Category: I Kings

A Good King Allies with a Bad King (I Kings 21-22)

Friday, November 4

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Melissa New
Israel was suffering under the leadership of their wicked King Ahab. Even when God had obviously given them the victory over the Arameans, Ahab decides to disobey God’s instructions. Ahab is recklessly impulsive. So you might wonder why the good king of Judah, King Jehoshaphat, bothered to visit Ahab. I picture a couple of powerful men getting chummy and having a good time and then, the clever Ahab says, “Hey man, Romath-gilead should be part of my kingdom. What do you say we go to war to recapture it for me?” And Jehoshaphat says, “Why, of course! Let’s first check to see what the LORD’s thoughts are on our plans. That really is the smart thing to do. But brother, I’m already liking this idea.” (Disclosure: this is not how the Scripture exactly reads.) Ahab calls in his prophets because they always say what he wants to hear. Jehoshaphat, in a moment of clear-headedness, says they need a true man of God’s advice. Ahab admits there is a prophet who could consult the LORD for them, but he never says anything good. And Jehoshaphat says, “That’s not the way a king should talk!” (I Kings 22:8) You would think at this point King Jehoshaphat would be having second thoughts about rushing into battle with Ahab. Especially after they hear what Micaiah, the prophet, has to say!!! Ahab must have been a smooth talker. Not only did Jehoshaphat go into a needless battle with him, but he put on Ahab’s king’s robes so that he would look like the perfect target for the enemy. In the end, Jehoshaphat is remembered as a good king who “did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight”, but there is a good lesson here for all of us. We need to be always alert to the warning bells that the company we keep may cause to go off. It may sound like a good time and we may really like the person or people we are hanging out with, but are they following God’s way?

Dealing with Depression (1 Kings 19-20)

Thursday, November 3

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Melissa New

An important lesson can be garnered from the life of Elijah in chapter 19 of I Kings. If you haven’t dealt with depression yet, there is a good chance you will at some point. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) So how do we deal with depression? I believe all the steps are provided for us here…

1. Sleep – Elijah had just been through a pretty significant experience. He challenged the prophets of Baal and God used him in powerful way. On top of that, Elijah then ran mighty fast for about seventeen miles using the “special strength” God gave him! When we are physically drained everything seems worse. And at this point Elijah was ready to die. “Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree.” ( I Kings 19:5)

2. Eat – God knew what Elijah needed. He let Elijah sleep for a bit and then sent an angel with some fresh bread and water. (Food directly from God must taste extra yummy and it was undoubtedly super nutritious too!) Then Elijah slept some more and the angel returned to make sure he ate again so that he would have the strength to keep going.

3. Go to God – The spent and sorrowful prophet headed to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. He needed some quality time talking to God and he poured out his heart to Him. Elijah was lonely. He felt like he was the only one left who wasn’t worshipping Baal. God, in a gentle whisper, told Elijah that it was time to anoint a new king in Israel and a new prophet to replace himself.

4. Remember you aren’t alone – Elijah wasn’t alone. There was a very good man in Abel-meholah that would become like a son to Elijah. There were “7,000 others in Israel who had never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” And whatever trials we may face as Christians, we can be assured that we aren’t alone either.

From Bad to Worse (I Kings 16-18)

Wednesday, November 2

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Melissa New
Israel has already had several bad kings, but now we have Ahab, a man “who did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than any of the other kings of Israel before him.” (I Kings 16:33) It’s interesting that when there is great evil going on God provides an example of righteousness. Elijah’s first encounter with King Ahab is to tell him that the God who lives will be making sure there is a lack of dew and rainfall for years. Our God does nothing without reason.
King Ahab and Queen Jezebel were leading the Israelites into worshipping Baal. It’s important to note that Baal was supposed to be a fertility god. Baal was thought to keep the land producing crops and the people producing children. And so Elijah is sent to show Ahab and the people that the living God of Israel provides the water. The mention of the widow from Zarephath, another Baal-worshipping town, is insightful too. When the widow’s son dies, Elijah prays to the living God and “the life of the child returned!” Now who is the God of fertility? Who causes the crops to grow and the children to live?

