JUNE 20
1
Kings 22
Vs. 1-40 We meet Jehoshaphat in this story,
but the object is really the death of Ahab.
Vs. 1-4 Notice that there was no need for
this war. You really have to wonder what Jehoshaphat was doing there.
Jehoshaphat was a godly king in Judah, and I think he was trying to unify both
kingdoms by making peace, a marriage covenant and doing some
"bonding" stuff with Ahab. Great idea. Maybe he did this because his
father, Asa, was at war with the northern kingdom and it kind of ate his lunch
and his faith. I think this peace also had a godly "spin" to it in
trying to bring unity to Israel, but it is always better to check stuff out
with God. Not every human effort toward peace is God's will. What we are seeing
here is actually the tragic flaw of Jehoshaphat that will rain horrible
cultural ungodliness down on Judah. If we were going to make a policy from his
life, it would be to ask God first, and then make sure that the peace we make
with others is totally on God's terms. Political unity with ungodliness doesn't
work. We'll see in Chronicles that what Jehoshaphat did might have looked
spiritual on the surface, but there was a lot of human and fleshly motive mixed
in.
Vs. 5-12 Jehoshaphat would never have
tolerated prophets of Baal, but these false prophets didn't impress him either.
I really think Jehoshaphat was trying to be a good influence on Ahab by
suggesting they consult a "real" prophet of the Lord. You realize
that since Jehoshaphat had come to Ahab and had already agreed to help him,
Jehoshaphat had already made his decision. This was just for show. The time to
have consulted the Lord was in Jerusalem, consulting the high priest in the
temple. This will turn out ugly.
V. 8 We should like Micaiah immediately
because Ahab didn't like him.
Vs. 11-12 Apparently this guy was very
convincing and even Jehoshaphat was under his spell. The horns, as we'll see in
Daniel, symbolized kings.
Vs. 13-23 This portion of Scripture is very
important. Joined together with other teaching in the entire Bible, it gives
you an unique look into how God still uses rebellious angels to accomplish His
will. We've already seen this with King Saul, and even the apostle Paul will
get a thorn in the flesh delivered from a messenger of Satan.
V. 15 My take on this is that Micaiah
answered with some sort of parroting of the other prophets, making it apparent
he was ridiculing the entire circus atmosphere. Imagine what this looked like
with 400 prophets.
V. 16 What Ahab says here is so ironic that
it is funny. I'm sure he never ever said this to Micaiah before.
Vs. 17-23 Now, we are looking into God's
court where the fallen angels still enter and where God uses them to chasten
and judge men. We'll get another look at this in Job. All the angels God made,
including Lucifer (Satan), still report to God. When God calls for judgment on
Ahab, it is clearly a fallen angel that comes forward. What is interesting is
that God Himself grants the mission and its success.
Unfortunately for Jehoshaphat and Ahab, they
had already decided to do what they were going to do regardless of what those
prophets or God said. Their hearts were already set and hardened, so God gave
them what they wanted as judgment against them. He allowed a demon to
supernaturally empower the speech and persuasion of the lying prophets. That
means that these prophets were really good and inspiring. Sometimes it isn't
good when God gives you what you want if you really don't want what He wants.
Vs. 24-28 Micaiah was completely humiliated.
Jehoshaphat should have seen this, but he had already given his word, or as
Proverbs below will say, made a pledge for his neighbor. In this, Jehoshaphat
was a complete fool.
Vs. 29-40 Ahab was really setting up
Jehoshaphat to be killed, but God made sure the arrow went into the air and
came down in the right place. Apparently, the well is where those who killed
Naboth and his family washed themselves. It is an interesting and ironic note
that the prostitutes washed themselves in the blood-tainted water, as if they
were baptized unto Ahab. More than any king before him, Ahab led Israel into
spiritual “whoredom” and away from Yahweh.
