Bible Reading Reflection from 1Kings 12-22

 [Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟙𝟚:𝟚𝟞-𝟚𝟟

"Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."

To retain power, Jeroboam chose to apostatize. Watch out for politicians, DC, police, etc. who do the same thing!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟛:𝟛𝟘-𝟛𝟙

"He laid his body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, "Alas, my brother!"  After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, "When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones."

The old prophet killed him with his lies. Why did he lie? Because he didn't believe his prophecy? Because he wanted to build some reputation for himself? Whatever, it is clear that he was a deceiver.

However, he wept and confirmed that the prophecy will surely happen. Indeed, two signs authenticating the certainty of this prophecy against apostasy. God is really angry to the point of killing his prophet to make a point.

And if God killed His prophet for a lack of discernment, what hope was there for the Israelites who deliberately sinned against God?

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟙𝟜:𝟙𝟛

"All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam's family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam."

Wow, the only good one in the family of Jeroboam was this child, Abijah, and God chose to take him away (kill him).

Death could be sometimes a judgment or blessing to others. In this case, it's a judgment for the family, and the blessing for Abijah! That he wouldn't see the wickedness and the sufferings of his family dynasty.

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟙𝟝:𝟝

"Because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite."

David is the most perfect human ruler ever. That's why Messiah is called the Son of David, the Davidic King. Well, David is not a perfect guy. But God is kinder than man. God is more forgiving than man. Once, David himself preferred to suffer in the hands of God than in the hands of a man! Yahweh is a forgiving God, Satan is an accusing Devil. Satan is malevolent, God is benevolent.

That's what God sees of us too. He is more forgiving, more merciful, kinder, gentler than man. What an amazing God! He evaluates our life!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟙𝟞:𝟛𝟙

"It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him."

Some people dared to sin shamelessly, proudly, and publicly as if it was a virtue.

When sin is not dealt with, it multiplies and sears the conscience of many!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟙𝟟:𝟙𝟚

"But she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die."

About to die of starvation both herself and her child. The last meal, yet she gave it to Elijah because of the God of Elijah! It turned out to be trading the last meal for a never-ending supply.

The Gospel's offer is the same:  Trading our short life in this corrupt world for the eternal life in the celestial city!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟙𝟠:𝟜𝟛

"He said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing." And he said, "Go back" seven times."

Elijah was in front of an angry king. Ahab was furious with Elijah for withholding rain. Then God promised rain, and Elijah prayed. His prayer, still, was not realized. What a terrible situation that must have been?

Ahab, Elijah, and the servant waiting for the sign of rain. His servant walking up and down seven times. Not 2 times or 3.

#Patience. #Learn to wait. #Importune prayer. #Trust.

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝟙𝟡:𝟜

"But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."

Elijah wanted to die and prayed for it. God made him livelier and more energetic than ever seen before. He ate only a bread cake and was able to walk forty days and night journey!

God has a way of surprising His saints!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟚𝟘:𝟛𝟚-𝟛𝟛

"So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Please let me live.'" And he said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother." Now the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, "Your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot."

Trying to be kinder, gentler, more loving, and [more] ‘good’ than God; and you shall perish!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟚𝟙:𝟙𝟡

"You shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "Have you murdered and also taken possession?"' And you shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours."'"

What Ahab did was similar to what David did. God sent a prophet to confront them. And God relented from bringing utter destruction in their lifetime seeing them humbling before God.

Let's humble before God. Oh, how often are we covetous of others' success or possession!

 

𝟙 𝕂𝕀ℕ𝔾𝕊 𝟚𝟚:𝟠

"The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Let not the king say so.’"

People do wrong things not because they don't know the right things but because they don't want to do the right things in the right ways!

In doing so, they condemn themselves that they are guilty.

Another plain example. Everyone knows that if we work hard, we will get a good result in any exam; but we don't want to work hard, and try to get by other means –cheating, bribery, stealing, depending on luck, etc...