As we go into this holiday season, blessing is an understatement! Unlike last year when I had a 7 month old baby and foot surgery, I find myself having more Christmas spirit than I've had in a really long time. Most holidays we fight about what we're doing and there's opposition if one side of the family gets gypped on visits. This year is somewhat different. After 5 yrs, we actually planned Thanksgiving like we were deciding what color sheets to buy. But everything changed when I got laryngitis for 4 days before Thanksgiving, then the full out flu, and lastly a stomach bug. Of course the sickness didn't stop there. Poor Jack had an ear infection and stomach flu and Jason had the latter. It seems like only a blur today, but it was hard on everyone! We planned to go down south for the day (Thanksgiving) but that didn't happen. We also missed out on seeing Jason's side. I felt decent enough to see my family in Plymouth the Saturday after Thanksgiving though. It was so great to see Amy and Bill and their kids whom I've never met. It's been 18 yrs! Thankfully w/ email and facebook we've connected awhile back. Eighteen years is definitely too long to go without seeing your family! I don't know what we would've done had Jason not been on vacation. We missed so many Sundays and even small groups due to illness or inclement weather.
However, I'm semi glad we missed this years small group Christmas party as our realtor called with great news. I ran in the other room and all I heard Jason say was, "Good news or bad news? Ok, ok ok..let us know." He came into Jack's room and told me God came through for us because we got the house in Kokomo that we'd been waiting to hear back on for 3 months! How ironic that we were having a discussion about how mad we'd be if they came back and asked for more money and blah blah blah...then seconds later we get the call. God definitely has a sense of humor! I called everyone and their brother to tell them our good news and was absolutely giddy! Our closing date is Jan 24th. Now that we've gone through the month of Dec, the 24th is coming VERY quickly! It's somewhat of a blessing that our house hasn't sold so we can move in slowly. The house inspection went extremely well and we were very impressed w/ the man who did it. He'd previously inspected the property and even thought about purchasing it. So glad he didn't!! He had plenty of history to share w/ us and that put us at ease. Turns out the property used to flood really badly before they did construction on Hwy 26 years ago. When they completed that, the people who owned it did major construction in the basement by adding french drains. They also did other major house renovations. So glad it was them and not us! They ran new wiring, installed new plumbing, and added a 1400 sq ft addition...that's that size of our current house! It helps me sleep at night knowing someone who knew what they were doing completed these tasks. We are anxious to move into the property as it is vacant and with each passing day there's potential for another break in.
It's no coincidence we waited 3 months to see if our bid was accepted. There was another bidder who didn't want to wait. We also had 3 months to practice living on a budget. God has made himself very visible in my life as well as Jason's through this experience. We're very excited to be closer to the church we've attended for 3 years and actually be able to get involved w/o worrying about the 30+ minute drive PLUS adding Jack to the mix. I'm so proud of Jason for pursuing an opportunity to help with the church's network. I'm excited to have more living space, increased feasibility of getting together with my small group outside of our Monday night groups, and more opportunities overall. We want to seek God's direction and pray that He gives us guidance through these transitions. All in all God has always been faithful to us and brought us through very tough times.
As I continue reflecting, I'm reminded that neglecting to read my bible on a semi regular basis and having time to critically think isn't healthy for me. Reading and journaling opened up a door I thought was sealed and never to be opened between Jason and I. I've reached others through my blogging and that's awesome! Life just got complicated and sickness got in my way. I'm looking forward to working it back into my routine as I remember my goal for doing it in the first place...by learning more about God,Jesus, the Holy Spirit etc, I'm able to be a better wife and mother...well that and reading books by Shauna Neiquist.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
Day 38
The day of Haman's death, Esther was given his estate. She had come clean about her relation to Mordecai and he was brought before the Xerxes. The king gave him his signet ring and he was also given Haman's estate. Esther, still humble before the king, begged that her people's lives be spared. Xerxes had Esther and Mordecai write an irrevocable written order on the Jews behalf. This order allowed all the Jews in all 127 provinces to defend themselves, having the killing right for anyone who threatened them or their women and children. They could also take what they wanted from their enemies. Mordecai walked out of Xerxes' palace wearing a violet and white royal robe, including a purple cape and wore a gold crown on his head. All the Jews celebrated their newly found freedom. It was dangerous to not be a Jews so many non Jews became Jews.
All the satraps (a governor of a province in ancient Persia), officials, and everyone else who worked for the king were afraid of Mordecai and helped the Jews out. The Jews slaughtered their enemies! In Susa alone, 500 men were killed. All of Haman's 10 sons were taken out as well. Even though the kings order said they could take from their enemies, the Jews refrained.
King Xerxes received this information and asked Esther what else she desired. She asked that the Jews living in Susa have another day to kill of their enemies and Haman's sons be hanged in public. Xerxes granted her wish. Another 300 men were killed and in the other provinces a whopping total of 75,000 enemies were killed by the Jews.
Mordecai kept a record of the current events and sent info around the provinces. It became a tradition that on the 14th and 15th days of Adar, the Jews would celebrate overcoming their enemies. They exchanged gifts and gave to the poor.
This marks the end of Esther.
Did you know that the wisdom books of the bible include Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs?
"Wisdom is the common designation given to this aspect of biblical witness and writing. The word in this context refers more to a kind of attitude, a distinctive stance, than to any particular ideas or doctrines or counsel." -Eugene Peterson
"There are no spectator seats provided for the drama of salvation. There is no "bench" for incompetent players." -Eugene Peterson
All the satraps (a governor of a province in ancient Persia), officials, and everyone else who worked for the king were afraid of Mordecai and helped the Jews out. The Jews slaughtered their enemies! In Susa alone, 500 men were killed. All of Haman's 10 sons were taken out as well. Even though the kings order said they could take from their enemies, the Jews refrained.
King Xerxes received this information and asked Esther what else she desired. She asked that the Jews living in Susa have another day to kill of their enemies and Haman's sons be hanged in public. Xerxes granted her wish. Another 300 men were killed and in the other provinces a whopping total of 75,000 enemies were killed by the Jews.
Mordecai kept a record of the current events and sent info around the provinces. It became a tradition that on the 14th and 15th days of Adar, the Jews would celebrate overcoming their enemies. They exchanged gifts and gave to the poor.
This marks the end of Esther.
Did you know that the wisdom books of the bible include Job, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Proverbs, and Song of Songs?
"Wisdom is the common designation given to this aspect of biblical witness and writing. The word in this context refers more to a kind of attitude, a distinctive stance, than to any particular ideas or doctrines or counsel." -Eugene Peterson
"There are no spectator seats provided for the drama of salvation. There is no "bench" for incompetent players." -Eugene Peterson
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Day 37
"It seems odd that the awareness of God, or even the people of God, brings out the worst in some people. God, the source of all goodness and blessing and joy, at times becomes the occasion for nearly unimaginable acts of cruelty, atrocity, and evil."
~Eugene Peterson
King Xerxes ruled from India to Ethopia and his palace was in Susa. In his 3rd year of reigning these 127 provinces, he held a banquet for all the officials and ministers. Military personnel from Persia and Media were also invited as well as each prince and governor from each province. Xerxes showcased his palace for 6 mths and thew a party for everyone in Susa that lasted an entire week. The kings summer house was the location of the party and no expense was spared. White and blue linen curtains w/ purple and silver cords lined the marble columns in the courtyard. Couches made of silver and gold rested on beautiful mosaic pavement consisting of porphyry, marble, mother of pearl, and a variety of colored stones. The guests could drink as much wine as they wanted with wait staff readily available. However, Queen Vashti (wife to Xerxes), threw her own party for women inside the palace. A drunken king Xerxes had his 7 personal servants, all eunuchs, bring him his queen wearing her royal crown b/c he wanted to show her off. Vashti refused, which angered the king. Xerxes summoned his counsel, which consisted of the 7 highest ranking princes in Persia and Media. His counselors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. King Xerxes wanted to see if there was anything legal he could do to Vashti for denying his request. Memucan stated, "It's not only the king Queen Vashti insulted, it's all of us, leaders and people alike in every last one of king Xerxes' provinces...when the women hear if they'll start treating their husbands with contempt...is this what we want, a country of angry women who don't know their place?" In my opinion, Memucan needs a good slap for that comment. King Xerxes liked what Memucan proposed so he recorded in the laws of Persia and Medes that queen Vashti was permanently banned from his presence and her royal position would be given to a woman who knew her place. A notice was sent to each province stating men were the master of the house. Xerxes regretted his decision once he cooled off. His attendants began searching for virgins to present to the king and had officials from each province bring them to Susa. Hegai, one of the kings eunuchs, would be in charge of the women and would make sure they did their beauty treatments in order to look their best when presented to the king.
Mordecai was a Benjamanite, who lived in the palace in Susa. His ancestors were taken from Jerusalem with the exiled Israelites and carried off with King Jehoiachin of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon into exile. Mordecai raised his cousin Hadassah, otherwise known as Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her and raised her as his own daughter. Esther was one of the beautiful women given to Hegai for Xerxes. Hegai favored Esther and started her beauty treatments, ordered food, and even gave her 7 maids from the palace. She was given the best room to stay in as well. However, Esther didn't reveal her Jewish background as advised by Modecai, who checked on her daily. After each girl completed 1 year of beauty treatments, they were allowed to see king Xerxes. I wonder what the beauty treatments consisted of...laser hair removal, permanent make up, botox? Just kidding :) The ladies endured 6 months of myrrh oil treatments initially and then 6 months with perfume and various cosmetics (http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-myrrh-essential-oil.html). When it was time for the girl to go to the king, she was given whatever she wanted to take with her when she left the harem for the king's quarters. She would go there in the evening. Come morning, she would return to a second harem overseen by Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. Unless the king liked you and asked specifically for you, you'd never go back to the king. When it was Esther's turn, she didn't take anything that Hegai didn't suggest and was taken to the royal palace in the tenth month in the seventh year of the king's reign. Xerxes fell in love with her and was crazy about her. He put a crown on her head and she was made queen. A banquet was held in her honor and a holiday was proclaimed in all provinces and gifts were given out. Although it was a time of celebration, Bigthana and Teresh, 2 of the kings eunuchs who guarded the entrance of the kings gate, schemed up a plan to kill Xerxes. Guess who just happened to be sitting close by...Mordecai! Mordecai told Esther the plan and she reported to Xerxes. The 2 eunuchs were hanged after further investigation was completed.
King Xerxes made Haman the highest ranking official in the government and commanded his servants to bow down before him. Mordecai refused and the kings servants asked him over and over why he wouldn't. They ended up going to Haman and he was outraged by Mordecai's disobedience. In the meantime he also learned Mordecai's ethnic background. From that moment on, Haman began looking for a way to eliminate Jews, including Mordecai, throughout Xerxes' kingdom. Haman went straight to king Xerxes and spoke badly about the Jews. He told the king the Jews were odd, explained how different their customs were, and tattled about their disregard for the kings laws. Haman told Xerxes the Jews weren't to be tolerated and asked if he could take them out. He even volunteered to fund the operation himself putting 375 tons of silver in the royal bank. Xerxes gave Haman his signet (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/signet) and told him to do what he wanted. The king's secretaries wrote up a bulletin and couriers set out for all the provinces in Xerxes' kingdom. The bulletin stated the elimination of all Jews all in one day-the 13th day of the 12th month (Adar:the sixth month of the civil year; the twelfth month of the ecclesiastic year in the Jewish calendar (in February and March)).
Mordecai ripped his clothes and dressed in sackcloth and ashes when he learned of Haman's execution plan. He cried loudly in the streets and went only a little ways from the kings gate for no one wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter. The Jews of the land wept and fasted. One of Esther's maids and eunuchs informed her of this terrible event and she was completely shocked. Mordecai didn't accept the clean clothes she sent to him. Hathach, Esther's royal eunuch, was sent to Mordecai to get the scoop. Hathach learned of the money Haman was depositing and also retrieved a copy of the bulletin. Mordecai wanted Esther to go on behalf of the Jews to the king and plead for their lives. She reported back to him that the penalty to an uninvited visit to the king was death. Mordecai, through Hathach, sent her a message saying, "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for such a time as this." Esther's answer to Mordecai was to gather all the Jews living in Susa and instruct them to fast. They weren't to eat or drink for 3 whole days. Esther and her maids would also fast. If everyone did this, she'd go to the king.
Three days passed and Esther dressed in royal attire and took a seat in the inner court in front of the kings throne room. Xerxes was on his throne facing the entrance and was pleased to see her. She approached him and touched his golden scepter. Xerxes asked,"And what's your desire Queen Esther? What do you want? Ask and it's yours-even if it's half my kingdom!" Esther replied, "If it may please the king, let the king come with Haman to a dinner I've prepared for him." The king and Haman joined Esther for dinner that evening. Xerxes asked Esther again waht she wanted and she suggested they come the next night and she'd give him a straight answer. Haman was carefree when he left the palace, then saw Mordecai by the kings gate. Holding in his anger, he went home and bragged about his wealth, his sons, and being honored by the king. He even boasted about their dinner with Esther but claimed he couldn't enjoy anything because of Mordecai. Zeresh, Haman's wife, and his friends suggested building a 75 ft gallow and speak to Xerxes in the morning about getting an order for Mordecai's death and then he would have a good time at dinner.
That night, Xerxes was restless and couldn't sleep. The day to day journal of events were read to him and the story about Mordecai exposing the plot of Xerxes' death was told. The king asked if he'd been given anything in honor of this and his servants said no. Xerxes asked if anyone was out in the court and just about the time is when Haman came into the outer court of his palace to talk to him about the hanging. His servants told him Haman was there and Xerxes asked,"What would be appropriate for the man the king especially wants to honor?" Haman, extremely full of himself, assumed the king was referring to him so he said the man should get a royal robe worn by the king. He should also receive a horse ridden by the king and then given the robe and the horse to the kings most noble prince. He would then robe the man who was to be honored and the prince should lead him on horseback through the city, proclaiming his honor. Delighted, the king told Haman to not waste any time and do what he proposed to Mordecai. Haman did this promptly, then fled to his home in shame. Haman told Zeresh and his friends. Zeresh said,"If this Mordecai is in fact a Jew, your bad luck has only begun. You don't stand a chance against him. You're as good as ruined."
At the second dinner with Esther, she told the king, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O King, and if it please the king, give me my life, and give my people their lives. We've been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed-sold to be massacred, eliminated. If we had just been sold into slavery, I wouldn't even have brought it up; our troubles wouldn't have been worth bothering the king over." Upon hearing this, Xerxes exploded with anger asking who could've possible done this. Um, hello you told Haman he could do this! Must've had a brain fart. Anyway, Esther told Xerxes it was Haman. I'm sure Haman wanted to crawl in a hole and die at this point. Xerxes stormed out into the garden and Haman pleaded with Esther for his life. Xerxes walked in seeing him grovel and shouted,"Will he even molest the Queen while I'm just around the corner?" Just then Harbona, one of the king's eunuchs, exclaimed,"Look over there! There's the gallows that Haman built for Mordecai, who saved the kings life." Xerxes wanted Haman hanged on them so that's what happened.
~Eugene Peterson
King Xerxes ruled from India to Ethopia and his palace was in Susa. In his 3rd year of reigning these 127 provinces, he held a banquet for all the officials and ministers. Military personnel from Persia and Media were also invited as well as each prince and governor from each province. Xerxes showcased his palace for 6 mths and thew a party for everyone in Susa that lasted an entire week. The kings summer house was the location of the party and no expense was spared. White and blue linen curtains w/ purple and silver cords lined the marble columns in the courtyard. Couches made of silver and gold rested on beautiful mosaic pavement consisting of porphyry, marble, mother of pearl, and a variety of colored stones. The guests could drink as much wine as they wanted with wait staff readily available. However, Queen Vashti (wife to Xerxes), threw her own party for women inside the palace. A drunken king Xerxes had his 7 personal servants, all eunuchs, bring him his queen wearing her royal crown b/c he wanted to show her off. Vashti refused, which angered the king. Xerxes summoned his counsel, which consisted of the 7 highest ranking princes in Persia and Media. His counselors were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. King Xerxes wanted to see if there was anything legal he could do to Vashti for denying his request. Memucan stated, "It's not only the king Queen Vashti insulted, it's all of us, leaders and people alike in every last one of king Xerxes' provinces...when the women hear if they'll start treating their husbands with contempt...is this what we want, a country of angry women who don't know their place?" In my opinion, Memucan needs a good slap for that comment. King Xerxes liked what Memucan proposed so he recorded in the laws of Persia and Medes that queen Vashti was permanently banned from his presence and her royal position would be given to a woman who knew her place. A notice was sent to each province stating men were the master of the house. Xerxes regretted his decision once he cooled off. His attendants began searching for virgins to present to the king and had officials from each province bring them to Susa. Hegai, one of the kings eunuchs, would be in charge of the women and would make sure they did their beauty treatments in order to look their best when presented to the king.
Mordecai was a Benjamanite, who lived in the palace in Susa. His ancestors were taken from Jerusalem with the exiled Israelites and carried off with King Jehoiachin of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon into exile. Mordecai raised his cousin Hadassah, otherwise known as Esther. When her father and mother died, Mordecai adopted her and raised her as his own daughter. Esther was one of the beautiful women given to Hegai for Xerxes. Hegai favored Esther and started her beauty treatments, ordered food, and even gave her 7 maids from the palace. She was given the best room to stay in as well. However, Esther didn't reveal her Jewish background as advised by Modecai, who checked on her daily. After each girl completed 1 year of beauty treatments, they were allowed to see king Xerxes. I wonder what the beauty treatments consisted of...laser hair removal, permanent make up, botox? Just kidding :) The ladies endured 6 months of myrrh oil treatments initially and then 6 months with perfume and various cosmetics (http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-myrrh-essential-oil.html). When it was time for the girl to go to the king, she was given whatever she wanted to take with her when she left the harem for the king's quarters. She would go there in the evening. Come morning, she would return to a second harem overseen by Shaashgaz, the king's eunuch in charge of the concubines. Unless the king liked you and asked specifically for you, you'd never go back to the king. When it was Esther's turn, she didn't take anything that Hegai didn't suggest and was taken to the royal palace in the tenth month in the seventh year of the king's reign. Xerxes fell in love with her and was crazy about her. He put a crown on her head and she was made queen. A banquet was held in her honor and a holiday was proclaimed in all provinces and gifts were given out. Although it was a time of celebration, Bigthana and Teresh, 2 of the kings eunuchs who guarded the entrance of the kings gate, schemed up a plan to kill Xerxes. Guess who just happened to be sitting close by...Mordecai! Mordecai told Esther the plan and she reported to Xerxes. The 2 eunuchs were hanged after further investigation was completed.
