Archives for April 2018

OVERVIEW:

Israel is carried away; the glorious reign of Hezekiah.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Today’s reading records for us the judgment of Jeroboam’s sin in Israel. God has consistently warned, both through his prophets and through the display of His righteous judgment upon other nations, and yet, the warning has been to no avail. But now, the hammer of God’s judgment falls. Twenty kings over a period of 200 years have had countless opportunities to repent and obey the word of the Lord, but it has totally gone unheeded. Psalm 86:5 reminds us: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” The Lord had sent prophets to let them know just how “ready” He was “to forgive,” but 2 Kings 17:14 gives the heart of the matter: “They would not hear!” The next verse tells us that “… they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them.” (17:15) The consistent pattern in scripture teaches us that God’s judgment comes upon our lives because of our persistence to continue to follow our own stubborn will and way. Proverbs 29:1 says: “He, that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

Chapters 18 through 20 reveal the life of a king that was unlike any others in the land of Judah. Rather than trusting his own will and way, this king actually “trusted in the Lord God.” (18:5) Hezekiah accomplished great things in Judah! He destroyed the idolatry; he conquered the Philistines; he resisted the Assyrians; he fortified his city; and he built great water works. But his real legacy is found in the statement of 18:3 and 7: “And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father did…And the Lord was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.”

Hezekiah’s life was not without troubles though! His faith and dependence on the Lord was severely tested. His trust in the Lord was specifically challenged and publicly ridiculed by the messengers from Assyria. The messengers spoke scornfully concerning his religious reforms. Notice, however, that Hezekiah’s immediate response to trouble was seeking God through His word and prayer. Oh, once again, may we learn from his incredible example! The answer returns: “Be not afraid…I will cause him to fall.” (19:6-7) When a threatening letter came from the king of Assyria, once again, Hezekiah immediately took it to the Lord in prayer. God lets him know that He had heard his prayer, and answers: “…the king of Assyria, he shall not come into this city!” (19: 32) Because of Hezekiah’s faithful walk and relationship with the Lord, He miraculously delivers him and the land of Judah.

In chapter 20, Hezekiah’s faith is tested once again, this time through his health. Verse 6 reveals that this time of trial comes during the conflicts with the king of Assyria. His public challenges were compounded by his private health issues. Hezekiah’s response was simple and consistent: “he… prayed!” (20:2)

Through the trials and life of Hezekiah, God is able to teach us what it looks like in “real life” to walk with the Lord, and to trust in Him. Note some of the Psalms that Hezekiah exemplified through his life:

Psalm 18:3 “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”

Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.”

Psalm 25:2 “O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.”

Psalm 32:10 “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.”

Psalm 33:21 “For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.”

Psalm 44:6 “For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.”

Psalm 56:11 “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Psalm 118:8 “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”

Psalm 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

Like Hezekiah, may our lives reflect that same kind of bold trust in our trustworthy God!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As TEACHER – 2 Kings 17:27 (Mark 4:1; John 3:2)
• As the CLEANSER OF THE TEMPLE – 2 Kings 18:4 (Mat. 21:12; Mark 11:15; John 2:15)
• As a MAN OF PRAYER – 2 Kings 19:15 (John 17; Mat. 26:39; Luke 5:16; 22:32)

OVERVIEW:

Israel is delivered into hand of Syria; the death of Elisha; three good kings in Judah; the final kings of Israel.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

During the period of time covered in today’s reading, it gets a little tricky to keep the kings of Judah and Israel straight! For example, both kingdoms have a king named Ahaziah, and both kingdoms have a king named Joash, whose name is sometimes spelled Jehoash. They can be identified, however, by carefully noting over which kingdom they are reigning, or by noting the name of their father. For example, King Joash of Judah, the son of Ahaziah, begins his reign in chapter 12 and does that which is right in the sight of the Lord. King Joash of Israel, the son of Jehoahaz, begins his reign in 2 Kings 13:9-11 and does that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

Something else that becomes somewhat difficult to get our minds wrapped around in today’s reading, is that the stories of the two kingdoms are being told in parallel. But the reality is, it would be impossible to record the reigns of the kings and the events of their lives in chronological order, because of how the history of one king sometimes overlaps with one or more of the kings in the other kingdom. Note that the death of Joash, the king of Israel is told in both 2 Kings 13:13 and 2 Kings 14:16, because chapter 13 is telling the story in Israel and chapter 14 is telling the story in Judah. As was mentioned above, careful reading of the context is definitely required in this section!

The end of chapter 13 records an incredible and beautiful example of the enduring faithfulness of our Lord. Though Israel has repeatedly worshipped Baal and the golden calves, the Lord graciously expresses His compassion on them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The beginning of chapter 14 gives an interesting insight into the effect of a father on his son, and/or the effect of a discipler upon a disciple. Joash started his reign as a good king, through the influence of Jehoiada, the priest. Evidently, the teaching of Jehoiada not only affected Joash, but even reached to his son Amaziah. (2 Tim. 2:2) Verse 3 says he did as his father Joash had done, and verse 6 lets us know that he not only knew the commandment of the Lord from the book of Deuteronomy, but he also obeyed it.

Chapter 15 continues with two more good kings of Judah: Azariah (also called Uzziah), and Jotham. Both did that which was right in the sight of the Lord as their father had done. It is revealed, in 2 Chronicles 26, that as long as Uzziah sought the Lord, God made him to prosper, but also lets us know that after much success, Uzziah’s heart was lifted up to his destruction. May we learn from his example!

