2 Kings 13-14
We are seeing the last days
of the northern kingdom of Israel. On June 30 they will be taken into exile,
and only Judah will be left. I say "last days," but years are still
passing by. Again, never let anyone say that God doesn't show grace and patience
in the Old Testament. God's redemptive purpose is submerged in the muddle of
all of these kings and all of their sin, worshiping the wrong things, holding
on to some degree of "religion" regarding Yahweh, yet ignoring His
outstretched hand. God said through Isaiah, I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people. Not just all day
long, but all day long for decades of decades.
2 Kings 13
V. 1
Notice that Jehu's son Jehoahaz reigned for 17 years. That is still a long
time. In the US you'd get 3-5 presidents out of that length of time.
V. 3
Hazael of Syria named his son for the king he himself murdered. How touching.
This now is the third Ben-hadad to rule Syria.
Vs. 4-9 Jehoahaz became so desperate that he
began to seek the Lord. He didn't give up worshiping the other stuff, but God
honored this step. There is a lot of grace in all of this. The purpose of God's
patience and kindness is seen in what Paul says in Romans 2:4-5, Or do you presume on the riches of his
kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant
to lead you to repentance? 5But because of your hard and impenitent heart
you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous
judgment will be revealed.
Vs. 10-13
This son of Jehoahaz is also called Joash in v. 14. We have lots of name
confusion going on here. Some names had different spellings and forms, like
"Robert" and "Bob." The ESV translators are using both, and
unfortunately they are not using them consistently to keep the names and
individuals straight for us, as they do in the NIV. It's confusing. Notice that
this Jehoash (Joash) also reigned for a long time. Through all these decades
God was giving Israel chances to turn to Him. Now with this summary of his
reign in place, we'll read what Jehoash did.
Vs. 14-19
There are lots of observations and questions in all of these stories, but for
me the biggest question is always how they could recognize God's power in
Elisha, but not obey and worship God as He desired. Like Jesus said, Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? (Luke 6:46) This really should make us think about our
work in the harvest and what it means to be a believer/disciple.
If I'm
ever given this assignment and bearing fruit in the harvest and making
disciples is the goal, I'll bang the arrows on the ground until they shatter
and my hand's bleeding.
Vs. 20-21
Can you imagine this? A miracle is performed through Elisha's dead body. What a
funny visual. The guys see the Moabites, and just throw this guy into the tomb
and run. The Moabites ride by. Then the dead guy sticks his head out of the
tomb, looks both ways, and runs after his friends. What point do you think God
was making here? Apparently this story became known.
Vs. 22-23
This is the second time today that God's kindness is mentioned in helping
Israel. His redemptive purpose for mankind was lost to the eyes of the
Israelites, but it was always in focus for God. God was probably doing then
what He is doing today. There are those whom God wants to save, and so the
world keeps spinning. Mankind's disregard for God adds up to justifying His
judgment against them. When the last of those whom God wants to reach come to
Him, God brings the judgment. In this history here, I'm sure God was working
multiple purposes in thousands of lives in many nations.
Vs. 24-25
This was the fulfillment of what God had promised Jehoash through Elisha. When
it was mentioned in v. 5 that God gave them a deliverer or savior, this was
probably the king of Assyria who began to attack Syria. The conflict with
Assyria would also explain why Jehoash was able to take back cities that had
previously been lost to Israel. It was all God's grace. God delivered as
promised, but there was no acknowledgement or true repentance. They may even
have held a sacrifice for Yahweh, but they went on worshipping all the other
stuff too.
2 Kings 14
Vs. 1-6
We'll read more about Amaziah of Judah later. The purpose of this history is
really to talk about his pride and subsequent conflict with Jehoash of Israel.
When you read about Amaziah in 2 Chronicles 25, you'll wonder why it mentions
him as a good king. But there is a pattern that emerges. Many of the kings were
faithful or did something good when they were young, and then went spiritually
"nuts" later, either when they had a victory, or when they got older,
or both. I think the Lord intends that this "pattern" should be a
word to the wise.
This is
apparently something good he did in following the Lord.
V. 7 This
is a victory that God gave Amaziah, but you'll never, ever guess what Amaziah
did right after that victory and before this next verse.
Vs. 8-10
This was probably facilitated by God to judge Amaziah for being such a dummy.
Vs. 11-14
God humbled Amaziah. This is the first mention of a king of Israel looting
Jerusalem.
Vs. 15-16
So this is the last of Jehoash. His son, Jeroboam, would reign the longest of
all the kings of Israel.
Vs. 17-22
Whenever you read of a conspiracy, you know the king was up to no good. This
was the end of Amaziah. Apparently after Jehoash took him prisoner, he released
him. Amaziah's son Azariah was also known as Uzziah.
Vs. 23-29
Notice that this king of Israel reigned for 41 years, longer than any other
king of the northern kingdom, doing evil in the sight of the Lord, yet God
patiently kept showing mercy. From the beginning of Jehu's reign to the end of
the reign of his great grandson, Jeroboam, it has been over 100 years (28+17+16+41=102).
That's a lot of patience, mercy and grace.
The
borders restored to the northern kingdom make the country look the same as it
did under Solomon. The weakness and warring of Syria and Assyria made this
possible, but of course, the Lord was in that too.
