Fall 2011 at SEBTS

The Fall semester has finally arrived, which means that my life and schedule returns to school mode.  The free time of Summer is now gone, and my life will soon be filled with many hours of reading and studying.  Today was not only my first day of class, but it was also my first day of work at my new job!  God has blessed me with an opportunity to work at a daycare in the afternoons, which works perfectly in my schedule.  Classes in the morning and work in the afternoons will be my schedule for the foreseeable future.  I am excited and cannot wait to see what the semester will hold.

My classes for the semester are Bible Exposition, Theology II, Hebrew I, and History I.  It is quite a load, but so far it definitely seems doable.  One thing I know for sure is that I have a lot of reading to do, which means that there are a lot of book reviews due this semester as well.  I wrote a book review and a paper back in the summer for my job/class.  Hopefully, they will soon find their way to the blog.

Now that life is back to what I call "school normal," I should have more time to post on here more regularly.  I know I said this a few weeks ago at the end of camp, but now I am officially back in school.  This blog has always been my way of expressing my ideas and views on certain issues, catch family and friends up on my life, and post reviews of books that I would recommend to others as well.  I love to write, and I look forward to getting back into a routine where I can write almost daily like I was during the previous school year.  Hopefully, this post is the first of what is to come.

Matt

Colts Kids Camp

So it has been a while since my last post on here.  I am still around, but I have fallen into my typical summer routine.  Back in May, I applied for a job at a Christian camp close by.  I was hired about a week later and have been there ever since.  As a result, the blog has once again fallen to the wayside, as is the case almost every summer.  I end up spending so much time preparing for my lessons each day, that this blog is usually the first thing that is cut out of my life.  But I have a little bit of time today, so I thought I would update the blog by letting you know what I have been up to this summer.

This camp has been an 8 week camp at a local Christian school where we have done everything from basketball to treasure hunting, field trips to art camp, and many, many more camps.  Sadly, the summer comes to a close next week with Lego Camp and Red Carpet Movie Camp.  It has been a great 8 weeks where we have been privileged to work with well over 100 students.  We have seen at least one kid come to Christ and several grow and mature over the course of the summer.  God has been at work this summer through the camp!

I always dread the end of the summer, and just like the last 3 summers I spent at daycare, I am already missing the kids.  This coming Friday is our last day, and then it will 10 months before I see some of these kids again.  This is always the hardest part about camp, but it has been a joy to get to know and work with all the different kids who have walked through our doors this summer.

Colts Kids Camp 2012 is right around the corner, and the camp list is already finished.  We will soon be revealing all the camps for next summer, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to return to camp.  I am already looking forward to May when preparations will be made to re-open the doors for year 2 of this great new camp.  Now, if I can just get through the next year!

I hope to be able to share several stories from the summer in the weeks to come.  God has done some amazing things this summer in the lives of the children that we have worked with.  I also hope to be able to continue our walk through the Bible.  We left off in 1 Chronicles back in May.  So I hope to start that back up soon.  I will also try to post some things from the end of last semester (which I never found time to do back in May).  So look for some new posts in the coming days and weeks!

Matt

Finals Week

It's been way too long since I've updated the blog, but I have been quite busy these last few weeks.  It's the end of the semester, and that means that there is way too much going on all at once.  I have been finishing up papers, which I might eventually put on here as I have done before, and I have been preparing for finals, which begin Tuesday.  As a result, this blog was one thing that had to take a backseat in life for a while. 

The good news is that I have plenty of ideas about what I want to write about when I get the time to do so again.  So look forward to first, a review of The Priest's Graveyard, which I have promised is coming.  Then, I may begin posting some of the papers that I have written this semester.  There are also a few other books that I have read and plan to read that I may post reviews for in the coming weeks.  So hopefully, as this week settles down and I get back into a routine again this blog will come back to life.

Also, for a quick update on a job, I have one!  I found an internship for the summer.  I will be a camp counselor at a school's camp about half an hour from campus for the summer.  I am looking forward to investing in the lives of many children this summer.  I cannot wait to see what God has in store for the summer.  This internship is also good for seminary credit, so I will have a couple assignments to work on as well.  But other than that, I will not have much to do this summer, which should give me plenty of time write.

Matt

Darkest Day in History

Continuing with the music theme this weekend, here is another great Easter Weekend song.  This one is "Sunday" by Tree 63.  The day of the Crucifixion (what we now know as Good Friday) was the darkest day in history.  As Jesus died on the cross, His disciples probably stood there wondering where life would take them next.  All that they had invested in over the last 3 years had come to a sudden end, and they knew that they would probably be next.  What would keep the government from coming after them?  Then, as they wok up on Saturday, probably hoping that it had all been a dream, they soon realized that He was really gone.  Sadly, they did not remember what He had taught them.  He had told them on several occasions that His death would not be the end.  He had predicted His resurrection many times.  Yet in the midst of their grief and sorrow, they did not realize that Sunday was coming.  As I said yesterday, the reason that Good Friday is so "good" is because of the Sunday that followed.  Jesus had to die, but He also gave them the promise of the resurrection.  There was hope on that awful Friday afternoon!  So consider the lyrics of this song that speaks of the hope that was Sunday morning!

