If you don't
have a One Year Bible or prefer something online, this link will take you to
the day's reading, http://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/. This
site allows you to select from several languages and several English
translations.
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.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, 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 (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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