Though Judah has a series of good kings, Israel is spiraling downward. Though Jeroboam has outward success, he did that which was evil and never could disconnect himself from idol worship. Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah and Pekah continue in the evil and bring Israel near captivity. Most of these kings are murdered, one even being murdered after only one month on the throne! Menahem is a ruthless and cruel leader. Pekah and his army kill 120,000 men in one day of battle. Yet, in such a dark time, Isaiah prophesies that a virgin will conceive and bear a son, Immanuel. (Isa. 7:14) Isaiah 9 is written during this time to a people in darkness that have seen a great light.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As SAVIOUR – 2 Kings 13:5 (Luke 2:11; Acts 5:31; 13:23)
• As THE RESURRECTION – 2 Kings 13:21 (John 11:25)
• As THE BRASEN ALTAR – 2 Kings 16:14 (Heb. 9:14)

OVERVIEW:

Jehu executes judgment; Joash is spared and becomes king; Joash repairs the temple.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Two chapters in today’s reading deal with Jehu, the king of Israel (Chapters 9 and 10) and two deal with Joash, the king of Judah. (Chapters 11 and 12) The crazy thing is, both men will actually do God’s work but neither one will do it with a pure heart for God. The results will be short-lived, and obviously, because of their self-promoting motives, the Lord certainly won’t receive the glory that is due His name! Once again, recognize that there are many people today who do the Lord’s work with the same self-aggrandizing motives, and with the same results. May God spare us from the overarching “last days” characteristic that drives such behavior… “for men shall be lovers of their own selves.” (2 Tim. 3:1-2)

Jehu was prophesied by name years earlier by Elijah. (1 Kings 19:16) God intended to use this man to completely remove the lineage of the wicked Ahab. This “promised avenger” could have given great glory to God by fulfilling the purpose for his existence, demonstrating to the world the incredible trustworthiness of God’s promises, but he failed to do so because of his extreme cruelty and pride. Recognize, that just as in the case of Jehu, God has all of us here on a specific mission. Our job is to completely embrace God’s purpose for our existence and to fulfill it! The way Paul said it in Philippians 3:12 is, “But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” In other words, Paul says, “The Lord Jesus had a specific purpose for my life when He took me into His possession, and I am going to do everything within my power to take that purpose into my possession!” Oh, may that be the passion of every one of us!

In chapter 9, Jehu executes judgment on Joram, the king of Israel, along with Ahaziah, the king of Judah, and Jezebel, the wife of Ahab. In chapter 10, Jehu continues with his judgment upon all of the descendants of Ahab and all of the Baal worshippers in Israel. He accomplishes the tasks with intimidation (10:3-4), ruthlessness (10:14), pride (10:16) and deception. (10:18-19) Jehu is rewarded for removing Baal and the house of Ahab, but because he continued the worship of the golden calf (Are you kidding me?), disregarding the law of the Lord, Israel moves closer to captivity. (10:32)

Chapters 11 and 12 take us to the other kingdom, Judah. When Ahaziah is killed by Jehu his mother, Athaliah, does one of the most deplorable and despicable acts in all of scripture. She is so incredibly ruthless that she actually kills all of her grandsons so that she can sit her sorry behind on the throne in Judah! I don’t know, maybe you have to be grandparent to understand the depth of reprobation that could cause you to do something so inhumane! The Lord hides one baby boy, Joash, from the slaughter. A faithful priest, Jehoiada, raises the boy for six years and then orchestrates his coronation as the king of Judah at the ripe old age of seven! Athaliah is removed from the throne, and Joash (also called Jehoash) becomes king. He is a good king all of the days of Jehoiada, but his demise is explained in 2 Chronicles 24:17: “Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.” We must be very careful and discerning with the counsel we receive and the voices to which we are listening! Joash followed the Lord while Jehoiada lived, but after his death, Joash hearkened to the bad counsel of the princes of Judah. It becomes apparent that the “spiritual discernment” and “commitment to the Lord” that Joash seemed to exercise was never really his own. It wasn’t really his own personal faith, but rather, the faith of Jehoiada. We must be certain that we do what we do because of our own personal faith, and our own surrender to the Lordship of Christ, not that of our pastor, our parents, our discipler, our friends, or our fellow church members. Notice also, that the compromise of Joash led to the severe judgment of God, not only in Joash’s life, but in the entire land of Judah. Be reminded, there are far-reaching effects of sin!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As THE AVENGER –– 2 Kings 9:7 (Rev. 6:9)
• As THE INTERCESSOR –– 2 Kings 11:17 (1 Tim. 2:5; Rom. 8:34)

OVERVIEW:

Healing of Naaman; miracles of Elisha; a great famine and deliverance; further decline of Israel and Judah.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The healing of the leprous Gentile in 2 Kings 5 is one of the best known stories of the Old Testament. He was a very impressive man, as 5:1 details. He was “captain of the host of the king of Syria”; he was a “great” and “honourable” man; had been used as a “deliverer”; and was a “mighty man in valour”. Wow! Those are some pretty incredible accolades! All of the great statements made about Naaman in verse 1, however, mean absolutely nothing after reading the last phrase of the verse: “but he was a leper.” None of his earthly positions and accomplishments could overcome or heal his dreaded and incurable disease. Keep in mind that leprosy in the Bible is consistently a picture of sin. The practical application of verse 1 is, quite simply, that none of our accomplishments or greatness have the ability to overcome the reality of our sin. As is reveled in this account of Naaman, the cure for sin is always and only a gift from God (Rom. 6:23), revealed by a servant of God. (Rom. 10:14)

