July 6 - 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25: Amaziah's Silly Mistake

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God uses a king who cares little for Him to accomplish His purposes.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Amaziah reigned in Judah. He was good, but not like David. He executed his father's assassins. Their children survived in accordance with God's Law.
Amaziah hired soldiers from Israel but God suggested sending them away. Amaziah defeated Seir then installed their gods in his shrines, angering God. God threw Amaziah out.
Amaziah picked a fight with Jehoash, Israel's king. Jehoash defeated Amaziah, looted Jerusalem, and destroyed part of its wall.
Amaziah's servants murdered him. Azariah, his son, reigned.
After Jehoash, his son Jeroboam became king in Israel, continuing to worship at Jeroboam's shrines. God allowed him to extend Israel's borders.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God does not punish children for the sins of their parents, and vice versa.

In Deuteronomy 24, God set the rule that parents and children are not to be executed for the others' sins. Amaziah remembered that aspect of the Law and did not punish the children of his father's conspirators. Parents are not responsible for their (grown) children's mistakes. Children are not responsible for their parents' mistakes.
What does that mean for God's punishments of the people in Canaan, and the families of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Achan, Baasha, and Ahab? First, we must remember that God's punishments are His punishments and we should not question them because His Reasons may be unknowable to us. Second, God is either punishing the father by having all of his family executed (as in Korah, Dathan, Abiram, Achan and the kings of Israel) or preventing the family from polluting Israel with worship of a foreign god (as with the people of Canaan). This rule is not hard and fast for everything, nor should it be ignored at any convenient time. You did not "inherit" the sins of your ancestors. Your children will (have) not inherit(ed) your sins.

Do not begin worshiping gods who could not protect their former adherents.

Amaziah's treatment of the gods of Seir baffles me. I cannot for the life of me understand why a person would go to war against a people, roundly defeat them, and then take the defeated people's gods and make them their gods. This makes no sense! I'm sure God was similarly surprised by the stupid decision Amaziah made. The only possible explanation is that Seir's gods were more beautiful and/or "freeing." Unfortunately, it led to Amaziah's death.

God used Jeroboam (the younger) to save Israel.

Jeroboam (the younger) did not obey God in any way. God was not impressed with him at all. He continued worshiping the shrines Jeroboam (the older) erected. Yet God used him because "God wasn't yet ready to blot out the name of Israel from history" (2 Kings 14:27). This thought continues the theme found in yesterday's reading. God can use anyone, even those who care little for Him, for His purposes.

Are you worshiping gods who could not protect their former adherents?

June 23 - 1 Kings 12-14: Jeroboam Sets a New Record for Sinning Against God

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 12-14

The Message

English Standard Version

Today we begin the divided kingdom section in the history of the Jews. We now have two kings to keep track of. This becomes confusing, especially since the reigns did not always begin and end at the same time. Since we are reading chronologically, some of the confusion will be taken out. However, the two books (1 Kings then 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles) will overlap. When they do, I will summarize and comment on the life of one king the first day (today will be Jeroboam) and the other king the next day (Rehoboam).

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Jeroboam was taken from nothing, given most of the kingdom of David, the man who received a promise from God, and then caused Israel to worship other gods.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

As promised, God took the kingdom away from Solomon's son. Jeroboam became king over 10 tribes.
Jeroboam worried Israel would reunify. He changed Israel's worship, built two golden calves, multiple shrines and appointed unworthy priests—blatantly sinning against God.
God sent a messenger to condemn the new altar at Bethel. A king would sacrifice its prophets there.
An old prophet of God came and tricked the messenger to his death.
Jeroboam did not change.
Jeroboam sent his wife to Ahijah on behalf of his son. Ahijah told her God would punish Jeroboam's entire household with death. His son died.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Jeroboam forsook God because of his unwillingness to trust God's promise.

