Bible Food Day 32 - Second Chronicles

Good day and welcome to Bible Food.

We are going to pick up our reading in 2 Chronicles today starting at chapter eight; and we'll end in chapter twenty-three.  Let's get our eyes on and read the the Word of God.

2nd Chronicles chapter 8

Solomon is ordering the kingdom and he is still keeping the ways written by Moses, the servant of God.

¹³Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

2 Chronicles 9

 ¹And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

We remember this story in 1st Kings chapter 10; people of the world sought after God in these days and to hear that a man in Israel had all the answers; quite naturally everyone will come up and prove he had them or get some good wisdom from that person, concerning the Lord.  

That person was Solomon; and I have to reemphasize that Sheba came up asking hard questions; not simple stuff like what day is the Sabbath day, or how many are in the Godhead; but hard questions like what is the Lord doing with this creation?

She was very impressed from his wisdom to how orderly his kingdom was and how everyone was happy that worked for his.  She gave great monetary gifts; that is another thing wisdom can get you.

¹²And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king. So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.
 ¹³Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and threescore and six talents of gold;

Just a quick sign in verses13; the amount of gold that came in one year was six hundred, sixty, and six, or 666!

¹⁹And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps. There was not the like made in any kingdom.
²²And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.
 ²³And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart. 

Solomon's kingdom was rich and beautified with gold; great ivory overlaid with gold.  And his kingdom is nothing compared to what Jesus will have in the 1,000 years he reigns.  If you have much knowledge and wisdom, you will be sought after by not just the "regular joes;" but the great men of the world.
Solomon reigned 40 years in Jerusalem and died and his son Rehoboam took over in his place.

2 Chronicles 10

We get a recap of the story of Rehoboam and his failed wisdom to seek counsel from the elders but instead with his childhood boys; and although it was from God; it got the kingdom stripped from him (1Kings 12).

¹⁶And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them,... What good is it to not listen to the citizens of your country and to their needs?  Business owners can take heed from this and work on customer satisfaction.  The result for Rehoboam was the other tribes wanting nothing to do with the son of David (¹⁹And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.).

2nd Chronicles 11

Here Rehoboam does like children do; when you can talk it out it leads to fighting it out, even if it was caused by you.  So he prepares to bring Israel back together by war.  However the Lord sends Shemaiah, the man of God, and tells him this split of the kingdom is from the Lord for the sin of Solomon.  And the smartest thing Rehoboam does is listen to Shemaiah and backs off.

Now initially, all tribes left Judah alone; but Benjamin being neighbors stayed with Judah and then the priest or Levites returned because Jeroboam (the king over the 10 tribes), hired anyone to be priest to the Lord and many devils took the office; so the Levites returned since they had no inheritance among the people.  No inheritance and no job means a bunch of hungry priest so they returned.

¹⁴For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD:
 ¹⁵And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

With the Levites returning to Judah, they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon.  Just three years huh...
Just like his daddy, Rehoboam loved the women.  ²¹And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore daughters.)  He had 18 wives; and pretty much slept with 60 other women called concubines, which gave him 28 sons and 60 daughters.  Gees Luis...

One thing Rehoboam did do is take care of all the women he had in abundance and took care of his children wisely and in abundance as well.

 ²³And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives.

2 Chronicles 12

With much success, the grandson of David began to leave the law of God and do his own thing.  We much watch when our riches are increased that we do not forget the Lord our God at all.  As Rehoboam began to forsake God, much trouble came on him and his kingdom.  Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the Ethiopians rose up against him, and he probably never laid it to heart that he needed to patch things up with God.

And I know the prophets let him know why he was having so much trouble; because he forsook the Lord.  And when they were told, they humbled themselves and the LORD saw it, so the Lord had Shemaiah tell them He will not destroy them, but will grant them some deliverance; and His wrath will not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak.

 ⁸Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

The Lord will still punish you and if you can deal with the punishment, you are blessed.  The Lord made them serve Egypt; and he will make you serve someone else if you refuse to serve Him.  Think about it?

Rehoboam did evil in the sight of God and his son Abijah took over after Rehoboam died after 17 years of ruling in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 13

 ¹Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign over Judah.