After Naaman is told of his potential healing in Israel, he packs up his great possessions, assembles his entourage, and departs for places of power and influence. What he discovers, is that there was no remedy there. Had God’s man, Elisha, not called him to his house, Naaman would be left with no hope. Though Naaman’s pride initially caused him to reject the remedy offered to him, his ultimate obedience brought healing. It resulted in Naaman going home in peace. (5:19) Hallelujah! Romans 5:1 tells us: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The rest of the story reveals the heart of the servant, Gehazi. As has been discussed on previous occasions, there is a haunting word that often precedes men’s names in scripture, that we must avoid at any cost, the word “But.” “But Adam… But Noah… But David…” etc., etc., and here we find it again in 5:20; “But Gehazi…”! The entire verse says: “But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.” Since Naaman was quite willing to offer great merchandise for his healing (5:5), Gehazi was quite willing to take it! (5:20) After the deception and lies of Gehazi, the judgment of God came upon him. Do recognize, that even in the 21st century, the WORD and WORK of the Lord are still being tarnished by the greed, deception, and lies of some so-called “servants” of the Lord. (5:20, 25)

In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul teaches us that if we can see something with our PHYSICAL eyes, it is TEMPORAL. He goes on to reveal to us, that the things we see through our SPIRITUAL eyes (the eyes of FAITH) are ETERNAL. Paul said that it was that realm into which he was constantly ‘looking!” Sadly, the eternal realm is one into which few Christians today have eyes to see even though we daily find ourselves in the middle of a real, eternal, spiritual battle. Spiritual beings both dwell and work in the unseen world above our heads as well as on the earth. (Eph. 3:10; 6:12; Col. 1:16; 2:15; Rom. 8:38) Job 1 tells how they can cause physical effects on the earth and can influence people. Take refuge in the fact, however, that 1 John 4:4 assures us: “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!” The Lord Jesus Christ has conquered our enemy in the unseen realm! Colossians 2:15 says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he (Christ!) made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” But not only does Satan have powers that do his bidding in the unseen realm, God likewise has ministering spirits that do His work!

In 2 Kings 6, Elisha and a young servant are in a city surrounded by bands of Syrians. Elisha had previously warned King Jehoram of the locations of the Syrians, and on multiple occasions. The Syrians had now compassed the city, terrifying the young man. Without fear, Elisha tells him, “They that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (6:16) With his eyes opened to the spiritual realities surrounding him, the young man was then able to see the reality of the battle that Elisha had already seen. The attackers are drawn into the city, blinded, and led to the middle of Samaria. The Syrian bands are surrounded by Israel, given provisions, and sent back to Syria.

A famine then comes to the kingdom of Israel and is blamed on Elisha. It is an interesting case of “like father, like son!” King Jehoram blamed Elisha, just as his father, Ahab, had blamed Elijah for the troubles in Israel. In chapter 7, however, the Lord will cause the Syrians to hear the noise of a great army, causing them to flee, leaving behind a surplus of food and other provisions. God provides plenty for all of the people of the nation, but judges the one man who rejects Elisha’s prophecy in unbelief. Note that the Lord can deal with groups and individuals simultaneously!
Chapter 8 continues with the decline of both Israel and Judah. Benhadad, the king of Syria, is murdered by Hazael. Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, begins a short, but very evil reign. The chapter ends with Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, over Judah; and Joram, the son of Ahab, over Israel. As promised in 1 Kings 19:15-17, judgment is coming! The wicked house of Ahab will soon be destroyed. God’s judgment is sure.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As ONE SENT TO THE GENTILES –– 2 Kings 5:1–14 (Luke 4:27)
• As HEALER OF LEPROSY –– 2 Kings 5:10 (Matt. 8:2-3; Mark 1:40-41)
• As POWERFUL PROTECTOR –– 2 Kings 6:16 (Luke 12:7; 1 John 4:4)

OVERVIEW:

Ahaziah sends 102 men to their death; Elijah is taken up; Elisha is established as a prophet; Moab revolts; the miracles of Elisha.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The stubbornness and rebellion of man has no better example than Israel’s King Ahaziah. He has seen and heard Elijah and the condemnation of Baal. He knows of the fire falling from heaven in judgment of Baal. Now, when faced with a pressing need in his life, rather than turn to the God who clearly manifested Himself as the One true God on Mount Carmel, and countless other ways in Israel, Ahaziah still turns to Baal, the god of Ekron. Even when confronted with the truth from Elijah, he refuses to accept God’s word, and becomes guilty of sending two captains and their respective 50 men to their deaths. How could a man be so blind? Could we ever be so blind? The reality is, the same thing continues to happen right up to the present day! Many times, when people (even believers!) find themselves at a time of great need in their life, rather than turn to the holy and powerful God of the Bible who has proven Himself consistently and continuously for the past 6000 years, they turn rather to the “god of self” in its many forms (self-reliance, self-preservation, self-confidence, self-control, self-defense, self-determination, self-help, self-motivation, self-propulsion, self-sufficiency, and/or self-will) or they’ll turn to the “god of money” in an attempt to meet their need.

An interesting insight into the frailty of Elijah’s humanness is shown in verse 15. Even after being used of God to call down fire from heaven on three separate occasions (1 Kings 18:37-39; 2 Kings 1;10, 12), the Lord still has to tell Elijah not to be afraid of the third captain sent by Ahaziah. (1:15) The Lord is here revealing to us the reality explained by James, in James 5:16-18, that even though Elijah, the Prophet of Fire, tenaciously confronted kings and religious leaders with the word of the Lord, rather than being a superhero, he was actually a man who had to deal with the same types of fears and weaknesses of which we all face. God reveals to us through James, that Elijah’s greatness wasn’t the power of his PERSON, but simply the power of his PRAYERS! God’s point through James, is that if we will be righteous men and women of fervent prayer, God’s power will likewise be manifested through us!
In Chapter 2, Elisha follows and serves his leader to the end. Elisha had seen the FIRE, but what he wanted was the SPIRIT! He wasn’t interested in demonstrating what Elijah demonstrated on the OUTSIDE, he wanted what Elijah possessed on the INSIDE! He understood the reality of Zechariah 4:6, that the Lord’s work is “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.”

