Category: faith

Scriptural Paleontology or the First Church Council

1 Chronicles 4-6

Psalm 70

Galatians 2

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            1 Chronicles has one of the densest “who begats” sections in scripture, and roughly 10% of the entire book is devoted to genealogy.  Let’s talk about the genealogies for a second.  These are admittedly some tough chewing at times, but that’s because they are so nutrient dense.  Every single one of the names that we normally skim over is an entire novel or series of novels in it’s own right, and constitutes an entire lifetime of choices, decisions, and adventures but it’s hard to see that because all we see is a name and then it moves to the next.  I used to completely skip over these as a kid because, well, let’s be honest: not a whole lot was going on that I could see, just a lot of “and Jed begat Bob who begat Bill who begat Frank who begat…”.  I’d considered it as the literary equivalent of Ambien ™ at the time.

            That perception changed for me when I did a deep dive into the genealogy listed in Matt 1, and I started taking genealogies seriously.  Jewish folks take their genealogies very seriously, and for a very good reason, we touched on that just a little bit in yesterday’s devotion.  What I discovered, quite by accident, is that genealogies are fascinating if you start digging.  Think of every genealogy section in scripture as a dinosaur bone.  You don’t always know what it’s going to look like when you start digging it up, but it’s always amazing what you find if you’re a good scriptural paleontologist.  In fact, yesterday’s entire devotion was going to be done out of 1 Chronicles 1-3, but after I read Galatians 1 I rewrote the whole thing because it had such an important message in it. 

            Let me see if I can inspire your inner scriptural paleontologist with some interesting snippets from 1 Chronicles 1-6:

  1. In 1Chron 1:1-4 there is a direct line from Adam to the sons of Noah.  Which one of these men listed didn’t die, and purportedly has a “pseudepigriphal” (apocryphal) book that is quoted later in the New Testament but which is NOT included in the canon of the New Testament? (Hint: Gen 5:24, Jude 14-15.  Also, if you get a chance, read the book in question, it’s interesting.)
  2. In 1Chron 1:19 it states: “…the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided “.  What does that mean?  Is this a confirmation of the scientific theory of “Pangea”, or is it a reference to the tower of Babel? (Hint: Although also noted in Gen 11, it never clearly says why in the Bible, but a few apocryphal books including “The book of Jubilees” seem to imply the latter)
  3. In 1 Chron 2:7, when it mentions “Achar, the troubler of Israel” it seems like there’s a gap in the genealogical listings between Zimri and Carmi, who’s missing, and why is Achar called that? (Hint: he’s also known as Achan, see Joshua 7 for both answers)

            I don’t want to get too sidetracked from our devotion today, but I’ve listed the few snippets above to try and inspire you to dig scripturally every time you come across a genealogy.  You never know what you’re going to find, but there are books and books worth of stories in genealogies that we normally just brush past.  They’re fascinating, dig a little bit.

            Moving on to our Galatians 2 reading today, we see a quick snippet in v1-2 that is pretty important for a number of reasons.  In it, Paul, after being called by a revelation from Jesus, empowered by the holy spirit,  and preaching to the gentiles for 14 years, humbly goes to the “authorities” (namely, some of the original apostles), to make sure he’s acting properly.  Firstly, note that God has at this point in time already been performing miracles through Paul, and also keep in mind that prior to the events in Acts 10, the message was being delivered solely for and to the Jewish people.

            The first “Church Council” is referenced here in Galatians 2, and actually takes place back in Acts 15.  There are a number of very important things to take away from this council.  Firstly, the gospel of salvation is approved to be given to the gentiles, fulfilling many prophecies (See in particular Is 49:6).  This is huge, particularly if you’re a gentile (non-jewish person).  Secondly, the content of the meeting is absolutely screaming down history at us about what it doesn’t say, or even question. 

            Keep in mind, the Jews are fiercely monotheistic ever since the return from the Babylonian exile.  The gospel message of salvation has been being preached to the Jews by Jesus and by the apostles after Jesus was resurrected, and now is going to the gentiles for the first time.  So let’s think for a moment: the content of this first, hugely controversial, church council is (in it’s entirety) this: can the gospel of salvation be preached to the gentiles, and if so, what must they do? The entire reason for the meeting was predominantly to question whether or not gentiles should be circumcised to be considered “of the faith” (A: no, see Acts 15).

            You know what is NOT being questioned at this first church council, nor by any other church council until AD 325, hundreds of years after Jesus’ resurrection, and hundreds of years after converting many pagans and philosophers into Christianity?  “Is Jesus God?”.   It just never came up, because it’s such a foreign concept to the Jews of that time that it would never even be conceived of as a possibility.  The apostles and all of the Jewish followers of Christ at that time wrote, suffered, and often died, to tell the world and to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah prophesied about in numerous scriptures; nothing more, and certainly nothing less.

            The Jews knew  who God was, His name occurs almost 7000 times in scripture;  Yahweh, the creator and sustainer of all life, who revealed Himself to Moses in Ex 3.  The Jews fully understood the concept of “shaliah” (see 1/27 devotion), but they could also quote the Shema (Deut 6:4-5) by heart, and had it written beside their doors, and in boxes they tied to their hands, and in boxes they tied to their foreheads because it was so important to God that he commanded them to do so.  If you have a more “complex” understanding about the nature of God than what is written, I urge you to “stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. “ (Jer 6:16).

            One thing to leave with; as obedient servants and slaves to our king, Gal 2:20 is a really good verse to memorize and keep in your defensive arsenal for when you are tempted: “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me “ (LSB).  Remember that we were bought by our God at a price, a very high price indeed, and allow our king, the Christ, to sit upon the throne of our hearts.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Are you (even slightly) inspired to dig a little next time you see a genealogy?
  2. Why do you think Paul, after 14 years, went to check with the “authorities”?
  3. If the “authorities” had told Paul “No, you can’t preach to the gentiles” do you think he would have listened based on the rest of the chapter?  Either way, would that have been the right or the wrong call, and why?
  4. How can we get off the throne of our hearts, and put Christ there? (It’s different for each of us, your answers will be unique to you)

PRAYER

Father God, forgive me of all sin and teach me to be holy.  Circumcise my heart, father, and let me humbly serve you and bear good fruit to honor you.  Thank you for sending your light to the nations, thank you for the high price which you paid for me, please grant that I can honor you in everything I say, do, or think.  In Jesus name, amen.

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Who is Your Daddy?

