Day 62 Reading the Bible in 90 Days

Bible Food Daily Reading Day 62

Good morning, here we go again reading the word of God; and we are on day 62. Today we will begin in Ezekiel chapter 36.

This chapter begins with the Lord telling Ezekiel to prophesy to the children of Israel that although the heathen and Idumea have taken them from their land and made them a prey; the Lord is still for Israel. In the end, the Lord still plans on restoring this nation and having them back in their own land in righteousness (verse 1-10).

The Lord is going to multiply this nation and treat the children of Israel better than they were done by Him, in their beginning. Israel was treated very well in their beginnings; I can only imagine how it will be in the latter days?

God had to be extremely harsh on the people because the profaned His Holy name among the nations. God gave Jacob His name, Israel, and they wore it carelessly. When a man marries a wife or has kids and they have his name, they can't go out acting any kind of way.

President Obama's daughters and wife cannot be all loud mouthy and misbehaving anywhere they go; because the people will say, "did you see the Obama's… they were loud, crazy, throwing fits, stealing, cheating, and doing what ever. Barack must be dead or he doesn't care. If they can act like that in the highest office, we can do that too and more."

Now you have President Barack Obama's name tarnished because of his foolish wife and daughters. This is what happened with the children of Israel. They are wearing God's name Israel and behaved ridiculously, profaning the name; and they had to be punished to be corrected. And when they do correct themselves the nations will be happy to be around them. Just like women smile and are happy to say they are dating a Rockefeller, or a Kennedy; they will be smiling when they say they are dating an Israelite.

So the Lord makes it clear that He is not recovering Israel because He feels bad for them or because the nations treated them so ill. He is solely doing this for His Holy name. For the sake of His Holy name is He recovering His people (verse 23).

Then the Lord will bring the children of Israel back to their land and sprinkle them with clean water. That is the clean water Word of God. With this every child of Israel will be satisfied and taken cared of by their God.

Ezekiel chapter 37

This is a popular chapter about Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones the Lord showed him. The Lord showed Ezekiel a valley full of bones and they were very dry, meaning these bones had been dead for a while. The Lord asked Ezekiel if these bones can live.

Ezekiel is probably thinking, "You're the immortal one, you know, not me." Ezekiel was commanded to prophesy to these bones and tell them to hear the word of God. If the bones heard the word of God, then they would get breath from God, ligaments, skin, and flesh and they will live. For the Lord to ask this, these bones must not be physically dead; but spiritually dead.

So when Ezekiel did as he was commanded and got some small results; the bones came together to form a full skeleton. Before there were arms lying here, ribs there, legs, etc. But after he spoke to them, the full skeleton form came together. Then the ligaments and flesh and skin covered the bones, but still no breath.

This means they were still dead. After all his prophesying, the people get excited and appear to come back to life, but they still do their own ways. Love the Lord with their mouth, but their ways are still far from him; thus they are still spiritually dead.

With this, the Lord then commands Ezekiel to prophesy to the winds, the four winds, to come and blow breath on these bones so that they can live. People think this is a ceiling fan; it is not. After the wind blew on these bones, breath came into them, and they lived standing up to be a great army. These bones are the entire house of Israel (verse 11).

The Lord is opening their graves and will soon bring them back to their land. What graves are these? These are the graves of the spiritually dead. The Lord had Ezekiel bind 3 sticks together to make one. One stick was the house of Joseph (Ephraim his firstborn who's the birthright is), the house of Judah (where the kingship will be), and the house of Israel (ten tribes). They will all be one tribe, have one nation, one king, and one God, the Lord God of Israel.

King David will be king over the entire nation. Jesus will be king of kings, however David will be king over the nation Israel, this means he will have been resurrected from the dead physically. Everyone will know that the Lord set Israel apart when they see His sanctuary there forever in Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 38

In chapter 38, Ezekiel is sent to speak against Gog and Magog. Magog is certainly a son of Japheth, who is the progenitor of the Gentiles. We do not know who Gog and Magog are as of yet; but we will read the scriptures and allow it to tell us who they are.

Verse three tells us that God is against them, Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Meshech is a Hebrew translation of Moscow (Scofield Reference Bible's claim that "Meshech" is a Hebrew form of Moscow, and that "Tubal" represents the Siberian capital Tobols).

Now the Lord is going to put hooks in their jaw and lead them forth to a battle with a great army of men from different countries allied with them, the Gog and Magog, and tells them to be prepared (v4-7). In the last days they will come into the land, "that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel..."