God gave Jeroboam a kingdom—David's kingdom. Yet that promise was not sufficient for Jeroboam. He had to prevent Israel from going to Jerusalem to worship. So he instead erected altars to other gods and appointed unholy people as priests for these new gods. Saul's reign ended because he would not wait to worship God the correct way. Jeroboam not only lost the kingdom for his lineage, he forfeited the lives of all his servants! When we regard our position higher than our faithfulness to God we are on the road to death. We may not die as Jeroboam died, but we cannot be on the road to life.

The story of the holy man of God who went to Jeroboam is one of the saddest stories in the Bible.

He is one of the most pitiable people in the Bible. He was willing to stand before the king of Israel and condemn the king's actions. He was willing to obey God's instructions. His problem was believing in the wrong person. The person he believed in told a great lie. Unfortunately it turned out to be the mistake that took his life. Beware when someone, even a person who proclaims to be from God, tells you to go against God's direct commands. It may be a test to see if you trust God.

What is your highest record of sin? (Don't answer that)

April 22 - Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, and 21: David, in a Civil War, Praises God

Today’s Reading: Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, and 21

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

David is spending this time of civil war sharing his pain and pleasure with God.

Psalm (P)Synopsis

Psalm 6

David asks God to stop all of the fighting because he is tired and has cried a river of tears. He exclaims to his enemies to watch out—God has answered his prayers.

Psalm 8

God is wonderful! Everything shouts praises to Him. It makes David see his smallness and wonder why God even cares for him or would put humans in control of the earth. Creation calls out to God!

Psalm 9

David bellows God's praises for helping him defeat his enemies. God sets things right. David calls on God to be kind to him and to defeat his enemies through their own snares, their own holes, and their own wickedness.

Psalm 10

Where is God? Why has He not set things right when His enemies come and mock Him? The ones who obey God feel abandoned. In spite of that they know God will save them because God sets things right. He will end the reign of terror.

Psalm 14

God wants to find His Chosen People, the wholly-for-God folk. But they cannot be found. They have gone after fake shepherds who have taken them into the slaughterhouse. God can still save them!

Psalm 16

David asks God to keep him safe. He has not gone to the god-market looking for a god for the right price. David has chosen God and God alone! God has proven loyal and true and David will always walk His path.

Psalm 19

Everything in the world praises God, even if there are no words! The sun is like God's Word—giving light to the world and warming the hearts. God's Word is better than any precious thing in the world. God's Word prevents us from falling into troubles, from taking control over our lives and bringing them into the pit. May everything I do be from the Word of God!

Psalm 21

God gives strength to kings. They have good, long lives because of God. God in return arrays them in splendor, making them beautiful in the world. He saves them from their enemies and causes the evil ones to be wiped clean off the face of the earth. No one can have strength outside God!

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

David cries out to God when he feels tired of fighting.

David wants God to stop the fighting. He feels abandoned by God. However, when he cries out to God he expects salvation—God will set things right. When you are tired of fighting, call on God to set things right.

God's creation cries out that He has made it!

Everything in the world tells of God's majesty. The skies, the oceans, outer space all report His greatness. They may not speak English but by their very existence they show how silly and inane atheist's discussions of God become. The heavens declare the glory of God and the skies show His work!

God has made man the keepers of his earth.

We must make sure we remember this aspect of God's plan. God, from the beginning, has given man dominion over the earth. We are in charge of making sure the earth is replenished. Consider this TED talk from Allan Savory where he confesses a grand mistake they made 50 years ago by taking grazing animals from large areas of Africa's grasslands to set up national parks: They are now re-grazing the land as God would (although he calls it "nature") and seeing untold results. We are God's caretakers of the earth.

The wicked will be caught in the traps they set up for God's people.

In a hopeful though sobering psalm, David calls on God to save him by having people who set traps for him fall into their own traps. The schemers are punished by their own schemes. The ones who dig holes fall into them. God will punish evil doers in the same way they seek to punish God's people. Don't be one of the schemers, trappers, or hole-diggers!