A Second Chance Squandered (I Kings 13-15)

Tuesday, November 1

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written by: Melissa New
It is amazing how kind our Father is. Previously, we saw that Solomon deliberately disobeyed God and because of his sin, which in turn led many others to sin by worshipping idols, God did what He said He would do. He would “tear the kingdom away from you (Solomon) and give it to one of your servants.” (I Kings 11:11) He sent the prophet Ahijah to tell Jeroboam of some spectacular news for his future.  God was making a new covenant promise for Jeroboam! Solomon broke his covenant promise from God, and now Jeroboam is given the opportunity to enjoy a covenant promise. Could he learn from the mistakes he saw Solomon make? If he would be wholeheartedly devoted to God, as David was, then Jeroboam could have the benefits of a similar promise!
We find in these chapters that Jeroboam’s god was “power.”  He was unwilling to risk losing any of it. He didn’t trust the promise of God. He thought he could better rule the people of Israel without God. So he made golden calves for the Israelites to worship. He led the people into idolatry. But God gives Jeroboam a second chance! Just as he warned Solomon, he sent a man of God to tell of his demise.  Jeroboam’s life would come to a nasty end because of his sin.  He didn’t listen to the man of God even though he proved that what God says comes true. In chapter 13 we see that another prophet learns that what the “man of God” said was, indeed, true, but Jeroboam would not “turn from his evil ways.” In chapter 14 we see that Ahijah no longer has good news for Jeroboam. His prophecy for Jeroboam is dishonorable death and a future dispersing of the Israelites.
The legacy of Jeroboam is wickedness. Israel will have 20 kings until they are taken over by Assyria, and all of them will be BAD. Many times Christians think that a little sin in their lives only affects themselves. And it’s true that leaders, like Jeroboam, have a lot more influence, but sin has consequences for any who see or are around it. In some cases, it could have an impact on people not even born yet.

Incomparable Blessings Followed by Incomplete Obedience (I Kings 10-12)

Monday, October 31

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Melissa New
If ever there was a man that “had it all”, Solomon was that man. Precious things were flooding into Israel during his reign. Gold, silver, wood, horses, spices, weapons, mules, jewels…..and wives. 10:21 tells us the wealth was so immense that “silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day!” There was just one thing that Solomon was lacking; complete obedience to God. His dad warned him before dying. Why didn’t he keep the sound advice of his father? God’s great covenant blessings only come with one condition. Solomon himself told everyone in his prayer at the dedication, “You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.” (I Kings 8:9) In I Kings 11:10 we see that the LORD “had warned Solomon specifically about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen to the LORD’s command.” It was a case of deliberate disobedience, and as any parent knows, this means that there has to be consequences.
God is such a good father. He explained to Solomon what would happen because of his disobedience. It would seem that Solomon didn’t take correction as well as his father always did, though. David worshiped God after his first son with Bathsheba died, he accepted the abuse of Shimei because if it was from God he knew it was justified. David confessed to God his sin in taking the census, asked for forgiveness, and then was distraught, but willing to personally accept the consequence for his sin. It would seem that when adversaries came up against Solomon, he didn’t ask God for help. Did Solomon hear of Ahijah’s prophecy to Jeroboam? It seems like he did, and instead of praying and accepting God’s decision, he tried to kill Jeroboam.
Our response to sin is indicative of our devotion to God. Unfortunately, we will all sin. It’s how we act afterwards that shows God and others what really matters to us.