As we consider the practical application to us, recognize that the Lord Jesus Christ gave us the promise of the Holy Spirit LIVING and ABIDING in us in John chapters 14, 15, and 16. Paul writes, that we are SEALED with the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30), we have the potential to be FILLED with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18) and to manifest the FRUIT of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), we are LED by the Spirit (Rom. 8:14), TAUGHT by the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10) and STRENGTHENED by the Spirit. (Eph. 3:16) Oh, may we never fail to realize that we already have in our possession what Elisha was passionately asking to receive! All we need on a daily, and even a moment by moment basis, is to surrender to the powerful Spirit of God that patiently waits to be released and manifested both IN and
THROUGH us!

Elijah is taken into heaven. (2:11) Elijah’s mantle is left to Elisha and the Spirit of the Lord now works through him. The miracles and the work of the Lord will continue because Elisha will be doing the work of GOD, not the work of ELIJAH. God’s work continues as He brings another man into His place of service. In the last part of chapter 2, Elisha is confirmed by God in the sight of other men. Interestingly, Elisha had asked for a double portion of the spirit of Elijah to be poured out upon him (2:9) and, as you might would imagine, the number of his recorded miracles is double that of Elijah!

Chapter 3 details the deliverance of a good king (King Jehoshaphat of Judah) that gets involved with other evil kings.

After the death of Ahaziah in chapter 1, his brother Jehorambegins to reign over Israel. He put away the image of Baal, but kept the golden calf of Jeroboam. (1 Kings 12:28) (He is a reminder of how few people there are in any
generation who genuinely offer to the Lord the absolute and complete surrender for which He requires!) Moab revolts from the rule of Israel and Jehoram calls on Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom to help. Soon, the three kings are in a desert with no water and no hope.

Jehoshaphat finds himself in the wrong place with the wrong people. Only then, does Jehoshaphat ask for counsel from the Lord. Elisha comes in and the Lord brings deliverance with the reflection of the sun upon the water. In a place of no water the Lord brings victory through water.

Elisha miraculously helps other various individuals in chapter 4. After Elisha gives a widow instruction, the Lord multiplies her only possession (a pot of oil) to pay her debts and meet her future needs. (4:1-7) A woman who takes care of Elisha, is given a son.

When the son later dies in the field, the Lord brings him back to life through Elisha. (4:8-37) A poisonous meal is purified and given to hungry men. (4:38-41) Firstfruit offerings are multiplied to meet the needs of many people. (4:42-44)

As is demonstrated through the ministry of Elisha, the Spirit of God abiding in and controlling a person brings blessing, joy, and hope to men, and glory to God! For God’s glory’s sake, like Elisha, may the power of God’s Holy Spirit be manifest through us!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As JUDGE OF THE UNBELIEVERS –– 2 Kings 1 (Rev. 19:11–20:15)
• As GIVER OF THE SPIRIT –– 2 Kings 2:9 (Joh. 14:16–17)
• As THE ASCENDED SAVIOR –– 2 Kings 2:11 (Luke 24:51; Act. 1:9)
• As THE GIVER OF LIFE –– 2 Kings 4:17 (Joh. 6:33, 10:28; 1 Joh. 5:11)
• As THE MULTIPLIER OF FOOD –– 2 Kings 4:42–44 (Mat. 14:16–21; 15:32–38)

OVERVIEW:

Syria attacks Israel twice; Ahab spares the Syrian king; Ahab’s “purchase” of Naboth’s vineyard; Israel and Judah unite against Syria; the death of Ahab.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Benhadad, the king of Syria, conspired with 32 other kings to besiege Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, and sent a message to King Ahab telling him that the conditions of his surrender would not only be all of his silver and gold, but the very best of his wives and children. Recognizing his inability against such a formidable alliance of nations, Ahab reluctantly concedes. Shortly thereafter, Benhadad sends more messengers to Ahab demanding that his servants be granted access to the city to plunder Ahab’s house, and the houses of all of his servants.

King Ahab calls an emergency meeting to seek the counsel of the elders of Israel. The elders are adamant that Ahab stand his ground against Benhadad’s second demand. When Benhadad receives Ahab’s reply, he was so infuriated that he sends back the message that by the time he was finished, there wouldn’t be enough of Samaria left for all of his servants to grab a handful of its dust! (20:10) Ahab tauntingly replies back, that a soldier “putting on” his armor shouldn’t boastfully conduct himself like someone who is “taking his armor off” after achieving a victory! When Benhadad receives the message, it was while he and all of his “kingly buddies” were together partying, and Ahab’s taunting response worked! Benhadad immediately called his soldiers to action. (20:12)

Just then, a prophet comes to Ahab and tells him that despite the incredible amount of soldiers in Benhada’s combined armies, the Lord would provide the victory using a relatively small Israeli army, leaving no doubt whatsoever that the Lord was the One who granted the victory.

Ahab rallies his troops, and it so happens that Benhadad and his posse of 32 kings were already drunk. When Benhadad’s soldiers informed him that the Israeli army had made their way out of the city walls, he foolishly tells them that whether they were approaching in peace or for war, not to kill them, but to take them as hostages. Obviously, that passive battle plan put his soldiers at a major disadvantage that resulted in many casualties. Those who weren’t killed were forced to retreat.