Vs. 41-50 Jehoshaphat was a godly king and
did a lot of great stuff, but his human attempt (without seeking God's will) to
unite the kingdoms will completely destroy everything that he built. That ought
to be a word to the wise. Even though he was rebuked by the Lord for his
association with Ahab (in Chronicles), Jehoshaphat persisted in trying to be
friends with the evil rulers north of him. Verse 49 is one of the few times
Jehoshaphat said no.
Today too, you
see a lot of Christian leaders trying to make public relational bridges to very
ungodly groups and very ungodly concepts. They do it because of the “love of
God” or “tolerance” or whatever, but the result looks utterly foolish and they
harm the people of God and the mission of Christ. Jesus preached repentance and
sent the Twelve out preaching repentance. We don’t have to be condemning, but
we do have to preach the Word of God and leave it to Him, not to our savvy.
Repentance is between the lost and God, but there must be a recognition of sin
and the need to turn to Him (repentance). We are just the messengers, not the
architects, of reconciliation. We don't need to schmooze God's Word to make it
acceptable to sinners either by our teaching or by our tolerance of them. Jesus
said, No one can come to me unless the Father who
sent me draws him.
We speak His Word in love and God draws them, if they are “drawable.”
Vs. 51-53 Ahaziah was like his father; and
Jezebel, his mother, was still running things. The judgment on Ahab's house
would soon follow.
Acts
13:16-41
We are fully into Paul's 1st missionary
journey. What is interesting as you read this, note how much Paul knows about
John and Jesus and what they said. This sermon is being given in a synagogue.
Note also how often Paul mentions names, like David. Also, notice how often he
mentions the resurrection. This, too, is a very Jewish audience.
Vs. 16-25 This seems to be how Paul showed
that Jesus was the fulfillment of God's plan of redemption and God's purpose
for Israel.
Vs. 26-31 This is the recounting of Jesus'
condemnation, death and resurrection.
Vs. 32-39 This is where Paul explains that
Jesus not only fulfilled the plan of God, but that it is Jesus who brings
forgiveness and frees men from the curse of the law/judgment.
Vs. 35-37 Here, Paul sounds a lot like Peter
in Acts 2:27-30. I wonder if Paul was there.
Vs. 40-41 Not many of us would do this, but
it is only fair to warn people that they shouldn't ignore God's offer.
I'm impressed over and over that the giving
of the gospel was very simple, especially as Jesus taught his men. I think that
in the harvest, simple is better. The Father is the one who draws men to the
Savior. We are just the messengers who then become makers of disciples, who
make disciples.
Psalm
138
In reading this psalm, note that David is
praising God for delivering him from everything that was thrown at him during
those ten years of running from Saul and those seven years of civil war. So
then, he is giving testimony to all those forces, human and spiritual, of God's
greatness and power and love.
Vs. 1-3 The word gods could mean mighty ones, either being human or spiritual.
Notice in v. 4, David refers to the kings
of the earth, and in v. 7 he talks about enemies.
David was strengthened by the faithfulness of
God having given him a promise and then delivering him over and over again. All
of the stress over all of those years made him know of the steadfast love of the Lord.
Vs. 4-6 Apparently David did give testimony
to kings and ambassadors of other nations. This is also mentioned in Isaiah 55.
Vs. 7-8 This is a very perceptive summary
that David gave to his life. Notice that David perceived that God had a purpose for him and that God would fulfill it. Now, look back at the
previous page in Acts 13:36. Kind of cool, huh?
Proverbs
17:17-18
These seem like contradictory verses. One
says that a friend or a brother is always there for you. The other says you're
a fool if you make yourself the guarantor for your neighbor.
V. 18 seems to say that there is a line you
don't have to cross, and shouldn't cross for a friend or a brother. Loyalty and
love are enough. Jesus presents the option of just providing for your
neighbor's need without having to receive in return. In the case of Jesus, He
didn't make a pledge on our honor; He just paid it all.
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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