JUNE 9 READINGS...1 Kings 13:1-14:24 & 2 Chronicles 12:13-14 & 2 Chronicles 11:18-12:12 & 1 Kings 14:25-28 & 2 Chronicles 12:15-16 & 1 Kings 14:29-15:5 & 2 Chronicles 13:1-22 &
1 Kings 15:6-8 & 2 Chronicles 14:1-8 & 1 Kings 15:9-15 & 1 Kings 14:19-20 & 1 Kings 15:25-34 & 2 Chronicles 14:9-15:19
In today's readings we are given the history of the divided kingdom and the kings that would rule. We get a picture of the two dynasty's...in Israel (the northern kingdom) starting with Jeroboam...and in Judah (the southern kingdom) starting with Rehoboam.
Jeroboam was an evil king who set up golden calves in the northern kingdom, and turned the altar in Bethel into a place of pagan worship and sacrifice. There are two prophecies given concerning Jeroboam because of his evil acts against the Lord. The first one is really incredible, and very specific. The prophet said that God would raise up a king in the line of David, named Josiah, and Josiah would sacrifice the pagan priests of the northern kingdom on the altars of their pagan gods. Here is what is incredible...Josiah would indeed be born and do what the prophet had said, but he would be the 15th king of Judah...how could the prophet know his name some 330 years before he would be born...the answer is that this had to come from the Lord. You have to see this...the prophet did not just say God would raise up a king to sacrifice these false priests on these pagan altars...he called him by name, and prophesied specifically about what he would do. Listen, God's prophetic word is true, specific, and exact. The other prophecy concerning Jeroboam was because of his wickedness...all of his male heirs would die at the hand of another king that the Lord would raise up. Jeroboam's son Nadab ruled after his father died, but he was assassinated by Baasha, who then slaughtered all the descendants of Jeroboam, just as was prophesied. Baasha was evil, just like Jeroboam...and continued to lead Israel in idolatry.
Rehoboam ruled in Judah, but he continued to do evil in the sight of the Lord. The people lived in sin, and the king and the people worshipped and served idols. After Rehoboam his son through Absalom's daughter Maacah, Abijam became king. He did what was evil in the Lord's sight, and ruled only three years...though the Lord gave him victory over Jeroboam and the army of Israel. At his death his son, Asa becomes king. Asa does what is right in the sight of the Lord, so the Lord gives him peace for ten years. At the end of the ten years a huge Ethiopian army attacks...once again God give victory. Asa brought great religious reforms to Judah...he had them remove all the Asherah poles. He even removed his grandmother, Maacah as queen-mother because of her idolatry. So, the Lord honored Asa with peace in Judah for another twenty-five years. We need to learn the lesson of Asa...obedience to God brings blessings from God.
Please share your thoughts from today's readings. We also need to learn a lesson from the evil kings of both Judah and Israel...we cannot live in disobedience to God and expect Him to bless us.
TOMORROW'S READINGS...1 Kings 15:16-22 & 2 Chronicles 16:1-10 &1 Kings 16:1-34 &
1 Kings 15:23-24 & 2 Chronicles 16:11-17:19 & 1 Kings 17:1-7
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