Gog and Magog will be brought to Jerusalem, the place where the people will be brought back out of all the nations they were in and the people will dwell safely when they return. The people are the children of Israel, so that let's us know that the land that Gog is coming against to fight with this great company of people is Jerusalem (v8).

They are going to come down on the land like a storm, with a great number of people. Now Gog is known to do this on two separate occasions and many ministers and prophecy teachers have confusion on this. This is because this chapter is speaking of the latter days as in the day of rest, when the Lord Jesus is on the earth ruling for a thousand years, the reason why I can say this is because of verse ten through twelve. Gog is going t think an evil thought to come down on the land (Jerusalem) not walled (no army defense) and to a people who dwell safely and are at rest. The Jewish people today are not dwelling safely and are certainly not at rest.

Furthermore, the children of Israel are not back in the land all together, because then David and Jesus would be there are we read earlier, so Gog cannot come against Israel as presented in this chapter because it would go against everything that we've read in the Bible thus far. Thus this is speaking of in the last days of Jesus 1,000 year reign on the earth.

Gog and Magog and many nations with them will come up on a peace Israel and think to take the land, and the Lord in great fury will take all of them down one final time (just before the 7th day ends), and all people will know God when He will set Himself apart in all eyes.

Ezekiel 39

So the Lord is against Gog and Magog at this time, previously He will use Gog and Magog to take down Babylon the great, but then the Lord will get them back as well. He will leave only a sixth part of them and will knock their weapons out of their hands and they will fall in the mountains of Israel and destroy them. Birds and vultures will eat their dead bodies.


So many of Gog will fall at this time that the Lord calls the place, The valley of Hamongog. Seven months will the children of Israel bury and cleanse the valley and burn all the weapons of Gog. The Lord also told the birds and beast to come and eat and drink blood. With this great defeat over Gog will the children of Israel and all nations know that God put His people into captivity to punish them for their iniquity but has always wanted them in the land to dwell peacefully. All people will know this for sure with no conflict and no problem.

Ezekiel 40

In the 25th year of Ezekiel's captivity God brought him out to show him something very important. Ezekiel saw an angel whose appearance was like the appearance of brass and the angel had tools and a measuring reed in his hand and told Ezekiel to write all that he is told and all that he sees and tell it to the children of Israel (v1-5).

We see a whole lot of building and measuring but we don't know what they are building until we get down to verse 45 and see a chamber that faces the south being for the priests, who are the keepers of the charge of the house. So now we know this is the construction of the fourth temple, the actual temple that will be standing for a thousand years during the reign of King Jesus.


This temple will be made by immortals, resurrected and or changed men and women who are appointed by God to build the temple. If you put it side by side the sanctuary's that Moses and Solomon built in their time; you will see great similarities.

Ezekiel 41

Here we are still getting more descriptions of the temple and how it will look and be constructed. If you remember Solomon's temple, he had the cherub angels in there next to a palm tree, cherub, palm tree all aligned in the temple wall. We have the same thing here. Solomon's temple was a prototype of this temple. The cherubs will be fixed with only two faces, although we know they actually have four in reality, the face of a man facing one palm tree, and the face of a lion facing the other (v18-20).

Ezekiel 42

Then Ezekiel was brought into the utter court, towards the north and shown more of this great big elaborate temple. So far there are three stories of space; so it is a great big house of God.


The angel told Ezekiel that the north and south chambers that are for the priest are a separate place and are holy chambers because they will be approaching the Lord there and there will they eat the most holy things sacrificed unto the Lord (verse 13).

Ezekiel 43

After this the angel brought Ezekiel to the gate that faces the east. And Ezekiel saw the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, with a voice that was like the sound of many waters. The earth shined with His glory. He was coming from the east because the wilderness where the children of Israel were is east of Jerusalem. So He will come right over after He has processed the people.


And the glory of the Lord filled this temple, the house of the Lord we have been reading about. That let's us know that the Lord will be in this His temple live and direct, in person, dwelling on the earth in Jerusalem.


For verification of this, Ezekiel even heard the Lord say to him in the vision, that the place of His throne and the place of the soles of His feet, where He will dwell in the middle of the children of Israel for ever is right there in this temple, which is in Jerusalem (v6-7). One thing we see in the reconstruction of the temple and the reinstitution of the priest, is that Levi is back to minister unto the Lord, and animal sacrifice is put back on the table; at that time.