"Sunday"

Nothing’s sacred, the days are cheap
Truth is thin on the ground
Still our prophets are crucified
Nobody believes we’re stumbling
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming

Someone’s saying a prayer tonight
For hungry mouths to be filled
Someone kneels in the dark somewhere
And darkness is already crumbling
It’s Friday, but Sunday comes

Sunday – Hallelujah – it’s not so far, it’s not so far away
Sunday – Hallelujah – it’s not so far, it’s not so far away

Broken promises, weary hearts
But one promise remains:
Crucified, he will come again
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming
It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming

Sunday…

Matt

Good News on Good Friday

"Christ is Risen" by Matt Maher

If you have not heard this song yet, then get on youtube or itunes and find it!  The lyrics to this song are powerful, reminding us of the great hope that we have in Jesus.  Good Friday is easily both the worst day and best day in history.  While Christ's death was devestating for the disciples, leaving them with no hope for a time, they later saw the significance of that day.  Without the cross, there would be no resurrection.  Without Good Friday, there would be no Easter!  Thankfully, Good Friday was not the end, but only the beginning.  The good news is that Christ is not dead.  He is alive!  His sacrificial death has also given us life, those who come to Him in faith.  So I hope you find the lyrics to this song encouraging on this Good Friday.

Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
But fix our eyes upon the cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You've bled for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bowed to none but heaven's will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer's crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night

O death, where is your sting?
O hell, where is your victory?
O church, come stand in the light
Our God is not dead
He's alive! He's alive!

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave
Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Matt

1 Chronicles 12

1 Chronicles 12

Skipping 1 Chronicles 10-11 (where we see Saul’s death and David’s ascension to throne), we move on to 1 Chronicles 12 where we get a more detailed description of David’s mighty men. The portion skipped was previously covered at the end of 1 Samuel and the opening chapters of 2 Samuel. Now, 1 Chronicles 12 goes into more detail about who these men were that assisted David in battle.


There were 30 of these men, led by Amasai. They were some of the most skilled warriors and soldiers around who were chosen to aid David in battle. They had sworn allegiance to David, promising to fight with him and never betray him. They were his core army. As David continued to go out to battle, more and more men stood by his side. These were the early years of his reign when David was a popular king. His son, Absalom, had not yet betrayed him, and the whole country of Israel supported David entirely. As a result, his army grew, for men from every tribe wanted the honor of fighting alongside David and his mighty men. This allowed David to expand the boarders of Israel. Israel was at its highest when David was their king.

The rest of the chapter lists the numbers of men that joined the army of David. Thousands of men from each tribe were numbered, making for one very large army. What is even more interesting is the fact that the text says that they were all of one mind. They supported David’s ascension to the throne of Israel and were willing to work alongside him. Never had Israel been so unified under one common purpose

This story shows the importance of good leadership and unity. The problem with Israel throughout their history was poor leadership. While they had good kings at times, much of their history is plagued with bad leaders who turned away from God and led Israel into all sorts of evil practices. As a result, this caused a rift between those who followed after the king (which was most of the country) and the few who stayed true to God. There was no sense of unity during the reigns of these kings. As for David, he had managed to bring Israel under one common goal with one common focus. They followed God, the God of their ancestors who had proven Himself time and time again. He had always been there for Israel and helped them through some difficult situations, and He had always proven Himself to be faithful. With this as their focus, Israel experienced some of their brightest days, and it was partly due to the convictions and leadership of King David. Despite his faults (which he learned and grew from), David is a great example of what a leader ought to look like.

Matt

1 Chronicles 1-9

1 Chronicles 1-9

Yes, this is 9 chapters today! If you go through and read these 9 chapters, you will quickly see why. 1 Chronicles does not just begin in 2 Samuel with the story of David. It goes all the way back to the very beginning and starts with Adam. The first 9 chapters of 1 Chronicles outline the genealogy of the human race up to the time of David. In a listing of names, these 9 chapters recount the stories of the creation, the fall, the flood, Abraham’s call, Abraham’s family, the Israelites’ time in Egypt, Moses’ leadership over Israel, the time of Joshua, the dividing of the Promised Land, and Saul’s family. Also in 1 Chronicles 9, those who returned from the Babylonian exile are mentioned, and their story is then picked up in Ezra.


The author of 1 and 2 Chronicles outlines the history of Israel through a very long list of names that can be tough to wade through. Not only do most people not know how to pronounce these names, but it can become monotonous reading through them at times. However, there are all kinds of nuggets buried within these 9 chapters. Although I am not taking the time to go through each one of them individually, thus adding to the idea that these chapters can be somewhat boring, I encourage you to read through them.