*1 Chronicles 1-3

Psalm 70

*Galatians 1              

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)                      

            The opening of Galatians is one of the (many) clear examples of Paul’s personal understanding of scripture, of the nature of the Most High God and of His Messiah, Jesus.  The thing to keep in mind about Paul is that he was a “good Jewish boy” (just like Jesus was), and a Pharisee who trained under the renowned Gamaliel (and likely the “Hillel” school associated with Gamaliel) .  The Pharisees were basically just what we’d call the “church leaders” of his time.

            There were 4 predominant Jewish “philosophies” at the time, and it’s very important historically to understand them and their differences with each other in order to fully grasp what being a “Pharisee” meant.  So here they are, in no particular order:

  1. Pharisees-Devout Jews who emphasized strict adherence to the Torah and the oral law. They believed in resurrection, an afterlife, and divine providence.
  2. Sadducees: A priestly and aristocratic group who accepted only the written Torah (Pentateuch) as authoritative, rejected the oral law, and did not believe in resurrection or an afterlife.
  3. Essenes: A separatist, ascetic group that lived in communal settlements (like Qumran), practiced ritual purity, and are associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls. They believed in divine predestination and awaited a messianic figure.
  4. Fourth Philosophy: A radical political and revolutionary movement advocating armed resistance against foreign rule, particularly Roman occupation. They opposed paying taxes to Rome, viewed submission to foreign powers as idolatry, and sought a theocratic Jewish state. This group is often identified with the Zealots and Sicarii (Remember Simon the Zealot?  Yea, this is what they’re talking about: more stabby stabby, less “oh that guy was really zealous”.  Look up “sicarii” for some really cool information about these guys.)

            So here is the thing, the Pharisees were (as every branch mentioned) FIERCELY monotheistic; they believed in the one God, the God Most High, Yahweh. This particular sect was so fiercely monotheistic that they literally posted copies of The Shema (Deut 6:4-5) beside the doors to their houses, put it in little boxes and tied it to their hands, and tied them in little boxes around their foreheads to remind themselves: “Listen Israel! Yahweh God, Yahweh is one.”  It was a big deal, so big that when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was in Mark 12:29-31 he quoted this (also note that the scribe agreed with him, and Jesus didn’t correct him).   That’s just what every good Jewish boy knew.  As good (Judeo-)Christians, we should know it too.

            My point in bringing this up is simply this: if Paul had come to a more “complex” understanding of the nature of God and His Christ as some modern apologists have suggested it would have been a huge, earth shatteringly tremendous, shockingly big deal.  It would have come up very clearly (not inferred) in conversation, and probably more than once.  There would have been screaming bouts and yelling, probably violence.  At least something in scriptures would have documented very clearly this huge diversion from an entire nation’s historical understanding of the nature of God, but it never comes up.  

Gal 1:1-4, LSB:

1Paul,…not sent from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead…3Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,4who gave Himself for our sins …according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

            We see from the above that Paul believed that Jesus was The Christ (The “Messiah”, see May 8th devotional), that God raised Jesus from the dead, that Jesus gave himself for our sins, and that this sacrifice was done according to the will of our God and Father (to whom be the glory forever).  It’s pretty hard to have a “complex” reading of this, Paul delineates firmly between his God and his Messiah (as does Jesus, see John 20:17).  Almost all of Paul’s openings in his letters clearly delineate between God and His Christ, the man Jesus of Nazareth whom he believes is the Messiah (as did Jesus, see John 4:25).  All of the new testament authors (and Jesus himself) identify Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah.  It is not good to go beyond what is written (1 Cor 4:6), and that is what is written.  He is the Messiah, the son of David, the son of the living God (Matt 16:15).  He has to be, to fulfill the prophecies of the Messiah (see 2 Sam 7).

            As we can see in our 1 Chronicles 1-3 reading today, the Jewish folks have a passion for genealogy, we might view it as almost more of an obsession.  I never really understood that, but it’s simple, and very practical: the inheritance of the people was determined by ancestry.  In the book of Numbers (which has quite a bit of this type of genealogy) in chapters 34-36 it gives the breakdown of these inheritances for the Jews.  The obsession was because, simply, that determined where you lived, who you were, and what you got.  Want to be a priest in the nation of Israel?  Well, who’s your daddy? Let’s break out the genealogical scrolls and trace you backwards because if you can’t make a pretty straight genealogical line from you to Aaron, you aren’t qualified.  This concept ended up being carried over generationally, because who you were determined your inheritance.

            This type of genealogical thinking is entrenched in the Jewish mentality because of this, and that’s why 2 of the gospels make a point to break down the genealogy of Jesus in order to prove that he met the requirements of being the “Messiah” or “Christ” (Matt and Luke), but Jesus also exemplified the loving nature of God towards His creation. John the baptist (in Matt 3:9) warns the people not to think that because Abraham is “their father” that they’re safe, because it is faith that determines spiritual lineage (Rom 4:16, Gal 3:7) and not genealogy.  In John 8:44 Jesus tells some of the religious leaders that “You are of your father the devil”.  This is not to imply that their biological father was Satan, but to explain that true spiritual paternity is determined by behavior, actions, and attitude.  So with that understood, let me ask you the question: who is YOUR daddy?

            Our Father in heaven is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.  He has given us blessings abundantly, even when we didn’t deserve them, and even when we were acting in opposition to His will.  He forgives freely to those who ask, He is faithful, He is loving, He comes running to meet us along the path when we wake up and begin to return home from our own folly.  Even when He is wronged, He stands waiting with outstretched arms for His children to return.  He is patient, He is kind, He always keeps His promises, and He will make a way for those who love and seek Him.  He LOVES YOU SO MUCH that He sent His only begotten son to die to make a way for you.

            So, again: who is your daddy?  Read the above paragraph very carefully.  If you are reflecting all of those traits, then you too are a child of the living God.  If you are not reflecting those traits listed above stop for a moment, and with fear and trembling consider your path and who your father is, and how to return to the loving arms of the God who made you.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. What single thing can you do better to reflect the nature of God in your life?
  2. What flaw do you personally feel is the most detrimental to you, and how can you fix it?
  3. We are to regularly examine and test ourselves (2Cor 13:5): How do you normally do?
  4. Who is your Father, today?  What about yesterday?  Tomorrow?