Abijah confronts Jeroboam about breaking off from the house of David and while speaking Jeroboam's 800,000 army ambushes Abijah's 400,000 army.  However, the Lord was with Judah and they slew 500,000 of Jeroboam's army and defeated them.  Jeroboam never recovered strength against Judah in Abijah's days.

²¹But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.
On the personal side of things Abijah was just like his fathers; many wives and many children.

2 Chronicles 14

Asa then took over and he had peace ten years in the land and did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
⁴And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

2 Chronicles 15

 ¹And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
 ²And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
 ³Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
 ⁴But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
 ⁵And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

This chapter is one of my favorite chapters in the entire bible because it makes a HUGE statement in the first five verses.  The Spirit of the God came on Azariah, and he went out to meet with the king, king Asa telling them if you seek God; you will find him; if you forsake Him; He will leave you too.  
In the days of Asa; Israel had been without the true God.  What does this mean?  They were dealing with paganism, and things that don't pertain to God.  Why were they like that?  Because they did not have a teaching priest and that meant they were without the law of God.  

That is what a priest does; teaches the law and the ways of God to the people.  So if they have a priest or preacher who just motivates them or tell them what they want to hear; he is not a teaching priest that is teaching the law.  And look at the results of that; no peace in the streets, killings, robbing, wars, and other grave atrocities because no one is keeping the laws of God.  
Sounds familiar today doesn't it?  No mention of the commandments in public places (for a country built on religious freedom (USA)), preachers preach we don't have to keep the law, Jesus has done it, and on and on.  So we have the chaos we have in the world because we lack teaching priest.

Hearing this prophesy from Azariah made Asa do even more to keep the ways of the Lord and he prospered.  He didn't have a war in his 40 years of reigning until the 35 year.  That is some major peace.

2 Chronicles 16

 ¹In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

Now in the 36th year; Baasha the king of Samaria came up against him and Asa called on Syria to help him instead of calling on the Lord to help him.  We must remember where our help comes from.  Yeah; God may send Syria to help you but it's better for you to acknowledge God and have Him send someone to you than for you to ignore God and seek help on your own.

⁷And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.
⁹For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
 ¹⁰Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

The seer came and spoke with Asa about relying on men and not God and Asa got upset with the seer, who told him he'd have wars, and threw him in jail.  We cannot get mad at the truth; instead we should be mad at our foolishness and accept our consequences.

¹²And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

Asa caught a disease in his feet and it became a harsh ailment but through it all he did not seek the Lord for healing; but went to the trusted medical doctors.  As I mentioned earlier; we should seek GOD and have him sent the best physician to you.

2 Chronicles 17

 ¹And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel.
³And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

Jehoshaphat was a great king in Judah; he loved the Lord and made sure to walk in the Lord's ways.  He was a nice man, meek in some of his dealings with Ahab; but he was diligent about the Lord and always sought counsel of the Lord first (as David did).

⁷Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.
⁹And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

Look at this; imagine of Barak Obama or any king over a nation sent trained teaching priest and prophets to teach all citizens the book of the law (the bible) throughout all the cities.  Imagine telling folks to simply keep Exodus 20 the commandments and teaching them why.  That would be a nice country to live in.

Because of this, the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.  This is what the Lord will do for you if you simply keep His ways and seek Him.

2 Chronicles 18

 ¹Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
⁴And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

Now we had this story in 1 Kings chapter 22 about the lying spirit that went to Ahab's prophets to get Ahab to go to war and be killed.  Ahab persuaded Jehoshaphat to go with him and it nearly got him killed.  I think the Lord spared him because of his good works.

²¹And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

The events account is the same as in 1st Kings chapter 22; so you can read it in that post.  However, we do see that prophets can be lying even when it is 400 to 1.  If 400 men say the Sabbath is Sunday and 1 says it's the 7th days of the week (known as Saturday); go with what the Bible says regardless of how many side on Sunday.

Micaiah was the prophet that spoke the vision and he was punched in the face and thrown in jail for telling what he saw from God.    ²⁸So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.  Nevertheless, they went up and Ahab was killed even when he attempted to set Jehoshaphat up, the Lord still had him killed.   