While some people are only mentioned in passing, others get a couple of verses explaining who they were and why they were important. For instance, in 1 Chronicles 4 we read the story of Jabez, who received two verses about his life and how he trusted that God could heal him. Other passages expound the roles of certain men in Israel, as some had been appointed by various kings to certain tasks. Although these stories are short, it is interesting to read about some of the other characters in Scripture that were not included in the main storyline. They were ordinary people (just like Moses and David) that God chose to use in other ways, and although we do not know much about them, it is apparent that God was able to use many of them in mighty ways.

Although these 9 chapters cannot and do not cover the entire history of Israel, they are a good summary of the first 12 books of the Bible. They outline the basic story and allude to many of the key events from Israel’s history. For those who had previously read the first 12 books, these 9 chapters serve as a quick reminder of all that had gone on before. Then, the rest of 1 and 2 Chronicles revisit the time of the kings of Israel in much greater detail. Many of these stories have already been covered in 2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings, but the Chronicler also adds new stories and new details. Writing from a different perspective, the author knew some different facts and stories from Israel’s history and includes them in these two books. Therefore, we will skip ahead and next look at a story from David’s reign as king in 1 Chronicles 12.

Matt

Introduction to the Chronicles

Introduction to the Chronicles

Like the 4 Gospels in the New Testament, 1 and 2 Chronicles overlap with 2 Samuel – 2 Kings. More than likely, a different author wrote 1 and 2 Chronicles, and that author had a different perspective on some of the events that unfolded during the reigns of the Davidic kings (the kings from David to the exile). While 1 and 2 Chronicles does not contradict the stories that we have already read through, there are some details that are different. Some details are added, which gives us a fuller understanding of the story, while other details are not mentioned. Ultimately 1 and 2 Chronicles serve as a companion to the Samuels and the Kings, and all 6 books tell the same story.


If you read through 1 and 2 Kings, you may have already noticed that these two books made reference to the Chronicles on several occasions, mentioning that further details are in the Chronicles. This is especially true for the kings that reigned in Judah, for 1 and 2 Chronicles focus primarily on what happened in Judah after the kingdom split and not as much time on Israel.

I do not plan on going back and revisiting the stories that we have already covered in 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings. I have recently read through 1 and 2 Chronicles while writing a paper on some of their major themes. I noticed several of the parallels between these books, so I do not plan on talking about the same stories again. I will, however, look at some of the new information that 1 and 2 Chronicles gives us, and will try and show how these new stories fit into the much larger story. Therefore, we will move rather quickly through 1 and 2 Chronicles, but I hope you take the time to read through both books, revisiting some of the same stories. Just as it is beneficial to read all 4 Gospels to understand the much larger story about Jesus’ life, it is helpful to read the Chronicles alongside Samuel and Kings.

Matt

2 Kings 25

2 Kings 25

We have reached the end of the books of Kings, and the time of the Exile begins in 2 Kings 25. The monarchy that was set in Jerusalem began with King Saul back in 1 Samuel and extended all the way to the end of 2 Kings. First the kingdom was stripped from Saul and his family and given to David. God promised that David’s line would rule as king from there on out, but in the middle of 1 Kings it seemed as if that might change. After a rebellion in Israel led to the split of the kingdom, 2 kings rose up. David’s line continued to rule the southern kingdom of Judah while various families took the throne in Israel through the years. Israel was full of assassinations and overthrows. They continued to drift further and further from God, and they found themselves taken into exile. Although Judah had fared better than Israel, they too began to drift from God, and their time of exile was at hand in 2 Kings 25.


Zedekiah was king in Judah at the time of the exile. Jerusalem had already been destroyed, and he was only a puppet of Nebuchadnezzar, not really a king any longer. While some of the destruction had already been completed in 2 Kings 24, the worst was still to come. During Zedekiah’s ninth year, the Babylonians once again attacked the land. They burned down the Temple that Solomon had built, destroyed all the items within the Temple, captured King Zedekiah, killed much of his family, and took the rest of the citizens into exile. Only a few were left to tend the land with a new ruler, Gedaliah, in charge. The people were not satisfied with this result, however, unwilling to serve Gedaliah or the Babylonians. So they revolted and killed Gedaliah. But out of fear of how the Babylonians might respond, they fled to Egypt.

Meanwhile, the rest of the people of Judah were in Babylon. Their former king Jehoiachin was the only one who received any type of blessing, as he was promoted to a high position in the king’s court. The rest of the nation had to endure 70 long years in exile, wondering if God would ever save them and take them back home.

This is where the story ends in the Books of History for now. There is a lot that happened during those 70 years, as God sent many prophets to them during that time. The exile was their punishment for their disobedience, but God wanted to draw His people back to Himself. He had promised Moses that the exile would happen, but He also promised that they would one day return to the land. This is one of those moments where it would be helpful to read some of the prophets to see what life was like during the exile. The story starts over in a sense in 1 and 2 Chronicles, recounting many of the same events that we have already seen (from the time of Solomon to the time of the exile). Then, the story continues in Ezra, 70 years later when the people of Judah begin to make their way back to the Promised Land. While we will not get to the prophets for some time, I encourage you to take a look at some of them (like Ezekiel) to see what happened during those 70 years.

