2 Kings 13:4-6 (HCSB)
[4] Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD heard him, for He saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel. *[2Ki 14:26; Ex 3:7-9] [5] Therefore, the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, *[2Ki 13:25; 14:25-27] and they escaped from the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel dwelt in their tents as before, [6] but they didn’t turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. Jehoahaz walked in them, and the Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria.
2Ki 13:4-6 The Lord heard Jehoahaz’s prayer for help. God delayed his judgment on Israel when they turned to him for help, but they did not sustain their dependence on God for long. Although there were periodic breaks in their idol worship, there was rarely evidence of genuine faith. It is not enough to say no to sin; we must also say yes to a life of commitment to God. An occasional call for help is not a substitute for a daily life of trust in God. Cross References: 2 Kings 13:4—Ex 3:7-9; Nu 21:7-9 2 Kings 13:5—Jdg 2:18; Ne 9:27 2 Kings 13:6—1Ki 16:33
2 Kings 13:14 (HCSB)
Elisha’s Death
[14] When Elisha became sick with the illness that he died from, Jehoash king of Israel went down and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” *[2Ki 2:12]
2Ki 13:14 Elisha was highly regarded for his prophetic powers and miracles on Israel’s behalf. Jehoash called him "The chariots and charioteers of Israel!" This recalls the title Elisha gave to Elijah in 2:12. Jehoash feared Elisha’s death because he ascribed the nation’s well-being to Elisha rather than to God. Jehoash’s fear reveals his lack of spiritual understanding. At least 43 years had passed since Elisha was last mentioned in Scripture (9:1), when he anointed Jehu king (841 B.C.). Jehoash’s reign began in 798 B.C. Cross References: 2 Kings 13:14—2Ki 2:12
2 Kings 13:15-19 (HCSB)
[15] Elisha responded, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he got a bow and arrows. [16] Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So the king put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. [17] Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. Then Elisha said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, yes, the arrow of victory over Aram. You are to strike down the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”
[18] Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. [19] The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to them, but now you will only strike down Aram three times.” *[2Ki 13:25
2Ki 13:15-19 When Jehoash was told to strike the ground with the arrows, he did it only halfheartedly. As a result, Elisha told the king that his victory over Aram would not be complete. Receiving the full benefits of God's plan for our lives requires us to receive and obey God's commands fully. If we don't follow God's complete instructions, we should not be surprised that his full benefits and blessings are not present.
2 Kings 14:25 (HCSB)
[25] It was he who restored Israel’s border from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah , [Nu 34:3-9] according to the word the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant, the prophet Jonah son of Amittai from Gath-hepher.
2Ki 14:25 During this period of history, many prophets—such as Hosea, Amos, Jonah, Micah, and Isaiah—began collecting their prophecies and writing them under God’s direction. They continued to preach about the worldwide significance of God’s work as they looked forward to the future spiritual Kingdom. God would use Israel’s moral and spiritual decline to prepare the way for the Messiah’s coming. Because the kingdom and military power of Israel were stripped away, many people would be ready to turn to the Good News that Jesus would bring. Cross References: 2 Kings 14:25—Dt 3:17; 2Ki 13:25; Jon 1:1
2 Kings 14:28 (HCSB)
[28] The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign—along with all his accomplishments and the power he had to wage war and how he recovered for Israel Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah—are written about in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.
2Ki 14:28 Jeroboam II had no devotion to God, yet under his warlike policies and skillful administration, Israel enjoyed more national power and material prosperity than at any time since the days of Solomon. The prophets Amos and Hosea, however, tell us what was really happening within the kingdom (Ho 13:4-8; Am 6:11-14). Jeroboam’s administration ignored policies of justice and fairness. As a result, the rich became richer, and the poor, poorer. The people became self-centered, relying more on their power, security, and possessions than on God. The poor were so oppressed that it was hard for them to believe God noticed their plight. Material prosperity is not always an indication of God’s blessing. It can also be a result of self-centeredness. If you are experiencing prosperity, remember that God holds us accountable for how we attain success and how we use our wealth. Everything we have really belongs to him. We must use God’s gifts with his interests in mind.
Acts 18:27 (HCSB)
[27] When he wanted to cross over to Achaia, the brothers wrote to the disciples urging them to welcome him. After he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace. [28] For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating through the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah .
Ac 18:27,28 Apollos was from Alexandria in Egypt, the second most important city in the Roman Empire, and the home of a great university. There was a thriving Jewish population in Alexandria. Apollos was a scholar, orator, and debater; and after his knowledge about Christ was made more complete, God greatly used these gifts to strengthen and encourage the church. Reason is a powerful tool in the right hands and in the right situation. Apollos used the gift of reason to convince many in Greece of the truth of the Good News. You don’t have to turn off your mind when you turn to Christ. If you have an ability in logic or debate, use it to bring others to God. Cross References: Acts 18:27—2Co 3:1 Acts 18:28—Ac 9:22
Ac 18:27,28 Not all the work of a minister or missionary is drudgery, setback, or suffering. Chapter 18 is triumphant, showing victories in key cities and the addition of exciting new leaders such as Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos to the church. Rejoice in the victories Christ brings, and don’t let the hazards create a negative mind-set.
Acts 19:1 (HCSB)
Twelve Disciples of John the Baptist
[19:1] While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions and came to Ephesus. He found some disciples
Ac 19:1 Ephesus was the capital and leading business center of the Roman province of Asia (part of present-day Turkey). A hub of sea and land transportation, it ranked with Antioch in Syria and Alexandria in Egypt as one of the great cities on the Mediterranean Sea. Paul stayed in Ephesus for a little over two years. There he wrote his first letter to the Corinthians to counter several problems the church in Corinth was facing. Later, while imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote a letter to the Ephesian church (the book of Ephesians). Cross References: Acts 19:1—Ac 18:24
Acts 19:2 (HCSB)
[2] and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
“No,” they told him, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
[3] “Then with what baptism were you baptized?” he asked them.
“With John’s baptism,” they replied.
[4] Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the One who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
Ac 19:2-4 John’s baptism was a sign of repentance from sin only, not a sign of new life in Christ. Like Apollos (18:24-26), these Ephesian believers needed further instruction about the message and ministry of Jesus Christ. They believed in Jesus as the Messiah, but they did not understand the significance of the work of the Holy Spirit. Becoming a Christian involves turning from sin (repentance) and turning to Christ (faith). These "believers" were incomplete. In the book of Acts, believers received the Holy Spirit in a variety of ways. Usually the Holy Spirit would fill a person as soon as he or she professed faith in Christ. Here that filling happened later because these disciples’ knowledge was incomplete. God was confirming to these believers, who did not initially know about the Holy Spirit, that they were a part of the church. The Holy Spirit’s filling endorsed them as believers. Pentecost was the formal outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. The other outpourings in the book of Acts were God’s way of uniting new believers to the church. The mark of the true church is not merely right doctrine but right actions, the true evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work. Cross References: Acts 19:2—Jn 7:39; 20:22; Ac 8:16 Acts 19:3—Ac 18:25 Acts 19:4—Mk 1:4
Today’s Psalm – Psalms 146:3 (NLTSE)
[3] Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.
[4] When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
and all their plans die with them.
[5] But joyful are those who have the God of Israel *[ Hebrew of Jacob. See note on 44:4 . ] as their helper,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.
[6] He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
[7] He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
[8] The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
The LORD loves the godly.
Ps 146:3-8 The psalmist portrays powerful people as inadequate saviors, making false promises they cannot deliver (146:3). God is the hope and the help of the needy. Jesus affirms his concern for the poor and afflicted in Lk 4:18-21; 7:21-23. He does not separate the physical needs from spiritual needs but attends to both. While God, not the government, is the hope of the needy, we are his instruments to help here on earth. Cross References: Psalm 146:3—Ps 60:11 Psalm 146:4—Ps 33:10; 104:29; Ec 12:7 Psalm 146:5—Ps 71:5 Psalm 146:6—Ac 14:15 Psalm 146:7—Ps 68:6 Psalm 146:8—Mt 9:30; Jn 9:7 Psalm 146:10—Ps 10:16
Psalms 146:9 (NLTSE)
[9] The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
Ps 146:9 God’s plans frustrate the "plans of the wicked" because his values are the opposite of society’s. Jesus turned society’s values upside down when he proclaimed that "many who seem to be important now will be the least important then, and those who are considered least here will be the greatest then" (Mt 19:30). "If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life" (Mt 16:25). Don’t be surprised when others don’t understand your Christian values; but don’t give in to theirs. Cross References: Psalm 146:9—Ex 22:21; Lev 19:34; Dt 10:18
June 28th, 2009
Great post!