PRAYER

Father God, my father, please show me what I can do better.  Please teach me Your ways, and let me humbly seek after You with all my heart.  Please forgive me when I fail You, as I so often do, and cleanse my heart of all wrongdoing and wrong thinking.  Guide me on the path that leads to Your kingdom.  Thank you for sending Your son to teach us, grant us the wisdom to listen.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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The Man of God

*2 Kings 23-25

Psalm 69

2 Corinthians 13

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            There is so much going on in our 2 Kings reading today that it’s unlikely that we’ll have the chance to adequately cover it all.  Of particular note, there are some hidden gems, or “easter eggs” as the kids say, strewn about that you have to be looking for carefully or you’ll miss (*An Easter egg is a message, image, or feature hidden in various forms of media).  These were some of my favorite bible books to read as a child just because there was so much excitement and adventure going on, but looking closely you’ll find that there are quite a few nuggets of wisdom, but you have to dig for them sometimes.  Some are laying right on the surface, though.

            The first part of 2Ki 23:1-25 is detailing some of the things Josiah did as king.  Keeping in mind that he was only 8 years old when he took office (2Ki 22:1), I was wondering how old he was when he realized that his father Manasseh had led the nation astray and started working to correct it.  The closest I could come in the book of 2 Kings to finding that answer is in 2Ki 23:23 where it says “But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was celebrated to Yahweh in Jerusalem” (LSB), for the first time since the time of the judges (back in v22).  So, is that in the 18th year of his life, or the 18th year of his reign?  I found the answer over in 2 Chronicles 34&35, which states that in the 8th year of his reign he started to seek the Lord, and that in the 18th year of his reign (after significant reforms had already been made) they celebrated the Passover for the first time since the time of the judges.  So, for you bible nerds out there, he became king at 8, was about 16 years old when he started seeking God, and was about 26 when he reinstated the Passover feast.

            Oh, and in case you were wondering if grandpa Manasseh was really such a bad guy, the biblical writers remind us again and again whose fault it is in 2Ki 23:26 and also 24:3, squarely blaming all of the misfortunes about to befall them during this time on him.  You know, in case you forgot, because apparently they did not: EVER.  Keep in mind, this is an epic time in history; the Assyrian kingdom was in decline, Egypt was still a force to be reckoned with,  and the Babylonian kingdom is on the ascension.  Up until the time of the Babylonian exile, the ancient Jews had a real problem with idolatry (you’ll recall that’s #1 in the list of ‘thou shalt not’s).  After the time of the Babylonian exile, you never hear about  idolatry again in the land of Israel (at least on a national level).   Think about that: just like when you got a spanking from your father as a child, God generally performs punitive actions to correct behavior.  This time it absolutely worked, check it out if you don’t believe me: the Israelites never again returned to idolatry once they returned from Babylon (at least on a national level).

            Here’s one “Easter egg” I found when doing a deep dive into this reading: I’d always assumed that the “idolatrous priests” (2Ki23:5) referred to, you know: priests who worshipped false idols or pagan deities.  Reading closely in v5,6,8, and 9 however we can see that some of these were kohanim, Aaronite priests of God, particularly in v9 where it states “…but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers.” (LSB).  We can infer from these passages that even if you’re the right guy, serving the right God, if you’re doing it in the wrong way or in the wrong place: you might be idolatrous.  I’ve got a note in my bible that reads: “priests of God, but serving in the wrong place?”.  Just a little food for thought, something to consider.

            Do you like finding “Easter eggs” as much as I do?  Well, lucky day, here’s another one: read carefully 2Ki 23:15-18, about the grave of the “man of God”.  This is a great story, but to get the full scope of it, after you read the above verses, you’ll need to flip backwards over to 1 Ki 13.  We sadly never get to know the name of the man of God, we do however get to learn a valuable life lesson: listen to God if He’s talking, and absolutely ignore men if they are saying something different. 

            A  quick summary of the story is as follows: God sends a man, a prophet, to deliver a message to the king, which he does.  This prophet is commanded to “eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came”.  Then another prophet chases after him and says “uh, so God told me you’re supposed to come eat with me”, and he does.  Then the prophet who invited the first one to eat then says “why have you rebelled against God?” and tells the guy he’s going to die, which he does shortly after he leaves (by a lion).

            Then, to add insult to injury, when the second prophet realizes that the “man of God” has been killed (and while accepting absolutely no personal responsibility in this series of events as possibly overstepping by telling the first prophet that God had told him he should eat), he has him buried and mourns him saying “alas, my brother!”.  Then, as if that wasn’t enough, this second prophet then tells his kids “When I die, bury me with that guy, because he was a prophet.” (paraphrased and summarised, but accurate, go and read it: 1 Ki 13)!?  As a result, when all the other graves are defiled later on, the second prophet who misled and (indirectly?) caused the “man of God” to be killed was also left undisturbed when Josiah left the grave alone in 2 Ki 23:18.  Ironic, isn’t it?  The moral of that story is: ignore men, listen to God.

            Now remember as we continue on, Manasseh was a really bad guy.  So bad that even when Josiah did what was right in God’s eyes, God’s promise to Josiah was not that he would relent from His (righteous) wrath on the nation, but that Josiah would die before it happened so that he “would not see all the evil which I will bring on this place” (LSB, 2 Ki 22:20).  This happens in 2Ki 23:29, when Pharaoh Neco (AKA Necho II, @610-595 BC) puts him to death at Megiddo.  Does the name of that place sound familiar?  It should, in Rev 16:16 the “final battle” prophesied is to take place in what is translated as “Armegeddon”, which is literally “Har Megiddo”,  or the “hill” of Megiddo (an ancient city).  Same place (insert dramatic sound effect here). 

            In 2 Ki 24, we see the beginning of the rise of Nebuchadnezzar and the ascension of the kingdom of Babylon.  Later on in this chapter (v10) Judah goes into exile, and then in chapter 25 we see the fall of the last stronghold in Judah, Jerusalem.  It is notably at this point that the temple is burned, Solomon’s temple, one of the grandest architectural structures of the time.  The people had begun to think of themselves as untouchable, since they had the temple in their midst, even though idolatry was running rampant (See Jer 7:4 for the popular view of “the temple” at this time).  This effectively ended the “First Temple” period, considered to be the “golden age” of Jewish prosperity and centralized worship.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Can you think of a time in your life when it felt like God was punishing you?  Upon reflection and with the passing of time, were you able to see the lesson that was being taught? (I sure did.)
  2. Has there ever been a time in your life when even if you were trying to do the right thing, you realized you were in the wrong place?  Reflect on this quietly for a few moments, I can think of at least 3 personally (and I wasn’t even always trying to do the right thing).  How could you have had a better outcome?
  3. Why are we inclined to listen to men over God, sometimes?

PRAYER

Father God, please place me in the right spot.  Purify my heart, and give me strength so that when I am there, I can do your will.  Please let my ears hear Your whispering over the shouting of men, and guide my feet onto the path that leads directly to Your kingdom.  Thank you most of all for sending Jesus to teach us and to be a role model.  In his name we pray, Amen.

