JUNE 19
1
Kings 20-21
You might
have heard people say that there is no love and grace in the OT, just hardness
and law. That shows that they have not really read the OT. Particularly today,
you have to ask yourself, "Why did God include these stories?" It
seems they are included to show His love and grace. And the kicker is, He is
showing love and grace to people who didn't deserve it or respond to it. That
is REALLY love and grace when you show it to evil people. Doesn't that sound
like what Jesus says in Luke 6:35, But
love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
1 Kings 20
Vs. 1-6 Apparently Ahab had promised to obey
these demands. He should have sent Jezebel along with the messenger. Apparently
Ben-hadad was near at hand and when he heard that Ahab complied so easily, he
wanted more.
Vs. 7-12 So when Ahab decided to fight,
Ben-hadad was near the city getting drunk.
Vs. 13-15 Notice that this is God encouraging
and saving Ahab, the utterly bad guy. God went out of His way. Ahab didn't seek
God. God just volunteered His help. Then, after God promised victory, He guided
Ahab by answering his questions. Who says God isn't full of grace?
Vs. 16-21 So, God gave Ahab the victory.
Apparently this was a big battle and a big win. The question is whether Ahab
would internalize this and respond in devotion to God. God's help may have been
for many purposes, but when God's help and kindness is not responded to, it
becomes a basis of judgment.
Vs. 22-30 Then God not only warned Ahab about
the coming battle, but this victory was because of God. This was an enormous
victory and should have been the cause for a lot of praise and gratitude. In v.
30 God even brought the city walls down on 27,000 men. You would think that
everyone would have turned to Him.
Vs. 31-34 This is a flashback to King Saul
saving the king of the Amalekites. Apparently, Ahab was told to kill this king,
but Ahab chose to use his political savvy rather than obey God and eliminate
the problem.
Vs. 35-43 This prophet was known to Ahab and
apparently it was necessary for him to be both wounded and disguised so that he
could get near to the king. This "parable" seems reminiscent of
Nathan telling David about the poor man and the sheep and getting David to
condemn himself.
Vs. 41-43 Notice that Ahab, given a victory
by God, didn't obey God. Getting God's blessing was great, but not to obey
afterward showed that Ahab deserved God's punishment. What God said through the
prophet was true: Ahab was to have killed this king, but Ahab chose to save himself
by making a treaty with Syria rather than by obeying God.
Notice that Ahab was vexed and sullen. Apparently he was like that a lot.
1 Kings 21
Vs. 1-6 This land was part of Naboth's
family, and under the law Naboth couldn't sell it. It had to remain in his
family.
Vs. 5-16 What a woman. Later we'll see that
Naboth's entire family, wife and kids, were also killed with him. No heirs were
left.
Vs. 17-26 Ahab and Jezebel deserved this
judgment on so many counts, but with the murder of Naboth, they had crossed the
point of no return. Notice the degrees of this curse on Ahab and Jezebel. Both
Jeroboam and Baasha received something similar to this, but this was very
specific to their crimes. The dogs would lick Ahab's blood where they had
licked Naboth's blood (actually God will add deep irony to this) and as Jezebel
used "dogs" to kill Naboth, she will be consumed by dogs.
Vs. 27-29 And still, the Lord will show
mercy, even if the vilest respond in repentance. That sounds like love and
grace to me. We'll see again, that this wasn't true repentance; it was just for
a minute. Ahab's next move will be to openly ignore God and he will punish a
prophet. And he'll get what he deserved.
The purpose of these events showed all the
people and nations that God could be sought by anyone. Regardless of what a
person had done, if they repented, God would forgive and show grace and mercy.
Again, anyone who says that God didn't show grace and love, and offer
forgiveness, in the Old Testament, hasn't read it.
Acts
12:24-13:15
Acts 12:24-25
Significant here is not only the growth of
the church, but John Mark, Barnabas' cousin, enters as a disciple and a
missionary. The prayer meeting for Peter had been at the house of John Mark's
parents, a well-to-do family. It is thought that the last supper and the
meeting where the Spirit came at Pentecost were also at this house. John Mark
is the writer of the Gospel of Mark, and he is the disciple wrapped only with a
sheet, who, on the night Jesus was arrested, was grabbed, slipped out of the
sheet and "streaked" home.
Acts 13:1-15
Vs. 1-3 Notice that the church in Antioch of
Syria was very organized, very international and very independent of Jerusalem.