King Xerxes made Haman the highest ranking official in the government and commanded his servants to bow down before him. Mordecai refused and the kings servants asked him over and over why he wouldn't. They ended up going to Haman and he was outraged by Mordecai's disobedience. In the meantime he also learned Mordecai's ethnic background. From that moment on, Haman began looking for a way to eliminate Jews, including Mordecai, throughout Xerxes' kingdom. Haman went straight to king Xerxes and spoke badly about the Jews. He told the king the Jews were odd, explained how different their customs were, and tattled about their disregard for the kings laws. Haman told Xerxes the Jews weren't to be tolerated and asked if he could take them out. He even volunteered to fund the operation himself putting 375 tons of silver in the royal bank. Xerxes gave Haman his signet (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/signet) and told him to do what he wanted. The king's secretaries wrote up a bulletin and couriers set out for all the provinces in Xerxes' kingdom. The bulletin stated the elimination of all Jews all in one day-the 13th day of the 12th month (Adar:the sixth month of the civil year; the twelfth month of the ecclesiastic year in the Jewish calendar (in February and March)).
Mordecai ripped his clothes and dressed in sackcloth and ashes when he learned of Haman's execution plan. He cried loudly in the streets and went only a little ways from the kings gate for no one wearing sackcloth was allowed to enter. The Jews of the land wept and fasted. One of Esther's maids and eunuchs informed her of this terrible event and she was completely shocked. Mordecai didn't accept the clean clothes she sent to him. Hathach, Esther's royal eunuch, was sent to Mordecai to get the scoop. Hathach learned of the money Haman was depositing and also retrieved a copy of the bulletin. Mordecai wanted Esther to go on behalf of the Jews to the king and plead for their lives. She reported back to him that the penalty to an uninvited visit to the king was death. Mordecai, through Hathach, sent her a message saying, "Don't think that just because you live in the king's house you're the one Jew who will get out of this alive. If you persist in staying silent at a time like this, help and deliverance will arrive for the Jews from someplace else; but you and your family will be wiped out. Who knows? Maybe you were made queen for such a time as this." Esther's answer to Mordecai was to gather all the Jews living in Susa and instruct them to fast. They weren't to eat or drink for 3 whole days. Esther and her maids would also fast. If everyone did this, she'd go to the king.
Three days passed and Esther dressed in royal attire and took a seat in the inner court in front of the kings throne room. Xerxes was on his throne facing the entrance and was pleased to see her. She approached him and touched his golden scepter. Xerxes asked,"And what's your desire Queen Esther? What do you want? Ask and it's yours-even if it's half my kingdom!" Esther replied, "If it may please the king, let the king come with Haman to a dinner I've prepared for him." The king and Haman joined Esther for dinner that evening. Xerxes asked Esther again waht she wanted and she suggested they come the next night and she'd give him a straight answer. Haman was carefree when he left the palace, then saw Mordecai by the kings gate. Holding in his anger, he went home and bragged about his wealth, his sons, and being honored by the king. He even boasted about their dinner with Esther but claimed he couldn't enjoy anything because of Mordecai. Zeresh, Haman's wife, and his friends suggested building a 75 ft gallow and speak to Xerxes in the morning about getting an order for Mordecai's death and then he would have a good time at dinner.
That night, Xerxes was restless and couldn't sleep. The day to day journal of events were read to him and the story about Mordecai exposing the plot of Xerxes' death was told. The king asked if he'd been given anything in honor of this and his servants said no. Xerxes asked if anyone was out in the court and just about the time is when Haman came into the outer court of his palace to talk to him about the hanging. His servants told him Haman was there and Xerxes asked,"What would be appropriate for the man the king especially wants to honor?" Haman, extremely full of himself, assumed the king was referring to him so he said the man should get a royal robe worn by the king. He should also receive a horse ridden by the king and then given the robe and the horse to the kings most noble prince. He would then robe the man who was to be honored and the prince should lead him on horseback through the city, proclaiming his honor. Delighted, the king told Haman to not waste any time and do what he proposed to Mordecai. Haman did this promptly, then fled to his home in shame. Haman told Zeresh and his friends. Zeresh said,"If this Mordecai is in fact a Jew, your bad luck has only begun. You don't stand a chance against him. You're as good as ruined."
At the second dinner with Esther, she told the king, "If I have found favor in your eyes, O King, and if it please the king, give me my life, and give my people their lives. We've been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed-sold to be massacred, eliminated. If we had just been sold into slavery, I wouldn't even have brought it up; our troubles wouldn't have been worth bothering the king over." Upon hearing this, Xerxes exploded with anger asking who could've possible done this. Um, hello you told Haman he could do this! Must've had a brain fart. Anyway, Esther told Xerxes it was Haman. I'm sure Haman wanted to crawl in a hole and die at this point. Xerxes stormed out into the garden and Haman pleaded with Esther for his life. Xerxes walked in seeing him grovel and shouted,"Will he even molest the Queen while I'm just around the corner?" Just then Harbona, one of the king's eunuchs, exclaimed,"Look over there! There's the gallows that Haman built for Mordecai, who saved the kings life." Xerxes wanted Haman hanged on them so that's what happened.
Day 36
The priests and Levites purified themselves for the dedication of the wall around Jerusalem. They did the same for the people of Israel, the gates, and the wall. Nehemiah called the leaders of Judah up and made 2 large groups and placed them in specific areas around the wall.
Before Nehemiah's time in Jerusalem, Eliashib (a priest), had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and was also a relative of Tobiah. Eliashib converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah’s disposal, which had previously been used to store grain offering ingredients, incense, worship vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil for Levites, singers, security guards, and offerings for priests. On the day of dedication, men were chosen to be in charge of the offering storeroom, first fruits, and tithes. It was their duty to make sure the amount stated in the Book of Revelation for priests and Levites was brought from farms in association with the towns. A daily allowance was given to singers and security guards. Zerubbabel and Nehemiah also set aside what went to the Levites and they followed suit for the Aaronites.
Nehemiah traveled to Babylon in Artexerxes' 32 yr of reigning but eventually came back to Jerusalem. When Nehemiah learned of Eliashib's evil act, he was really angry. Nehemiah threw everything belonging to Tobiah in the street and demanded the rooms be purified. He brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense. Nehemiah also learned the Levites didn't receive their portion of food so they went back to their farms along w/ the singers. He confronted the city officials and asked them why the Temple had been abandoned. All the Levites were brought back again and given their proper duties. The people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms. Shelemiah (a priest), Zadok (a scribe), and Pedaiah (a Levite) were put in charge of the storeroom because of their excellent reputations. It was their job to make sure their fellow Levites got what they needed.
Nehemiah also discovered people were selling items, treading wine presses, and loading up supplies on the Sabbath. The leaders of Judah were confronted once again. Nehemiah ordered doors be shut and not opened until the end of the Sabbath day. Some of Nehemiah's servants were placed at the various gates to insure nothing was sold. The Levites cleansed themselves and assumed guardianship of the gates to keep the Sabbath holy. Nehemiah learned Jews married women from Ashdod, Amnon, and Moab even though they weren't supposed to. Their offspring knew the Ashdod language but couldn't speak the language of Judah at all. He gave these men what was coming to them by yelling at them, slapping others, and jerked the rest of them around by their hair. Nehemiah made them swear to God: "Don't marry your daughters to their sons; and don't let their daughters marry your sons—and don't you yourselves marry them!" He went on to say, "Didn't Solomon the king of Israel sin because of women just like these? Even though there was no king quite like him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel, foreign women were his downfall. Do you call this obedience—engaging in this extensive evil, showing yourselves faithless to God by marrying foreign wives?" Nehemiah cleansed the men from everything foreign.
Before Nehemiah's time in Jerusalem, Eliashib (a priest), had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and was also a relative of Tobiah. Eliashib converted a large storage room and placed it at Tobiah’s disposal, which had previously been used to store grain offering ingredients, incense, worship vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil for Levites, singers, security guards, and offerings for priests. On the day of dedication, men were chosen to be in charge of the offering storeroom, first fruits, and tithes. It was their duty to make sure the amount stated in the Book of Revelation for priests and Levites was brought from farms in association with the towns. A daily allowance was given to singers and security guards. Zerubbabel and Nehemiah also set aside what went to the Levites and they followed suit for the Aaronites.
Nehemiah traveled to Babylon in Artexerxes' 32 yr of reigning but eventually came back to Jerusalem. When Nehemiah learned of Eliashib's evil act, he was really angry. Nehemiah threw everything belonging to Tobiah in the street and demanded the rooms be purified. He brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense. Nehemiah also learned the Levites didn't receive their portion of food so they went back to their farms along w/ the singers. He confronted the city officials and asked them why the Temple had been abandoned. All the Levites were brought back again and given their proper duties. The people of Judah began bringing their tithes of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the Temple storerooms. Shelemiah (a priest), Zadok (a scribe), and Pedaiah (a Levite) were put in charge of the storeroom because of their excellent reputations. It was their job to make sure their fellow Levites got what they needed.
Nehemiah also discovered people were selling items, treading wine presses, and loading up supplies on the Sabbath. The leaders of Judah were confronted once again. Nehemiah ordered doors be shut and not opened until the end of the Sabbath day. Some of Nehemiah's servants were placed at the various gates to insure nothing was sold. The Levites cleansed themselves and assumed guardianship of the gates to keep the Sabbath holy. Nehemiah learned Jews married women from Ashdod, Amnon, and Moab even though they weren't supposed to. Their offspring knew the Ashdod language but couldn't speak the language of Judah at all. He gave these men what was coming to them by yelling at them, slapping others, and jerked the rest of them around by their hair. Nehemiah made them swear to God: "Don't marry your daughters to their sons; and don't let their daughters marry your sons—and don't you yourselves marry them!" He went on to say, "Didn't Solomon the king of Israel sin because of women just like these? Even though there was no king quite like him, and God loved him and made him king over all Israel, foreign women were his downfall. Do you call this obedience—engaging in this extensive evil, showing yourselves faithless to God by marrying foreign wives?" Nehemiah cleansed the men from everything foreign.
Day 35
Sanballet and the rest of the people w/ him sent Nehemiah a message to meet w/ them at Kephirim in Ono Valley. Knowing he would be harmed, Nehemiah's messengers replied he was too busy working. The 5th time of playing cat and mouse, Sanballet suggested the Jews were going to rebel, which is why the wall was being repaired. Rumor had it that Nehemiah wanted to be king but he set the story straight. Shemaiah met w/ Nehemiah and he knew he wasn't sent by God because of his suggestion to use the Temple as a hideout. Surely he was sent by Sanballet.
They wall was completed after 52 days. Nehemiah and the Jews didn't receive anymore threats. Hanini was appointed by Nehemiah along with Hananiah, captain of the citadel, to be in charge of Jerusalem. Nehemiah's order was that the city gates stay closed until the sun came up. The guards on duty were to bar the gates.
The people of Israel gathered around the town square and asked Ezra to bring the Book of the Revelation of Moses. Ezra read the book to them from early in the day until noon. They all listened intently. The Israelites wept and worhiped God for it was a holy day. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites explained the text to the people and made sure they understood. The Book of Revelation commanded they live in booths during the 7 month festival. The people set out to find branches and made booths on their roofs, in courtyards, and in the Temple courtyard. They celebrated for 7 days. On the 24th day, the congregation fasted, dressed in burlap, and covered their faces in burlap as a sign of repentance. They broke ties with foreigners and confessed their sin.
The leaders of the people of Israel were living in Jerusalem, so the rest of them drew lots to get 1 out of 10 to move there. The other 9 remained where they were. When the city wall was to be dedicated, the Levites were summoned from their homes to carry out thanksgiving hymns and songs. Cymbals, harps, and lutes were played.
They wall was completed after 52 days. Nehemiah and the Jews didn't receive anymore threats. Hanini was appointed by Nehemiah along with Hananiah, captain of the citadel, to be in charge of Jerusalem. Nehemiah's order was that the city gates stay closed until the sun came up. The guards on duty were to bar the gates.
The people of Israel gathered around the town square and asked Ezra to bring the Book of the Revelation of Moses. Ezra read the book to them from early in the day until noon. They all listened intently. The Israelites wept and worhiped God for it was a holy day. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites explained the text to the people and made sure they understood. The Book of Revelation commanded they live in booths during the 7 month festival. The people set out to find branches and made booths on their roofs, in courtyards, and in the Temple courtyard. They celebrated for 7 days. On the 24th day, the congregation fasted, dressed in burlap, and covered their faces in burlap as a sign of repentance. They broke ties with foreigners and confessed their sin.
The leaders of the people of Israel were living in Jerusalem, so the rest of them drew lots to get 1 out of 10 to move there. The other 9 remained where they were. When the city wall was to be dedicated, the Levites were summoned from their homes to carry out thanksgiving hymns and songs. Cymbals, harps, and lutes were played.
Day 34
High priest Eliashib and his fellow priests repaired the sheep gate and hung the doors on it. After that was completed, they went to work on the Tower of the Hundred (one of the towers in the Jerusalem wall) and Hananel. The Hassenaah brothers worked on the fish gate. Meremoth, Meshullam, Zadok, and the Tekoites worked hand in hand with them. Meshullam and Joida worked on the Jeshanah Gate. Melatiah, Jadon, and men from Gideon and Mizpah worked with them. They also had help from Uzziel (goldsmith guild) and Hananiah (a perfumer). Collectively, they rebuilt the Jerusalem wall as far as the broad wall.
Rephaiah, mayor of a half district in Jerusalem, worked w/ Jedaiah and Hattush to rebuilt the front of his house. The tower of furnaces was worked on by Malkijah. Shallum was mayor over the other half district of Jerusalem and had help from his daughters in working on the project. Hanun with the help of people from Zanoah rebuilt the valley gate and also repaired 1500 ft of wall all the way to the dung gate. Malkijah repaired the dung gate and Shallum rebuilt the fountain gate as well as the wall of the pool of siloam at the kings garden. Nehemiah, mayor of half the district of Beth Zur, worked from the tomb of David to the house of heroes. Levites under Rehum worked alongside Hashabiah, mayor over half the district of Keilah. The Levite brother worked next to them under Binnui, mayor of the other half of Keilah.
Ezer rebuilt the section in front of the ascent to the armory as far as the angle. Baruch rebuilt from the angle to the door of the house of Eliashib. Meremoth started at Eliashib's door to the end of the house and priests went on from there. Benjamin, Azariah, and Hasshub worked on the section of wall in front of their homes. Binnui worked on the section by Azariah's house to the angle at the corner. Palal worked on the section opposite the angle and the projecting tower from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Alongside Palal, was Pedaiah and the temple support staff. They worked up to the section opposite the water gate east of the projecting tower. Men from Tekoa worked on the section of wall by the projecting tower to the ophel wall. Priests worked above the horse gate and repaired the wall in front of each of their houses. The next section was worked on by Zadok, Shemaiah Hananiah then Meshullam. Malkijah repaired the wall as far as the house for the temple support staff up to the inspection gate to the upper room at the corner.
While all this building was happening, Sanballet was extremely angry. His colleagues had the same feelings. Nehemiah prayed to God because he knew people hated what they were trying to accomplish. Because the workers were diligent, the whole wall was joined together and halfway to its intended height by this point. Sanballet, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites decided to join forces and go to battle against Jerusalem. Nehemiah again prayed to God. Armed guards were stationed around vulnerable places around the city wall and Nehemiah told everyone, even nobles and officials to not be afraid and fight for their families. The guards were on duty around the clock. Word spread quickly throughout Judah that the builders were exhausted and were too stressed to continue working, but despite that the laborers kept on working. Half of the laborers worked while the others stood guard with lances, shields, bows, and mail armor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_%28armour%29). Military officers were back up for everyone rebuilding the wall. Common laborers worked with one hand and a weapon in the other. Every builder wore a knife strapped to his side and Nehemiah kept a trumpet by him in case of emergency. When the workers heard the trumpet, they were all supposed to gather together.
The people began to protest. Some said they needed food for their large families while others stated they were having to mortgage homes, fields, and vineyards to get enough grain to keep them from starvation. Some people had to sell their children into slavery. Nehemiah grew very angry as he listened to their complaints and told nobles and officials, "Each one of you is gouging his brother." A meeting was called by Nehemiah and he told the people what they were doing was wrong and asked if they still feared God. He asked them if they cared what their enemy nations thought. Nehemiah told the nobles and officials and everyone present to give the homes, fields, and vineyards back and forgive their claims on money, grain, wine, and olive oil. They agreed and gave it back. The priests were gathered and made a covenant with Nehemiah.
From the time Artaxerxes appointed Nehemiah governor of Judah, neither Nehemiah nor his brothers used the food allowance. In 12 years, previous governors oppressed the people by taxing 40 shekels of silver a day for food and wine. Nehemiah had more important things to accomplish and fed 150 Jews and officials as well as some people from other surrounding areas. One ox, 6 sheep, and chickens were prepared daily and wine was delivered every 10 days.
Rephaiah, mayor of a half district in Jerusalem, worked w/ Jedaiah and Hattush to rebuilt the front of his house. The tower of furnaces was worked on by Malkijah. Shallum was mayor over the other half district of Jerusalem and had help from his daughters in working on the project. Hanun with the help of people from Zanoah rebuilt the valley gate and also repaired 1500 ft of wall all the way to the dung gate. Malkijah repaired the dung gate and Shallum rebuilt the fountain gate as well as the wall of the pool of siloam at the kings garden. Nehemiah, mayor of half the district of Beth Zur, worked from the tomb of David to the house of heroes. Levites under Rehum worked alongside Hashabiah, mayor over half the district of Keilah. The Levite brother worked next to them under Binnui, mayor of the other half of Keilah.
Ezer rebuilt the section in front of the ascent to the armory as far as the angle. Baruch rebuilt from the angle to the door of the house of Eliashib. Meremoth started at Eliashib's door to the end of the house and priests went on from there. Benjamin, Azariah, and Hasshub worked on the section of wall in front of their homes. Binnui worked on the section by Azariah's house to the angle at the corner. Palal worked on the section opposite the angle and the projecting tower from the upper palace near the court of the guard. Alongside Palal, was Pedaiah and the temple support staff. They worked up to the section opposite the water gate east of the projecting tower. Men from Tekoa worked on the section of wall by the projecting tower to the ophel wall. Priests worked above the horse gate and repaired the wall in front of each of their houses. The next section was worked on by Zadok, Shemaiah Hananiah then Meshullam. Malkijah repaired the wall as far as the house for the temple support staff up to the inspection gate to the upper room at the corner.
