The One Year Bible- June 22nd
I am in the habit of writing smiley
faces or unhappy faces in the margins of my One Year Bible to indicate a good
story or a bad one. Usually they about equal each week. This week however, I
had way more unhappy faces. I wrote one for each time someone killed another
person or events that were displeasing to God took place. Looking back, it
makes me appreciate even more the love God has for us. As a group, people keep
messing up. I do every day. But God loves us and sent his Son for us. It is
just amazing when you stop to think that Jesus was sent to this earth in spite
of and because of people like Ahab and Jezebel. On to the study.....
Seth’s Thoughts
The Old Testament
A couple of stories I want to mention
today that have parallels in the New Testament. First of all, there is a
miraculous conception with the woman from Shunem. It reminds be of the story of
Abram and Sari in Genesis but it also points forward to both Elizabeth, the
mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. Like Jesus, this
child died and was brought back to life again (after he sneezed seven times…that
is funny). Now I don’t want to press the text too much, but it does set a
precedent that God is a powerful God and he can bring people back from the
dead. Then there is the story of the poisonous stew. Elisha made sure the stew
was O.K. to eat and in a fashion similar to the feeding of the 5,000 everyone
ate and was satisfied and there was food left over. In an of themselves these
stories show the power of God, but I think they also are a set up for what was
to come in the person of Jesus Christ. Then there is the story of the ax head
the floats in the water. What was that all about? Again it shows the power of
God and points to who Yahweh is. One more… after Elisha dies and is in his tomb
the people need to bury another person. Now in those days the dead were buried
in shared tombs like caves. The Moabites start a raid on the people so they
just throw the body in the tomb. It bumps into Elisha’s bones and the guy comes
back to life! Now that is awesome!! God is still using Elisha to show is power
long after Elisha died. I wish there was more to this story but the text just
goes on to another story. Sometimes the Bible does that. It does not mean that
it is not part of scripture but sometimes there is nothing else about the
story. One thing that I found in reading this week was trying to keep the kings
straight in my mind. What I did was look for some sort of a list and here is
what I found. I hope it is helpful:
Kings of Judah and
Israel
Kings Before Division of Kingdom
· Saul: First King of Israel; son of
Kish; father of Ish-Bosheth, Jonathan and Michal.
· Ish-Bosheth (or Eshbaal): King of
Israel; son of Saul.
· David: King of Judah; later of Israel;
son of Jesse; husband of Abigail, Ahinoam, Bathsheba, Michal, etc.; father of
Absalom, Adonijah, Amnon, Solomon, Tamar, etc.
· Solomon: King of Israel and Judah;
son of David; father of Rehoboam.
· Rehoboam: Son of Solomon; during his
reign the kingdom was divided into Judah and Israel.
Kings of Judah (Southern Kingdom)
· Rehoboam: First King.
· Abijah (or Abijam or Abia): Son of
Rehoboam.
· Asa: Probably son of Abijah.
· Jehoshaphat: Son of Asa.
· Jehoram (or Joram): Son of
Jehoshaphat; husband of Athaliah.
· Ahaziah: Son of Jehoram and Athaliah.
· Athaliah: Daughter of King Ahab of
Israel and Jezebel; wife of Jehoram; only queen to occupy the throne of Judah.
· Joash (or Jehoash): Son of Ahaziah.
· Amaziah: Son of Joash.
· Uzziah (or Azariah): Son of Amaziah.
· Jotham: Regent, later King; son of
Uzziah.
· Ahaz: Son of Jotham.
· Hezekiah: Son of Ahaz; husband of
Hephzi-Bah.
· Manasseh: Son of Hezekiah and
Hephzi-Bah.
· Amon: Son of Manasseh.
· Josiah (or Josias): Son of Amon.
· Jehoahaz (or Joahaz): Son of Josiah.
· Jehoiakim: Son of Josiah.
· Jehoiachin: Son of Jehoiakim.
· Zedekiah: Son of Josiah; kingdom
overthrown by Babylonians.
Kings of Israel (Northern Kingdom)
· Jeroboam I: Led secession of Israel.
· Nadab: Son of Jeroboam I.
· Baasha: Overthrew Nadab.
· Elah: Son of Baasha.
· Zimri: Overthrew Elah.
· Omri: Overthrew Zimri.
· Ahab: Son of Omri; husband of
Jezebel.
· Ahaziah: Son of Ahab.
· Jehoram (or Joram): Son of Ahab.
· Jehu: Overthrew Jehoram.
· Jehoahaz (or Joahaz): Son of Jehu.
· Jehoash (or Joash): Son of Jehoahaz.
· Jeroboam Il: Son of Jehoash.
· Zechariah: Son of Jeroboam II.
· Shallum: Overthrew Zechariah.
· Menahem: Overthrew Shallum.
· Pekahiah: Son of Menahem.
· Pekah: Overthrew Pekahiah.
· Hoshea: Overthrew Pekah; kingdom
overthrown by Assyrians.
The New Testament
We are in the middle of hearing about
the missionary journeys of Paul. I hope you found a good map to help you follow
along. A couple of things about these readings; first of all Paul is following
his pattern of going to the synagogue first (remember this pattern from last
week?). Then he heads out to the streets and in Acts 14 we have a very famous
sermon. It is referred to as the sermon on Mars Hill. Paul argues using Greek
ways to the philosophers about this person called Jesus. Later on Paul uses one
of the statues of the “gods” and says that this “unknown god” is indeed Jesus.
Of course this gets Paul into all kinds of trouble and they people try to kill
him so he flees the area. Acts 15 records a big debate on whether or not
Gentiles have to become Jews first (i.e. through circumcision) before they can
be Christians. Paul has a great line in the debate that seems to set the church
on the right path, “But we believe that
we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”
(Acts 15:11 ESV) Then James gets up and makes the decision to have a compromise
and he says, “Therefore my judgment is
that we should not trouble those who turn to God.” (Acts 15:19 ESV) I think
these are some wise words that we need to be heard today. Of course, because of
the message, Paul and Silas end up in prison, but God turns it into a positive
thing when they were able to share the message of Jesus with all in the prison,
including the jailer. We find out that they all get baptized and became
followers. There is a lot more to say about this week’s readings but we don’t
have time here. Let me know if you have any questions.
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