Ezekiel chapter 44

Ezekiel was told to take good notes, mark well, jot down everything you need about this house and tell it to the children of Israel. Now we are reading it; it is in the bible so it is important enough to take notice on and learn the rules now of how to deal with this future house we hope to have a lot to do with at that time; being that the Lord will be there.


The Lord further spoke to Ezekiel and told him to tell the house of Israel to stop with their abominations especially when it comes to this temple. In times past they brought strangers (non physical children of Israel) into the temple, strangers who were uncircumcised in the mind and in the flesh, polluting it.


The children of Israel did not keep charge of the Lord's things. So the Lord let's it be known that when this new temple is up and running, NO STRANGER, that is uncircumcised in the flesh or in their mind will step foot into the Lord's sanctuary. Because many non Israelites will live in Jerusalem among the children of Israel as it was when they left out of Egypt, a mixed multitude; but non that are uncircumcised will come near the temple.


If they cannot do it then in the future; then do you not think it is time now to get circumcised in the mind and in the flesh. Men should be circumcised both in the flesh and mind and women should be circumcised in the mind and they should make sure their sons are circumcised at birth on the eighth day.


Many old rules that are called to be "done away with" are making their way back into the picture here in this prophetic vision of Ezekiel. Things like priest should not shave their heads, nor grow locks to long. They should not drink wine while in the inner court; they should not take wives who are widows or divorced; but should have only virgins who are physical children of Israel or a widow who was married to a priest before.


These priest will teach God's people the difference between the holy and profane, the clean and unclean. In Jesus kingdom, His priest will teach you that a pig and rabbit are unclean, and that a deer and grasshopper is okay to eat. They will teach the laws, judgments, statues, and keep holy the Lord's Sabbaths.

Ezekiel 45

Here are more regulations concerning the house of the Lord.

Here is the dividing of the land to the children of Israel; the Lord makes it clear to the princes of Israel; stop the violence and the stealing, use good judgment and execute justice. The Lord is not having all that violence in His city and in His sanctuary. Leave it at the door people or you will be left there, and the door is the wilderness where He purged out the rebels (v8-9).


We are still observing and keeping the Lord's passover and the feast of Unleavened bread for seven days. Also in the seventh month on the fifteenth day keep that feast as well. We read them earlier in the book of Leviticus chapter 23. We might as well start now and get to practicing because this will all be reconstituted in the day of the Lord.

Ezekiel 46

The Lord says the gate of the inner court facing the east that He came through should be shut for the six working days but on the Sabbath it will be opened and on the new moon or beginning of the month (v1). The six working days we have no access to the Lord; but on that seventh day we can approach Him and even see Him.


It says the people will be able to worship at the gates before the Lord on the Sabbaths and new moons. Sabbaths AND new moons; it does not say that every new moon is a Sabbath (v3)!

Ezekiel 47

Again the angel brought Ezekiel to the door of the house and he saw water run out from under the house in all directions, east, north, south. The water was at the ankles, then rose to the knees, then to the waist, and then they were too high where one had to swim in it (v1-5).


The waters were issued out to heal. All living things that this water runs over will be healed.

And the river on each side will grow trees that are good for meat, the leaves on these trees will not fade away and the fruit on it will never be consumed, every month it's fruit will be new and the leaf is also for medicine. Pharmaceutical companies will be wiped out of business with this one. This is exciting stuff we are reading here.


Lastly, Israel is to divide the land according to their tribes; also they are to give inheritance to the strangers that live among them. If a German or South African wants to live with the tribe of Gad, the Gadites have to give the stranger inheritance in the land.


This concludes our reading on the Sabbath day; I had to post it today because a storm the previous night knocked out my Internet service. Grace and peace; and I will see you for our 63rd day.


--

Peace & Grace


*Build a recession proof business online. Visit Build a Biz Fast

Day 31 of Bible Food

Good morning; today we are reading from 1 Chronicles 24 and we'll finish at 2 Chronicles 7

1 Chronicles 24

 ¹Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Here is David establishing the sons of Aaron who were to administer the priest office:

 ⁴And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.

With Aaron and his sons these 24 chief men were the governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.  They are the 24 elders in Revelation chapter 4 that had crowns are their heads; we see why; they are rulers of the sanctuary of God and of the house of God.  They are the priest who minister to God forever.  We even know their names.