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In which the reward for humbly trusting in God is clearly revealed, even against and despite seemingly overwhelming odds, and we consider the power of the Most High God.

*2 Kings 19-20

*Psalm 68

2 Corinthians 11

– Devotion by Jeremy Martin

            The beginning of our 2Ki 19-20 reading today finds our hero Hezekiah fiercely beset  by a vastly superior armed force.  Please take a moment to read 2Ki 18:13-37 to refresh yourself of the specifics.  If you recall, back in chapter 17, Judah’s sister nation Israel has already been taken captive previously and forced into exile.  In 2Ki 18: 1-13, we see that Hezekiah the king of Judah was spared this fate because he trusted God, he clung to God, he didn’t turn away from following God and obeying His commandments.  So he’s still in power but right now there’s a massive army surrounding him that has already conquered everyone else around, gathered en masse outside the gates hurling taunts at the city, and they seem prepared to hurl much more dangerous bits as well. 

            First, let’s get an idea of the scale of things.  This large, technologically advanced force was at the time part of the most dominant military power in the near east.  Aggadah literature describes the army as composed of “45,000 ‘princes’ in golden chariots, 80,000 armored warriors, 60,000 swordsmen, and numerous cavalry”, in the rabbinic tradition.  So far in the campaign, Sennacherib has conquered 46 other fortified cities. This estimate of forces is also backed scripturally and apocryphally in 2 Ki 9:35, Judith 14:11-12, and Is 37:36.  Conversely, the population of Jerusalem  (per wikipedia) during Hezekiah’s time was a whopping “up to about 25000” people, total. 

            So on one hand you’ve got a city with (around) 25,000 men, women, and children in it, and on the other hand an advanced army of armored warriors and cavalry numbering well over 185,000 (not counting camp followers).  Things are looking, not to put too fine a point on things, “bad” for our heroes.  With this picture in mind, now add the leader of these forces shouting up to the nervous inhabitants the taunting insults detailed in  2Ki 18:13-37. We would probably be hearing a much different historical account if not for a couple tiny little details: firstly, the commander shouting up at the walls insulted God.  Secondly, Hezekiah was a man who trusted God, who clung to God, who loved God and God loved him back.

            It should be noted that according to the events listed in 2Ki 19:2-8 that it appears as if God miraculously diverts the first attempted attack and causes the army to go home, but that then after an unspecified (but probably short) time has passed, the commander sends threatening letters back to Hezekiah and heads back with his troops to “finish business”.

            At this point, Hezekiah “tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and entered the House of Yahweh” (19:1, LSB) and then prayed one of the most beautiful and humble prayers in scripture.  Beginning in 2Ki 19: 14-19 (LSB translation): “Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of Yahweh and spread it out before Yahweh…and said “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, who is enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth.  You have made heaven and earth.  Incline Your ear, O Yahweh, and hear; open Your eyes, O Yahweh, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God.  Truly, O Yahweh, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have put their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone.  So they have destroyed them.  But now, O Yahweh our God, I pray, save us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Yahweh, are God“.

            In our reading today of Ps 68, we see in v17 that “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands…” (LSB).  Rev 5:11 states that (concerning angels)  “the numbering of them was myriads upon myriads, and thousands of thousands“.  We don’t really have an accurate number of how many angels serve God, but a very conservative guesstimate would be “lots and lots”.  If today’s reading of 2Ki 19:35 has been transmitted and understood accurately, God sent 1 (one) of these innumerable angels to the enemy camp and that angel killed 185,000 men.  Pause, digest, consider.  One angel, and he wiped out almost an entire army, the most powerful of the time.  One angel out a large force of angels (out of Millions?  Billions?  we really have no idea, just “myriads upon myriads”).  Just one angel.

            **An interesting side note is that Hezekiah is described as “the best-attested figure in biblical history,” due to the extensive documentation of his reign in biblical texts and external sources (notably Assyrian inscriptions), per Wikipedia.  This entire story is documented both biblically and through a number of extra-biblical sources.  There’s a wonderfully deep hole full of information on that you can fall down into if you’re interested in that sort of thing.  I did, but for our intents and purposes it is only important to note that although in agreement in general about the number of men killed, some of the sources do give different accounts of the manner that the men actually died (but in all fairness it never said how the angel of Yahweh killed them, just that he had).   

            This bible story has always fascinated me.  What a fantastic, miraculous, wonderful thing.  It happened so long ago though, and that sort of thing doesn’t happen these days, right?  Wrong.  Reports from the Yom Kippur war in 1973 describe an incident on the Golan Heights where a Syrian tank commander reportedly told Israeli interrogators that his forces were halted by a vision of a whole host of white angels standing on the missile line, accompanied by a white hand from heaven commanding them to stop.  This encounter allegedly occurred during the “Valley of Tears” battle, where a small Israeli force held off a much larger Syrian advance. According to the account, the Syrian commander said he could not proceed due to the supernatural presence, which instilled fear and caused his troops to retreat. This story is cited in multiple sources, including religious and historical commentary, as a supernatural turning point in the war.  Look it up.

            As humans, our senses are finite and limited.  God is not.  In 2 Ki 6:16-17 we see another example of this when Elisha tells his servant not to worry, that those with them outnumbered those that were against them, and then “Elisha prayed and said, “O Yahweh, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around …” (LSB).  We often forget that our God, the God Most High, the Creator of the heavens and the earth is the most powerful being that exists.  Myriads upon myriads of beings far more powerful than humans serve him currently, and just one of His angels can wipe out an entire army.  This is not a weak king; this is the creator, ruler, and owner of the universe who will bring about his willed purpose no matter what, and He is awesome.  This makes it all the more humbling when we realize how ferociously He loves you, and all that He has done for YOU specifically, and what price He paid for your redemption.  A very high price indeed. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

  1. Do you constantly keep in the forefront of your mind the incredible, unstoppable power of the Most High God, or have you allowed yourself to be deceived by your limited senses?
  2. Have you considered how silly pride is on our part, when we consider the magnititude of God?
  3. Have you seen, or felt,  divine intervention directly in your life?  When?
  4. Why do we worry, when we consider all of the above?

PRAYER

Lord God Most High, Mighty God, I humble myself before You.  Forgive me, teach me, and open my eyes so that I can see.  Open my ears so that I can hear You.  Circumcise my heart and teach me to love you as fiercely as you have loved me, in Jesus name, Amen.

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Refined Like Silver

2 Kings 9-10    

Psalm 66           

2 Corinthians 6

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

Psalms 66:8-10(NKJV)

Oh, bless our God, you peoples!

