2 Kings 6-7
More
amazing, miraculous stories of a people ignoring their God.
2 Kings 6
Vs. 1-7
God tended to small things. Apparently these groups of prophets were like
disciples who were trained and sent out through Israel to teach the people.
This training center, where Elisha was, needed additional space. Since this place
and time was very primitive and impoverished, the loss of an axe head was a big
deal; but it was no problem if you had Elisha there.
The point
here is that the king and all the people could have sought God and Elisha for
all sorts of things, but they didn’t. Israel could have been a paradise and the
godliest nation on earth. We saw a glimpse of that under Solomon and it could
have happened here, just for the asking; but for that to happen, sin, that
inner hatred for God, would have to be conquered. They didn’t want God. And
remember, we still have that poison in our spirit, but thankfully its power has
been broken by our Lord. We have a new spiritual life in us, and we have the
indwelling Spirit, thanks to what Jesus did for us. This is also why we share
this message in the harvest, to reach those whom God is seeking to save and
free from this sin.
Vs. 8-23
God tends to huge things. What is interesting to me is that the Syrians found
out about it, and it made them do something. Israel was being given help and
information from God, yet they were still worshiping Baal and the calves.
Vs. 15-17
Do you remember what Elisha saw when Elijah was taken? He understood that this
army was always present. His prayer to God was not to send the army, but for
God to open the eyes of his new servant to spiritual reality. To me this is the
part of the story that I'm convicted by. I need to see every situation
spiritually, instead of letting my vision, head and mood get in the way.
So, why
wasn't Israel following God? It is the amazing power of sin.
V. 23
Notice that this brought peace only for a while, and all it did was to stop the
raids into the land. War was still coming, as nations with military might were
rising and considering building empires. Israel could have turned to the Lord.
Vs. 24-33
The location of the chapter break is unfortunate. This was Ben-hadad, the same
king involved in the last story. As a result of not turning to God, Joram and
Israel were given one of the curses pronounced in the law.
Vs. 30-33
Notice that the king was humbling himself "incognito." Instead of
openly showing repentance and humiliation to Yahweh before the people, he hid
the sackcloth under his clothes. He wasn't leading the people in prayer and
repentance. All of the superficial spirituality seen in these chapters ought to
be alarming to us, because we are capable of the same thing today. We can kind
of worship God and kind of worship everything else too, just like they did. We
can be blessed by God and not follow Him except the way we want to follow.
Isn’t it
interesting that the king blamed God and then wanted to kill Elisha? He didn’t
see that this kind of siege and famine was promised in detail in Deuteronomy if
the nation worshiped idols. It was a good thing that God gave Elisha spiritual
sight and power to predict. They held the door long enough to await the arrival
of the king. Notice that Elisha is sitting with the elders, possibly praying.
That’s where the king should have been.
V. 33 is
filled with all sorts of spiritual irony and blindness.
2 Kings 7
This event
will be similar to God saving Jerusalem under Hezekiah, but under Hezekiah’s
leadership the entire city was praying. Here we see God, in mercy, trying to
lead the people to repentance since the people were not really following God.
Vs. 1-2 So
why did God decide to solve this dire situation now? He could have done this at
any time. It finally occurred to me today that this is probably the first time
the king came to Elisha regarding the siege and the famine. It seems they would
rather deal with the hardship themselves than go to the real God and His
prophet. We still do that today and it is still just as tragic.
V. 2 This
verse has always been a warning to me never to doubt what God can do.
Vs. 3-15
Leprosy was a symbolic physical disease that represented sin. It is ironic then
that God used four lepers to spread the good news.
V. 6 God
can make things happen so easily. All He did here to route this army was to
make the sounds of an army. With the added fear and paranoia of thinking the
Egyptians were coming, they left so quickly in panic that they left everything
behind. They didn’t even untie their animals. What they left behind was like a
Walmart © Superstore.
For us as
disciples, we should be seeking to understand God and His working on a
spiritual level. This life isn’t about us; it is about the redemption of
mankind. Knowing that God can make things happen easily, ironically, should
give us peace when He doesn't do things quickly, knowing He could, but has
chosen not to. It is His inscrutable plan and His unknowable wisdom, not ours.
It should be our joy to follow, watch and learn in the harvest.
Vs. 16-20
I think it is safe to say that the point of this event is hinted at by the
length of this explanation. And since the nation didn’t turn to God,
figuratively speaking, the people were being trampled to death by their own sin
and unbelief.