2 Chronicles 19

 ¹And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.
 ²And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

This is why I think Jehoshaphat was meek and nice, thinking his niceness will turn people over to the ways of God.  Because why would you be brotherly to someone who hates the Lord.  Ahab wanted nothing to do with God's ways, he'd get sad when bad news came on him and humble himself; but he'd go right back to his ways.

We aren't to go to bat or war with people who are consciously not committed to serving God.  You can hang with them, attempt to show them the ways of the Lord; but if they come and ask you for help with a situation, I'd be cautious.
  
 ³Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.
 ⁴And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of their fathers.

Because Jehoshaphat did good things the Lord spared his life and the good of his kingdom.  Let your good outweigh your bad and your foolishness.  Jehoshaphat continued to put men of God in offices to rule and judge the people faithfully with the fear of the Lord.

2 Chronicles 20

 ¹It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle.

Let's see who the king called on for help with this war...

³And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

He turned to the Lord is swift prayer; and he threw every punch in there, even reminding the Lord that they are the seed of Abraham, God's friend.  ⁷Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?
¹⁴Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation;
 ¹⁵And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.

The Lord told them not to worry nor fear; this is His battle.  Insomuch as they would not need a single weapon; just instruments and some singers.  Jehoshaphat told the people something preachers need to mention more to their congregations today; "Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."

So they come to the war with just singers and the Lord set up the children of Ammon & Moab (brothers) to fight against the children of Edom.  After they kilt off the Edomites; they began to fight against each other until no one was left but the children of Judah singing.

²⁴And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

No one escaped of these 3 countries that came up against Judah.  And Israel had spoil in abundance.  It took 3 days to take all the riches of spoil that was in the valley of the dead bodies.

2 Chronicles 21

 ¹Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.  He did evil; even killed his brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat and he walked in the ways of the kings of Samaria.

¹²And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah,
 ¹³But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself:
 ¹⁴Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

Look who's back on the scene, Elijah sending letters.  See he hadn't died yet but was taken up in a whirlwind.  He was still doing his job in correcting wicked kings.  And he brought judgement on Jehoram for his evil.

¹⁵And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
¹⁸And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease.

And later his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. 

 ²⁰Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

He reigned 8 years and died and no one felt sad for him.  He departed like George W. Bush departed out of office; without being desired.

2 Chronicles 22

 ¹And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned.  

He also was like the kings of Samaria and was hanging out with Ahab's sons when Jehu, who the Lord commissioned and anointed to cut down Ahab's house, saw him and killed him along with Ahab's sons.  Jehoram died after reigning one year and his evil mother Athaliah attempted to take over his thrown.

¹⁰But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah.

However, one of the royal seed got away.  The infant Joash was taken away by Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah for six years.

2 Chronicles 23

After six years, Jehoiada the priest made ready to make Joash the king over Judah.  ¹¹Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

Athaliah saw this and shouted treason and they caught her and killed her.  ¹⁶And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people.  Then they went back to serving the Lord. 

²¹And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet, after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.  It says in proverbs when the wicked are removed; the people rejoice (Proverbs 29 v2).  That is of course if there are righteous men in the land.

This concludes our reading today, I notice chronicles focuses more on the kings of Judah and are vague with the kings of Samaria as in the book of Kings; Judah was more vague than the descriptions of the kings of Samaria.  Thank you for reading; praise God in Jesus name.  Amen. 

--
Peace & Grace

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26th Day of Bible Food

We've done a lot of reading in the bible and from here we should know two things clearly; the children of Israel had a tough time keeping God's commandments.

So today we are going to begin in 1 Kings chapter 17

Here Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, went to Ahab telling the king, "as the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."  We will soon learn that Elijah was a very powerful prophet of the Lord.

The Lord really took care of Elijah, even during this famine; he had the birds and the raven bring him food twice a day and he drank at the brook.  He had the life... Then he was told to go to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: because God had commanded a widow woman there to care for him.  Trusting in God and doing His will; he will take care of you on every side.

The lady cared for Elijah and the Lord took care of both of them all the days of the famine.  The lady's son fell sick and died; and Elijah prayed to God to revive the child and the child was revived.  Faith in God can do this, even today!