God will set things right if the righteous will obey Him.

Psalm 14 provides a hard take on God's predicament—He wants to set things right if only He could find people willing to be wholly for Him. Unfortunately, they have gone after false gods, false shepherds. They will be punished unless they turn their lives around. God can set things right in our lives if we wholly give ourselves to Him!

Don't go shopping for a god.

In our consumer-driven society, we shop for everything. I like that. We need more parts of our society to embrace the idea that they should compete instead of having a "right" to our business. However, one thing that does not need competition is our god. God is our god and He alone is worthy of being our god.

Don’t just go shopping for a god.
   Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
   like brand-names. (16:4, The Message)

God is more precious than anything on earth.

God is more precious than silver. God is more precious than gold. God is more precious than diamonds. God is sweeter than honey. How wonderful is our God!

God's Word keeps us out of danger—chew on it!

There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
   and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
   Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
   Keep me from stupid sins,
   from thinking I can take over your work (19:11-12, The Message)

Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in God's sight!

March 15 - Deuteronomy 11-13: Moses Reminds Israel of Bad Influences in Canaan

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 11-13

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God reminds the people again and again of the harmful influence brought by the people in Canaan.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Moses reminds the people how God was active in their lives. Canaan would be fruitful beyond their imagination.
Israel was to destroy everything about the inhabitants of Canaan's culture to prevent any form of synchronism. God would punish Canaan for all of their evil deeds. God required Israel to live a very different life.
God allowed the people to offer sacrifices without a priest if they lived too far for the journey.
If anyone mentioned worshiping another god, the people were to execute them. It did not matter who the person was. Any Israelite who worshiped another god was executed.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Moses reminded Israel that God, their god, was not some legend found only in myths.

This may be the hardest part of believing and obeying God today. When we read of the plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, the manna every morning, and all of the other acts of God we need faith to help us believe these things happened. We cannot prove them. But Israel did not have that problem. Israel saw them happen firsthand. That is why they should have no excuse in doubting God's ability to fulfill His Promise. People who see God at work have no excuse to doubt God.
What about today? We see God working today. God may not open seas for us to cross, but He works within us. He works through. And sometimes, He works despite us. We, as God's Chosen People, must continuously see and tell others how God is working in our lives. When we slack in doing this we should not be surprised when we and others doubt God's abilities.

The land God gave the people would not be difficult to work.

Canaan was a great place to live. It was fruitful beyond measure and would be so without irrigation. Israel had a great place to live because God loved them. God richly blesses His Chosen People. This will lead to a temptation mentioned in chapter 13.

God is trying to help the people stay faithful to Him.

You may wonder why God keeps repeating this part about Canaan over and over (see March 9 for the list of times God mentioned this in Exodus-Numbers). This is the third day in a row Moses has mentioned how the people in Canaan worshiped other gods. God does not want them to forget why they are getting the land. We must continue to remind ourselves why God is blessing us and what happens when we worship other gods.

God realizes other gods may take credit for His blessings.

I had a professor at Fuller mention this in a class. Israel would enter a land where the natives had a god of the earth, Ba'al. They would pray to Ba'al and he would give them a great harvest. Because Canaan was blessed by God to be a bountiful land their sacrifices worked—or so they believed. When Israel entered Canaan they would see and hear of this and may think that Ba'al is the god of the land. "It worked for the Canaanites, let's see if it works for us." God is explicitly warning them not to let other gods take credit for their blessings because their god is the god over everything. Our god is the God of everything. We do not need any other god to help us in any aspect of life.
Another professor gave an example that shows how this problem can be adverted. In the village where he worked the people would walk around their fields praying to their earth gods for a bountiful harvest. A certain man became a disciple of Jesus. He continued walking around his field. Worried that the man continued worshiping his old gods, the missionary asked the man why he continued this practice. "I still walk around my field praying for a good harvest, but now I pray to God for that good harvest and not the gods of the past," he replied. God should replace all other gods of our past.