Matt

2 Kings 23:28-24:20

2 Kings 23:28-24:20

Josiah’s life came to an end quite tragically when Pharaoh Neco out of Egypt killed him unexpectedly. It appeared as if Josiah had no idea of what Neco’s intentions were when he went out to meet Neco (possibly for trade or alliance purposes). Nevertheless, Neco took Josiah’s life, and Judah began to drift from God again, forgetting all that they had learned under Josiah’s leadership.


Jehoahaz was Josiah’s son, and he inherited the throne after Josiah’s death, but Jehoahaz only reigned for three short months. He did not follow God, leading Judah away from Him. Neco was not pleased with Jehoahaz either, so he captured Jehoahaz and promoted another one of Josiah’s sons, Eliakim, to the throne. Neco changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim and allowed him to rule over Judah, although Neco really had control. Anything he wanted, he received, as Jehoiakim did whatever Neco commanded.

Egypt had become a major power at the time, but that was not the nation God was going to use to ultimately bring an end to Judah. For many decades God had been building up the Babylonians, preparing them for this moment. Then, during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, God allowed the Babylonians to begin to take control of Jerusalem and ultimately Judah. Jehoiakim rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, but the he and Judah had no chance against the powerful Babylonian army and their allies (Syria, Moab, and Ammon). God had given Judah over into the hands of the Babylonians.

Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoiachin took the throne, reigning for only 3 months. Jehoiachin was the king of Judah when Babylon made their first attack. He was taken into captivity along with many of the leaders of Judah. The Babylonians cleaned out Jerusalem and only left behind the poorest people of the nation, commanding them to take care of the land (with farming and the like). They selected a king from among the Judahites, Mattaniah (also known as Zedekiah), and he received the throne from the Babylonians. He was basically a puppet of the Babylonians as they had gained control of Judah. He reigned for just 11 years before he rebelled against the Babylonians, and that rebellion marked the end of Judah as they knew it.

God had promised since before Josiah’s reign that this day would come. Due to the disobedience of kings like Manasseh, God was ready to wipe out the nation of Judah, punishing them for their disobedience. He used the Babylonians to accomplish this task. The only reason Judah had not been destroyed sooner was due to Josiah’s obedience and his attempt to turn the nation back toward God. But sadly, it appeared as if Josiah was only one of the few who had truly turned to God in that time. After his death, the nation was quick to turn away again, following the lead of their new king. This says a lot about their level of commitment, and is something we should consider as well. It is easy to follow God when we are surrounded by people who are doing the same. But how would we act if we were not surrounded by Christians every day, if we did not have a great support system at church, or if we were not privileged enough to have a church we could go to freely? Would we still follow God, even if it was not as easy to do any longer? The Judahites turned from God when life got hard, allowing a new king’s influence to sway them. We must consider how deep our commitment to God really is. Are we just going through the motions with those around us, or do we really have the desire to follow Him daily?

Matt

2 Kings 23:1-27

2 Kings 23:1-27

After recovering the Book of the Law, Josiah set forth some major reforms in the nation of Judah. He began to reverse many of the laws that had his father and grandfather had set. For instance, he and his servants cleaned out the Temple before the people of Judah. They removed any idols that had been made for other gods and had them burned. They also tore down all of the high places (any place of worship that had been built for the worship of other gods) and deposed any priest that “worked” at these places. Anything that had been dedicated to anything but God alone was removed from the nation of Judah. Any practice that went against the Law, the commands of God, was condemned (such as male cult prostitutions).


Josiah did not stop with Judah. Although Israel had already been destroyed at this point, there was still evidence of how they had disobeyed God. There were still some people (from various nations in the area) living in the land. Josiah tore down all of the high places, destroyed all of the idols, and sacrificed all the men who were serving as priests at these false places of worship. He brought reform the land that had formally been Israel as well.

Upon his return to Judah, Josiah also reinstituted the Passover. The Passover was one of the top celebrations for the Israelites. It reminded them of how God had rescued their ancestors from the hands of Egyptians. It was a yearly celebration that reminded them of God’s faithfulness, that they could trust God. Yet for some reason, they had grown slack in celebrating the Passover. In fact, 2 Kings 23 states that the Passover had not been celebrated in this way since the time of the Judges. Josiah reminded the Judahites of God’s faithfulness as he reinstituted this great celebration.

