The time to celebrate is near. Not only are you almost half way through the year, but you've probably read half of the Bible by now. Starting July 3, you'll have finished the psalms and will begin reading them through again.
Today you begin the ??th book of the Old Testament, you're almost half way through Acts, and you get one of the greatest psalms written, Psalm 139.
2 Kings 1-2
Remember that these are not just disjointed events. The presence of Elijah and Elisha was a testimony of the reality of Yahweh and how the people could have turned to Him at any moment. It seems that every time these guys sneezed, a miracle happened. They were walking witnesses of God's availability; but by the people not responding to them, they became walking testimonials of the nation's complete ruin in sin and the justness of God's coming punishment.
2 Kings 1
Ahaziah was already going to die and had messed up by going to Baal-zebub (Jesus was accused of being possessed by this guy), the prince of demons. So this event was not for him, but for the people to see that the real God was with Elijah. But of course, they already knew this. So why didn't they come to God? Just like today, it is more fun and less responsibility to worship the wrong God. The ultimate answer, however, is that the sin within us repulses us from God. Sin is not passive; it is aggressive in its sickness and rebellion.
V. 9 Obviously, this guy was going to kill Elijah as soon as they had him. The question here is, "Where is the respect for God?" I like Elijah's response. Stuff like this will probably happen in the Tribulation when the two witnesses are walking around for the first three and a half years.
V. 13 This guy had the right idea, and in verse 15, the angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Jesus) told Elijah it was safe to go with him.
You can bet the people knew of this event.
2 Kings 2
This story has a new interest for me. There is a spiritual side of life that we cannot see and really don't attempt to understand spiritually. We are almost completely visual and almost completely compelled by logic and what we can understand.
What was the real test to Elisha here? Was it an endurance test? A test against human opinion? A test against disappointment? A test against fear? Why did seeing Elijah being taken become the condition of receiving God's appointment and power?
In John 6 Jesus was in conflict with the people he had just fed. They followed him to Capernaum, and in the synagogue they cornered Jesus and He gave them the Bread of Life talk. As a result of this talk, not only did the people and leaders turn away from Him, but many of His disciples left Him. Apparently they were "fed up" with His sayings. Notice what Jesus said to them.
John 6:60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him. 65 And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." 66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."
Jesus challenged them that they were seeing and thinking only in the flesh. It is the Spirit that gives life and what He had just told them was Spirit and life. Notice then that one of the tests Jesus mentions to them is in verse 62. If they couldn't receive the spiritual reality of His words, what in the world would they do if they were to see Him ascending where He was before? The twelve (actually, eleven) didn't understand what Jesus had said either, but they understood with the Spirit that He was the Holy One of God, and so they stayed. Big ol' struggling Peter was learning to see and understand with something other than his eyes and head.
Elisha saw Elijah ascend. This wasn't a test of his vision or his courage, it was a test of his spiritual understanding. Something happened there that we cannot comprehend by reading this. It might be similar to what Jesus said in challenging His murmuring disciples. The entire snipe-hunt with Elijah was a test of his spiritual understanding. And God's Spirit came upon Elisha with might and power to complete the judgment of God on the nation.
Vs. 19-22 Another miracle. The word would get out that God was still among the people of the northern kingdom through this unusual prophet.
Vs. 23-25 So just as God taught the military to respect Elijah, word would get out that this bald-headed prophet was an ambassador of Yahweh and was due proper respect too. I'll bet nobody toilet-papered his house either.
Acts 13:42-14:7
Acts 13:42-52
This doesn't sound like a "day in the life of a church planter," but in Acts, it is a day in the life of Paul.
So much of this sounds like Jesus' instructions to the twelve when He sent them out in Matt. 10:14-23.
It appears that Paul began at the synagogues and found those who easily came to Christ. In this case they organized a city-wide outreach.
V. 48 Gentiles flocked to the Lord. Notice the part of the verse that points to election or more what Jesus said in John 6, "no one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him."
V. 51 Because of the synagogue system, Paul and Barnabas were able to organize the church fairly quickly. Notice that the disciples were filled with the joy of their salvation, and with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 41:1-7
Barnabas and Paul had a simple strategy of what towns to visit and how long to stay. Brilliant.
Psalm 139
I heard a very tired Steve Farrar speak through this psalm about 4 years ago and it was very good. He was tired and kept chastising Christianity Today and certain groups that toy with the "newness of God" baloney. That baloney says that God doesn't really know what will happen next, so He will change His mind depending on what we do. It's baloney. God's foreknowledge is absolute.
Anyway, this psalm is a comfort in thinking that God knows us completely and loves us totally. And remember, His steadfast love endures forever.
Proverbs 17:19-21
This is all pretty straightforward. The "high door" is referring to pride and showing off your stuff.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/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 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.
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