God does not allow for family members to be exempt from punishments against worshiping other gods.

Unfortunately, we do not want this section to be here. We are fine with strangers being punished for worshiping other gods. We may join in the punishment. But our own child, our own parent, our own sibling, our best friend, our own spouse? We want God to let us talk them down, win them back. But God is adamant to Israel,

Don't feel sorry for him and don't make excuses for him. Kill him. That's right, kill him. You throw the first stone. Take action at once and swiftly with everybody in the community getting in on it at the end. Stone him with stones so that he dies. (13:8-10, The Message)

The reason is clear, "He tried to turn you traitor against God, your God, the one who got you out of Egypt and the world of slavery" (13:10). God requires this because of the example it will set:

Every man, woman, and child in Israel will hear what's been done and be in awe. No one will dare to do an evil thing like this again. (13:11)

It may sound harsh, but God is not to be tested. All people, even your closest friend or your nearest family member, are held to the same standard—there is no other god but our God and anyone who worships another god is not worthy of God.

March 14 - Deuteronomy 8-10: Moses Reminds Israel of Why God is Worthy of Obedience

Today’s Reading: Deuteronomy 8-10

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Moses is reminding Israel of the God they serve and why God should be obeyed—and that they had not done a great job so far.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Moses reminded Israel of why God was worthy of being obeyed. He fed them in the wilderness when they were hungry—so they would learn to live by faith. The land they would receive would be ready for a great harvest. Moses warned them not to forget God when they had an easy life because their work was not the cause of their improved life.
Moses also reminded the people of their rebellion at Sinai and that he had to talk God out of destroying them.
He reminded them of the basics of obeying God.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God gave the Israel manna in the wilderness to help them learn dependency on Him.

God reminds the people that they received food in the wilderness because God wanted them to depend on Him. God took care of them and became the reason they survived. We should not concern ourselves with the physical alone. We should live dependent on God. When we depend on God for our spiritual needs our physical needs will be taken care of.

Prosperity brings laziness and temptation to leave our (w)holiness.

Moses' words are once again adamant—God will give you this land not because of you but because of Him. God did not make a promise with you; God made a promise with our ancestors. You are the benefactors of generations who obeyed God. In fact, the truth is the opposite; Israel would receive Canaan because the inhabitants of Canaan would not obey God. Moses cries, "Do not mess up that long line of God-worshippers!" We do not receive our blessings because of our righteousness. We receive our blessings because of the righteousness of our ancestors (either physical or spiritual) and the wickedness of our enemies.
This is why I detest arguments that the USA is prosperous because we are somehow more righteous that the world. No. We are prosperous because our ancestors escaped Europe to worship God. God gave them this land because of it. Our blessings are not proportional to our righteousness. Our blessings are proportional to our ancestor's righteousness. We struggle to obey God because we are wildly blessed by God and have forgotten to pass on the source of our blessings.

Moses reminded Israel of their penchant for rebelliousness.

Two readings ago Moses reminded the people that God spoke to them. Within two months of that encounter they gave up on Moses and their God and created an idol-god. Humans are fickle. We are prone to leave God the moment we don't see Him working. This is why we must have God's words written everywhere, including our heart! Out of sight, out of mind. That could very well have been coined because of these people.

Moses reminds Israel to take care of orphans and widows and to protect foreigners.

God will not let this go. This is why God is our praise! He took us out of slavery! He gave us everything we needed to survive! He gave us a land ready for a great harvest! This is why God is worthy to be obeyed! God is worthy of our praise, loyalty, and obedience because His love was made real!

March 9 - Numbers 33-34: Moses' Travel Log

Today’s Reading: Numbers 33-34

The Message

English Standard Version

Today's reading has a lot of geographical places and names. Scan-able areas are 33:5-47, and 34:20-28.