After Ahab’s victory, the prophet returned informing Ahab to go regroup himself and his troops, because Benhadad and his armies would be returning within the year. (20:22)

Meanwhile, in King Benhadad’s camp, his military foot soldiers let their “General-King” know that they could defeat the Israel army by doing three things:

1. Not fight them in the hill country, but in the plain. (They surmised that they had suffered such great defeat at their hands because their “gods,” were “the gods of the hills.” 20:23)

2. Replace the 32 kings with “real” military strategists. (20:24)

3. Rebuild the combined armies, horses and chariots to the number they had before the devastating defeat. (20:25)

Benhadad complied with all of their counsel and demands.
Several months later, Benhadad had successfully regrouped his military, and leads the attack against Israel. From a distance, Israel looked like two small flocks of goats compared to Benhadad’s armies. The prophet returned, however, to let Ahab know that God was, once again, going to show Himself mighty on their behalf, especially since they had said that Israel’s God was “God of the hills, but he is not the God of the valleys.” (20:28) By the end of this “seven-day war,” the Israeli army had miraculously killed 100,000 Syrian soldiers! The Syrians who weren’t killed sought refuge within the walled city of Aphek, and when they came into the city, the wall fell killing all 27,000 of the remaining soldiers! (20:26-30) Go God!

Benhadad’s remaining servants ask for permission to approach Ahab under the guise of surrender, requesting that he spare the life of Benhadad. During the encounter, Ahab makes the mistake of saying, “Oh, is ‘MY BROTHER,’ Benhadad, still alive?” His servants pick up on the whole “my brother” thing, and milk it for all it was worth. The result was, Ahab tells them to bring Benhadad to him. When he arrives, Benhadad promises to restore the cities that had been taken from his forefathers, and to institute an urban renewal program, as it were, and rather than kill him as God had said, Ahab foolishly enters into an alliance with him. (20:31-34)

As Ahab makes his way back home, God inserts a prophet into his path with an object lesson of Ahab’s disobedience in not destroying Benhadad, and God tells Ahab that his life will be taken for Benhadad’s life. (20:35-43)
Chapter 21 is the infamous chapter regarding Naboth’s vineyard. It reveals that Ahab was nothing but a selfish, selfserving, self-seeking, spoiled brat, and that those were his “good” qualities! What an incredible epithet is recorded in 21:25: “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.”

In response to God’s sentence against Ahab and his “lovely” wife, Jezebel (21:17-24), Ahab goes through some semblance of actually humbling himself. (21:27) If you ever wanted to know just how gracious, long-suffering, merciful and forgiving our God is, listen to the words God spoke to Elijah concerning Ahab in the last verse of this chapter: “Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” (21:29)

In Chapter 22, Jehoshaphat, who was actually a relatively “good” king, enters an unholy alliance with Ahab. May it serve as an Old Testament illustration, and reminder to us of the New Testament, the truth of 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As MICAIAH, the prophet of the Lord, speaking whatever the Lord (Father) wants him to speak –– 1 Kings 22:14 (John 3:34; 14:10)

OVERVIEW:

The corruption of the early kings of Israel; Elijah prophecies the drought; Elijah is fed miraculously; the widow obeys God’s Word; the widow’s son is raised from the dead; Elijah confronts Arab; Elijah takes on the prophets of Baal; the Lord reveals Himself as the Lord; Elijah flees Jezebel; Elijah hears the still small voice of God; Elijah puts his mantle on Elisha.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As was discussed in yesterday’s “Highlights and Insights,” the pattern of Israel’s kings was one of apostasy. Each one turned from God and His Word, and suffered the consequence of God’s judgment. The crescendo of evil and carnality, however, was reached in Arab. In 1 Kings 16:33 we read that, “Ahab did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.” That, my friend, is quite a statement, because the fact is, the holy Lord God of Israel had been provoked…A LOT! (See 16:7, 13, 25-26)

In the midst of Ahab’s wicked reign, God raises up one of Israel’s most powerful and infamous prophets. (In fact, he will be one of the prophets God raises back up to preach during the wicked reign of the antichrist during the final 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation Period! See Rev. 11:3-6.) When God gave Elijah the words He wanted spoken, Elijah wasn’t afraid of putting them out there, regardless of WHO the AUDIENCE was! A great case in point is in 17:1. Elijah gets up in King Ahab’s stuff and says, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word” (or, “until I say it will!) Note that this drought of 3 1/2 years will be repeated when Elijah returns to prophesy during the Tribulation. (Rev. 11:6)

Elijah makes this prophecy to King Ahab in 17:1, and by the time they see each other again, (18:7) it’s been 3 1/2 years, and just like Elijah said, there hasn’t been a single drop of moisture! The scene in Israel was one of crisis. There are no lakes, streams, or pools of water anywhere. Not only has this led to a physical crisis but an economic, political, moral, and spiritual crisis, as well!

When their paths did cross (18:17), Ahab says, “Well, my, my, my, if it isn’t the big trouble-maker in Israel himself!” Elijah retorts back, saying, “You took the words right out of my mouth! If it isn’t the big trouble-maker in Israel himself!” Elijah goes on to nail him to the wall, citing that he was the one who was guilty of bringing about the judgment of God on his nation by refusing to follow the Word of God, and leading the people of Israel to follow Baalim. With what is about to happen, it should be noted that Baal was the “sun god,” or the “god of fire”, and the worship of him included all kinds of sexual perversion and debauchery.