¹⁹These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

What a lot of people don't understand in the bible is that God attempted to set everything up in the beginning; but man failed and disobeyed; so now we are going through a trial process to see who will pass; the wheat growing with the tares and we are applying for positions.  David will be king over Jerusalem an Israel forever (under Jesus); and these 24 sons of Eleazar and Ithamar are going to be chief elders governing the house of God.  You and I have a job as well; it is to be announced.

1 Chronicles 25

We see in this chapter David continues to organize his kingdom; some details we didn't read in the book of kings nor in Samuel.  In some list we just read names; but in others you see they govern the temple as oppose to the sons of Aaron who govern the house of God.  There is a big difference.

We have instrument players and Asaph, who wrote many Psalms with David, being the chief musician.  They had 24 bands of 12 as the lot fell for those who were to do the songs of the Lord: ⁷So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight.  The Lord has 24 elders to minister His Temple and 288 choir members here.

1 Chronicles 26

Here we have the chief porters; men who are conducting the ground work for the House of the Lord.  Don't quote me on if they will minister in the house of the Lord.

1 Chronicles 27

Chapter twenty-seven lays out the men of war in David's fortieth year of reign.  This chapter just gives the details of the mighty men who were set over their men and captains.

1 Chronicles 28

In this chapter, David makes his farewell speech to the people of Israel.  David tells them he had it in his heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building; but the Lord commanded he stop because of his many bloodsheds of being a man of war.

Nevertheless, God has made him king of Israel forever.  If it is forever, David is dead and Israel is scattered so his seed is not even sitting on the throne; that means the Lord is going to recover them and redeem David and other servants of God.  Redeeming them means to resurrect the dead.

David announces Solomon who will take over his throne when he dies.  ⁶And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.  We see here that David did not fully understand that the son to build the Temple will be Jesus, who came out of David's lineage in the flesh.

1 Chronicles 29

So David encouraged the people to be helpful to Solomon for this big task for the Lord.  David talked about all the instruments he dedicated, and the money of his own that he donated to this project, and finally he prayed and Solomon took over.

 ²⁶Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

 ²⁷And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

This is very important to know here in first Chronicles chapter 29 because in Luke chapter 1; the angel tells Mary that her child Jesus will reign over Israel forever, and will sit on the throne David said on.  Where did David sit?  That is where Jesus was set.

2 Chronicles 1

Here Solomon is ready to make sacrifices to the Lord and the Lord appears to him asking his what he wants in his kingdom.  And if we remember what he asked for in Samuel; we know it was: ¹⁰Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

God granted him riches, long life, and power just for his wisdom to ask for wisdom and knowledge.  Perhaps, we should not pray to God to give us the lotto ticket and maybe give us wisdom and understanding so we can figure out how to make money without worry.

2 Chronicles 2

 ¹And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.  Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, to send him cedars (as he did for David) to build the Lord an house to dwell there in.

And Huram agreed and blessed Solomon and also blessed the Lord God of Israel for putting it in the mind of Solomon to do this great task.  Solomon put the strangers who lived in Israelto work.

¹⁷And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three thousand and six hundred.

 ¹⁸And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

First off there were 153,600 strangers living in Israel during Solomon's day and he made them workers in the land or 'bearers of burdens'.

2 Chronicles 3

Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.  Solomon began to build in the second day of the second month, in the fourth year of his reign.

He laced the building with gold; and designed it beautifully, and he had the cherubims up and all manner of good works.  Also, this chapter gives us the measurements of the temple as well.

2 Chronicles 4

Chapter four just gives more construction basics.  Not that it is not important, because it made it's way into the bible so it is important.  The seers wrote on it to inform us of how the temple was built and how it looked.  Construction workers should love this chapter.  When we read Ezekiel's book we will see stunning resemblances to the temple to be built when the Lord returns and the one Solomon built.

2 Chronicles chapter 5 

Solomon has now finished the work of the temple and brings all the dedications and vessels into the temple. Then Solomon called all the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, up to Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.  

So they all came up during the feast of Tabernacles in the 7th month.  It's important that we remember this took place in the 7th month.  It's the completion of things; and also Jesus will return to this earth on the seventh month of the year.

 ⁴And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the ark. 

and as they were playing their trumpets and the singers were singing, praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD.  

It was so bad that the priest could not deal with it and had to clear out because God had visited the temple.  I'm sure that was scary at the beginning then you get your composure.