While all this building was happening, Sanballet was extremely angry. His colleagues had the same feelings. Nehemiah prayed to God because he knew people hated what they were trying to accomplish. Because the workers were diligent, the whole wall was joined together and halfway to its intended height by this point. Sanballet, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites decided to join forces and go to battle against Jerusalem. Nehemiah again prayed to God. Armed guards were stationed around vulnerable places around the city wall and Nehemiah told everyone, even nobles and officials to not be afraid and fight for their families. The guards were on duty around the clock. Word spread quickly throughout Judah that the builders were exhausted and were too stressed to continue working, but despite that the laborers kept on working. Half of the laborers worked while the others stood guard with lances, shields, bows, and mail armor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_%28armour%29). Military officers were back up for everyone rebuilding the wall. Common laborers worked with one hand and a weapon in the other. Every builder wore a knife strapped to his side and Nehemiah kept a trumpet by him in case of emergency. When the workers heard the trumpet, they were all supposed to gather together.
The people began to protest. Some said they needed food for their large families while others stated they were having to mortgage homes, fields, and vineyards to get enough grain to keep them from starvation. Some people had to sell their children into slavery. Nehemiah grew very angry as he listened to their complaints and told nobles and officials, "Each one of you is gouging his brother." A meeting was called by Nehemiah and he told the people what they were doing was wrong and asked if they still feared God. He asked them if they cared what their enemy nations thought. Nehemiah told the nobles and officials and everyone present to give the homes, fields, and vineyards back and forgive their claims on money, grain, wine, and olive oil. They agreed and gave it back. The priests were gathered and made a covenant with Nehemiah.
From the time Artaxerxes appointed Nehemiah governor of Judah, neither Nehemiah nor his brothers used the food allowance. In 12 years, previous governors oppressed the people by taxing 40 shekels of silver a day for food and wine. Nehemiah had more important things to accomplish and fed 150 Jews and officials as well as some people from other surrounding areas. One ox, 6 sheep, and chickens were prepared daily and wine was delivered every 10 days.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Day 33
Ezra was a well educated man, who knew the Revelation of Moses well. God's hand was over him and king Artaxerxes found favor in him. Priests, singers, Levites, temple slaves, and temple security guards went with Ezra to Jerusalem. This was in Artaxerxes' 7th year of reigning.
Artaxerxes wrote Ezra a letter explaining his approval of this voyage. He gave him silver, gold, and donated offerings to purchase bulls, rams, lambs, and other ingredients for offerings. When they arrived, they waited 3 days then silver, gold, and vessels were weighed. Eleazar, Levites Jozabad and Noadiah, and Meremoth the priest did the sorting. The Israelites who were once exiled offered a whole burnt offering to God, which included 12 bulls, 96 rams, and 77 goats. Twelve goats were also sacrificed for an absolution offering. The leaders came to Ezra and told him the people of Israel hadn't kept distance from their neighbors with all their pagan ideas (Caananites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites). Some daughters married into their families and when Ezra learned this happened, he ripped his clothes in distress!!! He even pulled out some of his hair. During the evening sacrifice, Ezra dropped to his knees and prayed to God. He was so ashamed by what the Israelites did and their sin was so abundant. They threw God's commands to the wind and did what they wanted. Ezra asked God if he was angry enough to wipe the Israelites out completely. As Ezra prayed, a large number of people gathered around him. Shecaniah spoke on their behalf and admitted what they did, saying not all hope was list. He suggested making a promise to God agreeing to do away with all the wives and children. Ezra took initiative and had all the Israelite leaders, priests, Levies, and the people of Israel swear to carry out what Shecaniah proposed.
A summons was sent out for all those exiled throughout Judah and Jerusalem to meet in Jerusalem. If they weren't there within 3 days, the person's possessions would be taken away and given to those who were previously exiled. All the men from Judah and Benjamin arrived in time and were anxiously aggravated about the relentless rain. Ezra stood before them and urged them to confess and separate from their foreign wives. The whole group of men said they'd obey. The men suggested their leaders act on their behalf and have everyone who lives in the cities come at a specific time since there was so many people and it was the rainy season. Elders and judges from that city would come with them. The only people who opposed this plan were Jonathan and Jahzeiah. The plan was put into action and Ezra chose family heads and sat down with them on the 1st day of the 10th month. By the first day of the 1st month, they were finished going through all the men who took a foreign wife. The men all promised to divorce their wives and this was sealed by a handshake. Because of their guilt, they sacrificed a ram for a compensation offering.
Work, by it's very nature, is holy. The biblical story is dominated by people who have jobs in gardening, shepherding, the military, politics, carpentry, tent making, homemaking, fishing, and more. Nehemiah is one of these. He started out as a government worker in the employ of a foreign king. The he became-and this is the work he tells us in these memoirs-a building contractor, called into rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem."
~Eugene Peterson
In the month of Kislev (http://www.inner.org/times/kislev/kislev.htm) in the 20th year, Nehemiah was in the palace complex at Susa, where he worked as a cup bearer. His brother, Hanini, had just arrived with some fellow Jews. They told him how the living conditions of the Israelites were pathetic and the city wall was in ruins. Nehemiah mourned and fasted over this and prayed to God.
Artaxerxes was in his 20th year of reigning and it was the month of Nisan. Nehemiah served wine to the king and Artaxerxes asked him if he was sick or depressed. Nehemiah grew agitated and stated, "Long live the king! And why wouldn't I be depressed when the city, the city where all my family is buried, is in ruins and the city gates have been reduced to cinders?" Artazerxes asked how long the work would take and when he would be coming back. Nehemiah gave him a time and received approval. He asked the king to proved him with letters to the governors across the Euphrates stating his travel was authorized through to Judah. He also asked that Asaph supply timber for the Temple fortress, the city wall, and the house where he'd be living. The king even sent a cavalry escort with Nehemiah. Sanballet the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite were angry anyone would even pursue the interested of the Israelites. Once in Jerusalem, Nehemiah went past the valley gate toward the dragons fountain to the dung gate. He then crossed the fountain gate to the kings pool but the donkey he rode didn't have enough room to go through. Nehemiah inspected the city wall in secret. He then told the Jews, priests, nobles, and local officials how God and king Artaxerxes supported him coming to help repair the city wall. The people were ready to get started!
Artaxerxes wrote Ezra a letter explaining his approval of this voyage. He gave him silver, gold, and donated offerings to purchase bulls, rams, lambs, and other ingredients for offerings. When they arrived, they waited 3 days then silver, gold, and vessels were weighed. Eleazar, Levites Jozabad and Noadiah, and Meremoth the priest did the sorting. The Israelites who were once exiled offered a whole burnt offering to God, which included 12 bulls, 96 rams, and 77 goats. Twelve goats were also sacrificed for an absolution offering. The leaders came to Ezra and told him the people of Israel hadn't kept distance from their neighbors with all their pagan ideas (Caananites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites). Some daughters married into their families and when Ezra learned this happened, he ripped his clothes in distress!!! He even pulled out some of his hair. During the evening sacrifice, Ezra dropped to his knees and prayed to God. He was so ashamed by what the Israelites did and their sin was so abundant. They threw God's commands to the wind and did what they wanted. Ezra asked God if he was angry enough to wipe the Israelites out completely. As Ezra prayed, a large number of people gathered around him. Shecaniah spoke on their behalf and admitted what they did, saying not all hope was list. He suggested making a promise to God agreeing to do away with all the wives and children. Ezra took initiative and had all the Israelite leaders, priests, Levies, and the people of Israel swear to carry out what Shecaniah proposed.
A summons was sent out for all those exiled throughout Judah and Jerusalem to meet in Jerusalem. If they weren't there within 3 days, the person's possessions would be taken away and given to those who were previously exiled. All the men from Judah and Benjamin arrived in time and were anxiously aggravated about the relentless rain. Ezra stood before them and urged them to confess and separate from their foreign wives. The whole group of men said they'd obey. The men suggested their leaders act on their behalf and have everyone who lives in the cities come at a specific time since there was so many people and it was the rainy season. Elders and judges from that city would come with them. The only people who opposed this plan were Jonathan and Jahzeiah. The plan was put into action and Ezra chose family heads and sat down with them on the 1st day of the 10th month. By the first day of the 1st month, they were finished going through all the men who took a foreign wife. The men all promised to divorce their wives and this was sealed by a handshake. Because of their guilt, they sacrificed a ram for a compensation offering.
Work, by it's very nature, is holy. The biblical story is dominated by people who have jobs in gardening, shepherding, the military, politics, carpentry, tent making, homemaking, fishing, and more. Nehemiah is one of these. He started out as a government worker in the employ of a foreign king. The he became-and this is the work he tells us in these memoirs-a building contractor, called into rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem."
~Eugene Peterson
In the month of Kislev (http://www.inner.org/times/kislev/kislev.htm) in the 20th year, Nehemiah was in the palace complex at Susa, where he worked as a cup bearer. His brother, Hanini, had just arrived with some fellow Jews. They told him how the living conditions of the Israelites were pathetic and the city wall was in ruins. Nehemiah mourned and fasted over this and prayed to God.
Artaxerxes was in his 20th year of reigning and it was the month of Nisan. Nehemiah served wine to the king and Artaxerxes asked him if he was sick or depressed. Nehemiah grew agitated and stated, "Long live the king! And why wouldn't I be depressed when the city, the city where all my family is buried, is in ruins and the city gates have been reduced to cinders?" Artazerxes asked how long the work would take and when he would be coming back. Nehemiah gave him a time and received approval. He asked the king to proved him with letters to the governors across the Euphrates stating his travel was authorized through to Judah. He also asked that Asaph supply timber for the Temple fortress, the city wall, and the house where he'd be living. The king even sent a cavalry escort with Nehemiah. Sanballet the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite were angry anyone would even pursue the interested of the Israelites. Once in Jerusalem, Nehemiah went past the valley gate toward the dragons fountain to the dung gate. He then crossed the fountain gate to the kings pool but the donkey he rode didn't have enough room to go through. Nehemiah inspected the city wall in secret. He then told the Jews, priests, nobles, and local officials how God and king Artaxerxes supported him coming to help repair the city wall. The people were ready to get started!
Monday, September 27, 2010
What's going through my head today...
I wanted to take a quick break from recording what I'm reading in my bible to just get out some of my thoughts. I'm in a time of transition...again. Jason and I started looking at houses over the summer and have gone out a few times to narrow down our search. Our current house is on the market but we're afraid it won't sell. Even if it does sell, it won't sell for much. The sellers market is crap right now. I'm incredibly torn b/c I love this house. My blood, sweat, and tears were poured into this house that we've made our home over the last 5 or so years. I've documented and witnessed putting in a new foundation in the bathroom and kitchen. I picked out what toilet to buy. Our huge garden tub was purchased from a lady Jason knows for $25 and we got the pump on eBay for crying out loud! We repaired.....decorated... painted...we have my late Grandma's hand me down furniture. The new furnace was put in a few yrs ago. Jason and I replaced our bedroom floor in the middle of winter and slept in our dining room for a month before we had carpet laid. There are so many memories here. Just the other day we were reminiscing about what the house looked like when we first moved in. Just picture living in chaos to the nth degree! I cooked out of a microwave, had a mini fridge I used in college, and a piece of drywall on saw horses for a kitchen counter. I did my dishes in the bathroom sink. It was not the house every little girl dreams of having one day but we made it work. Yes, the house is old w/ crooked floors and bumpy walls but it is ours. My hope and prayer is that the person God has chosen to live here will appreciate or at least acknowledge what we did. We would rather see our house bull dosed than mistreated. I know we need to take emotion out of it, just like what you have to do when you find a new house you fall in love with. I can't help it though. My brain is overwhelmed with so many thoughts and no matter what I do to try and busy myself, nothing is working to keep my mind from racing.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Day 32
Chronicles tells the same story as Samuel and Kings but from another perspective and hundreds of years later. Eugene Peterson writes, "Holy history is not constructed from impersonal forces or abstract ideas; it is woven from names-persons, each one unique."
Tons of family names and their descendants are listed so I'm not going to bother writing it ALL out. I re-read a lot of what was already covered. I thought chapter 21 was interesting in regards to David taking a census of Israel b/c the writer says, "Satan entered the scene and seduced David."
The one things 2 kings didn't mention that 2 Chronicles did was king Cyrus. In his 1st year of reigning in Persia, he fulfilled what god said through Jeremiah. The king announced God gave him all the kingdoms of the earth and assigned him to build a Temple to worship in at Jerusalem. The Israelites were encouraged to move back home.
Ezra Intro
One hundred and twenty eight years after the Israelites were exiled and their city and Temple destroyed, a small amount of Jews tried to piece things back together. They weren't doing well until Ezra came. He got the people of Israel to worship God and obediently follow scripture. The leaders of the families in Judah and Benjamin as well as Levites and priests set out for Jerusalem to build the Temple of God. They had a ton of support and were given silver, gold, tools, pack animals, gifts, and free will offerings. King Cyrus of Persia also gave them all the utensils that Nebuchadnezzer swiped and put in his own temple. Mithredath, treasurer, was put in charge of the full inventory for Sheshbazzar, prince of Judah. Inventory included:
30 gold dishes, 1000 silver dishes, 29 silver pans, 30 gold bowls, 410 duplicate silver bowls, and 1,000 misc items.
The gold and silver amounted to 5,400 lbs alone! A great number of Israelite families returned to Jerusalem and Judah. However, son from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer weren't able to prove their ancestral connection as true Israelites. Priestly families such as Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzilla were no longer able to do priestly work and were deemed unclean w/o proof of ancestry. A whopping 42, 360 people including male and female slaves totaling 7,337 as well as 200 male and female singers, made the journey. They took 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6, 720 donkeys. The free will offerings consisted of 1,100 lbs of gold, 3 tons of silver, and 100 robes for priests.
Jeshua and his 2 brothers, who were priests, Zerubbabel and his relatives all went to work on the Altar of the God of Israel to offer a whole burnt offering. Despite what their non Israelite neighbors though, the whole burnt offering was offered morning and night. The Festival of Booths was also celebrated. The Israelites gave money and carpenters and masons were hired. They gave food and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians in exchange for cedar. In the 2nd year after their settlement in Jerusalem, Jeshua, brother pirests, Zerubbabel, and the Levites started on the Temple. Levites 20 + years of age were put in charge of directing the rebuild. After the foundation was laid, robed priests played trumpets, Levites played cymbals, and God was praised in a tradition carried out by king David. When old enemies of both Judah and Benjamin heard what the Israelites were doing, they offered to help build the Temple of God. Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other family heads refused their offer so they decided to badger those who were building the Temple and lower morale. This nonsense lasted 15 yrs; all during Cyrus' reign into Darius', and even into Xerxes'. Artaxerxes was sent a letter in aramaic from Rehum (the commanding officer) and Shimshai (secretary) against Jerusalem. The letter stated the Jews were rebuilding a rebellious and evil city, they would no longer pay tribute to Persia after the completion, and suggested Artaxerxes look at court records that would show there was a history of this group of people being a thorn in king's sides. Artaxerxes replied that he did look at the records and learned that Jerusalem did in fact revolt against previous kings, but they weren't looking to rebel. Jerusalem had great kings so Artaxerxes ordered the men to stop building and not start up again until he said so.
Haggai and Zechariah were prophets and preached to the people of Israel with god as their authority. Rebuilding the Temple started back up. Tattenai was governor of the land beyond the Euphrates and he and his associates asked the Israelites who permitted the building to continue. God watched over the leaders of the Jews and everything that happened. Work on the Temple wasn't stopped until a report was given to Darius and a reply was received. Tattenai, Shethar-Bozenai, and the officials of the land wrote Darius a letter, which included the Israelites response to the permit question, "We are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth. We are rebuilding the Temple that was built a long time ago. A great king of Israel build it, the entire structure. But our ancestors made the God of the heavens really angry and he turned them over to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the chaldean, who knocked this Temple down and took the people to Babylon in exile...". King Darius ordered an archived record search for Babylon. The scroll was in Media and explained the decree of Cyrus in his first year of reigning regarding the Temple of God. Darius' response to Tattenai was to stay out of the Israelites way so they could rebuild. They were to help the leaders of the Jews by paying construction fees from the royal bank via land taxes coming in. They were also to provide whatever was needed for any sacrifice. Anyone who violated Darius' decree was to be impaled by a timber outside their house and the house would become a makeshift manure pit. Building continued and was completed in Darius' 6th year of reigning over Persia. Everyone was overjoyed and dedication of the Temple proceeded. One hundred bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs were sacrificed as well as an absolution offering w/ 12 male goats signifying the 12 tribes of Israel. The Israelites purified themselves through Passover sometime later. Everyone was made ritually clean. The Passover lamb was slaughtered by the Levites for all the Israelites, their brother priests, and themselves. They celebrated the Feast of Unraised Bread for 7 days and were joyful that God worked in their favor once again to rebuild the Temple.
Tons of family names and their descendants are listed so I'm not going to bother writing it ALL out. I re-read a lot of what was already covered. I thought chapter 21 was interesting in regards to David taking a census of Israel b/c the writer says, "Satan entered the scene and seduced David."
The one things 2 kings didn't mention that 2 Chronicles did was king Cyrus. In his 1st year of reigning in Persia, he fulfilled what god said through Jeremiah. The king announced God gave him all the kingdoms of the earth and assigned him to build a Temple to worship in at Jerusalem. The Israelites were encouraged to move back home.
Ezra Intro
One hundred and twenty eight years after the Israelites were exiled and their city and Temple destroyed, a small amount of Jews tried to piece things back together. They weren't doing well until Ezra came. He got the people of Israel to worship God and obediently follow scripture. The leaders of the families in Judah and Benjamin as well as Levites and priests set out for Jerusalem to build the Temple of God. They had a ton of support and were given silver, gold, tools, pack animals, gifts, and free will offerings. King Cyrus of Persia also gave them all the utensils that Nebuchadnezzer swiped and put in his own temple. Mithredath, treasurer, was put in charge of the full inventory for Sheshbazzar, prince of Judah. Inventory included:
30 gold dishes, 1000 silver dishes, 29 silver pans, 30 gold bowls, 410 duplicate silver bowls, and 1,000 misc items.
The gold and silver amounted to 5,400 lbs alone! A great number of Israelite families returned to Jerusalem and Judah. However, son from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer weren't able to prove their ancestral connection as true Israelites. Priestly families such as Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzilla were no longer able to do priestly work and were deemed unclean w/o proof of ancestry. A whopping 42, 360 people including male and female slaves totaling 7,337 as well as 200 male and female singers, made the journey. They took 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6, 720 donkeys. The free will offerings consisted of 1,100 lbs of gold, 3 tons of silver, and 100 robes for priests.