In 18:19, Elijah calls for a showdown! He tells Ahab that he is fully aware that his wicked wife, Jezebel, had been funding the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the groves, and tells Ahab to gather all 850 of them along with all of the people of Israel to Mount Carmel to bring the reality of who the true God in Israel actually was, once and for all. Verse 20 says that Ahab did just that.

Once everybody had assembled, Elijah walks up to the platform where all of the 850 vile prophets of Jezebel were assembled, and looks out on all of the people of Israel and says, “Listen, this half-Baal/half Jehovah trash has gotta stop! You’re trying to live in two worlds, and pick and choose what you want out of each of them. God has sent me out here to tell you today that He’s had enough!”

Elijah continued, “If the Lord be God (in other words, “Jehovah, the God of the Bible!”), then adjust your lifestyle and follow Him! But, if you’re so demented that you actually think that Baal is the true God, and not just your excuse for gratifying yourself sexually, then sell yourself out to him, and forget Jehovah God altogether! But it’s time to get off of the fence and go one way or the other!” Wow! That sounds a whole lot like the message God wants to give to the church in the 21st century! Oh, that God would raise up some “Elijah’s” in these days!

Elijah speaks his peace in 18:21, and the people have absolutely no response. They are “Halted,” or stuck in the middle between two contrary worlds. So in 18:23-24, Elijah says, “Okay, boys and girls, let’s settle this thing once-and-for-all. So, you 850 guys come over to this altar for Baal, and you prepare the sacrifice of a bullock, and since Baal is the so-called ‘god of fire’, don’t put any fire under the sacrifice.” Then he says, “I’ll come over to this altar for Jehovah over here, this one that is become broken down from lack of use, and I’ll likewise prepare the sacrifice of a bullock, and I won’t put any fire under it either. The God who consumes the sacrifice by answering with fire, let Him be the true God in Israel, and let’s all wholeheartedly follow Him; let’s put an end to all this dual worship and double-mindedness in Israel.” This time the people do have a response! They tell Elijah in 18:24, “We like it! Let’s go for it!”

Once the 850 false prophets of Jezebel had prepared the sacrifice, they cried out to their false god for six solid hours, even throwing themselves upon the altar to try to get some response out of him, and even cutting themselves so that blood was gushing out and covering the altar! At noon, Elijah mockingly says to them, “Hey fellas! Maybe your quote-unquote “god” is busy talking with someone, or chasing after somebody, or on a long trip somewhere, or maybe it could be that he’s sleeping!”

Elijah then repairs the broken-down altar to Jehovah, puts the wood underneath the bullock, but, before he begins to pray to the one true God to answer with fire, he calls for four barrels of water to be poured out all over the sacrifice. After the sacrifice was absolutely drenched, he calls for a second round of four barrels to be poured over it, and then a third! By this time, the water has fully engulfed the sacrifice, and was laying in the trenches surrounding it.

Then, without any fanfare, drama, or “religious shenanigans,” Elijah prays a simple prayer. In English, the entire prayer is a grand total of 63 words. It takes only approximately 16.5 seconds to pray the entire prayer! Yet, as soon as his prayer was concluded, the fire of God fell from heaven, consumed the sacrifice, along with all of the water that was in the trenches surrounding the sacrifice.

Often, when we read of a dramatic move of God like this, we tend to think that Elijah could pull off such a tremendous feat because he was some kind of extraordinary guy. God anticipated that we might pass off the power that was manifested through him by skewed thinking like that, so you know what He did? He clears off a little space in the New Testament to let us know that Elijah was a man who was made of the same stuff all the rest of us are made of, and a man who faced all of the same struggles we face; in other words, he was just a very average, ordinary guy; but he was a guy who possessed the fire of God’s presence and power on his life! James 5:17-18 says, “Elias (the Greek rendering of the Hebrew word “Elijah”) was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.”

Do you remember how Elijah had challenged the people in 18:21? “If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” Well, they finally got it! No more double-mindedness. In fact, notice the double-declaration in 18:39: “The Lord, he is the God’; the Lord, he is the God.” Hallelujah!

People in the 21st century ask, “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” God asks the people of the 21st century, “Where are the Elijah’s of the Lord God?”

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As THE FIRE OF GOD consuming the sacrifice — 1 Kings 18:38 (Heb. 12:29).

OVERVIEW:

Rehoboam becomes king; the kingdom is divided; Jeroboam is made king of Israel and institutes false worship; the prophet of God rebukes Jeroboam; God judges Jeroboam’s house; the temple is looted under Rehoboams’ reign; the reigns of Abijam and Asa in Judah; the reign of Nadab and Baasha in Israel.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we ended yesterday’s reading in 1 Kings 11, we were able to witness a distinct turning point in Solomon’s life and reign as king. He was overtaken by the same four things that overtake believers to this day:

• PREOCCUPATION of SELF. (2 Tim. 3:2; Phil 2:21)
• ATTRACTION to WOMEN. (Matt. 5:27-28; 2 Pet. 2:14)
• ACCUMULATION of WEALTH. (Col. 3:1-2; Matt. 6:19-21)
• CONNECTION to EGYPT (or, the WORLD). (Jam. 4:4; 2 Cor. 6:14-18)

As we come into chapter 12 today, Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, becomes the king after his father’s death. If he will exercise wisdom, he sits in a position to win the affection of the people and establish his leadership in the kingdom. Certainly, the temple building project had given the nation of Israel great notoriety, but the taxes to fund it had become burdensome to the people. As Rehoboam seeks the counsel of the old men, they tell him that if he will be a servant-leader to the people, the people would follow him to the ends of the earth. The counsel he receives from the young men was the exact opposite. They tell him that the way to establish his leadership was to be a dictator, and to increase the burden of their taxes. Rehoboam foolishly follows the counsel of the young men.