And make the voice of His praise to be heard,

9 Who keeps our soul among the living,

And does not allow our feet to be moved.

10 For You, O God, have tested us;

You have refined us as silver is refined.

There is a theme going through all the sections  we are reading  today.  We are slaves to sin before we receive Christ, but then after, we can walk with righteous new life before our Father.  Our hearts need to become like the heart of Christ and not the heart of disobedience which is what we had before we became children of God.  Silver is refined by heat, a process carried out multiple times.  Our heart needs continual refining towards the goal of becoming like Christ.  We don’t start out that way and the lifetime fight with the deceitful heart is something all of us will have with our walk with God.

Genesis 8:21(NLT) And the LORD was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.

The nation of Israel had as king Ahab and the queen his wife Jezebel who led their nation into a continual and total worship of Baal.  This was the time of Elijah and then Elisha.  Remember the contest on the mountain between the prophets of Baal and the prophet of God Elijah?  This became a time of such idolatry in the 10 tribes’ nation of Israel that God calls out and then sends Jehu, one of the commanders in Ahab’s army, to settle the situation.  God has the prophet tell Jehu that he will be king, but he must kill Ahab and all his family.  He also was directed to destroy all the temples and prophets of Baal.

2 Kings 10:25-31(NLT) Then Jehu’s men went into the innermost fortress of the temple of Baal. 26 They dragged out the sacred pillar used in the worship of Baal and burned it. 27 They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day.

28 In this way, Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship from Israel. 29 He did not, however, destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan, with which Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to sin.

30 Nonetheless the LORD said to Jehu, “You have done well in following my instructions to destroy the family of Ahab. Therefore, your descendants will be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation.” 31 But Jehu did not obey the Law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.

Many questions come to mind as I read the passage.  Why does God choose Jehu to become king when God knows that Jehu will not settle the issue of the golden calf worship that was started by Jeroboam.  This was after Solomon died and the nation split.  The refining mission of Jehu on the nation of Israel is partial but not complete.  The true worship of Yahweh would include going to the temple at Jerusalem three times per year and apparently Jehu did not want to let the people go there.  Instead, he kept the worship of the calves which the people were told that they should do instead of going to the feasts at the temple.  His desire to control the people outweighed a decision to follow God’s law.  Further refinement will be on the way for the nation of Israel.

Also, why does the whole family, children and servants of Ahab and Jezebel have to die in the process?  Worship of Baal and the Astaroth was a fertility worship that included a great deal of activities that would be shocking to us even to today.  (Or maybe not.)  When the king of Israel led the people to do evil continually the smell of their sacrifices and altars was so putrefying to God that He sent the ultimate judgement against their whole family. By eliminating the many sons of Ahab there would be no palace intrigue against Jehu and his sons as kings in Israel.  The deaths of so many that did evil is truly a refining process. 

It was a bloody, violent and gruesome ending for them and especially Jezebel who ends up crushed and eaten by dogs to leave only a few of her bones.  The pit they dug for others is where they died.

Psalms 9:15-16(NLT) The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.

Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.

16 The LORD is known for his justice.

The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.

Why does God execute such judgement against people in the Old Testament time?

Should we look for this judgement today against those that do evil?  

The New Testament brings us the teaching of Jesus and the apostles and prophets of the early church.  Now we are admonished to love our enemies, to turn our cheek, and to give grace to all we meet.  Sometimes this is used by Christians to justify a completely pacifist view.  Certainly, Jesus does not call or lead us to dominate our world by military power or war.  But the viewpoint we should have should be to see that sometimes evil is so great that God will lift his hand of protection against those people and the destruction of war and violence will come from this time of unbelief.  They will be refined by falling into their own pit that they have dug, and captured by the net they have set.  Unbelief and greed coming from evil leaders is certainly the source of most conflicts in history and in the world today.  Evil and deceit come from the heart of man to do evil continuously and leaders who lead from this deceit are responsible for most misery and war. 

We have no promise of peace in this administration of grace but are admonished by God not to be the cause of the disharmony or conflict.  We are to be light in the world showing others the way to Christ and God.  If our country and leaders lead us into wars which are based on greed and deceit there may be Christians caught up in these conflicts.  The records of the Word show many times the strength of warriors who do righteous battle for nations and we are certainly not immune from war today.  

In Hebrews 11 we find a list of men who battled for their nation from the weakness of being the hand of the army of God.  They include David, Gideon, Barak, and others.  These are armies which depend on the living God to help them to victory and show us a pattern of righteous action. Not armies dependent on their own strength.

What is it to fight from weakness and how does that work?

Our 2 Corinthian reading also shows us further refining the silver of our lives.  Yokes of livestock need to be closely matched in order to get the best effort for their work.  You can pair a small horse with a large ox, but the results will be a very crooked plowing path.  In the same way God tells us to look to our family in the church for those to be paired up in our work.  We will be both pulling in the same way in the same direction.  Our efforts will work together for righteousness,

2 Corinthians 6:11-16(NKJV) O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

“I will dwell in them

And walk among them.

I will be their God,

And they shall be My people.”

Leviticus 26:12-13(NLT) I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so you would no longer be their slaves. I broke the yoke of slavery from your neck so you can walk with your heads held high.

Do you see yourself and the church today as the chosen people of God?

Our warfare as the church today, we pray, will not be with the weapons of this world, but our national identity is the true people of God and our weapons are spiritual.  Our authority is established with God as our Father and leader and any state mandated statues must be subservient to this authority.  God calls for us to not be unequally yoked with the unbeliever.  We should not be yoked to the sin and passion of this world.  We need to support and strengthen each other in our spiritual family and relationships. God has not delivered us from the slavery to sin of this world for us to willingly go back to its authority. We cannot change the world’s violence in every situation but rather we teach and preach Christ the prince of peace to all we meet.  God continues to refine us as silver in our thoughts and actions when we trust Him.

Reflection Questions – see above and …

Has this discussion changed your view of the conflicts of this world?

Prayer

Father God, we lift all our people that may be involved in the conflicts of this world.  We ask Your protection for all of us from the evil that is so pervasive.  Continue to refine our lives to become like Christ and help us to act from our new hearts.  Give us today the bread of our need and deliver us from the pit others have dug for us.  Thank you Father for all that Your do to protect and keep us in every way.  In the precious name of Jesus Christ, we pray this day.

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What Can I Do to Help You?