Jeshua and his 2 brothers, who were priests, Zerubbabel and his relatives all went to work on the Altar of the God of Israel to offer a whole burnt offering. Despite what their non Israelite neighbors though, the whole burnt offering was offered morning and night. The Festival of Booths was also celebrated. The Israelites gave money and carpenters and masons were hired. They gave food and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians in exchange for cedar. In the 2nd year after their settlement in Jerusalem, Jeshua, brother pirests, Zerubbabel, and the Levites started on the Temple. Levites 20 + years of age were put in charge of directing the rebuild. After the foundation was laid, robed priests played trumpets, Levites played cymbals, and God was praised in a tradition carried out by king David. When old enemies of both Judah and Benjamin heard what the Israelites were doing, they offered to help build the Temple of God. Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other family heads refused their offer so they decided to badger those who were building the Temple and lower morale. This nonsense lasted 15 yrs; all during Cyrus' reign into Darius', and even into Xerxes'. Artaxerxes was sent a letter in aramaic from Rehum (the commanding officer) and Shimshai (secretary) against Jerusalem. The letter stated the Jews were rebuilding a rebellious and evil city, they would no longer pay tribute to Persia after the completion, and suggested Artaxerxes look at court records that would show there was a history of this group of people being a thorn in king's sides. Artaxerxes replied that he did look at the records and learned that Jerusalem did in fact revolt against previous kings, but they weren't looking to rebel. Jerusalem had great kings so Artaxerxes ordered the men to stop building and not start up again until he said so.
Haggai and Zechariah were prophets and preached to the people of Israel with god as their authority. Rebuilding the Temple started back up. Tattenai was governor of the land beyond the Euphrates and he and his associates asked the Israelites who permitted the building to continue. God watched over the leaders of the Jews and everything that happened. Work on the Temple wasn't stopped until a report was given to Darius and a reply was received. Tattenai, Shethar-Bozenai, and the officials of the land wrote Darius a letter, which included the Israelites response to the permit question, "We are servants of the God of the heavens and the earth. We are rebuilding the Temple that was built a long time ago. A great king of Israel build it, the entire structure. But our ancestors made the God of the heavens really angry and he turned them over to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, the chaldean, who knocked this Temple down and took the people to Babylon in exile...". King Darius ordered an archived record search for Babylon. The scroll was in Media and explained the decree of Cyrus in his first year of reigning regarding the Temple of God. Darius' response to Tattenai was to stay out of the Israelites way so they could rebuild. They were to help the leaders of the Jews by paying construction fees from the royal bank via land taxes coming in. They were also to provide whatever was needed for any sacrifice. Anyone who violated Darius' decree was to be impaled by a timber outside their house and the house would become a makeshift manure pit. Building continued and was completed in Darius' 6th year of reigning over Persia. Everyone was overjoyed and dedication of the Temple proceeded. One hundred bulls, 200 rams, and 400 lambs were sacrificed as well as an absolution offering w/ 12 male goats signifying the 12 tribes of Israel. The Israelites purified themselves through Passover sometime later. Everyone was made ritually clean. The Passover lamb was slaughtered by the Levites for all the Israelites, their brother priests, and themselves. They celebrated the Feast of Unraised Bread for 7 days and were joyful that God worked in their favor once again to rebuild the Temple.
Day 31
The groups formed to destroy Judah as God said he would allow and was in no way a coincidence. Nebuchadnezzer controlled all the land from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River, which had been formally controlled by the Egyptian king. Jehoichin became the next heir to the throne of Judah. He only ruled 3 months because he was imprisoned and was evil in God's eyes. The Babylonian king lay seige on Jerusalem and until the 8th year of reigning he was taken as prisoner along w/ his mom, officers, advisers, and government leaders and exiled to Babylon. The Temple of God was raided once again. Ten thousand leaders, soldiers, artisans, and craftsmen were sent into exile by Nebuchadnezzer. King Jehiachin's uncle, Mattaniah, was Nebuchadnezzer's puppet. His name was changed to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was made king of Judah when he was 21 yrs old and ruled 11 yrs. He acted like his father did. In the 10th month of Zedekiah's 9th year of reigning, Nebuchadnezzer set out to Jerusalem w/ a full army. Until Zedekiah's 11th year, the Babylonian king lay seige over the city. In the 11th year, a famine hit so hard no one had food. Zedekiah's army left one night and slipped through the Babylonian forces surrounding the city. They set out for Jordan but the Babylonians caught up with them in the Plains of Jericho. Zedekiah's army fled but he was taken as prisoner and taken to Nebuchadnezzer. Zedekiah's sons were killed in front of him and they they blinded him.
In the 5 mth of the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzer's reign of terror, the kings chief, Nebuzaradan, arrived in Jerusalem. he burnt the Temple of God to the ground along w/ the palace, and the rest of the city. Those who were left in the city were exiled. Only a handful of poor farmers were left behind to work in the vineyard and damaged fields. All the precious metal was scrapped from the Temple and taken to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzer made Gedaliah governor over the people left behind in Judah. Ishmael, Johanan, Kareah, and Jaazaniah were his followers. Gedaliah assured them everything would be ok and to respect Nebuchadnezzer. A little while later, Ishmael and 10 men killed Gedaliah, traitor Jews, and all Babylonian officers in Mizpah. Because they were afraid what their fate would be once the Babylonians found out, they all fled to Egypt.
In Jehoichin's 27th year of exile, Evil-Merodach (also called Amel-Marduk), who was Nebuchadnezzer's son and successor, freed him. Jehoichin received preferential treatment and ate at the king's table for the rest of his life.
In the 5 mth of the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzer's reign of terror, the kings chief, Nebuzaradan, arrived in Jerusalem. he burnt the Temple of God to the ground along w/ the palace, and the rest of the city. Those who were left in the city were exiled. Only a handful of poor farmers were left behind to work in the vineyard and damaged fields. All the precious metal was scrapped from the Temple and taken to Babylon. Nebuchadnezzer made Gedaliah governor over the people left behind in Judah. Ishmael, Johanan, Kareah, and Jaazaniah were his followers. Gedaliah assured them everything would be ok and to respect Nebuchadnezzer. A little while later, Ishmael and 10 men killed Gedaliah, traitor Jews, and all Babylonian officers in Mizpah. Because they were afraid what their fate would be once the Babylonians found out, they all fled to Egypt.
In Jehoichin's 27th year of exile, Evil-Merodach (also called Amel-Marduk), who was Nebuchadnezzer's son and successor, freed him. Jehoichin received preferential treatment and ate at the king's table for the rest of his life.
Day 30
Rabshakeh discovered his king pulled out of Lachish and moved the battle to Libnah. The Assyrian king heard king Tirhakah of Cush was coming to war against him so he sent a message to Hezekiah. Sennacherib told Hezekiah to stop believing the lie that their god would deliver them; they were no exception. Hezekiah took the letter to the Temple of god for god to see and he prayer fervently. Isaiah sent a threatening message of God's word to Sennacherib. that night, God's angel killed 185,000 Assyrians. when the people of Jerusalem awoke the next morning, they found the Assyrian camp full of corpses. However, the king escaped quickly during the attack and went home to Ninevah. When he was worshiping Nisroch, the Assyrian god of agriculture, in the temple one day, his own sons Adrammelech and Sharezer murdered him. Esarhaddon, another son of Sennacherib's, became king.
Time passed and Hezekiah fell ill and was told by Isaiah to arrange his affairs for he was going to die soon. Isaiah went out to the courtyard, but halfway there, God stopped him and said, "Go back and tell Hezekiah, prince of my people, God's word Hezekiah! From the God of your ancestor David: I've listened to your prayers and I've observed your tears. I'm going to heal you. In 3 days you will walk on your own legs into the Temple of God. I've just added 15 yrs to your life; I'm saving you from the king of Assyria, and I'm covering this city with my shield-for my sake and my servant David's sake." A plaster of figs was prepared and applied to Hezekiah's boil. Eww. Hezekiah asked Isaiah if the healing was from God or if there was a confirming sign. He told him he wanted the suns shadow to go back 10 degrees on the sundial. Isaiah prayed and God made it happen.
Merodach-Baladan, who was the Babylonian kings son, learned Hezekiah was ill, so he sent a get well card and a gift to him. This pleased Hezekiah so he gave the messengers a tour of his palace. Isaiah confronted him about this and spoke God's word to him, "...the day is coming when everything you own and everything your ancestors have passed down to you, right down to the last cup and saucer, will be cleaned out of here-plundered and packed off to Babylon. god's word! Worse yet, your sons, the progeny of sons you've begotten, will end up as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Men were castrated so if they slept w/ the king's wife, the blood line wouldn't be messed up. Eunuchs were also managers of the woman's quarters of the palace. Hezekiah believed god's word to be true, but though this wouldn't happen in his lifetime and he wouldn't enjoy life and security until his dying day. He was right. In the 15 yrs God added to his life, these tragic events didn't take place. His son, Manasseh, was heir to the throne of Judah. He was only 12, but was an evil king. Hello! He was a teenage boy! They should be locked away at the age haha. Manasseh brought back all the sex and religion shrines, altars, phallic images for Baael and Asherah. I wonder how much of this was actually his idea or his advisers suggestions. Manasseh did as king Ahaz of Israel did. He worshiped cosmic powers and took orders from the constellations. The Temple of God became a house for pagan altars. King Manasseh burned his own son in a sacrificial offering and practiced black magic and fortune telling. He even went as far as to hold seances to consult underworld spirits and killed innocent people all over Jerusalem. Manasseh was despicable in the eyes of God and He grew very angry! Prophets were spoken to by god that b/c Manasseh sinned outrageously, God was sending catastrophic events to Jerusalem and Judah. God said He'd wipe out Jerusalem and rid them of their inheritance and He'd turn them over to their enemies. Manasseh was buried at the Garden of Uzza. His son, Amnon, was 22 yrs old when he was heir to the thron of Juday and ruled 2 yrs in Jerusalem. Amnon also lived an evil life, following in his father's footsteps. His own servants killed him in the palace and the people of Judah had them assassinated.
Amnon's 8 yr old son, Josiah, became king. Thankfully he lived the way God asked. When he was 26, he sent Shaphan, the royal secretary, to the Temple of God. He was to tell the high priest, Hiliah, to count the $ brought to the Temple and turn it over to the foreman who were managing the work on the Temple. The foreman were to pay the laborers; all carpenters, construction workers, and masons. They were given authorization to purchase lumber and dressed stone to repair the Temple of God. Hiliah told Shaphan he'd found the Book of god's Revelation in the Temple and gave it to him to read. Shaphan reported to king Josiah and gave the book to him. Josiah ripped his robe and summoned Hilkiah, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asiah and ordered them to pray to God for him and the people of Juday. They were also supposed to pray for guidance on what to do w/ the book. The men went to Huldah, a prophetess, whose husband was in charge of the palace wardrobe. They were to tell the king god's word that doom and judgement would be brought down on them because they deserted God. Because Josiah responded the way he did, God would take care of him and his death would be quiet. He wouldn't be around long enough to witness the dismay.
King Josiah read the contents of the book to the Jerusalem elders, priests, prophets, and many other people. He made a covenant w/ the people and they confirmed it. Hilkiah and his associate were to cleanse the temple of God of all the garbage Manasseh brought back and burn them in the kidron fields. They were to dispose of the ashes in Bethel. The pagan priests were fired and all the false god paraphernalia was disposed of. Josiah also demolished the iron furnace griddle known as Topheth for sacrificing children to the god Molech. The bones in the hillside tombs were removed and cremated on the torn down altars, which fulfilled God's testament spoken by the Holy Man in Jeroboam's day. The Holy Man's bones were left untouched as well as the a prophet from Samaria. The king went through all the towns in Samaria, ridding them of sex and religion shrines and killing any and all priests who performed pagan offerings and sacrifices. The corpses were cremated on their own altars.
Josiah returned to Jerusalem and commanded the passover be celebrated as the book stated. Paroah Neco of Egypt joined forces w/ Assyria at the Euphrates River. Neco killed Josiah at the Plain of Megiddo. Twenty three year old, Jehoahaz, was heir to the throne but only ruled 3 mths. He reverted back to evil ways and was captured and put in chains by Neco in Hamath. Pharoah Neco made Judah pay almost 4 tons of silver and 75 tons of gold as a tribute. Eliakim was chosen by Neco to reign over Judah and his name was changed to Jehoiakim meaning he whom Jehovah has set up. Meanwhile, Jehoahaz died in Egypt. Jehoiakim was 25 yrs old at the time and ruled for 11 years in Jerusalem. He was an evil king. Not only was he a pawn of Neco, but also to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzer. After 3 yrs, he revolted and a succession of groups came against him.
Time passed and Hezekiah fell ill and was told by Isaiah to arrange his affairs for he was going to die soon. Isaiah went out to the courtyard, but halfway there, God stopped him and said, "Go back and tell Hezekiah, prince of my people, God's word Hezekiah! From the God of your ancestor David: I've listened to your prayers and I've observed your tears. I'm going to heal you. In 3 days you will walk on your own legs into the Temple of God. I've just added 15 yrs to your life; I'm saving you from the king of Assyria, and I'm covering this city with my shield-for my sake and my servant David's sake." A plaster of figs was prepared and applied to Hezekiah's boil. Eww. Hezekiah asked Isaiah if the healing was from God or if there was a confirming sign. He told him he wanted the suns shadow to go back 10 degrees on the sundial. Isaiah prayed and God made it happen.
Merodach-Baladan, who was the Babylonian kings son, learned Hezekiah was ill, so he sent a get well card and a gift to him. This pleased Hezekiah so he gave the messengers a tour of his palace. Isaiah confronted him about this and spoke God's word to him, "...the day is coming when everything you own and everything your ancestors have passed down to you, right down to the last cup and saucer, will be cleaned out of here-plundered and packed off to Babylon. god's word! Worse yet, your sons, the progeny of sons you've begotten, will end up as eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon." Men were castrated so if they slept w/ the king's wife, the blood line wouldn't be messed up. Eunuchs were also managers of the woman's quarters of the palace. Hezekiah believed god's word to be true, but though this wouldn't happen in his lifetime and he wouldn't enjoy life and security until his dying day. He was right. In the 15 yrs God added to his life, these tragic events didn't take place. His son, Manasseh, was heir to the throne of Judah. He was only 12, but was an evil king. Hello! He was a teenage boy! They should be locked away at the age haha. Manasseh brought back all the sex and religion shrines, altars, phallic images for Baael and Asherah. I wonder how much of this was actually his idea or his advisers suggestions. Manasseh did as king Ahaz of Israel did. He worshiped cosmic powers and took orders from the constellations. The Temple of God became a house for pagan altars. King Manasseh burned his own son in a sacrificial offering and practiced black magic and fortune telling. He even went as far as to hold seances to consult underworld spirits and killed innocent people all over Jerusalem. Manasseh was despicable in the eyes of God and He grew very angry! Prophets were spoken to by god that b/c Manasseh sinned outrageously, God was sending catastrophic events to Jerusalem and Judah. God said He'd wipe out Jerusalem and rid them of their inheritance and He'd turn them over to their enemies. Manasseh was buried at the Garden of Uzza. His son, Amnon, was 22 yrs old when he was heir to the thron of Juday and ruled 2 yrs in Jerusalem. Amnon also lived an evil life, following in his father's footsteps. His own servants killed him in the palace and the people of Judah had them assassinated.
Amnon's 8 yr old son, Josiah, became king. Thankfully he lived the way God asked. When he was 26, he sent Shaphan, the royal secretary, to the Temple of God. He was to tell the high priest, Hiliah, to count the $ brought to the Temple and turn it over to the foreman who were managing the work on the Temple. The foreman were to pay the laborers; all carpenters, construction workers, and masons. They were given authorization to purchase lumber and dressed stone to repair the Temple of God. Hiliah told Shaphan he'd found the Book of god's Revelation in the Temple and gave it to him to read. Shaphan reported to king Josiah and gave the book to him. Josiah ripped his robe and summoned Hilkiah, Ahikam, Acbor, Shaphan, and Asiah and ordered them to pray to God for him and the people of Juday. They were also supposed to pray for guidance on what to do w/ the book. The men went to Huldah, a prophetess, whose husband was in charge of the palace wardrobe. They were to tell the king god's word that doom and judgement would be brought down on them because they deserted God. Because Josiah responded the way he did, God would take care of him and his death would be quiet. He wouldn't be around long enough to witness the dismay.
King Josiah read the contents of the book to the Jerusalem elders, priests, prophets, and many other people. He made a covenant w/ the people and they confirmed it. Hilkiah and his associate were to cleanse the temple of God of all the garbage Manasseh brought back and burn them in the kidron fields. They were to dispose of the ashes in Bethel. The pagan priests were fired and all the false god paraphernalia was disposed of. Josiah also demolished the iron furnace griddle known as Topheth for sacrificing children to the god Molech. The bones in the hillside tombs were removed and cremated on the torn down altars, which fulfilled God's testament spoken by the Holy Man in Jeroboam's day. The Holy Man's bones were left untouched as well as the a prophet from Samaria. The king went through all the towns in Samaria, ridding them of sex and religion shrines and killing any and all priests who performed pagan offerings and sacrifices. The corpses were cremated on their own altars.