Vs. 25-27 This is the prophet Jonah from the
book of that name. Apparently God also revealed to Jonah that Assyria would be
the land that would destroy this northern kingdom. That is why Jonah ran,
rather than offer a message of forgiveness to Assyria. Assyria would now begin
to rise to power, but first God reached out to both Israel and Assyria.
Israel was to have been God's redemptive
witness to the world. They still will be that. As Paul said in Romans 11:29, For
the gifts and the call
of God are irrevocable. Thankfully, even our work in the harvest is not
dependent on us. It is His calling, His work, His purpose and His harvest.
Vs. 28-29 This is funny to read of what “Jeroboam
did.” It was God who helped Israel in His love and mercy.
Acts 18:23-19:12
Acts
18:23-28
V. 23 This
begins Paul's third and final missionary journey recorded in Acts. Just for
your information, the books of 1 and 2 Timothy hint at other travels of Paul
after the events in Acts. Oddly enough, 1 Timothy seems to be Paul's
instructions for Timothy to rebuild the church at Ephesus, as Paul was heading
to churches in Macedonia. Apparently something happened that had damaged some
churches. It could have been what Paul will mention in Acts 20 when he meets
the Ephesian elders, or it could be that the Romans were beginning to persecute
the church, or both.
Vs. 24-27
Apollos is mentioned here and in 1 Corinthians 1-4. Apparently he taught in the
area around Ephesus, but his message only mentioned that Jesus was the Messiah,
not that Jesus was the payment for sin and was raised from the dead. Aquila and
Priscilla invited him to supper and set him straight.
That is an
interesting point. Our message is not "believe in God," or even
"Jesus is God," but that Jesus, the Son of God, is the Savior of men
who paid for our sins and was raised from the dead and that there is salvation
in no other. That was the error of the kings of Israel. They had Yahweh as one
of many gods. As much as it sounds politically incorrect, the truth is that
there is only one God for all men and there is only one Savior, Jesus Christ.
When Jesus reigns during the Millennial Kingdom, there will be no
"religious tolerance," but there will be truth, salvation and
healing.
Acts
19:1-12
V. 1 So
Apollos went to Corinth, and now Paul was in Ephesus.
Vs. 2-7
Back in the Gospels, there was a conflict between the disciples of John and the
disciples of Jesus. The Pharisees tried to exploit this difference. When Jesus
was confronted by John's disciples, He was very gentle with them. The first
recorded parable Jesus told was to John's disciples to help them understand the
difference between Him and John. When Paul met these twelve traveling
disciples of John (Jews) they are in a place where Apollos had been teaching
the baptism of John. There might have been a potential for conflict or
division. This, I think, is why the Holy Spirit came upon them visually and
with tongues and prophecy. Their faith and experience was now linked to that of
the apostles and to the Gentile church through this sign by the Holy Spirit.
V. 10
Notice the time marker. In Acts 20:31 Paul will say he was in Ephesus for three
years. This is all probably approximate times. It is safe to say that Paul was
in Ephesus, off and on, for about three years. It could be that the two years
refers to the time Paul was allowed to teach in the hall of Tyrannus.
Vs. 11-12
This was parallel to what Peter did in Acts 5:15-16. This outpouring of healing
and miracles showed God's interest in establishing the church in Ephesus, not
Paul's gifting. Again, I think this is proof that what happened in Acts was
unique. You don't hear of this happening today, either by virtue of gifting, or
by our strategizing. God does what He does when it fulfills His purpose. I'm
convinced that we'll see more of God's working in the harvest, than in any
other place. God's power is specific to His purpose of making disciples, who
make disciples.
Psalm 146
So, how do
you respond to a psalm like this that sounds so triumphant and confident, when
you yourself are struggling? Because of our weakness of spirit and the effects
of sin, we can hold the mindset of this psalm for an hour or a day or a week,
but if the waves roll over us too long, we struggle to hold these realities. But
I guess that is the point. It is in trials that we deny our fears and resist
the temptations to react or give up. In the conflict of our feelings, we hold
fast to what we know is true because we know it is true. And we wait on the
Lord because the very thing this psalm says is true.
Vs. 1-2
This was David's praise after the
Lord had delivered him through those long years of distress.
Vs. 3-4
This is what David learned as he ran and had to depend on God. I'll bet during
those early years he and his men expected some leader in Saul's government to
come to their aid and bring peace. That never happened.
Vs. 5-7
This is Who to hope in, and why. Notice the use of whose and who.
Vs. 8-10
Now notice The Lord, and notice what
He does. His heart is with the lowly who cry out to Him. And just like having a
Father in heaven, it isn't just that we have a Father, but that He is eternal,
almighty God. His help and power are everlasting.
What can
you say? Praise the Lord!
Proverbs 18:2-3
What I get
from these verses, as a disciple, is to be slow in expressing my opinion and
slow to show contempt or ridicule. God describes what is really behind these
things.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year
Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't
work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/
and click on “Every
Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are
following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple,
following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship
culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging
each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make
disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here
or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some
explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My
comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on
Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups
will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with
and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the
harvest.
If you would like a complete description of this model
of being and making disciples you can find it in my book: Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is
still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's
keyed to the NIV, so the result is the commentators are constantly telling you
what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in
fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is
encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the
comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding,
that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but
only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like documents containing an entire month
of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download
these to use on your computer or to print.
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