2 Kings 3-4         

Psalm  64          

2 Corinthians 3

-devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

Today we start a week with so many inspiring scriptures to read and meditate on.  The first section today is from 2 Kings 4 where the familiar  story of Elisha and the olive oil is recorded.  Elisha is speaking for God and asks the widow “What can I do to help you?”  The theme of the week of readings is our God who is always asking us that question.  The Good News is that God is also willing and powerful to help us in every way if we put our trust and faith in Him.  What He has done for us is to redeem us, sanctify us, reconcile us, and give meaning and purpose to our walk with Him in our lives.  Reading from our section of Kings today:

2 Kings 4:2-7(NLT) “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked.

 “Tell me, what do you have in the house?”“Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.
3 And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. 4 Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
5 So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. 6 Soon every container was full to the brim!
“Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons.
“There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.
7 When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”

If you combine Basil, Parmesan, Pinenuts and Olive Oil you get Pesto. What do you get when you mix Olive Oil, Spinach and Sweet Peas?  You get the cartoon classic Popeye.

Oh well it was a good try.  But you know why Our God is so strong?  He is strong to the finish!! (famous quote).

The story of Elisha and his walk with twice the spiritual power of Elijah is such an important record for us to read and appreciate.  All through these chapters of Kings we see God giving people the things that are needed, continually rewarding faithful followers with what is important in their lives. Elisha walks and talks with God daily and has the voice of God in his spiritual ear all the time.  

Can we hear words of knowledge and wisdom from God today like Elisha did?

If we believe that this is true, why do we doubt God’s presence so often? 

2 Kings 4:13-17(NLT) Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tell her, ‘We appreciate the kind concern you have shown us. What can we do for you? Can we put in a good word for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’”“No,” she replied, “my family takes good care of me.”14 Later Elisha asked Gehazi, “What can we do for her?”Gehazi replied, “She doesn’t have a son, and her husband is an old man.”15 “Call her back again,” Elisha told him. When the woman returned, Elisha said to her as she stood in the doorway, 16 “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms!”“No, my lord!” she cried. “O man of God, don’t deceive me and get my hopes up like that.”17 But sure enough, the woman soon became pregnant. And at that time the following year she had a son, just as Elisha had said.

Once again, the question “what can God do for her?”  And then we read how Elisha raises the child from the dead in a most thrilling story of deliverance.  Wow!

How do we change our perspective to “what can we do for others?” in our walks?

How do you think that would affect our lives and ministries?

Now let’s look at what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians where he is working to help their church to become united, strong, and productive.  They were divided in their church body, and were accepting and promoting wrong teaching in many areas of Christian living and worship.  The books of 1-2 Corinthians are reproof and correction to help them (and us) to get back to the correct path of righteous living, believing and actions.

2 Corinthians 3:1-6(NLT)  Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles who should be the most exalted and powerful leader of the early church, especially amongst the Gentiles.  Instead, he comes to the Corinthians showing them that the attitude of leadership and service in the church body is one of true humility and deliverance.  All leadership is based on trust in God and Jesus Christ.  He is the example of what true humility is, for Christian living and leadership for them and for us.

2 Corinthians 3:12-18(NLT) Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.
16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

The more that we read, study and meditate on the Word, and follow the examples of Christ and all the leaders that are recorded in the Bible, the more we will become like Christ.  The walk of fellowship with the Father and His Son will be reflected in our faces and from our lives.  I am sure that you have seen this from believers that you fellowship with.  

REflection Questions:

Why is the veil of uncertainty done away with when we follow Christ?

What can we do daily to improve our walks of believing in spiritual power?

PRAYER:

Father God, we look to You today and are thankful for all that you do in every way in our lives.  You have saved us, built us up and sustained us through the challenges of life.  Father, we look to you to talk to us and give us the confidence to do what You ask us to do.  We are weak in ourselves but strong with Christ in us.  Thank you for being part of all we do.  Give us your help today.  In Jesus’ name we pray.

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Mystery Revealed

2 Kings 1-2       

Psalm 64            

2 Corinthians 2

-devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

Paul had the standing and education to be a powerful teacher and preacher as he traveled Asia Minor in the first century.  It is so striking to see how Paul goes right to the most important part of our message to others.  It is that proclamation that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, dead for 3 days and was then raised again from the dead.  There were over 500 witnesses that saw him in his resurrected body and could tell the story from firsthand knowledge.  Paul proclaimed to them this truth knowing that if people do not believe and accept this truth, then all the other convincing arguments that can be made for Christianity are not going anywhere.   Read 1 Corinthians 2 with us today and see how Paul approaches the people in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5(NLT) When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

Our witness to the proclamation of Christ that he is risen from the dead is the central theme of our faith.  Read this story about the simple witness of a shoe salesman named Edward Kimble.

From: X Harvest (https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-impact-of-one/)

When it comes to contemporary heroes of the Christian faith, we are familiar with names like Billy Graham. But what about Edward Kimble or Mordecai Ham?

Edward Kimble was a shoe salesman who worked alongside a guy named Dwight. Edward shared the gospel with Dwight, and Dwight accepted Christ. It was 1858, and Dwight’s last name was Moody. We know him as D. L. Moody, who was one of the greatest evangelists in history.

Years later when Moody was preaching, a pastor named Frederick D. Meyer was deeply stirred, and as a result, he went into his own nationwide preaching ministry. On one occasion when Meyer was preaching, a college student named J. Wilbur Chapman heard him and accepted Christ. He went out and began to share the gospel, and he employed a young baseball player named Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday ended up being the greatest evangelist of his generation.

When Billy Sunday preached the gospel in Charlotte, North Carolina, it was such a great meeting that he was invited back. But when he couldn’t be there, Sunday recommended a preacher named Mordecai Ham. Ham went to Charlotte and preached, but not many people responded to his invitation to accept Christ. But on one of the last nights, a tall, lanky boy who worked on the local dairy farm walked forward. Everyone knew him as Billy Frank, and we know him today as Billy Graham.

So Edward Kimble reached D. L. Moody, who touched Frederick Meyer, who reached Wilbur Chapman, who helped Billy Sunday, who reached businessmen in Charlotte, who invited Mordecai Ham, who ultimately reached Billy Graham. And it all began with the simple witness of Edward Kimble.

Every one of us can make a difference for the kingdom of God. What is He calling you to do?

Billy Graham preached and evangelized to over 200 million people across the world during his life. We may not completely agree with the message he taught or the follow up that was lacking, but the power of God is evident in the chain of witness that faithful believers presented.