Josiah returned to Jerusalem and commanded the passover be celebrated as the book stated. Paroah Neco of Egypt joined forces w/ Assyria at the Euphrates River. Neco killed Josiah at the Plain of Megiddo. Twenty three year old, Jehoahaz, was heir to the throne but only ruled 3 mths. He reverted back to evil ways and was captured and put in chains by Neco in Hamath. Pharoah Neco made Judah pay almost 4 tons of silver and 75 tons of gold as a tribute. Eliakim was chosen by Neco to reign over Judah and his name was changed to Jehoiakim meaning he whom Jehovah has set up. Meanwhile, Jehoahaz died in Egypt. Jehoiakim was 25 yrs old at the time and ruled for 11 years in Jerusalem. He was an evil king. Not only was he a pawn of Neco, but also to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzer. After 3 yrs, he revolted and a succession of groups came against him.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Day 29
Hoshea was in his 3rd year of reigning when Hezekiah started ruling Judah. Hezekiah was 25 yrs old when he took the throne in Jerusalem and reigned until he was 54. Hezekiah lived up to God's standards by ridding of fertility shrines, phallic stone monuments, and Asherah poles. He also went as far as destroying the bronze sneak made by Moses, which the people of Israel named Nehushtan and made sacrifices to it. Hezekiah was one of a kind and obeyed God's commands to a T. During his reign, he stopped serving the Assyrian king and drove the Philistines to Gaza. In his 4th year, king Shalmanese of Assyria attacked Samaria and captured it after 3 yrs. In Hezekiah's 14th year, Sennacherib was king of Assyria and attacked all cities surrounding Judah and captured them. Hezekiah offered to pay the king of Assyria if he pulled his troops back. Sennacherib demanded 11 tons of silver and 1 ton of gold. Hezekiah raided the temple of God and even went as far as removing the doors and doorposts that had gold plating on them. Tartan, Rabsaris, and Rabshakeh were military chiefs and were sent by Sennacherib w/ a strong army to see Hezekiah. They stopped at the aqueduct of the Upper Pool on the road to the laundry commons and shouted for the king. Rabshakeh was the spokesman and sent a message to Hezekiah basically belittling and threatening him and asked who would come to his aide since he cut ties w/ the king of Assyria. Eliahim, who was in charge of Hezekiah's palace asked Rabshekeh to speak in Aramaic b/c the Hebrew he was speaking was understood by everyone gathered by the city wall. Rabshekah refused for this was public information and stated, "If you don't come to terms, they'll be eating their own turds and drinking their own pee right along with you." He told the people not to trust Hezekiah or believe God would save them from the king of Assyria. No one said anything for they were ordered by Hezekiah to do so. Eliakim and the 2 other palace officials ripped their clothes and reported back to king Hezekiah. When he learned what Rabshekeh said, Hezekiah ripped his robes, dressed in burlap, and went to the Temple of God. Eliakim and Shebna (the secretary), and all senior priests dressed in burlap and were sent w/ a message to the prophet Isaiah. The message was:
This is a black day, a terrible day-doomsday. Babies poised to be born, no strength to birth them. Maybe God, your God, has been listening to them blasphemous speech of Rabshekeh who was sent by the king of Assyria, his master to humiliate the living God; maybe God your God, won't let him get by w/ such talk; and you, maybe you will lift up prayers for what's left of these people.
Paraphrasing, Isaiah told them not to fear what was going on. The king of Assyria would be afflicted by self doubt. He'll hear a rumor, be afraid for his life, and retreat to his homeland. He'd make sure he was killed.
This is a black day, a terrible day-doomsday. Babies poised to be born, no strength to birth them. Maybe God, your God, has been listening to them blasphemous speech of Rabshekeh who was sent by the king of Assyria, his master to humiliate the living God; maybe God your God, won't let him get by w/ such talk; and you, maybe you will lift up prayers for what's left of these people.
Paraphrasing, Isaiah told them not to fear what was going on. The king of Assyria would be afflicted by self doubt. He'll hear a rumor, be afraid for his life, and retreat to his homeland. He'd make sure he was killed.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Day 28
Joash was in his 23rd year of reigning over Judah when Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria. Jehoahaz ruled for 17 years and lived an evil life. God's anger grew towards Israel and they were handed over to Hazael and his son, Beh-Hadad. God actually listened though when Jehoahaz prayed to Him and delivered them from the king of Aram. Even though this generous deed from God was given to them, the people of Israel didn't change their ways. They kept sinning in the way Jeroboam did and their Asherah sex and religion shrines stayed. Only 50 cavalry, 10 chariots, and 10,000 infantry were left after Hazael's reign over them. Jehoahaz died and Jehoash, his son, succeeded him. This occurred in Joash's 37th year reigning over Judah.
Jehoash reigned in Israel for 16 yrs and he lived an evil life just like his dad. He went to war w/ Amaziah, king of Judah in his 2nd year of reigning. Jeroboam took over the throne.
Meanwhile, Elisha fell ill and it was fatal. Jehoash brought him a bow and some arrows and Elisha told him to put his hand on the bow and put his hand on Jehoash's. Jehoash was then instructed to shoot an arrow out the window on the east side of the building. The arrow signified his deliverance from Hazael of Aram. Elisha said,"...You will do battle against Aram until there's nothing left of it." Elisha then told Jehoash to strike the ground with an arrow, but grew angry because he only struck the ground 3x instead of 5 or 6x. Because of this, Jehoash would only have victory over Aram 3x. Elisha croaked and was buried. He rotted for awhile and then some men near his tomb noticed Moabite invaders, so they ditched a dead body. When the corpse touched Elisha's bones, life went back into the man and he walked out of the tomb. The first thing I wonder is if there were any bystanders. The second thing is what if he was embalmed and all of his organs were taken out.
Ben-Hadad of Aram took the throne after Hazael died. Jehoash recaptured cities of Israel that were taken during Hazael's reign and defeated them in the 3x he went to battle against them.
Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king of Judah and reigned 29 years. He lived the way God wanted him to, but below David's standard of living. The palace guard who killed his father was executed by Amaziah. One day he challenged Jehoash to a duel and wouldn't accept no for an answer. The 2 kings met at Beth Shemesh. Israel kicked Judah's butt and Amaziah's men went running in defeat. King Amaziah was captured and Jehoash's army tore down 600 ft of Jerusalem's wall and took gold, silver, and anything that had value. The palace and the Temple of God were also raided and to put one more nail in the coffin, they took hostages. A plot against Amaziah was made and he fled to Lachish, but he was still killed there. His 16 year old son, Azariah, was made king.
Jeroboam became king over Israel in the 15th year of Amaziah's reign and ruled 41 years. He was evil and led Israel to sin. Even though God wasn't pleased by his sins, he did restore Israel's borders to Lebo Hamath on the north side of the country and to the Dead Sea. Because God wasn't done with Israel, He used Jeroboam to save them. His son, Zechariah, was heir to the throne when he died.
Azariah reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. He followed in his father's footsteps by living well in God's eyes. He still allowed the sex and religion shrines to stay though. Azariah was plagued with a leprosy until he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house and his son Jotham, was put in charge of the royal palace. Azariah was in his 38th year when Zechariah was king over Israel for a measly 6 months. Zechariah was assassinated in public by Shallum and he took over the kingly dties. Zechariah fulfilled God's word spoke to Jehu about 4 generations of his family ruling over Israel.
Shallum was only king of Israel for 1 month b/c he was attacked and killed by Menahem, son of Gadi, from Tirzah. Menahem created mayhem, devastating the town brutally ripped open every pregnant woman. He was king for 10 years, which is way too long in my opinion. When Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria came to Samaria to attack it, Menahem made a deal with him. He gave him 37 tons of silver and made every owner of land in Israel give him 50 shekels. Pekahiah, son of Menahem, ruled Israel for 2 years. He was just as evil as his father. Pekah, a military aide, killed him in cold blood in his palace. Pekah had 50 Gadites following him and he became king of Israel in Azariah's last year of reigning Judah. Pekah lived an evil life and before too long Tiglath-Pileser III was back again. This time he captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali and took all the inhabitants hostage in Assyria. Pekah was killed by Hoshea in Jotham's 2 year of reigning in Judah. Jotham was 25 when he became king and ruled 16 years. He lived a good life according to God but allowed the sex and religion shrines to stay.
In Pekah's 17th year, Ahaz, son of Jotham, becaue king of Judah. Ahaz was 20 and ruled until he was 36 in Jerusalem. Apparently this guy was a real winner. He picked up the pagan ritual of passing his son through the fire. He also partook in sex and religion shrine activities. The king of Assyria received a message from Ahaz when Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel ganged up on Jerusalem. Ahaz robbed the palace and the Temple of God of gold and silver and asked Tiglath-Pileser III to save him. The Assyrian king captured Damascus, exiled Ninevites and killed Rezin. Ahaz then met the king in Damascus where he found an altar he favored. A priest named Uruiah built him a replica. King Ahaz reverently approached the pagan altar and made the following offerings: whole burnt, grain, libation of drink offering (the act of pouring a liquid offering (especially wine) as a religious ceremony) and sprinkle of blood from a peace offering. Ahaz pushed aside the bronze altar put there previously to signify God's presence. Uriah was told to only use the newer and greater altar. King Ahaz stripped the bronze off the furniture of the Temple.
Hoshea ruled Israel in Ahaz's 12th yr and ruled 9 yrs. He paid Shalmaneser, king of Assyria tribute, but his traiorous ways were revealed by him making a deal with So, king of Egypt. He was arrested and imprisoned for being late on his payments. Shalmaneser seiged Samaria for 3 yrs. This all happened when Hoshea reigned 9 yrs. The Israelites sinned therefore Shalmaneser exiled them in Assyria. They went to Halah and Medes. In short they (the people of Israel) prostituted themselves to every kind of evil available to them and God had enough. God was so livid w/ his people, He rid the country of them until only one tribe, Judah, was left. Judah failed in keeping commandments made by God. God rejected everyone tied to Israel. People from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim were brought to Samaria by the Assyrian king to replace the Israelites. God wasn't honored by them so he sent lions that mauled them to death. When the Assyrian king received message that the lions came from the god of the land b/c no one knew what he expected, priests once exiled from Samaria, were brought back to instruct the people. One priest taught the people to worship and honor God, but most of the people made their own gods amonst the sex and religion shrines. God wasn't exclusively honored or worshiped. A lot of priests were appointed at the fertility shrines, but they kept their devotion to their old gods even though they worshiped the one and only God. And they're still doing it, still worshiping any old god that had appeal to them. They don't really worship God—they don't take seriously what He says regarding how to behave and what to believe, what he revealed to the children of Jacob whom he named Israel.
Jehoash reigned in Israel for 16 yrs and he lived an evil life just like his dad. He went to war w/ Amaziah, king of Judah in his 2nd year of reigning. Jeroboam took over the throne.
Meanwhile, Elisha fell ill and it was fatal. Jehoash brought him a bow and some arrows and Elisha told him to put his hand on the bow and put his hand on Jehoash's. Jehoash was then instructed to shoot an arrow out the window on the east side of the building. The arrow signified his deliverance from Hazael of Aram. Elisha said,"...You will do battle against Aram until there's nothing left of it." Elisha then told Jehoash to strike the ground with an arrow, but grew angry because he only struck the ground 3x instead of 5 or 6x. Because of this, Jehoash would only have victory over Aram 3x. Elisha croaked and was buried. He rotted for awhile and then some men near his tomb noticed Moabite invaders, so they ditched a dead body. When the corpse touched Elisha's bones, life went back into the man and he walked out of the tomb. The first thing I wonder is if there were any bystanders. The second thing is what if he was embalmed and all of his organs were taken out.
Ben-Hadad of Aram took the throne after Hazael died. Jehoash recaptured cities of Israel that were taken during Hazael's reign and defeated them in the 3x he went to battle against them.
Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king of Judah and reigned 29 years. He lived the way God wanted him to, but below David's standard of living. The palace guard who killed his father was executed by Amaziah. One day he challenged Jehoash to a duel and wouldn't accept no for an answer. The 2 kings met at Beth Shemesh. Israel kicked Judah's butt and Amaziah's men went running in defeat. King Amaziah was captured and Jehoash's army tore down 600 ft of Jerusalem's wall and took gold, silver, and anything that had value. The palace and the Temple of God were also raided and to put one more nail in the coffin, they took hostages. A plot against Amaziah was made and he fled to Lachish, but he was still killed there. His 16 year old son, Azariah, was made king.
Jeroboam became king over Israel in the 15th year of Amaziah's reign and ruled 41 years. He was evil and led Israel to sin. Even though God wasn't pleased by his sins, he did restore Israel's borders to Lebo Hamath on the north side of the country and to the Dead Sea. Because God wasn't done with Israel, He used Jeroboam to save them. His son, Zechariah, was heir to the throne when he died.
Azariah reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. He followed in his father's footsteps by living well in God's eyes. He still allowed the sex and religion shrines to stay though. Azariah was plagued with a leprosy until he died. He lived in isolation in a separate house and his son Jotham, was put in charge of the royal palace. Azariah was in his 38th year when Zechariah was king over Israel for a measly 6 months. Zechariah was assassinated in public by Shallum and he took over the kingly dties. Zechariah fulfilled God's word spoke to Jehu about 4 generations of his family ruling over Israel.
Shallum was only king of Israel for 1 month b/c he was attacked and killed by Menahem, son of Gadi, from Tirzah. Menahem created mayhem, devastating the town brutally ripped open every pregnant woman. He was king for 10 years, which is way too long in my opinion. When Tiglath-Pileser III, king of Assyria came to Samaria to attack it, Menahem made a deal with him. He gave him 37 tons of silver and made every owner of land in Israel give him 50 shekels. Pekahiah, son of Menahem, ruled Israel for 2 years. He was just as evil as his father. Pekah, a military aide, killed him in cold blood in his palace. Pekah had 50 Gadites following him and he became king of Israel in Azariah's last year of reigning Judah. Pekah lived an evil life and before too long Tiglath-Pileser III was back again. This time he captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and Naphtali and took all the inhabitants hostage in Assyria. Pekah was killed by Hoshea in Jotham's 2 year of reigning in Judah. Jotham was 25 when he became king and ruled 16 years. He lived a good life according to God but allowed the sex and religion shrines to stay.
In Pekah's 17th year, Ahaz, son of Jotham, becaue king of Judah. Ahaz was 20 and ruled until he was 36 in Jerusalem. Apparently this guy was a real winner. He picked up the pagan ritual of passing his son through the fire. He also partook in sex and religion shrine activities. The king of Assyria received a message from Ahaz when Rezin of Aram and Pekah of Israel ganged up on Jerusalem. Ahaz robbed the palace and the Temple of God of gold and silver and asked Tiglath-Pileser III to save him. The Assyrian king captured Damascus, exiled Ninevites and killed Rezin. Ahaz then met the king in Damascus where he found an altar he favored. A priest named Uruiah built him a replica. King Ahaz reverently approached the pagan altar and made the following offerings: whole burnt, grain, libation of drink offering (the act of pouring a liquid offering (especially wine) as a religious ceremony) and sprinkle of blood from a peace offering. Ahaz pushed aside the bronze altar put there previously to signify God's presence. Uriah was told to only use the newer and greater altar. King Ahaz stripped the bronze off the furniture of the Temple.
Hoshea ruled Israel in Ahaz's 12th yr and ruled 9 yrs. He paid Shalmaneser, king of Assyria tribute, but his traiorous ways were revealed by him making a deal with So, king of Egypt. He was arrested and imprisoned for being late on his payments. Shalmaneser seiged Samaria for 3 yrs. This all happened when Hoshea reigned 9 yrs. The Israelites sinned therefore Shalmaneser exiled them in Assyria. They went to Halah and Medes. In short they (the people of Israel) prostituted themselves to every kind of evil available to them and God had enough. God was so livid w/ his people, He rid the country of them until only one tribe, Judah, was left. Judah failed in keeping commandments made by God. God rejected everyone tied to Israel. People from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim were brought to Samaria by the Assyrian king to replace the Israelites. God wasn't honored by them so he sent lions that mauled them to death. When the Assyrian king received message that the lions came from the god of the land b/c no one knew what he expected, priests once exiled from Samaria, were brought back to instruct the people. One priest taught the people to worship and honor God, but most of the people made their own gods amonst the sex and religion shrines. God wasn't exclusively honored or worshiped. A lot of priests were appointed at the fertility shrines, but they kept their devotion to their old gods even though they worshiped the one and only God. And they're still doing it, still worshiping any old god that had appeal to them. They don't really worship God—they don't take seriously what He says regarding how to behave and what to believe, what he revealed to the children of Jacob whom he named Israel.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Day 27
Backtracking a little bit, Joram was in his 11th year when Ahaziah became king over Judah.
Jezebel was apparently still alive at this point and dolled herself up when Jehu came to Jezreel. She posed seductively and called out to Jehu, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You’re just like Zimri, who murdered his master." Jehu asked if anyone up there was on his side. A few eunuchs peered out and were ordered by Jehu to throw Jezebel out the window, which they did and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. Jehu trampled her body under his horses’ hooves and went into the palace to eat and drink. After he had his fill, he suggested Jezebel be buried b/c she was the daughter of a king. All that was left of Jezebel was her skull, feet, and hands. God's words through Elijah were carried out about her being eaten by dogs.
Jehu wrote a message forewarning leaders in the city of Jezreel, elders, and those in charge of Ahab's 70 songs and posted them in Samaria. The letter stated that the most capable son should be put on the throne and prep time was needed to fight for the master's position. All the leaders who read the letter were petrified so they responded by submitting themselves into servant hood to Jehu and stating no one would be made king b/c he was in charge. Jehu wanted all 70 of Ahab's sons beheaded and the heads were to be sent to him first thing in the morning. The heads were in 2 piles at the city gate. Everyone, including friends and priests, who had any connection to Ahab were taken out by Jehu. Jehu then met up with Ahaziah's relatives who were shepherds by trade, at Beth Eked. All 42 were abducted and killed. Jehonadab the Rocabite joined forces with Jehu and they traveled to Samaria together. Everyone there who had any connection to Ahab was killed as God previously told Elijah.
Jehu called all the Baal prophets saying he wanted to offer a sacrifice, but in reality he just wanted them all dead. They all squished inside Baal's temple and eighty men had orders from Jehu to not let anyone escape and if they did, they were to kill them. Once the sacrifices were made, Jehu signaled his officers saying, "Enter and kill! No survivors!: The massacre began and corpses were thrown outside the temple and the path to the inner shrine was cleared. A huge phallic shaped stone was taken out and destroyed as well as the altars and the entire temple. This area has been a public toilet ever since. Ahh the humor :) Even after all these events occured, Jehu didn't turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. Israel still sinned. Bethel and Dan were still homes to golden calves. As a reward for doing what God commanded, Jehu's sons would reign over Israel for 4 generations. It was in God's plan to make Israel a smaller area and Hazael moved in from the east and conquered many territories.
Jehoahaz was the heir to the throne of Israel after Jehu reigned in Samaria for 28 years. Athaliah was Ahaziah's mother and she took over when she learned he was dead and started killing off the royal family. King Joram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, Jehosheba, took Joash (Ahaziah's son) and kidnapped him so he wouldn't die. They hid with his nurse in the Temple of God for 6 years and escaped death. In the 7th year of Athaliah's reign, the captains of the body guards and security force for the palace were sent for by Jehoiada (a priest). Jehoiada made a covenant with them when they met at the Temple of God and only after they were sworn to secrecy did they learn about young Joash. At the changing of the guard on the Sabbath, Joash was to be protected by on duty and off duty officers. They had been ordered to kill anyone who tried to get to him. Jehoiada crowned prince Joash, handed the scroll of God's covenent to him, and pronounced him king. Athaliah saw the guards and the crowd forming as they shouted, "Long live the king" and ripped her robe crying, "Treason! Treason!" Military officers were to drag Athaliah outside the Temple of God and kill her as well as her followers. The people then entered Baal's temple and destroyed everything in sight, including Maltan the priest. Jehoiada stationed security around the Temple of God and appointed bodyguards for king Joash who was only 7 yrs old at the time. Jehu was in his 7th year of reigning when Joash took the throne.