Despite all of the reform that Josiah was able to bring to Judah, God was still going to destroy them. Now, my first reaction to this is, “That’s not fair!” But, God keeps His promises, whether it is for our benefit or not. Yes, Judah had returned to God during Josiah’s reign. But for the last several kings, they had been slowly drifting from God. They had fallen into the ways of the Israelites, and they were going to have suffer the same consequences. God promised that their destruction and exile would be their fate. However, due to their obedience, God was willing to wait. In a response to their obedience, God was not going to respond through judgment. He held back His anger for the nation of Judah and accepted their honest praise and obedience. Yet, God knew that there would be a day when they would fall back into the ways of sin, and when that day came, judgment would follow.

Matt

Riddle Time Answers

Just a few days ago I posted 4 different riddles just for fun.  I have always enjoyed spending time working on riddles, for they can be quite challenging at times.  The 4 that I posted were not incredibly easy either.  While I was able to figure out the first 3, the last one was very challenging for me.  I thought that it had to go in the direction of languages or characters in languages, but I could not figure it out.  You may have struggled on some of these riddles as well, and if you still have not figured them out, then here are the answers.

1. Kills the bad ones / ...and the sad ones. / Tightens to fit / So one size fits all.

Answer: A Noose

2. Steals an event, / or even a mood. / Reveals the truth / Or shatters it.

Answer: A Camera

3. The stack just might / Be sent all over. / Full of what's new, / Yet it's nearly obsolete.

Answer: Newspapers

4. Though I should be unique, / You've made most of us the same. / I would be stronger / If my characters were stranger.

Answer: A Password

Matt

2 Kings 22

2 Kings 22

As an 8 year old boy, Josiah took the throne, taking over a nation that his father and grand-father had turned away from God. Josiah learned from a young age what it meant to follow God, and that carried out into his reign as king as he grew older. He was instrumental in turning Judah back to God. His first order of business was to repair the Temple. The two kings before him had destroyed the Temple, removing some of the things of God and replacing them with various idols. Josiah turned the Temple back into what it was originally meant for, and in the process found a great treasure!


While some of his servants were cleaning out and repairing the Temple, one of them found the Book of Law that Moses had written. He read it before King Josiah, and Josiah broke down in weeping. He knew that the nation had drifted from God in recent years, and knew that it was enough for God to send punishment down on them. They had not been careful to follow the laws that had been given to them. In fact, destruction was coming for Judah. God had already promised their future destruction as a result of the way that Manasseh and Amon had acted when they were the king. Josiah feared what God was about to do, knowing that although he had followed God, the nation as a whole was living in disobedience.

Some of Josiah’s men went to inquire of the prophets as to the future of Judah. They discovered that what God had previously promised about their impending destruction was still to come. He had not and would not change His mind on that matter. However, God had also seen the way in which Josiah had been able to help turn Judah back to Him. He was pleased with the way that Josiah had led as king and promised that he would not see the destruction of Judah. God will give them peace during his reign, as He had done during the reigns of all of the obedient kings. As long as Josiah continued to follow God, he would not have to worry about the destruction of Judah.

Sometimes it seems impossible for a particularly tough situation to work itself out. When the odds are stacked against us, we find it easier to give up and not try to change what seems inevitable. After 2 of the worst kings that Judah had seen, however, Josiah was willing to take a stand, despite the odds. He initiated a series of reforms for the nation of Judah and led them back to the Lord. Finding the Book of Law brought a new spirit of life to the nation as they saw where they had strayed and saw where they needed to go. So take this as encouragement. Even when it seems like there is no way out of a particularly tough situation, we can always turn to God for help. He will be with us and guide us through if we truly come to Him in faith.

Matt

Some Links for The Priest's Graveyard

I know that I have talked a lot about a book that has not even come out yet, but I am really excited about Ted Dekker's latest.  No, it is not part of his monstrous series that he created.  It is a new stand alone.  It does, however, promise to be a great story.  Just reading some of the reviews out there over the last few weeks has been encouraging and exciting.  Will it be his best ever?  I sure hope so, but it will take a lot to top Thr3e.  I do believe, however, that it is possible for this to be an even better story!  So if you are as excited about this book as I am, then visit some of the links below.  The first is an interview with Ted Dekker himself.  The second is one of the many reviews that have already been written for this book.  Also, do not forget to go out and pre-order a copy for yourself!  I will be back in a couple weeks with a review once I finish it myself.

Interview:
http://fictionaddict.com/2011/04/11/ted-dekker-interview-4-11-2011/

Review:
http://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=4648877&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Matt

2 Kings 20-21

2 Kings 20-21

After the Assyrians had been turned away, Hezekiah became ill. He had lived a great life in service to God. Under his leadership, he had turned Judah back to God. As a result, Judah was spared from the attacks of the Assyrians as Israel was taken into captivity. So when Hezekiah became ill, he begged God to allow him to recover. He wanted to continue to lead Judah in the way of the Lord. Although Isaiah had initially told him that this illness would claim his life, Hezekiah pleaded before God. Hearing his prayers and seeing how earnest he was, God spared Hezekiah’s life. He allowed Hezekiah to recover from the sickness and gave him 15 more years to lead. Of course, God expected Hezekiah to do as he always had, leading Judah to follow His commands.