1 Corinthians 2:6-10(NLT) Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets

The mystery revealed to us is the hidden decision by God to open the whole world of both Jew and Gentile to become one church of the body of Christ.  The hidden decision that God made was that the life of His Son would be able to become the payment for all the sin and sins of the world.  Jesus was faithful to all that God asked him to do, and because of his faithfulness God is able to find him righteous and raise him from the dead.  Death could not hold Christ and God gives him a new resurrected body and then gives him authority over all of creation. God does all this because He judged him righteous.  Paul tells us that if the powers of this world had known God’s plan, they would not have crucified Christ.  The powers of this world would have let him live as he was alone as the Son of God, but now there are millions of children of God all who are witnesses of the plan and story of God and Christ.

When we accept the sacrifice of Christ for us, we become new creations in the pattern of Christ.  We get a new heart and the way to become a child of God.  The gift of holy spirit that we have received in Christ gives us a mind that will see and understand the God-story, the gospel plan that God has made for us and all the creation. 

1 Corinthians 2:12-13(NLT) And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

The wisdom that we have is knowledge that can change our minds and hearts.  It’s not the wisdom of philosophy and man’s knowledge, but spiritual words revealed to spiritual minds.  It even is considered to be foolishness by the academia of this world. We hear with our minds those thoughts and understandings that come from God and are revealed to us in His Word.  Every time I spend time with Him and His Word more of His truth becomes real to me.  The knowledge of God is inexhaustible and infinite because He is infinite.  Our minds can approach the understanding of His Word, but it is a lifetime journey of faith which continues to expand before us. This mystery of godliness is revealed to us today and it is the story that we must tell others.  Paul does this with the Corinthians, and it is the pattern for us to follow in our own ministries. 

Reflection Questions

What is the witness that changed your life to come to God?

What witness can you give today to others that will give them this new life also?

How can we keep our faith and walk of believing simple and pure in purpose?

Prayer

Our Father in heaven, we pray this day for understanding hearts and minds.  Thank you for Your great love that gave us Christ.  Help us to meditate on Your Word both day and night.   Give us this day the boldness to speak Your Word to this fallen world, telling this story of grace and truth.  God, we praise You for all Your works and love.  Praying this day in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ.

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When God Speaks Through the Fire

1 Kings 17-18

Psalm 62

1 Corinthians 15

-Devotion by Brian Froehlich (IL)

The spiritual darkness in Israel had deepened dramatically.

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel aggressively promoted Baal worship, persecuted God’s prophets, and led the nation further from the LORD. Baal was supposedly the god of storms, rain, and fertility. So when drought struck the land at Elijah’s word, it was not random.

It was a direct challenge.

1 Kings chapters 17–18 introduce Elijah suddenly and powerfully. He appears almost out of nowhere and boldly announces that there will be no rain except at his word.

Then God begins teaching lessons through unlikely places.

He feeds Elijah through ravens.
He sustains a poor widow during famine.
He raises the widow’s son back to life.

Again and again, God demonstrates that He is not limited by human weakness, economic hardship, or impossible situations.

One of the most beautiful parts of these chapters is the widow’s story.

She believed she was preparing her final meal before death. Yet when she trusted God’s word through Elijah, the flour and oil did not run out.

Sometimes God asks people to trust Him when circumstances appear hopeless.

Not because He enjoys watching people struggle, but because dependence often reveals where our faith truly rests.

Then comes Mount Carmel.

It is one of the most dramatic moments in Scripture.

Elijah stands alone against hundreds of prophets of Baal and asks the people a piercing question:

“How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him…”

That question still echoes today.

Many people want spiritual neutrality.
A little truth.
A little compromise.
A little worship of God mixed with whatever else the culture values most.

But divided loyalty never leads to peace.

The prophets of Baal cried out desperately all day, yet nothing happened. No fire. No voice. No answer.

Then Elijah prayed simply and confidently.

And fire fell from heaven.

The moment was not merely about spectacle. It was about truth.

The people needed to know that the LORD alone was truly God.

Our modern world may not bow before carved idols named Baal, but idols still exist. People still worship power, pleasure, politics, money, fame, comfort, and self. Human hearts naturally attach ultimate value to something.

And whatever sits in God’s place becomes an idol.

Yet there is another important truth in these chapters: God is patient.

For years Israel drifted. For years God sent warnings. Even on Mount Carmel, Elijah’s challenge was ultimately an invitation for the people to return.

That invitation still exists today.

The God revealed in Scripture is not merely looking for outward religion or emotional moments. He desires wholehearted faithfulness and trust.

And ultimately, Elijah’s victory points forward to an even greater future day when God will fully remove false worship, injustice, and spiritual darkness from the earth.

One day His Kingdom will come completely, and truth will no longer compete with deception.

Three Things to Remember
  1. God often works through impossible situations.

The widow’s empty jars became a testimony of God’s provision.

  1. Divided loyalty leads nowhere.

Elijah challenged the people to stop wavering between God and idols.

  1. Truth will ultimately prevail.

The fire on Mount Carmel revealed who truly held power.

The people on Mount Carmel wanted visible proof before committing themselves.

But the deeper issue was never lack of evidence.

It was the condition of the heart.

Reflection Questions

  1. How did God work in and through Elijah’s life? In what ways would you like to be more like Elijah? (check out James 5:17 for some inspiration)
  2. Where have you seen God work through impossible situations?
  3. Consider your worship of God. Do you ever waver between two opinions or dilute full faithfulness? Could it ever be said of you that you displayed “A little worship of God mixed with whatever else the culture values most”? Are there any changes that need to be made?

    Prayer

    Dear God – I praise You for being a God of power, truth and patience. Thank you for all the times You have provided just what I needed exactly when I needed it. There is NO God but YOU. Give me an undivided heart that trusts and looks to You in all things, at all times. Help me to boldly proclaim You and Your way, Your Son Jesus and Your Coming Kingdom.

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    A Nation of Halfheartedness

    *1 Kings 15–16

    Psalm 62

    1 Corinthians 14

    -Devotion by Brian Froehlich (IL)

    As these chapters unfold, the kings begin to blur together.

    One ruler rises.
    Another falls.
    One dynasty begins.
    Another ends violently.

    1 Kings chapters 15–16 read almost like a tragic cycle repeating itself over and over again. Many of the kings are summarized with painfully similar words:

    “He did evil in the eyes of the LORD…”

    Again and again, leaders repeated the same sins, especially the idolatry introduced by Jeroboam. The nation became spiritually unstable because its leaders continually drifted away from wholehearted devotion to God.

    Yet in the middle of this decline, a few bright moments appear.

    King Asa of Judah was not perfect, but he genuinely sought reform. He removed idols, confronted corruption, and tried to turn the nation back toward God. Scripture says:

    “Asa’s heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life.”

    That phrase stands out.

    Not because Asa was flawless.
    But because his heart belonged to God.

    There is a profound difference between perfection and faithfulness.