UNfailing Love from the Promise Keeper (1 Kings 8-9)

Sunday, October 30 – start of week 15

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Melissa New

I love to picture in my mind the great King Solomon, in his prime, standing humbly before the newly finished temple. With his hands raised to Yahweh, he is the epitome of a great spiritual leader in that moment. And what a prayer! First, he recognizes that there is no God like our God. Then, he is grateful to Him for keeping his covenant. Solomon knows that it’s a precious privilege for him and the Israelites to have a permanent place to go to worship God and offer sacrifices. Next, he petitions for Yahweh to always hear and forgive when His people confess and repent. And Solomon wants this not only for the Israelites, but for any foreigners who would come to the Temple because they have heard of “your great name.” Finally, at the end of his remarkable dedication, he reminds the “O Sovereign LORD” that He had set Israel apart to be His “own special possession.” How cleverly and beautifully worded! It’s a reminder to all of the Israelites listening that they need to confess and repent when they do wrong for “who has never sinned?” he asks. It is vital, too, that we ask for forgiveness when we do wrong. We need to acknowledge our sin as the wickedness that it is, turn away from it, and instead turn with our whole hearts to God. There is comfort in knowing that we are His special possession too; and He will hear our heartfelt prayers and forgive.
Melissa New attends the McGintytown Church of God of Abrahamic Faith in Arkansas. She is pleased to be a part of this community of COG bloggers and is already feeling much blessed by it! Her favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Giving God His Due

Saturday, October 29

Sherry Alcumbrack

Yesterday my father was able to participate in a program called The Honor Flight, they do this all over the United States. They take veterans free of charge on a flight to Washington DC and they visit the war memorials. They give them a t-shirt, hat, etc. and everything is free. Then when they come home they encourage a huge crowd to come and meet them at the airport, there were about 500 people that came to cheer them on. Many of them were family members but also people who just wanted to show their appreciation for the service these men had provided. We sang God Bless the USA and the National Anthem. There were honor guards, boy scouts, policemen, and other veterans there to show their support of these heroes. At the end they announce their names and everyone cheers for them. It was a great honor for all of the American heroes.

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I was thinking as reading these chapters about how Solomon wanted to honor God by building Him a temple in Jerusalem. He spared no expense, it was huge. He had the cedar trees brought from Lebanon because they were the best. It said the whole temple was overlaid with gold. He hired craftsmen known for their work to come to the temple, they worked with bronze, gold, silver, stone masons, and carvers. They all had a part in the building of the temple, they all did what they were good at. This also parallels how it is in our churches today, in 1 Corinthians 12:12 it says “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” We can all work in our church in some way, for the good of the rest of the body.  It took 7 years to build the temple. The reason King Solomon was so particular about building this house for God was that he wanted to honor Him.
Just like in the last chapter of the Bible there are some verses that have been repeated over and over as we have been reading the Old Testament, God repeats it again to King Solomon so I think it is something that we need to understand. I know when I have something important for my children’s future good, I will repeat it over and over, even if they think I am being annoying. This is important to the Israelites future and it’s also important for our future. We are all looking forward to the day that Jesus returns and sets up his kingdom on the Earth. It is a wonderful future that we are looking forward to and that is why God keeps telling them how to live a life that is pleasing to him. It is for our own good and for our future. I hope you are enjoying these stories and applying the lessons we are learning in our lives.

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The Wisdom of Solomon…Or Not (I Kings 3-5)

Friday, October 28

By Sherry Alcumbrack

The first verse says King Solomon made a treaty with Pharaoh, King of Egypt, and married Pharaoh’s daughter. BIG mistake. In Deuteronomy 7: 3, they were told not to intermarry with other nations, not because God was being racist, but because He said in v.4 “For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods.” As we will see in the later chapters this holds true for King Solomon.  It also holds true for us and we are told in 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Do not be unequally yoked together with the unbeliever.” Who we marry is one of the most important decisions in our lives. We had a speaker say at one of our retreats that only 1 of every 4 kids in the youth group would stay in church. And she said it held true for her family. She had 4 children and only one was still actively involved while 2 attended sporadically and one never attends. I asked what she thought was the deciding factor and she said “Who they married.” The one married another youth group kid and the others didn’t. So when your spouse says, let’s just skip church today, it gets easier and easier to do that. It is easy to be pulled away to follow other gods, which can be sports, movies, or even the girls/guys we date or marry. DO NOT take this decision lightly. In the book Get Lost by Dannah Gresh, she said she had a shirt with this quote on it “A girl needs to be so lost in God that a guy has to seek Him to find her.” This is good advice for girls and guys. Pick someone that loves God for your spouse to help lessen the problems down the road.