Although Hezekiah did not turn Judah away from God in those 15 years, it was 15 years Judah could have done without. Hezekiah in a way opened the door for the Babylonians. It would be Babylonians several years later that would destroy Judah, taking them into captivity. Hezekiah showed the Babylonians all that he had, which may have peaked their interest for the first time. Furthermore, when Isaiah told Hezekiah what his sons would one day endure, it did not upset Hezekiah. Knowing that he would not have to endure that tragedy was enough for him, and he showed no compassion over the future of his country. So while Hezekiah did not turn away from God or lead Judah back into the ways of idolatry, the last 15 years of his life were his weakest moments.

When his son, Manasseh, took the throne, Judah began to drift from the Lord again. Like his grandfather and the kings of Israel, Manasseh led the Judahites into idolatry. He rebuilt all the high places, built several altars, and led Judah into practices such as fortune-tellers and mediums. All these practices had been forbidden in the Law of Moses. As a result of their sin, God promised that destruction would surely come. Like Israel before them, Judah too would find exile and captivity. God was raising up the Babylonians, planning on using them to punish the Judahites.

After his death, Amon took the throne, but like his father before him, Amon continued to lead Judah astray. He worshipped the idols that his father had reintroduced into the land and did not turn to God for guidance. In the end, however, a group of men rose up against him and killed him. Then, another group rose up and killed all those who had conspired against the king. This second group also placed Josiah (Amon’s son) on the throne. Judah’s future was bright with this new king, but the exile was sure to come. They would have days where they returned to God, but God knew that they would ultimately fall away from Him again.

Matt

Riddle Time

This is a "just for fun" post today.  I have posted a riddle before, when I wrote about one of my all time favorite books, Thr3e.  Just as a reminder, if you have not read this book by Ted Dekker, you really need to!  It is one of the best books I have ever read, and re-read, and re-read.  One of the unique features about the book is its use of riddles.  I will be the first to say that I am typically not very good with riddles, and I did not do a great job with them when I first read the book either.  I have recently found some new riddles (or at least new to me), and I did much better this time.  Out of the four below, I was able to figure three of them out.  The last one, I admit, I gave up on and looked up the answer.  So have some fun with these four riddles below.  In a few days, I will post the answers.  See how you do.

1. Kills the bad ones / ...and the sad ones. / Tightens to fit / So one size fits all.

2. Steals an event, / or even a mood. / Reveals the truth / Or shatters it.

3. The stack just might / Be sent all over. / Full of what's new, / Yet it's nearly obsolete.

4. Though I should be unique, / You've made most of us the same. / I would be stronger / If my characters were stranger.

Matt

2 Kings 19

2 Kings 19

Due to the uncertainty of the situation, Hezekiah truly wondered what the outcome of the impending battle would be. He wondered if the Assyrians would actually be given the ability to overtake Judah as they had done in Israel. Instead of responding to their threats and going out to war, however, Hezekiah went to Isaiah to inquire of God. He wanted to know what God’s plan was, as He was ready and willing to follow it. Isaiah assured Hezekiah that God had heard all the threats the Assyrians had made. He had heard how they had spoken harshly against Him. Therefore, God promised that they would soon return to their land, and the general that had caused so many problems would meet his death there.


This general, Rabshakeh, did return to Assyria only to find that Sennacherib was engaged in yet another battle. He sent word back to Hezekiah and the Judahites one last time, asking how they thought they would win. He again called God weak, believing that there was no way in which He could protect Judah. He again reminded them that no nation had ever defeated Assyria. Hezekiah did not respond to his outrageous threats. Instead, he began to pray. While he prayed for the protection of his country, his prayer was anything but self-centered. He began the prayer by praising God. He praised God for who He was and what He had already done. He then made his requests, but not for his own sake. He prayed that God would become known throughout the nations as a result of this battle. Hezekiah was more concerned about God’s glory than his own life. What an example! Too many times, our prayers become too self-centered. While it is important to turn to God in our troubles and ask for help, we many times forget to praise Him for what He has already done. We must never forget to worship and praise God when we pray, not making prayer just a check list of our needs (and many times wants).

God heard Hezekiah’s prayer and sent a message back through the prophet Isaiah. He promised that Assyria would surely fall. If they tried to attack Judah, they would not find victory. In the end, Sennacherib would be killed as well. God was preparing a remnant out of Judah. They would not all be destroyed (even with their upcoming exile into Babylon). They were still His people, and as He had promised Abraham and David before them, they would remain His people forever. They would be so large that they would be hard to number, and one out of the line of David would always reign over them. God was not going to allow the Assyrians threats of total destruction deter His plans that had been set in motion for hundreds of years. So when the Assyrians attacked, God destroyed them. 185,000 men died that day, and the Judahites knew that God had protected them.