2 Chronicles 6

⁵Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel:

 ⁶But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

Solomon is speaking but it shows he was clearly speaking with understanding and knew that David would rule over these people, Israel.  Solomon continues his prayer; that the eyes of the Lord may be open on this house day and night, upon the place where the Lord said He would put His name; to listen to the prayers, which His people pray towards this place.  Again, this why it is wise to pray facing Jerusalem because the eyes and ears of the Lord is on that place.

Solomon prayed for every circumstance asking the Lord to hear the people when they pray facing the Temple.  ⁴²O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember the mercies of David thy servant.

2 Chronicles 7

 ¹Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

 ²And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.

 ³And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

Thus we see that the Lord was there; He showed a wonder to prove to the people He was there and put fear in their hearts, nevertheless, He accepted their sacrifices.

⁸Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.

 ⁹And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

So they kept the feast in Solomon's day, the same feast we read of in Leviticus 23 that were written to be done forever.  They even kept the 8th day feast as well; a very significant feast.

¹¹Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.

 ¹²And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.

The Lord appears to Solomon in a dream perhaps and let's him know he has heard the prayer Solomon made.

 ¹³If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

 ¹⁴If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We have to get some understanding here: the Lord God of Israel says, if my people, who are called by my name, would humble themselves, pray, seek the Lord, turn from wickedness, then God would hear from Heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.  That is a promise.  

First things first; His people are called by His name.  What name is that?  Israel.  So if you have or had a problem with the name Israel; you are having or had a problem with the Lord's name.

 ¹⁵Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

 ¹⁶For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

So the Lord confirms His ears will be open to the prayers sent towards this place, even if the temple is there or not.  And the Lord reiterates the destruction of Israel if they forsake the Lord; and will send them into captivity.  And the people will wonder why these people are in such horrifying conditions; and they will say they forsook their God.

This concludes our reading for today; we'll be back tomorrow.  Notice how David and Solomon had nearly all of Chronicles written of their accounts; and the rest of the kings got a few verses, some wicked me barely received that.  David and Solomon were great men.

--
Peace & Grace

*I'm building a recession proof online business.  Would you like to join me?
Visit www.MakeMoneyHourly.com

24th Day in the Bible Food Reading

Good morning and welcome to the daily bible food where we're reading the bible in 90 days.

I hope you've stretched and are ready to go...read.

Today we will begin in 2 Samuel chapter 23

2 Samuel 23

 ¹Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
 ²The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
 ³The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
⁶But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
 ⁷But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

This chapter began with David giving his final accounts as his administration is coming to a close as he is preparing his house before he sleeps.  In verses 2-3; David tells us what Jesus wants, kings must rule over men justly, in the fear of God; but sons of the devil will be taken and utterly burned with fire; David knew about the lake of fire.

2 Samuel 24- Here the Lord was upset with Israel for something they did perhaps generations ago; and the Lord put in David's mind to number Israel a thing that should not be done.  Joab attempted to talk him out of it because it was sin; but David was king.

David realize he had done foolishly and repented to the Lord to have mercy on him.  It was too late then.  Gad the prophet was already sent to him to offer David three things and David must choose one.  This sounds like something right out of a gangster or mafia movie.

¹³So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what answer I shall return to him that sent me.

David chose 3 days of pestilence in the land hoping God would have mercy; however 70,000 people died in that mercy David hoped for.  The Lord even let David see the angel that destroyed Israel.  Finally, Gad told David to perform a sacrifice and peace offering for the plague to be stopped.  
At times the Lord is punishing you for things you did when you were 16, and you can't even remember because you're 47 now.  However you may think it's something you did yesterday because that is how far you can recollect; but God has a longer eternal memory.

Now we move into 1 Kings chapter 1

 ¹Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.  

This chapter begins with David being an aged man and his body heat was low so they thought to bring him a young virgin to cuddle with him care after him; and if he chose to wife her that would be for her.  All this was to help warm the king and increase his body heat.

So they brought a very beautiful girl named Abishag and brought her to the king; and she cared for him tenderly and served David; but he did not go into her.  Then Adonijah, the second son after Absalom, decided to make himself king without telling David.  He called a lot of people but didn't bother to tell David nor his men, nor Bathsheba, nor Solomon, nor Zadok, and not even Nathan.  

So Nathan had Bathsheba talk to David about how he promised Solomon would take over and while they are talking he would come in and confirm those words.  So much plotting in administrations.
They spoke with David and he confirmed that Solomon should be king and they rained on Adonijah's party and Solomon was anointed king over Israel in place of David.  Adonijah then feared for his life; but Solomon let him go.