Joash was trained by Jehoada and pleased God for the duration of his life. The sacred fertility shrines stayed put and people use them for sacrificing and incense burning. Joash told the priests to take the offering money brought to the Temple, both for mandatory and freewill, and renovated the Temple's damaged areas. By Joash's 23rd year of reigning, the priests hadn't honored his request and the Temple of God looked terrible. The priests were told by the king as well as Jehoiada, that all the money was to go directly to him and they were forbidden to take any money for repair. A small box was put at the entrance to the Temple and when it was full, the secretary to the king and chief priest could empty it. They would then put it towards the trades people who would do repairs.
Meanwhile, king Hazael of Aram attacked and captured Gath. Joash gave Hazael a huge gift of sacred memorials so he wouldn't attack Jerusalem. The palace staff who worked for Joash aspired against him and took it upon themselves to assassinate him as he walked outside the city wall. The assassins were Jozabad and Jehozabad. Amaziah was the heir to the throne.
Jezebel was apparently still alive at this point and dolled herself up when Jehu came to Jezreel. She posed seductively and called out to Jehu, “Have you come in peace, you murderer? You’re just like Zimri, who murdered his master." Jehu asked if anyone up there was on his side. A few eunuchs peered out and were ordered by Jehu to throw Jezebel out the window, which they did and her blood spattered against the wall and on the horses. Jehu trampled her body under his horses’ hooves and went into the palace to eat and drink. After he had his fill, he suggested Jezebel be buried b/c she was the daughter of a king. All that was left of Jezebel was her skull, feet, and hands. God's words through Elijah were carried out about her being eaten by dogs.
Jehu wrote a message forewarning leaders in the city of Jezreel, elders, and those in charge of Ahab's 70 songs and posted them in Samaria. The letter stated that the most capable son should be put on the throne and prep time was needed to fight for the master's position. All the leaders who read the letter were petrified so they responded by submitting themselves into servant hood to Jehu and stating no one would be made king b/c he was in charge. Jehu wanted all 70 of Ahab's sons beheaded and the heads were to be sent to him first thing in the morning. The heads were in 2 piles at the city gate. Everyone, including friends and priests, who had any connection to Ahab were taken out by Jehu. Jehu then met up with Ahaziah's relatives who were shepherds by trade, at Beth Eked. All 42 were abducted and killed. Jehonadab the Rocabite joined forces with Jehu and they traveled to Samaria together. Everyone there who had any connection to Ahab was killed as God previously told Elijah.
Jehu called all the Baal prophets saying he wanted to offer a sacrifice, but in reality he just wanted them all dead. They all squished inside Baal's temple and eighty men had orders from Jehu to not let anyone escape and if they did, they were to kill them. Once the sacrifices were made, Jehu signaled his officers saying, "Enter and kill! No survivors!: The massacre began and corpses were thrown outside the temple and the path to the inner shrine was cleared. A huge phallic shaped stone was taken out and destroyed as well as the altars and the entire temple. This area has been a public toilet ever since. Ahh the humor :) Even after all these events occured, Jehu didn't turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. Israel still sinned. Bethel and Dan were still homes to golden calves. As a reward for doing what God commanded, Jehu's sons would reign over Israel for 4 generations. It was in God's plan to make Israel a smaller area and Hazael moved in from the east and conquered many territories.
Jehoahaz was the heir to the throne of Israel after Jehu reigned in Samaria for 28 years. Athaliah was Ahaziah's mother and she took over when she learned he was dead and started killing off the royal family. King Joram's daughter and Ahaziah's sister, Jehosheba, took Joash (Ahaziah's son) and kidnapped him so he wouldn't die. They hid with his nurse in the Temple of God for 6 years and escaped death. In the 7th year of Athaliah's reign, the captains of the body guards and security force for the palace were sent for by Jehoiada (a priest). Jehoiada made a covenant with them when they met at the Temple of God and only after they were sworn to secrecy did they learn about young Joash. At the changing of the guard on the Sabbath, Joash was to be protected by on duty and off duty officers. They had been ordered to kill anyone who tried to get to him. Jehoiada crowned prince Joash, handed the scroll of God's covenent to him, and pronounced him king. Athaliah saw the guards and the crowd forming as they shouted, "Long live the king" and ripped her robe crying, "Treason! Treason!" Military officers were to drag Athaliah outside the Temple of God and kill her as well as her followers. The people then entered Baal's temple and destroyed everything in sight, including Maltan the priest. Jehoiada stationed security around the Temple of God and appointed bodyguards for king Joash who was only 7 yrs old at the time. Jehu was in his 7th year of reigning when Joash took the throne.
Joash was trained by Jehoada and pleased God for the duration of his life. The sacred fertility shrines stayed put and people use them for sacrificing and incense burning. Joash told the priests to take the offering money brought to the Temple, both for mandatory and freewill, and renovated the Temple's damaged areas. By Joash's 23rd year of reigning, the priests hadn't honored his request and the Temple of God looked terrible. The priests were told by the king as well as Jehoiada, that all the money was to go directly to him and they were forbidden to take any money for repair. A small box was put at the entrance to the Temple and when it was full, the secretary to the king and chief priest could empty it. They would then put it towards the trades people who would do repairs.
Meanwhile, king Hazael of Aram attacked and captured Gath. Joash gave Hazael a huge gift of sacred memorials so he wouldn't attack Jerusalem. The palace staff who worked for Joash aspired against him and took it upon themselves to assassinate him as he walked outside the city wall. The assassins were Jozabad and Jehozabad. Amaziah was the heir to the throne.
Day 26
Jehu's officers piled their robes at the top of the steps to make a throne and blew their trumpets in declaration of Jehu becoming king. At that moment a conspiracy was formed against him.
Jehu said, "If you really want me as king, don't let anyone sneak out of the city and blab the news in Jezreel." He then mounted a chariot and rode there himself, where Joram was recovering from a war injury. The man on duty at the watchtower in Jezreel saw the group arriving and told Joram who ordered a horseman meet them and ask what was wrong. Jehu responded by asking, "What's it to you whether things are right or wrong? Fall in behind me." The sentry told Joram the horseman hadn't returned and another was sent out. He too joined Jehu. Clueless, the watchman reported, "The messenger reached them, but he's not returning. The driving is like driving of Jehu son of Nimshi-crazy!" Joram had his chariot hitched and he and Ahaziah drove to meet Jehu. Joram politely called out to Jehu but he shot back asking what was good about the day and how anything could be good while promiscuous whoring and sorceries polluted the country. Joram fled and yelled to Ahaziah that it was a trap. An arrow was shot by Jehu that landed between Joram's shoulder blades and went through his heart and his corpse was thrown into the field of Naboth. Ahaziah tried to escape to Beth Haggan but Jehu's men shot an arrow and wounded him. He made it to Megiddo, but died and was buried in Jerusalem.
Jehu said, "If you really want me as king, don't let anyone sneak out of the city and blab the news in Jezreel." He then mounted a chariot and rode there himself, where Joram was recovering from a war injury. The man on duty at the watchtower in Jezreel saw the group arriving and told Joram who ordered a horseman meet them and ask what was wrong. Jehu responded by asking, "What's it to you whether things are right or wrong? Fall in behind me." The sentry told Joram the horseman hadn't returned and another was sent out. He too joined Jehu. Clueless, the watchman reported, "The messenger reached them, but he's not returning. The driving is like driving of Jehu son of Nimshi-crazy!" Joram had his chariot hitched and he and Ahaziah drove to meet Jehu. Joram politely called out to Jehu but he shot back asking what was good about the day and how anything could be good while promiscuous whoring and sorceries polluted the country. Joram fled and yelled to Ahaziah that it was a trap. An arrow was shot by Jehu that landed between Joram's shoulder blades and went through his heart and his corpse was thrown into the field of Naboth. Ahaziah tried to escape to Beth Haggan but Jehu's men shot an arrow and wounded him. He made it to Megiddo, but died and was buried in Jerusalem.
Day 25
The group of prophets got permission from Elisha to build a new house for him and started cutting trees by the Jordan river. One of the prophet's ax heads, that were borrowed, fell in the water. Elisha tossed a stick into the water where the ax head was lost and it floated up to the surface.
Elisha forewarned the king of Israel about the king of Aram's ambush and apparently this happened so frequently the king thought Israel had a spy within his ranks. One of the king's men told him Elisha was the culprit and currently in Dothan. An aggressive force was sent by the king of Aram to capture him. A young man with Elisha, the Holy Man, saw horses and chariots surrounding the entire city and was frightened. Elisha prayed to God that the young man's eyes be opened and he saw they were made of fire! When the Aramean's arrived, God struck them blind just as Elisha prayed for. Without revealing his identity, Elisha told the men the man they were looking for was in Samaria. Their site was returned to them as they entered Samaria. When the king of Israel asked if they should be killed, Elisha suggested throwing a feast for them and sending them on their way.
Some time passed and king Ben-Hadad of Aram seized Samaria, which brought on a terrible famine. Food was extremely expensive. Donkey heads were 80 shekels ($21 US) and greens were 5 ($1 US). This caused mass hysteria which lead to cannibalism. A woman asked the king of Israel for help because of an altercation she had. Another woman approached her and said, "Give up your son and we'll have him for today's supper; tomorrow we'll eat my son." The woman told the king they cooked her son and ate him. The next day she approached the same woman only to find that she had hidden her son. The king ripped his robe and everyone saw he was wearing burlap underneath it. He cried out to God for the worst punishment possible if Elisha was still alive and sent an executioner to Elisha's home. Elisha already knew what the king planned so he instructed the elders with him to shut the door and lock it. Just then the king burst thew his door saying, "This trouble is directly from God! And what's next? I'm fed up with God!" Elisha announced the famine was over and the market would be full of affordable food again. The king's attendant thought Elisha was full of crap so Elisha told him he wouldn't get to eat at all.
Four lepers went to Aramean's camp, but it was completely empty. God made the men hear a mighty army approaching so they fled the area. They thought the Hittites and the kings of Egypt were sent by the king of Israel. The lepers ate and drank and looted silver, gold, and clothes. They continued searching for valuables, but their consciences kicked in so they went to the city gate and reported to the gate keeper what happened, which spread like wildfire. That night, the king of Israel was convinced Aram army was hiding in the field waiting to attack. One of his advisers suggested a few men go and take 5 of the horses left behind. They took 2 chariots w/ horses from the enemy camp and went to look for the army of Aram to determine what happened. The men reported back to the king of Israel that the route all the way to the Jordan was littered w/ clothes and equipment the army rid of in their panicked state. The rest of camp had been raided. The king's attendant who doubted Elisha's comment about the famine was trampled at the city gate as the mob of people returned.
Remember the widow and her son who Elisha brought back to life? They were instructed to live somewhere else b/c of the predicted famine so after 7 yrs they returned. They asked the king for their farm and home back. The king appointed an officer to assist her in getting all of her property back as well as all the profits it raised over the duration of the famine.
King Ben-Hadad feel ill in Damascus and was told Elisha was in town. Hazael, his servant, was told to ask Elisha if Ben-Hadad would recover. As a gift to the Elisha, Hazael brought a load so great it took 40 camels to carry it. The Holy Man told Hazael Ben-Hadad would recover but he was still doomed to die. As Elisha stared intently at Hazael, he wept b/c he read his heart and knew what would happen to Israel's children. Hazael asked why he was crying and Elisha replied, "I know the terrible things you will do to the people of Israel. You will burn their fortified cities, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women!” Hazael responded, “How could a nobody like me ever accomplish such great things?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you are going to be the king of Aram.” Hazael reported back to his king but the very next day he took a water soaked quilt and suffocated Ben-Hadad.
When Joram was in his 5th year of reigning in Israel, Jehoram became king of of Judah. He was 32 and ruled 8 years. Johoram married into Ahab's family and continued to live in sin. Edom revolted and set up their own king. Jehoram's army was surrounded by Edom but they fought back triumphantly. Unfortunately for Jehoram, his men deserted him. Jehoram died and his son, Ahaziah, succeeded him. To this day Edom revolts against Judah. Joram was now in his 12th year of reigning and Ahaziah was a young man of 22 and ruled for a year. Ahaziah ruled like Ahab and sinned by marriage. He partnered up with Israel against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead. Joram went to Jezreel to recover from his injuries and Ahaziah visited him.
Elisha instructed a prophet to go to Ramoth Gilead with oil and seek out Jehu, for he was to anointed as king of Israel. The prophet was to do this and leave quickly. The young prophet anointed Jehu but dilly dallied saying it was God's word for them to attack the regime of Ahab their master. He went on to say he was avenging the death of his servants the prophets that was arranged by Jezebel and said he was going to destroy the entire group then made a run for it. Jehu's master officers asked what the prophet wanted. After he told them, they sprung into action.
Elisha forewarned the king of Israel about the king of Aram's ambush and apparently this happened so frequently the king thought Israel had a spy within his ranks. One of the king's men told him Elisha was the culprit and currently in Dothan. An aggressive force was sent by the king of Aram to capture him. A young man with Elisha, the Holy Man, saw horses and chariots surrounding the entire city and was frightened. Elisha prayed to God that the young man's eyes be opened and he saw they were made of fire! When the Aramean's arrived, God struck them blind just as Elisha prayed for. Without revealing his identity, Elisha told the men the man they were looking for was in Samaria. Their site was returned to them as they entered Samaria. When the king of Israel asked if they should be killed, Elisha suggested throwing a feast for them and sending them on their way.
Some time passed and king Ben-Hadad of Aram seized Samaria, which brought on a terrible famine. Food was extremely expensive. Donkey heads were 80 shekels ($21 US) and greens were 5 ($1 US). This caused mass hysteria which lead to cannibalism. A woman asked the king of Israel for help because of an altercation she had. Another woman approached her and said, "Give up your son and we'll have him for today's supper; tomorrow we'll eat my son." The woman told the king they cooked her son and ate him. The next day she approached the same woman only to find that she had hidden her son. The king ripped his robe and everyone saw he was wearing burlap underneath it. He cried out to God for the worst punishment possible if Elisha was still alive and sent an executioner to Elisha's home. Elisha already knew what the king planned so he instructed the elders with him to shut the door and lock it. Just then the king burst thew his door saying, "This trouble is directly from God! And what's next? I'm fed up with God!" Elisha announced the famine was over and the market would be full of affordable food again. The king's attendant thought Elisha was full of crap so Elisha told him he wouldn't get to eat at all.
Four lepers went to Aramean's camp, but it was completely empty. God made the men hear a mighty army approaching so they fled the area. They thought the Hittites and the kings of Egypt were sent by the king of Israel. The lepers ate and drank and looted silver, gold, and clothes. They continued searching for valuables, but their consciences kicked in so they went to the city gate and reported to the gate keeper what happened, which spread like wildfire. That night, the king of Israel was convinced Aram army was hiding in the field waiting to attack. One of his advisers suggested a few men go and take 5 of the horses left behind. They took 2 chariots w/ horses from the enemy camp and went to look for the army of Aram to determine what happened. The men reported back to the king of Israel that the route all the way to the Jordan was littered w/ clothes and equipment the army rid of in their panicked state. The rest of camp had been raided. The king's attendant who doubted Elisha's comment about the famine was trampled at the city gate as the mob of people returned.
Remember the widow and her son who Elisha brought back to life? They were instructed to live somewhere else b/c of the predicted famine so after 7 yrs they returned. They asked the king for their farm and home back. The king appointed an officer to assist her in getting all of her property back as well as all the profits it raised over the duration of the famine.
King Ben-Hadad feel ill in Damascus and was told Elisha was in town. Hazael, his servant, was told to ask Elisha if Ben-Hadad would recover. As a gift to the Elisha, Hazael brought a load so great it took 40 camels to carry it. The Holy Man told Hazael Ben-Hadad would recover but he was still doomed to die. As Elisha stared intently at Hazael, he wept b/c he read his heart and knew what would happen to Israel's children. Hazael asked why he was crying and Elisha replied, "I know the terrible things you will do to the people of Israel. You will burn their fortified cities, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women!” Hazael responded, “How could a nobody like me ever accomplish such great things?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you are going to be the king of Aram.” Hazael reported back to his king but the very next day he took a water soaked quilt and suffocated Ben-Hadad.
When Joram was in his 5th year of reigning in Israel, Jehoram became king of of Judah. He was 32 and ruled 8 years. Johoram married into Ahab's family and continued to live in sin. Edom revolted and set up their own king. Jehoram's army was surrounded by Edom but they fought back triumphantly. Unfortunately for Jehoram, his men deserted him. Jehoram died and his son, Ahaziah, succeeded him. To this day Edom revolts against Judah. Joram was now in his 12th year of reigning and Ahaziah was a young man of 22 and ruled for a year. Ahaziah ruled like Ahab and sinned by marriage. He partnered up with Israel against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead. Joram went to Jezreel to recover from his injuries and Ahaziah visited him.
Elisha instructed a prophet to go to Ramoth Gilead with oil and seek out Jehu, for he was to anointed as king of Israel. The prophet was to do this and leave quickly. The young prophet anointed Jehu but dilly dallied saying it was God's word for them to attack the regime of Ahab their master. He went on to say he was avenging the death of his servants the prophets that was arranged by Jezebel and said he was going to destroy the entire group then made a run for it. Jehu's master officers asked what the prophet wanted. After he told them, they sprung into action.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Day 24
A man from the group of prophets died and his wife went to find Elisha. The men her husband was in debt to wanted to take their children to repay the debt. Elisha told the widow to borrow as many jugs and bowls as she could from her neighbors. She was to lock the door to her house and secure her sons safety then pour what little oil she had into ALL the jugs. When a jug was full, it was to be set aside. The oil was free flowing and she had enough to fill all the containers. When the widow told Elisha what happened, he instructed her to sell the oil to get out of debt then use the rest of the $ for her family.
Elisha had a meal with a woman and her husband in the town of Shumen. This became a tradition, which happened so frequently a small room was added for Elisha to stay in. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, summoned the Shunammite woman so Elisha could ask her if he could report anything back to the king or the army commander. She refused the offer and said there was nothing to report. Even though her husband was an old man, Elisha told her she'd become pregnant and the woman conceived a son. While the boy's father was working in the fields, the boy complained about his head hurting. A servant carried him to his mother and he died in her lap. She then laid him on Elisha's bed and left then traveled all the way to Mt. Carmel to find Elisha. He had no idea what was going on with her son and ordered Gehazi to grab his staff and go as fsast as he could to the woman's home. He was to lay the staff across the boy's face. Gehazi returned stating the boy hadn't stirred at all. Elisha went to Shunem and went alone to the room and prayed to God. He then climbed in bed with the dead boy and covered him with his body. Warmth entered the boy's body. Elisha paced the room then got back in bed. The boy sneezed 7 times and opened his eyes. He called for the mother and she was in awe of what he did.
