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JUNE 24
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.
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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