1 Kings 2

David here is giving Solomon the pep talk in what he should to to establish a great kingdom; keep the charge of the Lord, walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do.
David didn't forget what Joab did to him in killing two nobles in Israel and in slaying Absalom, David told Solomon to get him back and not to let him die in peace.  

⁶Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

David had a few confrontations to settle before he died.  

¹⁰So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
 ¹¹And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. 

Thus David died; a great man in Israel, a valiant man, a mighty man, and great king.  Unto him was given the kingship over Israel forever, thus we will see at the resurrection.

Solomon took over and when Adonijah asked for the young virgin that took care of David; Solomon was offended and put him to death.  Solomon also put to death Joab who had taken to follow Adonijah.  This is what you call "cleaning the house."  Also the man Shimei, who cursed David; Solomon put him on house arrest.  ⁴³Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?  But Shimei broke his vow to Solomon and the Lord and left and Solomon had him killed.  The two men David wanted avenged had been avenged.

David could have killed them; but this is a prime example of letting the wheat grow with the tares and separating them at the harvest.  At the end of the road, our wickedness will catch up to us; be it before we die or when the Lord wakes everyone up to judge them.

1 Kings chapter 3

⁵In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.  God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked Solomon what does he want from the Lord.  Solomon asked for understanding and wisdom to rule God's people well. ⁹Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

 ¹⁰And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.
  Solomon could have asked for gold, women, power, but he asked for what people rarely ask God for.  He wanted understanding!  That is why it pleased the Lord because he saw he wasn't caught up in material things.

¹²Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

So the Lord gave it to him; but look what comes with wisdom and understanding: ¹³And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

Also the Lord said if you walk in my ways, statues, and commandments, like David did, God will also lengthen his days.

¹⁶Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.  

In this recorded event we see the Lord's wisdom in Solomon right away, they were disputing over a baby and Solomon settled it by cutting the baby in half.  But the real mother told the other to keep the baby; while the liar said yes, cut him.  The baby was given to the lady who said save the child alive.  
Solomon's fame went out because of his judgment here. 

²⁸And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment.

1 Kings 4

 ¹So king Solomon was king over all Israel.

He was established; his administration was ordered, his workers were happy, and the Lord was using him as an example of what the entire nation was to be.  Kings and nations came up to Solomon to hear his wisdom: ³⁴And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

He was wiser than all the wise men of other countries known for their wisdom:

²⁹And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.
 ³⁰And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

If you've ever heard of the man who never fights because he is too smart to fight; it is Solomon.  He did not have to war nor go against anyone because he would and could simply out smart them.

1 Kings 5

The king of Tyre, Hiram, sent Solomon good tiding once he heard Solomon had taken over from David; because Hiram loved David.  And Solomon asked Hiram to cut trees in Lebanon, you know the fine wood, so that he can begin to make the Temple of the Lord, which David wanted to build.

So Hiram gave Solomon trees, and Solomon gave Hiram wheat and food yearly and the two made a league together.  We see thus that Solomon made a league with Egypt and with Tyre.  Solomon is making friends here.

1 Kings 6

Just 480 years after the children of Israel came out of Egypt, Solomon began to build the house of the Lord.  He did so in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, in the second month of the Israel calendar, which is named Zif (that's like May or so in the Roman calendar).

¹¹And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, ¹²Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:  ¹³And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.  

The Lord makes this promise to every generation, even today, but we have to keep our side of the bargain.

The design of the Temple is laid out in this chapter; it is beautiful to read how he made the cherubims with their wings stretched forth, which is the cherubs covering the Lord God, the Tree of Life.

The foundation was laid in fourth year of the kings reign and it was finished on the eleventh year in the 8th month for a total of 7 years to build.

1 Kings chapter 7

We can certainly see that Solomon spent a great deal of money on building this Temple and building his own house.  In today's money this would be in the billions of dollars in constructing this Temple.  Israel was on top then and had a booming economy.  Israel put a lot of work into building this temple of the Lord; to dwell among them.

This concludes the reading today; we will pick up tomorrow on day 25 and we'll read 1 Kings chapter 8 - 16.  See you then.

-- 

Peace & Grace*Thanks*Check out Fire Your Boss for a step-by-step methods to begin earning money hourly online and off. This guy's program was on CNN and CNBC and has lots of credibility.  Get free DVD today!