    Some people become so discouraged by their failures that they stop pursuing God altogether. Others excuse their sin by claiming nobody is perfect anyway. But Scripture repeatedly points us toward something deeper: a sincere heart that keeps turning back toward God even after stumbling.

    Unfortunately, most of Israel’s kings did not do that.

    Instead, spiritual compromise became normalized. Idolatry became politically convenient. Corruption became routine. Violence became common. Kings assassinated one another, families were wiped out, and power struggles consumed the nation.

    One of the saddest realities in Scripture is how quickly people can become accustomed to spiritual darkness.

    What once shocked the conscience slowly starts feeling normal.

    That danger still exists today.

    A culture can slowly lose its moral compass.
    A family can drift spiritually one compromise at a time.
    A believer can become numb to things that once troubled the heart deeply.

    And usually, it happens gradually.

    That is why these chapters feel so repetitive. The repetition itself is part of the warning.

    Sin unaddressed tends to multiply.

    By the end of chapter 16, Ahab rises to power — and Scripture describes him as worse than the kings before him. He married Jezebel, aggressively promoted Baal worship, and led the nation even further into rebellion.

    The spiritual condition of Israel was collapsing.

    Yet even then, God had not abandoned His larger plan.

    Prophets would still speak.
    Truth would still be proclaimed.
    And God’s promise of a coming righteous King still remained alive.

    Human governments repeatedly fail because human hearts are broken. But the Bible points forward to a future Kingdom ruled by a King who will not tolerate corruption, injustice, or idolatry.

    That future hope matters in a world where compromise often feels normal.

    Three Things to Remember
    1. Faithfulness matters more than perfection.

    Asa was flawed, but his heart remained committed to God.

    1. Sin becomes dangerous when it feels normal.

    Spiritual compromise often grows gradually over time.

    1. God’s plan continues even in dark times.

    Corrupt leaders could not stop God from moving history toward His coming Kingdom.

    The repeated failures of Israel’s kings remind us of something important:

    Humanity does not merely need better politicians, better systems, or better laws.

    We need transformed hearts.

    And ultimately, we need the righteous King that God has promised.

    Reflection Questions

    1. Who do you know whose heart could be described as Asa’s – “fully committed to the LORD all his life”?
    2. What about your heart? What percentage of your heart would you, or those closest to you, say is committed to the LORD? Is there one certain part of your heart that has difficulty becoming or remaining fully committed to the Lord?
    3. What can be done to increase your faithful commitment to the Lord? What could be helpful in creating this change?
    4. What assurance do you have when going through dark times?

    Prayer

    Dear Great & Mighty God, You are worthy of my whole heart. Forgive me for the days I come to You with halfheartedness. Help me hold nothing back but be fully committed to You, Your Son and Your wonderful plan.

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    When Truth Becomes Inconvenient

    *1 Kings 13-14

    Psalm 61

    1 Corinthians 13

    -Devotion by Brian Froehlich (IL)

    These chapters are strange, tragic, and deeply sobering.

    1 Kings chapter 13 introduces an unnamed “man of God” sent to confront King Jeroboam. Jeroboam had established false worship in the northern kingdom, creating golden calves and counterfeit religious practices to keep people politically loyal to him.

    God sent a prophet to warn him.

    And at first, the prophet stood courageously.

    He delivered God’s message directly to the king. When Jeroboam stretched out his hand against him, the king’s hand shriveled instantly until the prophet prayed for his healing. It should have been a moment of repentance.

    But Jeroboam’s heart remained unchanged.

    Then comes one of the most heartbreaking twists in the story.

    God had specifically commanded the prophet not to eat or drink in that place and not to return the same way he came. But an older prophet lied to him, claiming an angel had given new instructions. The younger prophet listened to the false message instead of obeying the clear word God had already spoken.

    And it cost him his life.

    It is a difficult story, but its lesson is painfully relevant.

    Not every spiritual voice is trustworthy simply because it sounds religious.

    People can speak confidently and still be wrong.
    People can claim spiritual authority and still deceive others.
    Even sincere believers can drift if they stop carefully testing what they hear against what God has already revealed.

    That is why truth matters.

    Not harshness.
    Not arrogance.
    Not winning arguments.

    But truth.

    The world often pressures believers to reshape God’s commands into something more convenient, popular, or culturally acceptable. Jeroboam did exactly that. He created a religion that was politically useful and easier for people to embrace.

    And many people gladly followed it.

    Counterfeit worship is often attractive because it asks less of us.

    But convenient religion cannot save us.

    Chapter 14 continues the tragedy. Jeroboam’s household faced judgment because he continually led the nation into sin. Yet even in the middle of judgment, Scripture notes something remarkable about Jeroboam’s sick child:

    “In him there is found something pleasing to the LORD…”

    Even in dark times, God notices sincere hearts.

    That truth still matters today.

    Our culture is filled with competing voices claiming to represent truth. Some are loud. Some are persuasive. Some are comforting. But faithfulness requires more than emotional reactions or popular opinion.

    It requires humble obedience to God.

    And ultimately, these chapters remind us why humanity desperately needs a better King than Jeroboam, Solomon, or any other flawed ruler. Human leaders repeatedly fail. Human religion repeatedly drifts.

    But God’s future King will lead with perfect truth and righteousness.

    One day false worship, deception, and divided hearts will finally end when God’s Kingdom fully comes and the earth is restored under His rule.

    Three Things to Remember
    1. Not every spiritual voice speaks truth.

    The prophet was deceived when he ignored God’s clear instruction.

    1. Convenient religion is spiritually dangerous.

    Jeroboam created worship that was politically useful but spiritually corrupt.

    1. God still notices sincere hearts.

    Even in a corrupt generation, God recognized what was good in Jeroboam’s child.

    Faithfulness is not always easy.

    Sometimes obeying God means standing against culture, pressure, convenience, or even respected voices around us.

    But truth does not become false simply because it is unpopular.

    And error does not become true simply because it is persuasive.

    Reflection Questions

    1. How can you tell if you are listening to lies or to the truth from God? How can you tell if you are speaking lies or the truth from God?
    2. When were you led astray by listening to someone who was not speaking the truth? What happened?
    3. What can you think of today that may be politically useful but spiritually corrupt?

    Prayer

    Dear God, You are giver of all truth. Help me to discern what is truth coming from You and what is not. Teach me what is Your voice and what is deception. May I not fall for what is convenient or popular but strive to always please You with authentic, sincere love, worship and truth. Please give me Lord, a true, undivided, faithful heart loving and serving You the only true God and Your Son Jesus, til his glorious return.

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