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Moses kept a record of everywhere Israel had camped for their generations to come.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Moses kept a diary of where the Israelites camped during the 40 years from the time they left Egypt until they entered Canaan. They left Egypt while the Egyptians buried their firstborn. God showed Egypt how puny their silly gods were.
God repeated his warning about the people in Canaan. Israel was to defeat them and destroy all of their idols, altars, high places, etc. They were to apportion the land to each tribe according to its size.
God gave the borders of the country of Israel. God appointed men from every tribe to distribute the land to their tribe.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

God showed the lunacy of other gods.

In a final barb to the Egyptians, God reminds the Israelites that He showed why the Egyptian gods were no gods at all. He did this, of course, by taking all that their gods would control and mocking their lack of control through the ten plagues. God would mock other gods, for example when confronted with the gods of the Philistines.

God once again reminds Israel that He is their God and they are to destroy all of His competition in Canaan.

This is something God has mentioned several, several times. He warns them again that if they do not destroy all of the existing areas of worship created by the Canaanites they will fall into the same problems the Canaanites had. God is adamant! He is to have no competition and anything associated with other gods should be destroyed among His Chosen People.

The men God chose would perform a task that would last for generations.

God told the people earlier that the land would return to the original land owners in the Jubilee. So these men were going to decide the potential fate of each family. If the family received great, fertile land they might become a rich, powerful family. If they received land that was barren, they might become paupers. This was an important task given to leaders of each tribe.

March 5 - Numbers 23-25: Balaam Proves Faithful, Israel Cheats on God

Today’s Reading: Numbers 23-25

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Balaam, a non-Israelite, proves more faithful than the actual Israelites.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Balaam told Balak he would only speak God's words. Three times Balak took Balaam to a high place to curse Israel. Three times Balaam blessed Israel. Balaam spoke of Moab's downfall to Israel. Annoyed, Balak sent Balaam away.
Some Israelite men cavorted with Moabite women and worshipped their gods. God ordered the public executions of Israelite leaders for this great sin. Moses ordered the executions of the guilty men. Phinehas, Aaron's grandson, followed one son of an Israelite leader and a daughter of a Moabite leader and speared them together, killing both. Phinehas's zealous attack for God soothed God's anger.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Balaam presents a great example of someone not willing to compromise his task for any reason.

Balaam could have used this as a chance to gain money, fame, and power by doing what Balak wanted. He had faith that someone would not kill him on the spot. He submitted himself to God and God used him to bless Israel. God will work through anyone willing to speak His word regardless of the circumstance or the potential outcome.

The blessings Balaam gives Israel are noteworthy.

Balaam's blessings come from what God saw in His people. Because they obeyed God Balaam blessed them. Israel would defeat Moab and occupy their land. Nothing would prevent God's word from coming true—not armies, magic, or other gods.
Christians today should listen to Balaam's blessing. When God makes a promise, nothing in this world can stop the promise from coming true.

Israel's crime was worshiping other gods, not being around the Moabite women.

God's several warnings came true. The people of Israel spent time with Moabite women, fell in love (or lust) and began worshiping their gods. It is as if they forgot God in the face of a pretty girl. Beware people with allegiances to other gods. They can and may lead you to split your allegiance with our God.
As I wrote then I want to reiterate—this is not about racial or denominational purity. God does not want His Chosen People fraternizing with people from other allegiances because they are to be His Holy People. This does not mean we should stay in a social cave and never speak to anyone else.

Phinehas ends God's anger by bringing God's justice to a powerful man's son, not executing two guilty people.

Remember, these people are God's Chosen People. They have made a vow to serve only the God of Abraham. God has promised them land and great blessings. When we make a vow and break that vow, there are great repercussions. The man was the son of the leader of the tribe of Simeon. Phinehas could have started a civil war by executing this man. But this does not stop him from bringing justice. God can set things right on this earth through His Chosen People when they ignore political power and implement God's justice. This does not mean all sinners should be executed. It means justice does not respect political power.