Chapter 12, therefore, marks a key division in the Book of 1 Kings, not to mention a key division in the kingdom. There are 22 chapters in the Book. The first 11 chapters detail the incredible 40 years of Solomon’s reign in the UNITED kingdom in Israel. The second 11 chapters detail the first 80 years of the DIVIDED kingdom. From this point in the Old Testament, these two kingdoms will be known as Israel and Judah, respectively. Jeroboam becomes the king of Israel, comprised of 10 of the 12 tribes, while Rehoboam is left to be the king of the two remaining tribes, Judah and Benjamin. The 10 tribes (Israel) become the NORTHERN kingdom with Samaria as its capital, while the two tribes (Judah) become the SOUTHERN kingdom, maintaining Jerusalem as its capital.

As has already been mentioned, Rehoboam foolishly followed the wrong counsel in increasing the severities upon the people. As Jeroboam begins to lead the northern kingdom, he, likewise, exercises of major lack of wisdom that seals its doom. Fearing that if the people were forced to go to Jerusalem to participate in the annual feasts he would begin to lose his jurisdiction over the people, he reaches back into one of the nation of Israel’s “bag of biggest blunders,” and follows the sinful example of Aaron in making a golden calf of all things! To make it convenient for the people to “worship,” he sets up one golden calf in Dan, and another one in Bethel. The demonic worship of these golden
calves in these two places included an entire blasphemous priesthood, with Jeroboam himself burning incense at the altar as if he were a priest!

Rehoboam and Jeroboam paint a very graphic picture of leaders throughout history, right up to this present day, who seek to lead from a position of power and pride, rather than a position of service and humility. Once a leader feels the need to protect his “position” and/or “power,” there seems to be no limit to the carnal absurdities that will issue forth. Pray that your pastor will humbly follow Jesus’ leadership style, and that he will be passionate about seeking to protect Christ’s glory in the church, rather than his own.

The remainder of the Book of 1 Kings (Chapters 12-22) records the next 86 years of the reign of the kings in the divided kingdom. The king’s names, the length of their reign, and the scripture’s verdict concerning them is as follows:

In JUDAH (4 kings in approximately 86 years)
1. Rehoboam (17 years)… EVIL.
2. Abijam (3 years)… EVIL.
3. Asa (41 years)… GOOD.
4. Jehosophat (25 years)… GOOD.

In ISRAEL (8 kings in approximately 86 years)
1. Jeroboam (22 years)… EVIL.
2. Nadab (2 years)… EVIL.
3. Baasha (24 years)… EVIL.
4. Elah (2 years)… EVIL.
5. Zimri (1 week)… EVIL.
6. Omri (12 years)… EVIL.
7. Ahab (22 years)… EVIL.
8. Ahaziah (2 years)… EVIL.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• In the prophecy concerning JOSIAH. Another child shall come that shall judge the false gods and false worship of this world — 1 Kings 13:2 (2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rev. 18:1-2, 10, 21)

OVERVIEW:

God speaks to Solomon; the Queen of Sheba comes to Solomon; Solomon’s kingdom increases in wealth; Solomon’s heart is turned away; God’s judgment upon Solomon.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Chapter 9 begins with God speaking to Solomon a second time. It has now been 20 years since the Lord spoke to him the first time. He confirms the fact that He wants to bless Solomon the way He had blessed his father David, but also lets him know that His blessing was most certainly conditional. If Solomon walked in “integrity of heart” and in “uprightness,” and simply did the things he knew to do, keeping the Lord’s “statutes and judgments” , he and the kingdom of Israel would be “established” and blessed. But God also warned that if Solomon turned his back on Him, and no longer kept His “commandments and statues,” and began serving and worshipping other gods, the kingdom of Israel would be cursed. The choice Solomon was presented seems like the biggest no-brainer in the history of earth, and yet, recognize that God sets before each of us each day a similar choice. Every day we get to choose whether we will sow to our flesh or sow to the Spirit. (Gal. 5:7-8) If we choose to sow to the flesh, we will of the flesh reap corruption. If we choose to sow to the Spirit, we will of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (i.e. life that keeps giving life, or “abundant life!”) That choice also seems that it would be the biggest no-brainer ever, and yet, as most of us have discovered, somehow it isn’t. May God help us to make better daily choices than Solomon ultimately made.

As we come into chapter 10, Solomon is presented as what is perhaps the greatest type of Christ in the entire Bible. Biblically, he is identified as:

• The “prince of peace.” (The name of King David’s son, “Solomon,” means “peace.” See Isa. 9:6; 2 Sam. 12;25)

• The “beloved of the Father.” (Solomon’s name was also, “Jedidiah,” meaning “beloved of Jehovah” — or, the beloved of God, the Father. See Matt. 3:17)

• The “son of David.” (Pro. 1:1; Matt. 1:1)

• The “son of Jehovah.” (1 Chr. 28:6; Luke 1:32)

• The “man of rest.” (1 Chr. 22:9; Heb. 4:8-10)

• The one who sat “upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord,” (1 Chr. 28:5; Rev. 3:21)

• The one whose kingdom was a kingdom of “peace and rest.” (1 Chr. 22:9; Isa. 9:7)

• The one whose kingdom was a kingdom with “no adversary” present. (1 Kings 5:4; Rev. 20:2-3)

• The one whose presence was sought by “all the earth,” and “all the kings of the earth.” (1 Kings 10:24; 2 Chr. 9:23: Rev. 21:24)

This is the glory of chapter 10! However, Solomon goes from being perhaps the “greatest type of CHRIST” in chapter 10, to perhaps the “greatest type of ANTICHRIST” in chapter 11! May we all recognize, the very fact that this COULD happen to Solomon, and DID happen to Solomon, should cause every one of us to sit up and take notice! Because there probably aren’t any of us who are more “sincere” and “well-meaning” as Solomon, and none of us have had the deck more stacked in our favor than Solomon did. Certainly, none of us have more wisdom than Solomon did, nor to mention knowledge and understanding!