Acts 15:36-16:15
Acts
15:36-41
People
often ask who was right here. I think God was right in separating Paul and
Barnabas. What is interesting is that He chose to separate them through a
strong disagreement based on their convictions. The strength of this
disagreement is shown in that they couldn't and wouldn't compromise. Paul would
head into trouble and get beaten to a pulp, like usual, and he was right in not
taking Mark. Barnabas was right in taking Mark to restore him and mentor him. I
think they parted as friends. In fact, we know they remained friends through
references by Paul and by Luke. Also, some of Paul’s final words have a request
for Timothy to bring Mark to help him in prison. Unlike Luke, Mark had been an
eyewitness of some of what Jesus had done; and by the time of Paul’s last days,
Mark had written the first Gospel and was a proven missionary and leader.
Our ideas
of unity and tolerance need to be as wide as God's will. God is responsible for
this irreconcilable difference. It was His way of forming two teams for two
different missions. We need to love and respect one another, but we definitely
don't need to agree with one another if the Lord has given us a strong
conviction.
Notice
this parting was by mutual agreement. I have often seen churches force staff
out of the church and say it was a "Paul and Barnabas" thing. How
silly and dishonest. Of course, it is also true, that if the Lord has given
someone a different vision, if that person creates problems with it, he needs
to leave or be urged to go. Again, it all comes down to recognizing what the
Lord is doing, and sometimes He will lead people to part.
V. 39
Notice that Barnabas took Mark back to the place where he had deserted Paul and
Barnabas on the first journey. I wonder if Barnabas took him back there to help
him through something. Actually, in Barnabas going to Cyprus and Paul going
north through Syria, they were working together, covering more ground.
Acts
16:1-15
Vs. 1-5
From things Paul says in 1 and 2 Timothy, he apparently led Timothy to Christ
on his first trip. On returning, Timothy had grown in faith and was a strong
servant. It is likely that Timothy was in his 20s. So, if Paul was this guy who
didn't think that circumcision was necessary for salvation, and if he was the
apostle to the Gentiles, why did he circumcise Timothy? I think it had to do
with his strategy as expressed in 1 Corinthians 9:19ff. A circumcised Timothy
could go anywhere and would not put a stumbling block in front of anyone. An
uncircumcised Timothy could not enter a synagogue, and the Jews would have
never heard a word.
It is
interesting that even Christians tend to exalt individualism, rather than being
a disciple in the harvest. A disciple focused on following Christ in the
harvest is supposed to be able to blend in for the sake of seeing others saved
and follow Christ, and not to put anything unnecessary in the way of the
gospel. Blending into a culture often means putting our preferences aside and
choosing not to do things we could do if we wanted. In the case above, Paul put
Timothy in a place where he could minister to both groups, not just one.
Vs. 6-10
Getting a map of Paul's missionary journeys will help here. You probably have
one in the back of your “regular” Bible. Apparently, Paul asked for guidance on
where to go and received it, in the form of a "no." So, why did God
say “no?” I don’t know, but I do know that going to Troas was a “lucky” break
for the ailing Paul.
Vs. 11-15
Did you notice the change in narration in v. 10? Apparently Troas is where Paul
and Luke met. Since Paul spent little time in Troas and we hear of no church
being planted there, Luke must already have been a believer and follower. He
was already a disciple willing to work with Paul. Since Luke was a doctor, he
might have gone with Paul as his personal physician. As we’ve seen and will
see, cuts, bruises, beatings, a thorn and maybe even blindness also followed
Paul around.
V. 13 Was
there a synagogue in Philippi? Apparently not. The Bible Knowledge
Commentary-NT, p. 399, says they needed 10 Jewish males to begin a
synagogue. Even if they had those 10 males, they might not have had the
permission to open a synagogue. Philippi was a very Roman city, populated by
former Roman soldiers, and the Jews didn’t have a strong influence there.
However, Paul found a place where Jews and God-fearing Gentiles gathered for
prayer. God opened the doors of hearts here. Tomorrow He will open iron doors
and more hearts. It is interesting to stop here and consider that this church
will be closest to Paul’s heart and a partner with him in the harvest. Tomorrow
we’ll continue to see how the church at Philippi began.
Psalm 142
Waiting on
the Lord is the norm and the rule, not the exception. He trains us to set our
hearts on Him and to seek a deeper, spiritual help and resource in Him.
Vs. 1-2
This is how David lived for those ten years when he ran from Saul.
Vs. 3-4
Even though David was surrounded by followers and friends, 600 of them, at the
core, he learned that he could only depend on the Lord.
Vs. 5-7
Even in his distress, David knew that there was a purpose God was working and
that others would be strengthened by the way David depended on the Lord and how
God would deliver him.
Proverbs 17:24-25
Paul told
Timothy to train himself in godliness, practicing in all circumstances how to
honor God. That is a constant mindset and requires concentration in all
circumstances. It is a focused pursuit and I think it would qualify as seeking
to grow in wisdom. I think Timothy was a wise son.
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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