Matt

2 Kings 18

2 Kings 18

Although several of the kings before Hezekiah had lived in partial obedience to God and brought Judah down, and although Ahaz had lived in rebellion to God and caused Judah to drift even further from God, the reign of Hezekiah changed everything. Unlike most of the kings before him, Hezekiah chose to follow God, and he did so whole-heartedly. There was no partial obedience in his life. He removed anything and everything that led to the Judahites worshipping anything but God. All the high places were torn down, and the bronze serpent of Moses’ (that had become an idol) was destroyed. Judah was back on track, following God and experiencing His blessings once again. Their brothers, however, in Israel were going through the worst moment in their history. Hezekiah was king of Judah when Shalmaneser completely wiped out and destroyed Israel.


Sennacherib was the next king of Assyria, and a few years after their conquest in Israel, Sennacherib decided to lead an army into Judah as well. After a series of heated words between the two nations, Hezekiah commanded his men not to respond to the threats and taunts of the Assyrians. He knew where his faith was, and he knew that God would take care of them. However, he also knew that if they had sinned and done something wrong against the Assyrians, then this army might have been God’s punishment. So before they took any action, Hezekiah wanted to make sure that he knew God’s will in this situation.

The Assyrians, however, did not stop their pursuits. They wanted to draw as many of the Judahites away as they could, so they spoke out against Hezekiah. They called him a liar, saying that there was no way that they would ever be able to defeat the Assyrians. They had never been defeated by any nation and believed that they would be successful again. They spoke out against Hezekiah, saying that he was making promise that he could not keep, and they spoke out against God, claiming that He was no powerful enough to defeat them. The Judahites, however, stood their ground and did not respond, just as Hezekiah had commanded. They had given control over to God and were willing to celebrate their victory or experience defeat, whatever He had already decided.

The Judahites exemplified great faith in the midst of conflict. The Assyrians were the most powerful nation in the world at the time. They had been successful in every battle they fought. Yet the Judahites did not budge. They did not falter. Through Hezekiah’s leadership, they stood together and made a stand against the Assyrians. In the same way, we should give control of our life over to God. We can trust that He has our best interests in mind. Yes, there may be times of suffering, as He never promises that life will be easy, but the blessings that He will pour out in the end are worth so much more. God is in control, and He uses every situation (good and bad) for His ultimate good. We must learn to trust His plan, giving Him control of our lives, allowing Him to work, and giving Him the glory for all that He does!

Matt

2 Kings 17

2 Kings 17

Once again, remember that more of this story can be found by reading through the prophets, but 2 Kings 17 gives us the historical account of Israel’s exile and destruction. Due to a line of unfaithful kings that had led the nation away from God, God had decided to send the ultimate punishment on His people. This should not be a surprise to anyone who has read the story thus far, nor should it have been a surprise to the Israelites at that time. This very event had been predicted in Deuteronomy when God spoke to Moses. God, through Moses, gave the Israelites two choices: death or life. They could either choose to follow God and live or turn away from Him and die. In fact, God told Moses what Israel would eventually choose. He said that they would turn from Him and that He would send them into exile. A remnant would later return to the land, but that remnant would be out of Judah, not Israel. That day of exile had finally come.


At the time, Hoshea was the king in Israel, and during his reign, God raised up Shalmaneser, king of Assyria. He gave Shalmaneser victory over Israel and took them into exile. This was a result of their disobedience. Despite God’s initial warning back in Deuteronomy and despite the warnings that came from all of the prophets that God had sent their way, they would not turn back to Him. So God destroyed them, sending them into exile, leaving only Judah behind.

As for the land, the Assyrians decided to fill it with people from all the surrounding nations. They sent people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sephravim. They were sent to take care of the land so that it would not become a waste, but these people did not know God. They did not know the law of the land, and they disobeyed God’s commands. Therefore, He sent lions into the land that killed many of them. Seeing the death toll rise, the Assyrians sent in one of the Israelite priests to teach them the Law, which is ironic because the Israelites had not been following the Law. The people listened but did not obey. They continued to serve their own gods, trying to incorporate God’s Law into their worship of other gods. So the land was not blessed, and neither were the people. They continued to live in disobedience to God for several generations to come as the Israelites slowly became nothing but a memory.

Now while this is an extreme example of God’s judgment, it should grab our attention. God hates sin, and He commands us to put no one else before Him. When people begin to worship and follow other gods, He sends judgment on them. The Israelites were completely destroyed, and these other nations that took the land endured severe plagues as well. So we should not take sin lightly. This should be an encouragement for us to turn away from our sin and do our best to follow Him.

Matt

2 Kings 16

2 Kings 16

Although Judah had generally followed God, only having moments of disobedience, they too began to fall away, as we saw in their last few kings. They remained somewhat obedient to God, but their partial obedience caused them to become lukewarm. They were slowly drifting away, and when Ahaz took the throne, he led them to one of the lowest points in their history. He followed the gods of some of the surrounding nations and chose to worship them. He even sacrificed one of his children to those gods.