Later in the chapter the Lord appears to Solomon in a dream and says, “Ask! What shall I give you?” Solomon says he wants to be able to judge God’s people justly and be able to discern between good and evil.

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God was so pleased with his answer that he gave him more wisdom than anyone before him and after him, but he also gave him riches and honor. In verse 14 he gives him his instructions for a good life. These verses have been repeated over and over in the Old Testament so we can gather that they are important. They are not only important for the Israelites, they are important for us today. “Follow God’s ways, keep his statutes and his commandments.” It really is as simple as that!

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I always loved the story of the two women and the baby. Two ladies were living in the same house. They had babies within 3 days of each other. One lady’s son died in the night and she traded him for the living baby. The mother knew it was her son but the lady would not give him back to her so they took their case to King Solomon. So they argued in front of the King. Finally he makes his decree and says “Divide the baby and give a half to one, and half to the other.” The mother said “O my Lord; give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” The other lady said “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.” He had no trouble deciding which one was the real mother. News of King Solomon’s wisdom travelled far and wide, and people came just to hear his judgements.

There was peace and prosperity during the reign of Solomon and so he decided to build the temple for God that David had first envisioned but was unable to build due to being in the middle of conflict during much of his reign. 1 Kings 5:5 “Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, as the Lord spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’” God will always fulfill his promises and that is also true for our lives. One of my favorite verses is Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” That is a promise that we can hold on to that was spoken to the Israelites but is still true for us today.

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Brother Against Brother (2 Kings 1-2)

Thursday, October 27

Sherry Alcumbrack

As we read these chapters, we may just decide our families are not so bad. So far we have had rape and attempted murder in the family of King David. Now, one of his older sons decides to make himself king before David dies and passes it on to his choice, Solomon. Adonijah proclaims himself king and even gets some of David’s advisors to go along with it. He had a celebration but did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, one of the mighty men of David, or Solomon. Nathan went to Bathsheba and warned her. She went to King David and reminded him that he had promised that Solomon would sit on the throne as king. So David did as he had promised and made Solomon the next king of Israel. As you can imagine, this did not sit well with Adonijah. After Solomon is made king, Adonijah was executed for his wicked behavior.

As the death of King David draws near, this is what he instructs Solomon. He said to follow these instructions “so that he might prosper in everything that he did and wherever he turned.”

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As we continue to read in Kings we will soon see that some of the kings followed these instructions and led pretty peaceful lives while the evil kings had all sorts of trouble during their reigns. If we follow these instructions our lives could also be so much more trouble free. We would still have trouble, but some of the trouble that we face is due to foolish decisions that we make when we don’t follow the instructions that God has set before us. He did not make these laws to keep us from having fun, but to benefit us. One of the major themes of the first books of the Bible has been that the Israelites, and us today, have to make a decision. We have a choice to make. In Deuteronomy, Moses said: “Choose life and blessings or death and destruction.” Joshua said “Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”  Here King David is passing this lesson down to Solomon. In Deuteronomy, it tells us to write these instructions on our heart, to talk to our children when we are sitting in our house, when we are walking with them, when we lie down, and when we rise up. Basically, we need to talk about the instructions that God handed down to us in every aspect of our lives. He gave Moses the 10 commandments for us to follow. They all deal with respecting and loving God and others.

In the New Testament, Jesus says that the two most important commandments are to love God and love others. When we understand these commandments, we will be living a life after God’s heart like his faithful servant David.

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