So, the question is, just what was it that actually happened to Solomon?

Well, there are several very identifiable “downfalls” in his life. We have already mentioned in yesterday’s reading the fact that “his own house” was almost twice the size of “the Lord’s house,” and took almost twice as long to build! Though Solomon was still being obedient to his calling, his first downfall was that he had an obvious PREOCCUPATION with “SELF!” But that’s certainly not all!

Notice, also, his ATTRACTION to WOMEN! The first three verses of chapter 11 say:

1.  “But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;”
2.  “Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.”
3.  “And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.”

Then, notice, also, his ACCUMULATION of WEALTH! Chapter 10 and verse 14 says: “Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold.” Be aware, that biblically, the number 6-6-6 is always associated with antichrist (Rev. 13:18) and/or what 1 John 4:3 calls the “spirit of antichrist.”
Notice, also, his CONNECTION to EGYPT. Egypt, as we have previously seen, is always a picture of the world and sin in the Bible. Egypt was the place from which God “brought out” His people from bondage, and the place from which God never wanted His people to go back for the purpose of “bringing out” anything else! (Isa. 31:1-3; Gen. 5-:24-25) Don’t miss the fact that God has specifically forbidden the kings of Israel in Deuteronomy 17:14-17 to conduct any type of business with Egypt, to multiply wives, or to accumulate gold. Solomon would have known that had he followed the instruction of Deuteronomy 17:18, that as a king in Israel, he was to make his own copy of the law! Be it known, when we distance ourselves from the Word of God, the compromises we will begin to make will be astounding, and the consequences far-reaching.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• Through SOLOMON, ruling in Jerusalem as the leaders of the world seek Him and His wisdom — 1 Kings 10:1-6 (Phil. 2:9-11).

OVERVIEW:

Building Solomon’s house; the temple is furnished; the dedication of the temple.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

When we ended yesterday’s reading in chapter 6, the closing sentence of verse 38 was, “So was he (Solomon) seven years in building it (the temple).” Again, what a glorious thing! God finally had a more permanent dwelling on the earth! The next two words as we come into chapter 7, however, are very telling. Sad to say, at this point in 1 Kings, Solomon joins a long list of good men in the Bible of whom it could be said, “But Adam… But Noah… But Abraham… But Isaac… But Jacob… But Judah… But Moses… But Saul… But David!” The first two words of chapter 7 are “But Solomon!” Oh, may the passionate surrender of our hearts never allow there to ever be a “but” that taints the testimony of our life!

The contrast indicated by the word “But” in verse 1, is that though Solomon was seven years in building THE LORD’S HOUSE (6:38), “…Solomon was building HIS OWN HOUSE thirteen years, and he finished all his house.” (7:1) Obviously, it took almost twice as long to build “his own house” as it did the Lord’s! Sure, there may be some variables to consider: there may not have been 183,000 workers who were a part of constructing Solomon’s house; it may be that the materials used in Solomon’s house had not been prepared before they were shipped as they were with the Lord’s house. However, for some reason, as the Holy Spirit inspired the writing of 7:1, the first word: “But,” forces us to make the contrast between the amount of time it took to complete both “houses.”

As we move into 7:2, once again, we’re forced to make another very telling contrast. Back in 6:2 it says: “And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height there of thirty cubits.” In 7:2, in reference to Solomon’s house, it says, “…the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits…” Not only did Solomon’s own house take almost twice as long to build, it was also almost twice as big!

There is no doubt, Solomon was certainly passionate about the Lord’s NAME and the Lord’s HOUSE. There was only one problem: he was twice as interested in his OWN NAME and his OWN HOUSE. May this reality cause each of us to look at our own life and ask: “Am I any different than Solomon?” In the midst of our passion for the Lord’s NAME and the GLORY due it, are we more interested in our OWN NAME and our OWN FINANCES; our OWN HOUSE and our OWN POSSESSIONS?

Perhaps the lesson in this for all of us is: It doesn’t matter how “blessed” of the Lord we are, or how “wise”, or how “sincere”, or how big of a “priority” we think Jesus has in our life today, as long as we are in this body of flesh, we are never going to be free from the temptation to make our OWN NAME and our OWN HOUSE a bigger priority than the Lord’s!

As chapter 7 continues, it details the specific instruction concerning the construction of the temple. As you read through these details of what would become the dwelling place of God, recognize that we are now the temple of God, and that the New Testament is our specific detailed instruction for building a life that is worthy of the dwelling place of Almighty God. May we be as meticulous in following the instruction concerning our spiritual temple, as Solomon was this physical temple.

Notice at the end of chapter 7, “…Solomon brought in the things which David his father had dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put among the treasures of the house of the Lord.” As we consider the unselfish and passionate investment of David’s life and resources into a temple he knew he would never see, may
it likewise impassion us to unselfishly invest in the “temples” of both our physical and spiritual children and grandchildren; some that we may never see, a spiritual and moral legacy that can cause the glory of the Lord to fill them! (See 1 Kings 8).

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As the GLORY OF GOD filling His Temple. — 1 Kings 8:10-11 (John 1:14; Isa. 40:5; Matt. 16:27-7:2)