1 Kings 18

Elijah is being sent back to Ahab and Samaria is struggling with this famine.  The Lord sees the wickedness of the 10 tribes and Judah and at this point God is sending very strong prophets to correct the people.  Not prophets that just prophesy; but men who can shut heaven up for 3 years, raise the dead, and challenge false prophets in the face of government leaders.

³And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

They went through the land to find grass so they can feed their animals and not lose them all.  Obadiah was a prophet of the Lord who saved a lot of prophets that Ahab's wife was killing.  

In Obadiah's path, he runs into Elijah, and Elijah tells him to tell Ahab that Elijah is back.  Nevertheless, Obadiah feared that Ahab would kill him for not capturing Elijah.

Ahab had sent for Elijah those 3 years looking for him diligently; so for Obadiah to turn and say I saw Elijah and he is coming to you it would look odd.  Plus Obadiah perhaps had a guilty spirit because he was hiding a lot of prophets already.

¹⁷And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
 ¹⁸And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

Ahab blamed Elijah for the drought and said he was troubling Israel; but he over looked the fact that he wasn't following the Lord's commandments and was serving another god called baalim.  So it was Ahab who was troubling Israel.  So Elijah had the king bring the host of Israel; and challenged his 450 false prophets in an effort to get the people's heart back on the true and living God.

And it came to pass that they were attempting to see whose God will answer them.  The 450 prophets of Baal called on Baal and no response for 6 hours.  Elijah mocked them: ²⁷...and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

When Elijah dressed his sacrifice, and prayed to the Lord to show the people He is God; God answered in a moment and the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, "The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God."  Then Elijah had those prophets of Baal summoned; and didn't let none of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.  I told you real preachers and prophets were pretty rough back then.

The rain finally fell; a great rain to end the famine in Israel.  Isn't that enough to believe and serve God?

1 Kings chapter 19

Ahab report all that Elijah did and how he killed her prophets and she sent a letter to Elijah that as he killed her prophets, he will be killed tomorrow.  Elijah takes off, scared for his life, and goes to the wilderness and professes that working for God is enough, that God should kill him in the wilderness.
All these years how God had preserved him and taken care of him; now he gets one threat on his life, by a woman, and he skips town.  An angel of the Lord wakes him up from sleep and gives him water and a meal.  Elijah eats and is full; then the angel showed up a second time:

⁷And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.
 ⁸And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Now the angel is feeding him because God is going to meet with him in Mt. Horeb for 40 days and 40 nights.  When he was there the Lord asked him, what is he doing in the mount?

¹⁰And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
 ¹¹And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
 ¹²And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

So Elijah gives his reason why he's hiding, even though he is a prophet the Lord sent to correct the people; and the Lord shows Elijah his power in a great wind, earthquake, and fire and then asked him again, what are you doing here?

Elijah gave him the same answer.  He should have said; "you're right Lord; I'm tripping, let me get back on my job."  So the Lord retired him, telling him to go anoint a new king in Syria, Samaria, and a new prophet in his office name Elisha.  We thought when our bosses had us train someone who took our job started with them; nope right here in the bible.

And the Lord told Elijah that the person who gets by Hazael sword, Jehu will get, and those who get by Jehu's sword, Elisha will kill.  Then the Lord left a 'by the way'.  The Lord has 7,000 in Israel that have never bowed their knew to Baal, nor have their mouths kissed him.  These are not people who have repented; but who have never served Baal.  

This is message to us today; do not think you are the only one reading the Bible with understanding or serving God diligently.  This earth is vast, many nations and people, and God always has a remnant of people who are doing exactly what He commands and have never bowed a knee to strange gods.
Then Elijah went and picked up Elisha.

1 Kings 20

Here we see Benhadad of Syria going to war with Samaria (ten tribes).  A prophet told Ahab that he will kill the Syrian army; and he did and he trapped the king, Benhadad, but spared his life.  Another prophet then told Ahab that since he did not destroy Benhadad, Benhadad will destroy him and his people.
In 1st kings chapter 20 Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, very close by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.  And the king wanted the vineyard for his own.  If this was America, he would have just taken it and the government would have given what they thought the value of the vineyard was... however we are in Israel.


