’t they? There is always someone waiting in the wings to take over the kingdom. So Adonijah tries it this time, and at first, looks like he is succeeding.
But wait, God has another plan.
When we are reading all of this history, with all of its bloodshed, it’s important to remind ourselves why these people are so important to God. His plan is working even when it doesn’t look like it.
The real reason that these Israelites are so important is that through His covenant with Abraham, God has been raising up a strong nation for His purpose. That nation will eventually bring the Savior of the world into the earth. In order to do that, He has brought the law and His prescriptions for walking in His way.
Even though he isn’t a perfect man – not by a long shot – David is God’s man, and he has certain attributes which are desirable in a man of God. One of those attributes is that he keeps his word.
As David charges his son, Solomon, to take over the throne, he reminds him of his responsibility.
“Keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn.”(2:3).
So the throne is passed to Solomon, the son of Bathsheba. This in itself is interesting, isn’t it? Bathsheba is the one with whom David had had an adulterous relationship.
The choice shows God’s mercy. David had repented for this great sin, and the sin was forgiven.
When God forgives us, we are truly forgiven. The slate is washed clean, and we are ready for our new assignments.
He is indeed a faithful and merciful God to those who are in covenant with Him.
Luke 19:28-48
Do you have “ears to hear and eyes to see?” Are you tuned into God’s Spirit so that you can understand spiritual things?
That’s what the Pharisees lacked in the days of Jesus.
As He stood upon the hill above Jerusalem, Jesus wept. Sorrow filled His heart because the Jews didn’t “recognize the time of their visitation.”(v.44)
You might say, “Why didn’t they?” These Jews were scholars who studied the scriptures. They thought that they knew God’s Word. Why didn’t they recognize the Day?
It has to do with the heart of man. They approached the Word with an attitude of pride, and not humility. They wanted to draw attention to themselves as they demanded the place of respect. They honored men more than God. They weren’t tuned in to God’s Spirit.
Today we have the same. There are men and women who are supposedly representing God, who are actually enemies of the cross.
Wow! Those are tough words!
Tough, but true. Instead of listening to God and representing His Word, these people are filled with human wisdom – and not God’s wisdom. They change the Word to suit their own pleasures – and as such, put themselves in a higher place than they should.
Today, Jesus is not here in body, but He is in Spirit. His Holy Spirit lives in the heart of men and women who have received Him, and He is teaching His own, when they will listen.
I want to be a listener, don’t you? I want to hear from God’s Holy Spirit and receive His Word. I want to know what He is saying to me, and I want to take heed to those Words.
I want to be able to recognize the days in which we are living – and to make the most of them.