The people of Gilgal were in the midst of a famine. While Elisha met with the prophets, he told his servant to make some stew. One man picked gourds from a wild vine in the field and put them in the stew. No one knew what plant it had come from. The prophets began to eat the stew, but cried out, "Death in a pot, O man of God! Death in a pot!" The stew was inedible. Elisha threw some meal into the stew and served it up for it was ok to eat. A man from Baal Shalishah brought Elisha 20 loaves of fresh bread and a few apples. His servant went to feed the 100 men but there wasn't enough food to go around. Elisha assured him God said there was plenty and they ate to their fill and even had leftovers!
The army general under the king of Aram was named Naaman. He was a truly honorable man and the king had great favor for him b/c God had used Naaman for their victory. He took a young wife he found when they raided Israel. Unfortunately, he had leprosy and his skin was white as snow (https://health.google.com/health/ref/Leprosy). His wife told a confidant that she wished her husband could see the prophet in Samaria and be healed. The king of Aram allowed Naaman to travel to Samaria and gave him 750 lbs of silver, 50 lbs of gold, and 10 sets of clothes. He even wrote a letter to the king of Israel, which was delivered by Naaman. The letter said, "When you get this letter, you'll know that I've personally sent my servant Naaman to you, heal him of his skin disease." The king of Israel ripped his robe to pieces because he was upset about the letter. He knew he couldn't possibly heal the man. Elisha heard what happened and sent word to the king asking why he was so upset. He told the king of Israel to send Naaman his way. Slisha's servant greeted Naaman and told him to go the Jordan River and immerse himself 7x and he'd be healed. This ticked Naaman off and was annoyed that Elisha wasn't there to pray to God for his healing. He said the rivers in Damascus were much more sanitary than the ones in Israel. As he went to storm off, Naaman's servant caught up with him and urged him to listen to Elisha's servant. He sucked it up and immersed himself and was healed. Naaman went with his servants back to Elisha saying he wasn't doubtful there was a God anywhere like the one of Israel. Elisha refused the gift Naaman wanted to give him as a token of his gratitude. Naaman asked him for a load of dirt because he was never again going to worship false gods. When the king of Aram entered the shrines of Rimmon with him, may God forgive him. Elisha told him to go in peace. Gehazi took off after Naaman because he left without saying thank you. The two men met and Gehazi fabricated a lie about how Elisha sent him to Naaman because two brothers, who were prophets in Ephraim, showed up. He suggested Naaman give them 75 lbs of silver and a few changes of clothes as a gift. Naaman insisted on 150 lbs along with the clothes and 2 servants. Gehazi left and stored the gifts in a fort and sent the servants packing. Elisha asked what Gehazi was up to and he said nothing much. Fortunately, Elisha knew exactly what he did and told him Naaman's skin disease would plague him and his family because of what he did.
Elisha had a meal with a woman and her husband in the town of Shumen. This became a tradition, which happened so frequently a small room was added for Elisha to stay in. Gehazi, Elisha's servant, summoned the Shunammite woman so Elisha could ask her if he could report anything back to the king or the army commander. She refused the offer and said there was nothing to report. Even though her husband was an old man, Elisha told her she'd become pregnant and the woman conceived a son. While the boy's father was working in the fields, the boy complained about his head hurting. A servant carried him to his mother and he died in her lap. She then laid him on Elisha's bed and left then traveled all the way to Mt. Carmel to find Elisha. He had no idea what was going on with her son and ordered Gehazi to grab his staff and go as fsast as he could to the woman's home. He was to lay the staff across the boy's face. Gehazi returned stating the boy hadn't stirred at all. Elisha went to Shunem and went alone to the room and prayed to God. He then climbed in bed with the dead boy and covered him with his body. Warmth entered the boy's body. Elisha paced the room then got back in bed. The boy sneezed 7 times and opened his eyes. He called for the mother and she was in awe of what he did.
The people of Gilgal were in the midst of a famine. While Elisha met with the prophets, he told his servant to make some stew. One man picked gourds from a wild vine in the field and put them in the stew. No one knew what plant it had come from. The prophets began to eat the stew, but cried out, "Death in a pot, O man of God! Death in a pot!" The stew was inedible. Elisha threw some meal into the stew and served it up for it was ok to eat. A man from Baal Shalishah brought Elisha 20 loaves of fresh bread and a few apples. His servant went to feed the 100 men but there wasn't enough food to go around. Elisha assured him God said there was plenty and they ate to their fill and even had leftovers!
The army general under the king of Aram was named Naaman. He was a truly honorable man and the king had great favor for him b/c God had used Naaman for their victory. He took a young wife he found when they raided Israel. Unfortunately, he had leprosy and his skin was white as snow (https://health.google.com/health/ref/Leprosy). His wife told a confidant that she wished her husband could see the prophet in Samaria and be healed. The king of Aram allowed Naaman to travel to Samaria and gave him 750 lbs of silver, 50 lbs of gold, and 10 sets of clothes. He even wrote a letter to the king of Israel, which was delivered by Naaman. The letter said, "When you get this letter, you'll know that I've personally sent my servant Naaman to you, heal him of his skin disease." The king of Israel ripped his robe to pieces because he was upset about the letter. He knew he couldn't possibly heal the man. Elisha heard what happened and sent word to the king asking why he was so upset. He told the king of Israel to send Naaman his way. Slisha's servant greeted Naaman and told him to go the Jordan River and immerse himself 7x and he'd be healed. This ticked Naaman off and was annoyed that Elisha wasn't there to pray to God for his healing. He said the rivers in Damascus were much more sanitary than the ones in Israel. As he went to storm off, Naaman's servant caught up with him and urged him to listen to Elisha's servant. He sucked it up and immersed himself and was healed. Naaman went with his servants back to Elisha saying he wasn't doubtful there was a God anywhere like the one of Israel. Elisha refused the gift Naaman wanted to give him as a token of his gratitude. Naaman asked him for a load of dirt because he was never again going to worship false gods. When the king of Aram entered the shrines of Rimmon with him, may God forgive him. Elisha told him to go in peace. Gehazi took off after Naaman because he left without saying thank you. The two men met and Gehazi fabricated a lie about how Elisha sent him to Naaman because two brothers, who were prophets in Ephraim, showed up. He suggested Naaman give them 75 lbs of silver and a few changes of clothes as a gift. Naaman insisted on 150 lbs along with the clothes and 2 servants. Gehazi left and stored the gifts in a fort and sent the servants packing. Elisha asked what Gehazi was up to and he said nothing much. Fortunately, Elisha knew exactly what he did and told him Naaman's skin disease would plague him and his family because of what he did.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Day 23
Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, met w/ Ahab and decided to fight the king of Aram together. All 400 prophets were asked if it was a good plan and they got approval. God would give them victory over this king. Jehoshaphat wasn't satisfied w/ only 400 prophet's opinions, so he asked if anyone else could advise him. Ahab mentioned Micaiah, but he forewarned Jehoshaphat of his hatred towards him and how he never received any positive feedback from him. One of Ahab's men reported back that Micaiah said yes to going to war against the king of Aram; there was a 'but' involved though. The messenger said Micaiah said, "As surely as God lives, what God says, I'll say. Go ahead. An easy victory. God's gift to the king. " Ahab pressed harder for the absolute truth. Paraphrasing, Micaiah told Ahab God asked how He could seduce Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and an angel volunteered by getting all 400 prophets to lie. Micaiah said, "And that's what happened. God filled the mouths of your puppet prophets with seductive lies. God has pronounced your doom." Zedekiah, a prophet, punched Micaiah in the nose asking when God's spirit left him and transferred to him. Ahab was very frustrated and turned Micaiah over to the judicial officer of the city and his son and told them to lock him up. He was only to have bread and water until Ahab returned. Micaiah shot right back and said IF Ahab returned, he wasn't a real prophet.
The kings and their men went to war w/ the king of Aram. Ahab, dressed in a disguise, used Jehoshaphat as a decoy in battle and dressed him up in kings attire. The king of Aram ordered 32 chariot commanders to Jehoshaphat and Ahab's side and they were to only go after the king of Israel. When they spotted Johoshaphat, they chased after him but the commander realized he wasn't the right man. Just then a soldier shot an arrow randomly into the crowd and it hit Ahab. God really has a sense of humor :) Ahab died watching the battle on the sidelines. Ahazaiah was the heir to the throne of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was 35 when because king of Judah and ruled 25 years. He continued in his father's footsteps by honoring God, unfortunately he didn't remove the sex and religion shrines. He and the king of Israel, Ahaziah, remained allies. Jehoram, Jehoshaphat's son was heir to the throne of Judah. Ahaziah ruled for 2 years in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat's reign. He lived as his parents did, which God viewed as an evil life. He also worshiped Baal shrines.
Started 2 Kings...
Ahaziah injured himself by falling through the railing of the balcony on his house. His messengers were sent to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron. Meanwhile, God's angel told Elijah to hurry and meet the king's messengers and confront them. Elijah asked them if they were consulting Baal-Zebub because there was no God is Israel and said to them, "You're not going to get out of that bed you're in-you're as good as dead already!" They described the man to Ahaziah and he knew the man was Elijah. Fifty men went to find Elijah, who was atop a hill. The captain said, "O Holy Man! King's orders: Come down!" Elijah said if he was a holy man, they'd get struck by lightning. Just then a blue lightning bolt stuck and killed them all. A new set of 50 men were sent by Ahaziah and said the same thing to Elijah. They too were toast just like the previous 50. A third set of 50 men went to Elijah and the captain asked him to respect his life and his 50 men. Elijah told Ahaziah that because he sent the messengers to Baal-Zebub, he would never get out of bed alive and was as good as dead. He died immediately and because he had no heir, his brother, Joram, was appointed king. Joram ruled over Israel in Samaria and was king for 12 years. God viewed him as a mediocre king but better than his parents. He still held onto sinful practices though.
Elijah was going to be taken up to heaven by God and told Elisha to stay in Gilgal, for he had an errand to run in Bethel. Elisha refused to part ways so they went together. When asked by prophets, Elisha said he knew God was going to take Elijah and to keep it hush hush. Elijah had to go to Jericho so again, the two men went together. Prophets from Jericho approached Elisha and asked him the same question and Elisha told them to keep it quiet. Elijah and Elisha went to the Jordan river and 50 prophets from Jericho gathered a short distance away. The river divided when Elijah took his rolled up cloak and hit the water with it. They crossed and Elisha told Elijah he wanted his life to mirror his and be a holy man. Elijah responded by telling Elisha to watch when he was taken to heaven and his request would be granted. All the sudden fiery horses carrying chariots blazed between the men and in a whirlwind like fashion went up to heaven. Elisha grieved by ripping his robe and took Elijah's robe to the Jordan and stood there. He hit the river and asked, "Now where is the God of Elijah? Where is he?" The river parted and the prophets watched close by. They honored Elisha and said they were at his service. They suggested Elisha send them out to look for Elijah and found nothing after 3 days.
A man from Jordan told Elisha their water was bad. Elisha told him to bring a new bowl of water and put salt in it, then went to the spring and proclaimed God's word, "I've healed this water. It will no longer kill you or poison your land." On Elisha's way to Bethel, kids were making fun of him; taunting him and calling him skinhead. Elisha looked at them and cursed them in the name of God. Two bears came out of the bushes and knocked all 42 of them down, ripping them limb from limb. Yikes!
King Mesha of Moab rebelled against Israel back when Ahab died. King Joram prepared Israel for war and asked Jehoshaphat to be his ally. The kings and their armies set out to war against Mesha but they went through the badlands of Edom. They were out of water for soldier and animal in a weeks worth of time. Joram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went to meet Elisha. Side note: when a minstrel played, God's power came to Elisha. God's word through Elisha was to dig ditches in the valley. Rain water would be available to them. He said God would hand the city of Moab over to them and they were to destroy the support of the city, wipe out villages/orchards, block springs, and put stones in the fields. By morning, a flash flood filled the valley. Moab heard of the impending attack and gathered his able bodied men. Only the capital of Moab, Kir Hareseth, was left after the battle with the Israelites and Judah. It was soon surrounded and destroyed. Mesha took 700 swordsmen to fight the king of Edom, but he was unsuccessful. Mesha then took his 1st born son and sacrificed him at the city wall. Israel was angered by this and returned home.
The kings and their men went to war w/ the king of Aram. Ahab, dressed in a disguise, used Jehoshaphat as a decoy in battle and dressed him up in kings attire. The king of Aram ordered 32 chariot commanders to Jehoshaphat and Ahab's side and they were to only go after the king of Israel. When they spotted Johoshaphat, they chased after him but the commander realized he wasn't the right man. Just then a soldier shot an arrow randomly into the crowd and it hit Ahab. God really has a sense of humor :) Ahab died watching the battle on the sidelines. Ahazaiah was the heir to the throne of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was 35 when because king of Judah and ruled 25 years. He continued in his father's footsteps by honoring God, unfortunately he didn't remove the sex and religion shrines. He and the king of Israel, Ahaziah, remained allies. Jehoram, Jehoshaphat's son was heir to the throne of Judah. Ahaziah ruled for 2 years in the 17th year of Jehoshaphat's reign. He lived as his parents did, which God viewed as an evil life. He also worshiped Baal shrines.
Started 2 Kings...
Ahaziah injured himself by falling through the railing of the balcony on his house. His messengers were sent to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron. Meanwhile, God's angel told Elijah to hurry and meet the king's messengers and confront them. Elijah asked them if they were consulting Baal-Zebub because there was no God is Israel and said to them, "You're not going to get out of that bed you're in-you're as good as dead already!" They described the man to Ahaziah and he knew the man was Elijah. Fifty men went to find Elijah, who was atop a hill. The captain said, "O Holy Man! King's orders: Come down!" Elijah said if he was a holy man, they'd get struck by lightning. Just then a blue lightning bolt stuck and killed them all. A new set of 50 men were sent by Ahaziah and said the same thing to Elijah. They too were toast just like the previous 50. A third set of 50 men went to Elijah and the captain asked him to respect his life and his 50 men. Elijah told Ahaziah that because he sent the messengers to Baal-Zebub, he would never get out of bed alive and was as good as dead. He died immediately and because he had no heir, his brother, Joram, was appointed king. Joram ruled over Israel in Samaria and was king for 12 years. God viewed him as a mediocre king but better than his parents. He still held onto sinful practices though.
Elijah was going to be taken up to heaven by God and told Elisha to stay in Gilgal, for he had an errand to run in Bethel. Elisha refused to part ways so they went together. When asked by prophets, Elisha said he knew God was going to take Elijah and to keep it hush hush. Elijah had to go to Jericho so again, the two men went together. Prophets from Jericho approached Elisha and asked him the same question and Elisha told them to keep it quiet. Elijah and Elisha went to the Jordan river and 50 prophets from Jericho gathered a short distance away. The river divided when Elijah took his rolled up cloak and hit the water with it. They crossed and Elisha told Elijah he wanted his life to mirror his and be a holy man. Elijah responded by telling Elisha to watch when he was taken to heaven and his request would be granted. All the sudden fiery horses carrying chariots blazed between the men and in a whirlwind like fashion went up to heaven. Elisha grieved by ripping his robe and took Elijah's robe to the Jordan and stood there. He hit the river and asked, "Now where is the God of Elijah? Where is he?" The river parted and the prophets watched close by. They honored Elisha and said they were at his service. They suggested Elisha send them out to look for Elijah and found nothing after 3 days.
A man from Jordan told Elisha their water was bad. Elisha told him to bring a new bowl of water and put salt in it, then went to the spring and proclaimed God's word, "I've healed this water. It will no longer kill you or poison your land." On Elisha's way to Bethel, kids were making fun of him; taunting him and calling him skinhead. Elisha looked at them and cursed them in the name of God. Two bears came out of the bushes and knocked all 42 of them down, ripping them limb from limb. Yikes!
King Mesha of Moab rebelled against Israel back when Ahab died. King Joram prepared Israel for war and asked Jehoshaphat to be his ally. The kings and their armies set out to war against Mesha but they went through the badlands of Edom. They were out of water for soldier and animal in a weeks worth of time. Joram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went to meet Elisha. Side note: when a minstrel played, God's power came to Elisha. God's word through Elisha was to dig ditches in the valley. Rain water would be available to them. He said God would hand the city of Moab over to them and they were to destroy the support of the city, wipe out villages/orchards, block springs, and put stones in the fields. By morning, a flash flood filled the valley. Moab heard of the impending attack and gathered his able bodied men. Only the capital of Moab, Kir Hareseth, was left after the battle with the Israelites and Judah. It was soon surrounded and destroyed. Mesha took 700 swordsmen to fight the king of Edom, but he was unsuccessful. Mesha then took his 1st born son and sacrificed him at the city wall. Israel was angered by this and returned home.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Day 22
Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah did on their way to Jezreel. She wanted Elijah dead so he fled to Beersheba. Out in the desert, he found shade from a broom bush. Elijah told God he wanted to die, then fell asleep because he was exhausted from traveling. An angel woke him up saying, "Get up and eat!" Elijah saw there was bread and a jug of water. He ate and went back to sleep. The angel came back and told him to eat more because he had a very long journey ahead of him.
Elijah walked 40 days and nights to Horeb. The word of God came to him in a cave and asked him what he was doing there. Elijah responded by explaining that the people of Israel had abandoned the covenant they made, destroyed places of worship, and murdered his prophets. After all of this, they were after him now! God instructed Elijah to stand on the mountain and He would pass by. Wind as strong as a hurricane came through the mountains and shattered rocks. After the wind, came an earthquake. After the earthquake came fire. After the fire a gentle and quiet whisper. Elijah hid his face in his cloak as the gentle voice asked him again why he was in Horeb. He gave the same response as he did before. God told him to go back the way he came to Damascus. He was to appoint Hazel as king over Aram. Jehu was to be king over Israel. Elisha was to succeed Elijah as prophet. Seven thousand soul's were preserved by God who hadn't bowed to false gods. Elijah went on his journey and found Elisha. He bid farewell to his family by butchering 2 oxen for a feast.
Ben-Hadad was the king of Aram and his troops set out for war around Samaria. He told Ahab he wanted all the silver and gold from Israel and all the wives and sons as well. Ahab agreed to giving him silver and gold but he only had his choice of wives and sons, not all of them. In an intoxicated state, Ben-Hadad told his men to attack Israel. A lone prophet approached Ahab and repeated God's word. He said, " Have you taken a good look at this mob? Well, look again-I'm turning it over to you this very day. And you'll know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am God." Ahab was skeptical and wanted to know who was going to make this all happen. God responded, "The young commandos of the regional chiefs." Ahab would start the first blow against Ben-Hadad. There were 232 commandos and 7,000 available men to fight. Meanwhile, Ben-Hadad was still drinking away with his buddies and got a report that the Samarian men were on their way. He stated he wanted live hostages if they came in peace. The commandos were equipped with a full army but Ben-Hadad got away on horseback along with his cavalry. Ahab was visited by the prophet again and was told to build up his army and assess their skills because before too long, Ben-Hadad would be back to fight them again.
