2 Kings 8:1-9:13
Now, we
have seen miracle after miracle so that Elisha was a walking legend. But the
purpose for what God did was to bring Israel to worship Him alone. They chose
instead to worship Baal and other gods. They still had the golden calves and
thought they were worshiping Yahweh too. At this point then, God directed
Elisha to the next step of judgment. When Elijah met the Lord on Mt. Sinai, God
gave Elijah three assignments that would bring the final judgment to Israel.
(1Kings 19:14-17) Selecting Elisha as his successor was just one of those.
Today we see the next two acts of judgment. One question to ask as we’ve been
reading these stories is the length of time that has passed since God spoke to
Elijah. Just as a rough way to figure this out we can use the first story
below.
2 Kings 8
Vs. 1-6
Another one of those little miracles, or is it? How long was the famine that
came upon Israel when Elijah prayed? Now this doesn’t say that Elisha was
responsible for this famine, but the length is interesting since Elisha had a
“double portion” of the Spirit. I wonder if anyone noticed this?
The time
when the Shunammite woman began to receive Elisha as her guest, and before she
built the prophet’s chamber, might have been a year before she had the baby.
When the child died, I’m thinking the child was at least 4 or 5 years old. So
then, before this famine, Elijah had been away for at least 5-6 years. Now we
can add at least seven more years. This means that before God finally began to
judge Israel as He had told Elijah, at least 12 years had passed in which
Israel was called to God by the miracles and ministry of this very unique
prophet. Who says God isn’t patient and full of mercy?
Vs. 7-15
This “anointing” of Hazael was commanded to Elijah
as one of the acts of judgment God would bring against Israel. (1Kings
19:14-17) God was slow to anger and willing to welcome any repentant people.
V. 8
Notice that the Syrians had both knowledge of and respect for Elisha. They also
acknowledged Yahweh as one of many gods.
V. 10
Elisha doesn't lie here. The king would have recovered, but Elisha knew that
Hazael would murder him.
Vs. 16-29
This portion is sort of the historical backdrop for the anointing of Jehu in
the next chapter. This shows to some degree the importance of Jehu’s mission.
Jehu was the third step of the judgment God spoke to Elijah.
All of
these names are confusing. Since the northern and southern kingdoms were on
good terms and were now related through Jezebel’s daughter, they were naming
their kids the same. This gives us two Ahaziahs and two Jehorams (Joram).
Vs. 18-19
Notice that his wife was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. Jehoshaphat, the
godly king, engineered this marriage. This marriage, and his friendship with
Ahab, sent Judah into a long season of ungodliness and idolatry. It will not be
until we read of Joram in 2 Chronicles 21 that we’ll see how unfortunate
Jehoshaphat’s marriage alliance with Ahab had been. Even though Joram reigned
with his father for five years prior to taking the throne for those eight
years, he was more influenced by Ahab and his wife. His first official act as
sole king of Judah was to kill his six brothers.
Vs. 20-24
Normally, Judah shouldn't have had a problem with Edom, but since they were not
following the Lord, the Lord didn't give them victory.
Vs. 25-27
So then the Joram of Judah died, but the Joram of Israel was still alive.
Ahaziah of Judah began to reign. This is a descendant of Ahab and he was also
in the line of David.
Vs. 28-29
These cousins united to fight the Syrians again at Ramoth-gilead. I’m sure the
Lord was in this defeat, just as He had planned the last defeat there that
resulted in the death of Ahab. The stage is now set.
2 Kings
9:1-13
Vs. 1-3
"Tie up your garments" means that he should make himself ready to
run. Jehu was apparently one of the commanders of the defeated army. This
anointing would be done in such a way as to reflect the urgency and violence of
what would follow.
Vs. 4-10
This is the other part of the judgment that God told Elijah would be carried
out against Israel and against the house of Ahab.
Vs. 11-13
If Jehu was trying not to accept this anointing, God made sure his fellow
commanders pressed the issue. These men recognized the prophet and they
believed the word he had spoken to Jehu. How do you account for this
"religiousness" of the people, yet they didn't worship God? They
hated what Ahab and Jezebel had done to Israel and they knew of God’s judgment,
yet they themselves didn’t follow God. I wonder if this is the same thing we
see happening today. Protesting evil is not the same as following the Lord. The
place true disciples follow the Lord is in the Word and in the harvest, making disciples,
who make disciples.
Acts 16:16-40
Vs. 16-24
So, this is how God would reach Philippi. I don’t think we could write a book
on church planting strategy using this event, because only God could arrange
these things. This is the first of two times Paul would be persecuted for
posing a threat to the area businesses.
Vs. 16-18
Notice that this demonic girl followed them around for many days. Paul wasn’t somehow so spiritual that he immediately
knew what was happening or what to do. Finally the Spirit roused him after
“many” days.
Vs. 19-24
In the scope of Acts this is important that they are being accused of violating
Roman law. This mob and the punishment must have happened quickly and
violently, since Paul didn't have time to react and tell them he was a citizen
of Rome.
Vs. 25-34
While getting ourselves arrested would be possible, this is hard to reproduce
in contemporary strategies of church planting or growth. It's another of those what must I do to be saved experiences
you find in Acts. In fact, it’s the original one.
Vs. 35-40
This is interesting because Paul didn't just let it pass. He made a point of
making the Roman magistrates publicly pronounce them (and Christianity)
innocent. It was quick, easy and made a point.
This fits
into what Jesus said to His disciples about being wise as serpents and innocent
as doves.
Psalm 143
This is a
great psalm. Being able to identify with so much of this, I really appreciate
the middle section, vs. 5-8. This is the kind of intense training in faith that
all of us need. As Jesus told His disciples regarding the trials they would
face, the one who endures to the end will
be saved. That means they will be saved from a ruined faith and damaged
life. Hoping in the steadfast love of the Lord is what saves us from damage.
Vs. 1-2
Even in asking God for help and deliverance, David knew that he didn’t deserve
God’s help and that he himself was a sinner before God.
Vs. 3-4
But David was being pursued unfairly and it seemed that King Saul, with his
army and resources, held the winning hand.
Vs. 5-7
Yet David’s true hope was in the Lord. You see here that the Lord was David’s
passion and delight.
Vs. 8-10
David was learning of the Lord’s steadfast
love, and though he needed deliverance from this pressure and danger, he
really desired to know the Lord and to be led by Him.
Vs. 11-12
God had promised David when David was a boy that he would be king. God had
preserved him to this point and saved him many times. David knew the steadfast
love of the Lord. Now he needed to keep trusting the Lord and keep relying on
that love. David regarded himself as God’s servant, but as God kept saving
David, David knew that God regarded and held David to be His valued servant.
As
disciples in the harvest, our highest honor is to be regarded as a servant in
the Lord’s work, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples.
Proverbs 17:26
Amen. You
might look at vs. 27 and 28. I think these are all tied together.
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.
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 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment