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JUNE 25
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 (1 Kings 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 (1 Kings 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.
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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