³And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

He couldn't give it to the king because it wasn't his.  When you receive an inheritance from your fathers, which was given by God; you are not in right to give it away.  So he declined the kings offer.  

Now Jezebel, his wife saw this and plotted against Naboth, bearing false witness against him.  This resulted in men stoning Naboth.  The law in Israel was for two or more witnesses is a fact established.  And two sons of the devil said that Naboth blasphemed God and the king.

Ahab hearing that Naboth was dead, went to take over his vineyard.  But as always the Lord sat there in HEAVEN and watched this like a clear day.  And God sent Elijah to Ahab and told the king that his house will be like Jeroboam and all the wicked kings before him.

²⁵But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
Ahab was a pretty bad king; he could not stop from trying to please man instead of pleasing God.  ²⁶And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

When Ahab heard this of Elijah, he humbled himself so the Lord held back killing him and his house till a generation after him; but the Lord still had the hit out for Jezebel.

1 Kings 22

Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel to deal with Ahab.  Ahab wanted Judah to go to war with him against Syria.  Jehoshaphat was a man after David's heart in that he would inquire from the Lord before he did anything and he asked Ahab to ask the Lord if it is meat to go to war.

⁶Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

These were false prophets; and I'm sure Jehoshaphat knew this or he would not have asked for another prophet.  Maybe these prophets called the name of Baalim or you knew clearly that they were not of the Lord's prophets; because for the king to ask for another prophet after 400 already made clear their prophesy it just doesn't make sense.

Jehoshaphat ended up going despite the prophesy of Micaiah, who was from the Lord, that Israel will be scattered and Ahab their king killed.  The Lord used a lying spirit in the mouth of all Ahab's prophets to entice him to go to war and be killed.

⁵⁰And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
 ⁵¹Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

Jehoram took over after his father Jehoshaphat, and Ahaziah Ahab's son took over after his father passed.

2 Kings chapter 1

 ¹Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.  But Ahaziah got sick and was ill on his bed and called for the prophets of the gods of Ekron to see if he would survive this illness.

³But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
 ⁴Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

Imagine that for bad news!  The king sent for Elijah and before a few miracles from the Lord consuming the captains and their 50 men; the third came humbly and the angel of the Lord consented to let Elijah go see the king.
And the king died because he did not trust the God of Israel; but trusted Baalzebub.  Ahaziah had no son; so Jehoshaphat, king of Judah's son, Jehoram took over the kingdom of Samaria, even though he was from Judah.

2 Kings 2

 ¹And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.  You read that right, the Lord was to take Elijah away in a whirlwind; so he had to pass the torch to Elisha.

⁵And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

It's funny, all of the Lord's servants know exactly what's going on around them.  They all knew the day when the Lord would take Elijah away.  The Lord reveals things to His servants.  So today you should know what's going on if you read the bible carefully and with understanding as we are.

This is the chapter where Elijah is taken up in a whirlwind and departs Elisha, who asked for double portion of Elijah's spirit.  That was a lot to ask and it was granted.

2 Kings chapter 3

Moab use to be cool with Samaria under Ahab; but when Ahab died they had bad relations and went to war.  So the king of Samaria called Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and called the king of Edom and they three went against Moab.
They went to enquire the Word of the Lord from Elisha; and his response is harsh; but it pays to be friends with someone with credibility.

¹³And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
 ¹⁴And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

The Lord helped the kings slaughter Moab with the words from Elisha.

2 Kings 4

 ¹Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

This chapter deals with the faith of this woman and the miracle performed by the Lord through Elisha and helped the woman not have to go in bondage that her husband left on her.

Then Elisha met another woman who would do nice things for him, eventually the woman and her husband made a room for Elisha to stay in whenever he was around.  So Elisha returned the favor to her by telling her she would have son (because she was childless).  She was very happy; and had a son.  When the son was grown he got ill and died.

³³He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD.
 ³⁴And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
 ³⁵Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

Elisha was working for God with the same power that Jesus worked in His days in the flesh in raising the dead, and feeding many with few food.
This concludes todays reading; thank you for joining me and let us praise God in Jesus name.
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Peace & Grace

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