The king Aram's advisors told him that the god of Israel was the god of the mountains, they didn't stand a chance against them. Their strategy was to remove each of the 32 sheik (official or leader) and replace them with experienced officers. Then, gather a fighting force and fight Israel on the plain. The two sides went to Aphek to start war. A holy man came to Ahab saying, "God is the god of the mountains and not the god of the valleys, "I'll hand over this huge mob of an army to you. Then you'll know that I am God." On the 7th day of the standoff, the Israelites killed 100,000 of the Arameans. The rest of Ben-Hadad's army retreated only to have the city wall fall on all 27,000 of them. Ben-Hadad and his advisors dressed in gunny sacks, carried the white flag of surrender, and approached Ahab. I wonder if he laughed at them. Ben-Hadad begged for his life to be spared. Ahab, amazed, said he must be his brother if he's still alive. The king spared him and told him he would return the cities his father took from Ben-Hadad's father. Ben-Hadad could set up his headquarters in Damascus safely.
One of the prophets told a man next to him to slug him for God's sake. Because the man wouldn't do it, the prophet told him he'd be attacked by a lion. The prophet went to another man and asked him to slug him, which he did in the nose. The bleeding prophet, with a bandage over his eye, waited on the road for Ahab. He cried out, "Your servant was in the thick of the battle when a man showed up and turned over a prisoner to me, saying, 'Guard this man with your life; if he turns up missing you'll pay dearly.' But I got busy doing one thing after another and the next time I looked he was gone." The prophet removed the bandage and Ahab new immediately who he was. He delivered God's word to Ahab saying, "Because you let a man go who is under sentence by God, it's now your life for his, your people for his." This ticked Ahab off and he sulked all the way home to Samaria.
Ahab told Naboth he wanted his vineyard in Jezreel, for it was right next to his palace. He offered a much better one in exchnage for money. Naboth told him passionately he'd never sell his family farm to him. Ahab then threw and hissy fit by going home, stuffing his face in his pillow, and not eating. Jezebel told Ahab to cheer up because she would handle the whole thing. She wrote letters to Jezreel elders and civic leaders suggesting they call for a day of fasting with Naboth at the head of the table. Two scoundrels, 'stool pigeons' as Eugene Peterson referred to them, were to sit across from Naboth and proclaim he blasphemed God and the king. They were to throw him out of the city and stone him to death. The leaders followed Jezebel's instruction and when she received the news from them, she told Ahab to claim the vineyard. God spoke to Elijah and instructed him to confront Ahab again and give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!’” Elijah told Ahab his descendants would be killed off and he'd have the same fate as Jeroboam and Baasha. Jezebel's flesh would be fought over by dogs for she had great influence over Ahab and pushed him to indulge in outrageous obscenities in the world of idols, doing what the Ammorites did. Upon hearing this, Ahab ripped his clothes, dressed in burlap, and fasted. God said to Elijah, "...Because of his repentance, I'll not bring doom during his lifetime; Ahab's son, though, will get it."
Elijah walked 40 days and nights to Horeb. The word of God came to him in a cave and asked him what he was doing there. Elijah responded by explaining that the people of Israel had abandoned the covenant they made, destroyed places of worship, and murdered his prophets. After all of this, they were after him now! God instructed Elijah to stand on the mountain and He would pass by. Wind as strong as a hurricane came through the mountains and shattered rocks. After the wind, came an earthquake. After the earthquake came fire. After the fire a gentle and quiet whisper. Elijah hid his face in his cloak as the gentle voice asked him again why he was in Horeb. He gave the same response as he did before. God told him to go back the way he came to Damascus. He was to appoint Hazel as king over Aram. Jehu was to be king over Israel. Elisha was to succeed Elijah as prophet. Seven thousand soul's were preserved by God who hadn't bowed to false gods. Elijah went on his journey and found Elisha. He bid farewell to his family by butchering 2 oxen for a feast.
Ben-Hadad was the king of Aram and his troops set out for war around Samaria. He told Ahab he wanted all the silver and gold from Israel and all the wives and sons as well. Ahab agreed to giving him silver and gold but he only had his choice of wives and sons, not all of them. In an intoxicated state, Ben-Hadad told his men to attack Israel. A lone prophet approached Ahab and repeated God's word. He said, " Have you taken a good look at this mob? Well, look again-I'm turning it over to you this very day. And you'll know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am God." Ahab was skeptical and wanted to know who was going to make this all happen. God responded, "The young commandos of the regional chiefs." Ahab would start the first blow against Ben-Hadad. There were 232 commandos and 7,000 available men to fight. Meanwhile, Ben-Hadad was still drinking away with his buddies and got a report that the Samarian men were on their way. He stated he wanted live hostages if they came in peace. The commandos were equipped with a full army but Ben-Hadad got away on horseback along with his cavalry. Ahab was visited by the prophet again and was told to build up his army and assess their skills because before too long, Ben-Hadad would be back to fight them again.
The king Aram's advisors told him that the god of Israel was the god of the mountains, they didn't stand a chance against them. Their strategy was to remove each of the 32 sheik (official or leader) and replace them with experienced officers. Then, gather a fighting force and fight Israel on the plain. The two sides went to Aphek to start war. A holy man came to Ahab saying, "God is the god of the mountains and not the god of the valleys, "I'll hand over this huge mob of an army to you. Then you'll know that I am God." On the 7th day of the standoff, the Israelites killed 100,000 of the Arameans. The rest of Ben-Hadad's army retreated only to have the city wall fall on all 27,000 of them. Ben-Hadad and his advisors dressed in gunny sacks, carried the white flag of surrender, and approached Ahab. I wonder if he laughed at them. Ben-Hadad begged for his life to be spared. Ahab, amazed, said he must be his brother if he's still alive. The king spared him and told him he would return the cities his father took from Ben-Hadad's father. Ben-Hadad could set up his headquarters in Damascus safely.
One of the prophets told a man next to him to slug him for God's sake. Because the man wouldn't do it, the prophet told him he'd be attacked by a lion. The prophet went to another man and asked him to slug him, which he did in the nose. The bleeding prophet, with a bandage over his eye, waited on the road for Ahab. He cried out, "Your servant was in the thick of the battle when a man showed up and turned over a prisoner to me, saying, 'Guard this man with your life; if he turns up missing you'll pay dearly.' But I got busy doing one thing after another and the next time I looked he was gone." The prophet removed the bandage and Ahab new immediately who he was. He delivered God's word to Ahab saying, "Because you let a man go who is under sentence by God, it's now your life for his, your people for his." This ticked Ahab off and he sulked all the way home to Samaria.
Ahab told Naboth he wanted his vineyard in Jezreel, for it was right next to his palace. He offered a much better one in exchnage for money. Naboth told him passionately he'd never sell his family farm to him. Ahab then threw and hissy fit by going home, stuffing his face in his pillow, and not eating. Jezebel told Ahab to cheer up because she would handle the whole thing. She wrote letters to Jezreel elders and civic leaders suggesting they call for a day of fasting with Naboth at the head of the table. Two scoundrels, 'stool pigeons' as Eugene Peterson referred to them, were to sit across from Naboth and proclaim he blasphemed God and the king. They were to throw him out of the city and stone him to death. The leaders followed Jezebel's instruction and when she received the news from them, she told Ahab to claim the vineyard. God spoke to Elijah and instructed him to confront Ahab again and give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!’” Elijah told Ahab his descendants would be killed off and he'd have the same fate as Jeroboam and Baasha. Jezebel's flesh would be fought over by dogs for she had great influence over Ahab and pushed him to indulge in outrageous obscenities in the world of idols, doing what the Ammorites did. Upon hearing this, Ahab ripped his clothes, dressed in burlap, and fasted. God said to Elijah, "...Because of his repentance, I'll not bring doom during his lifetime; Ahab's son, though, will get it."
Day 21
Hanini received a message from God for Baasha. His message was, "I took you from nothing-you complete nobody-and set you up as the leader of my people Israel, but you plodded along in the rut of Jeroboam, making my people Israel sin and making me seethe over their sin. An now the consequences. I will burn Baasha and his regime to cinders, the identical fate of Jeroboam son of Nebat. Baasha's people who die in the city will be eaten by scavenger dogs; carrion crows will eat the ones who die in the country." Elah, son of Baasha, was the next king of Israel when Baasha died.
Asa, king of Judah, was in his 26th year of reigning when Elah became king. He only reigned for 2 years because Zimri, captain of half the chariot force, knocked him to the ground and killed him. It didn't help that Elah was plastered either. Zimri became king of Tirzah. He cleaned out Baasha's family, killing them off right and left. The reign of these kings seem to get shorter and shorter! Zimri was king for a week and then killed himself by setting the citadel on fire when he realized he was under attack. Half the Israelites liked Tibni and the other half liked Omri. The Omri supporters proved stronger and Tibni ended up dead. Omri ruled Israel for 12 years. Asa was in his 31st year of reigning when he became king. Omri sinned and made Israel sin. He died and was buried in Samaria, whic started as a hill he bought for 150 lbs of silver from Shemar. Ahab, his son, was appointed king and reigned for 22 years. Apparently he took sinning to a whole new level. He committed the sins of Jeroboam, but then he married a Sidonian woman who went by the name Jezebel. They served and worshiped Baal. A temple was built for Baal in Samaria and an altar was set up. Ahab and Jezebel also built a shrine to Asherah. Ahab ticked God off more than all the other kings combined! He ritually sacrificed his 1st born son, Abiram, at the foundation of Jericho and also sacrificed his youngest, Segub, at the city gates just as Joshua predicted years prior. What is the matter w/ these people??
One day, Elijah confronted Ahab and told him a terrible drought was coming. Elijah left quickly as God told him to and went to the Kerith Ravine. God ordered ravens in the area to feed him and he could drink the water from the brook. After the brook dried, God told Elijah to go to Zarephath in Sidon for there was a widowed woman there who was instructed by God to feed him. When he arrived, Elijah asked for a drink and something to eat. The widow told him she only had a handful of flour and a little oil, not enough to even make a biscuit. Elijah found her gathering firewood for her and her son's last meal. He instructed her to make a small biscuit with what she had and make a meal for her and her boy. God said, "The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empnty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought." The widow was able to make food daily like God promised. Unfortunately, her son because very ill and stopped breathing. She exclaimed, "Why did you (Elijah) ever show up here in the first place-a holy man barging in, exposing my sins, and killing my son?" Elijah took the boy and prayed to God, asking him why He had brought this horrible thing upon the diwo and why the boy was dead. He prayed fervently 3 times and God put breath back into the boy's body. The widow said, "I see it all now, you are a holy man. When you speak, God speaks-a true word."
The drought was in it's 3rd year and God's word came to Elijah. He was to go back to Ahab and tell him rain was coming. Ahab summoned Obadiah, a God fearing and devout follower. When Jezebel wanted to kill all the prophets, he hid 100 of them in a cave and gave them food and water to survive. Ahab said to Obadiah, "God through the country;locate every spring and every stream. Let's see if we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules from dying." They parted ways. Obadiah met Elijah on his journey and bowed in reverence. He was instructed to tell Ahab what he saw but feared for his life. Ahab sent out search parties to look for Elijah when he told him about the drought and Obadiah was afraid he would tell Ahab where Elijah was and then he'd disappear, making him look like a liar. However, Obadiah obeyed and Ahab came out to meet Elijah, calling him a troublemaker. Elijah put the blame back on Ahab for ignoring God's commands. Ahab was instructed to assemble the people of Israel at Mount Carmel. The 450 prophets of the local god's, the Baals, and the 400 prophets to the whore goddess Asherah were there. Elijah challenged the people saying, "How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it's Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!" Elijah was the only prophet of God left in Israel and challenged the 450 Baal prophets to bring 2 oxen. They were to take one and butcher it, put it on an altar of wood, but not set it on fire. Elijah would take the other ox, do the same thing, but wouldn't light it either. Both sides were to pray to their higher power and the real God would ignite the altar. Nothing happened when the prophets prayed to Baal. By mid day, Elijah taunted them with insults. Perhaps Baal was involved with a project or on vacation..maybe he was meditating or slept in. Their prayers grew louder and louder and they began to cut themselves with swords and knives until they were covered in blood. Apparently this was a common practice. Elijah had everyone gather around, repaired altar, and built 12 stones into the altar, signifying the 12 tribes of Jacob. A wide trench was also dug around the altar. I wonder if God had instructed him prior. The ox was put on the altar. He told the people to fill four buckets with water and pour it on the altar 3 times. Elijah prayed to God and immediately the fire of God fell on the altar, burned the ox, the wood, the stones, and even the dirty and water surrounding it! The people were in awe and exclaimed, "God is the true God!" Elijah instructed the people to capture the Baal prophets and kill them all at Brook Kishon.
Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink for rain was coming. While he did this, Elijah climbed Mount Carmel and prayed to God. God told him to look at the sea. On the 7th time he looked, he actually saw a small cloud the size of a hand coming out of the water. Elijah was to tell Ahab to saddle up and he needed get off the mountain before the rain stopped him from doing so. Ahab grabbed his chariot and set out to Jezreel. All the sudden God's might came upon Elijah! He tied his robe around his waist and ran faster than Ahab's chariot until they reached their destination.
Asa, king of Judah, was in his 26th year of reigning when Elah became king. He only reigned for 2 years because Zimri, captain of half the chariot force, knocked him to the ground and killed him. It didn't help that Elah was plastered either. Zimri became king of Tirzah. He cleaned out Baasha's family, killing them off right and left. The reign of these kings seem to get shorter and shorter! Zimri was king for a week and then killed himself by setting the citadel on fire when he realized he was under attack. Half the Israelites liked Tibni and the other half liked Omri. The Omri supporters proved stronger and Tibni ended up dead. Omri ruled Israel for 12 years. Asa was in his 31st year of reigning when he became king. Omri sinned and made Israel sin. He died and was buried in Samaria, whic started as a hill he bought for 150 lbs of silver from Shemar. Ahab, his son, was appointed king and reigned for 22 years. Apparently he took sinning to a whole new level. He committed the sins of Jeroboam, but then he married a Sidonian woman who went by the name Jezebel. They served and worshiped Baal. A temple was built for Baal in Samaria and an altar was set up. Ahab and Jezebel also built a shrine to Asherah. Ahab ticked God off more than all the other kings combined! He ritually sacrificed his 1st born son, Abiram, at the foundation of Jericho and also sacrificed his youngest, Segub, at the city gates just as Joshua predicted years prior. What is the matter w/ these people??
One day, Elijah confronted Ahab and told him a terrible drought was coming. Elijah left quickly as God told him to and went to the Kerith Ravine. God ordered ravens in the area to feed him and he could drink the water from the brook. After the brook dried, God told Elijah to go to Zarephath in Sidon for there was a widowed woman there who was instructed by God to feed him. When he arrived, Elijah asked for a drink and something to eat. The widow told him she only had a handful of flour and a little oil, not enough to even make a biscuit. Elijah found her gathering firewood for her and her son's last meal. He instructed her to make a small biscuit with what she had and make a meal for her and her boy. God said, "The jar of flour will not run out and the bottle of oil will not become empnty before God sends rain on the land and ends this drought." The widow was able to make food daily like God promised. Unfortunately, her son because very ill and stopped breathing. She exclaimed, "Why did you (Elijah) ever show up here in the first place-a holy man barging in, exposing my sins, and killing my son?" Elijah took the boy and prayed to God, asking him why He had brought this horrible thing upon the diwo and why the boy was dead. He prayed fervently 3 times and God put breath back into the boy's body. The widow said, "I see it all now, you are a holy man. When you speak, God speaks-a true word."
The drought was in it's 3rd year and God's word came to Elijah. He was to go back to Ahab and tell him rain was coming. Ahab summoned Obadiah, a God fearing and devout follower. When Jezebel wanted to kill all the prophets, he hid 100 of them in a cave and gave them food and water to survive. Ahab said to Obadiah, "God through the country;locate every spring and every stream. Let's see if we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules from dying." They parted ways. Obadiah met Elijah on his journey and bowed in reverence. He was instructed to tell Ahab what he saw but feared for his life. Ahab sent out search parties to look for Elijah when he told him about the drought and Obadiah was afraid he would tell Ahab where Elijah was and then he'd disappear, making him look like a liar. However, Obadiah obeyed and Ahab came out to meet Elijah, calling him a troublemaker. Elijah put the blame back on Ahab for ignoring God's commands. Ahab was instructed to assemble the people of Israel at Mount Carmel. The 450 prophets of the local god's, the Baals, and the 400 prophets to the whore goddess Asherah were there. Elijah challenged the people saying, "How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it's Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!" Elijah was the only prophet of God left in Israel and challenged the 450 Baal prophets to bring 2 oxen. They were to take one and butcher it, put it on an altar of wood, but not set it on fire. Elijah would take the other ox, do the same thing, but wouldn't light it either. Both sides were to pray to their higher power and the real God would ignite the altar. Nothing happened when the prophets prayed to Baal. By mid day, Elijah taunted them with insults. Perhaps Baal was involved with a project or on vacation..maybe he was meditating or slept in. Their prayers grew louder and louder and they began to cut themselves with swords and knives until they were covered in blood. Apparently this was a common practice. Elijah had everyone gather around, repaired altar, and built 12 stones into the altar, signifying the 12 tribes of Jacob. A wide trench was also dug around the altar. I wonder if God had instructed him prior. The ox was put on the altar. He told the people to fill four buckets with water and pour it on the altar 3 times. Elijah prayed to God and immediately the fire of God fell on the altar, burned the ox, the wood, the stones, and even the dirty and water surrounding it! The people were in awe and exclaimed, "God is the true God!" Elijah instructed the people to capture the Baal prophets and kill them all at Brook Kishon.
Elijah told Ahab to eat and drink for rain was coming. While he did this, Elijah climbed Mount Carmel and prayed to God. God told him to look at the sea. On the 7th time he looked, he actually saw a small cloud the size of a hand coming out of the water. Elijah was to tell Ahab to saddle up and he needed get off the mountain before the rain stopped him from doing so. Ahab grabbed his chariot and set out to Jezreel. All the sudden God's might came upon Elijah! He tied his robe around his waist and ran faster than Ahab's chariot until they reached their destination.
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