Since they weren't under any distress, the leaders were praying and fasting for
other reasons, probably because of the harvest. Notice again, how
"talky" the Spirit is. He is not an impersonal force.
Vs. 4-12 This is the beginning of the first
missionary journey by Paul. There will be three recorded in Acts.
V. 5 It is interesting that Paul, like Jesus,
went first to the synagogues, found those who easily and naturally responded to
the gospel, and then began reaching the Gentile population.
Notice that up to v. 9, Barnabas is always
named first. After v. 9 Paul will always be seen as the leader. Barnabas was
willing to step back. This shows how the Spirit was on both Paul and Barnabas.
Notice too, that as of v. 9 Saul will use his
Greek name, Paul, for the rest of his career. Paul, the former Pharisee and
true-blue Jew, was committed to reaching the Gentiles for Christ, becoming all
things to all men for the sake of the gospel and the harvest.
V. 12 Although the governor was impressed
that the Holy Spirit had power over the magician, it says that he was
astonished at what Paul taught. This indicates true faith that was based on the
teaching, not on the miracle.
Vs. 13-15 Note that John Mark deserted them
here and went home to Jerusalem. It is fair to call what Mark did, desertion,
since Paul will insinuate in chapter 15 that it showed weakness and a lack of
commitment. When we get to heaven we'll have to ask Mark why he left. Here are
some thoughts you can add to your own.
Mark knew the Saul that had hurt people. As
Paul began to take the lead, he might have sounded like the old guy every now
and then. Also, Mark was a true-blue Jew too, and he was a city boy who lived
well. This adventure might have started to look like camp Gitchy-Goomy, and he
wasn't used to pork chops or those who ate them. He might have been having a
cultural crisis that overwhelmed him and he ran home. It is to be noted that
Barnabas will not only pursue Mark and pick him up, but he will go nose to nose
with Paul to show his trust and belief in John Mark. As a result, this failed
servant will be restored to service and will write the first of all the Gospels
about the suffering servant who fulfilled His mission. Mark will eventually
travel with Peter after traveling later with Barnabas. Paul, just before he
dies, will speak highly of Mark and request his presence.
V. 15 Isn't it interesting how the Spirit
just set up this situation? It really is more about the Spirit, than about Paul
and Barnabas. It would be hard to publish a book on missionary strategy or
church planting strategy as our own ideas, when the main concept is watching
what the Spirit is doing and following Him. This is another way of viewing what
it means to abide in Christ, following Him in the harvest, making disciples,
who make disciples.
Psalm
137
This psalm is obviously written by one of the
exiles from Jerusalem who was there when the city was finally destroyed.
Jerusalem and the temple had been judged by God because of Judah's continued
rebellion and disobedience. It was brutal when it happened, but God had
promised this would happen. And, it was a just judgment.
Vs. 1-6 Now in exile, how could they sing?
And worse, how could they forget what happened to Jerusalem? Three things are
mentioned that were painful to them. They were taunted as they sang songs to
Zion. They deserved to be taunted, since they really hadn't been worshiping
God.
V. 7 Second, the Edomites had been very
brutal to them. According to Obadiah, God would judge them.
Vs. 8-9 Third, they remembered the cruelty of
the Babylonians.
It was on the basis of psalms like this one,
that C.S. Lewis didn't think the entire Bible was inspired. How could God
inspire or express something like v. 9? If you lose the graphic image, what you
really have is, "blessed will be he who does to you what you have done to
us."
As we have just read about God's judgment on
Jeroboam and on Baasha, God Himself judged their evil with the evil of others.
Soon we will see God use a demon to lure Ahab to his own death and judgment.
This is totally just in that Ahab preferred to listen to lies, rather than God,
and he served demons, rather than God. Jerusalem, as we'll see in Jeremiah and
Ezekiel, was totally sick, diseased and infested with evil and idolatry. They
deserved it.
When Babylon sacked Jerusalem the final time
under Zedekiah, as the Babylonian soldiers went through the city, rather than
stabbing children with their swords, they would grab a child by the arm and
swing it against the corner of a building, or a rock wall, smashing its head
and killing it. God and the psalmist are saying that the Babylonians will be
judged with the same kind of cruelty that they dished out.
Proverbs
17:16
In English this
comes across like a play on the words, money
and sense (cents), like, "How
can a fool buy wisdom with money when he
has no sense?"
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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