At this point in Israel and Judah’s history, both nations were drifting from God. They had turned their worship to other gods, and they did not depend on God’s strength when faced with various challenges. So when Israel and Syria went to battle against Judah, both sides were in essence on their own. What we do not learn from the 2 Kings is that Israel’s time was nearing its end, and this was the first step in their ultimate downfall. By reading through the prophets, we will later learn more about the warnings God had been sending to the Israelites. We will also learn that God had asked Ahaz not to turn to the Assyrians for help. But from 2 Kings we see that Judah was given the victory because the Assyrians fought with them. Both Syria and Israel were defeated, and the exile of the Israelites was about to begin.

As for Judah, Ahaz continued to turn them away from God. Seeing the altars that the Syrians had constructed in Damascus, he had Uriah, his priest, construct new altars for Judah. He removed the bronze altars that had been made for God from the Temple and replaced them with some of these new altars. He continued to sacrifice to his other gods with his new objects for worship.

I mentioned earlier that there are more details related to the background of this story in the Prophets. Since I have been trying to just go straight through Scripture without skipping around too much, we have not had any interactions with those books. However, I encourage you to skip ahead and now and begin reading through the Prophets. You will recognize many of the people in those books because they work hand-in-hand with the books of History. I have seen it put this way before:

The story of the Old Testament begins in Genesis and actually ends in Esther. The story does not historically pick up again until the book of Matthew in the New Testament. So that leaves us with the question, what should we do with the rest of the books in the Old Testament? Well, starting at the top of the above chart, the Books of Poetry and Wisdom were all written by or were about people already mentioned in the Books of Law and Books of History. Also, all the prophets lived within the time period covered from Genesis to Esther. So their writings were all reflections on and warnings to people living in that time period. When we read all three of these sections of Scripture together, we are able to gain a fuller understanding of what the situation was at the time. Therefore, when reading through 2 Kings 16-17 it is helpful to look at the opening chapters of Isaiah, who was a prophet in Judah during the time of Ahaz.

Finally, we then encounter the problem of knowing which prophets go with which story. It is not always as clear as to what time period the prophet lived in, and there are many times more than one opinion on the historical settings of the prophets. This is one reason why it is hard to put the Bible in chronological order. We just do not know for certain where all of the different poems and prophecies fit within the larger story (although there are some very well developed theories out there). There have been efforts made at providing a chronological reading of Scripture, and there are even Bibles now that try to order the story in this fashion. So if you are interested in seeing how the whole story fits together chronologically, I encourage you to pick up a copy of one of those Bibles, as they can be quite helpful.


Matt

2 Kings 15

2 Kings 15

The rise and fall of kings continues in 2 Kings 15, and the chapter opens with Azariah on the throne in Judah. Like his father before him, he followed after God, but not fully. While he was not as bad as some of the king of the past, especially those in Israel, his partial obedience was still disobedience. Amaziah, his father, suffered some severe trials during his life because of his partial obedience, and Azariah found God’s punishment as well. He developed leprosy and had to keep himself away from the rest of the people of Israel (as was according to the Law). As a result, he was not able to reign over Judah like most kings. Instead, his son Jotham dealt with most of the everyday duties of the king. His situation goes to show that we should never be satisfied with our partial obedience. God calls for total commitment, and if we are not willing to surrender everything to Him, then we are not really committed to Him. God tells us in Revelation 3 that He would rather us be hot or cold (for Him or against Him), than lukewarm. Azariah was blessed by God in that he was given a long reign in Israel, but he missed out on so many of God’s blessings because he did not surrender completely to Him.


During his long reign, Israel went through 5 different kings. They continued on their downward spiral as none of these kings helped turn Israel back to God. Instead, they only drover Israel further away. As a result, Israel endured a series of trials and tribulations. The current royal line that had lasted for a few generations was destroyed as conspiracies and assassinations prompted new families to take over the throne in Israel. This was what happened to Zechariah. Then, during the reign of Shallum, Israel lost great portions of land. During Menahem’s reign, Israel suffered great financial setbacks. Pekahiah had a short reign due to yet another conspiracy/assassination. Finally, Pekah took the throne, and once again, Israel faced defeat in battle and the loss of land. This was also the first time in which some of the Israelites were taken into captivity. God hates sin, and He punishes those who live in it. His desire is that we turn back to Him, and He gives us plenty of opportunities to do so. But when we remain stubborn and continue to live in that sin, there are consequences that we must face, God’s attempts to draw us back unto Himself. God did not want to destroy Israel, but He also could not accept their sin any longer. Exile was coming.

Meanwhile, during the reign of Israel’s latest king, Pekah, Azariah died. Jotham officially became the king of Judah, and like his father and grandfather before him, he followed God but not wholeheartedly. He continued in the way of partial obedience and God began to rise up nations that would one day come against Judah as well. Although they had not drifted as far as Israel had, God wanted to get their attention as well, hoping that they would soon return to Him in complete obedience.

Matt

2 Kings 14

2 Kings 14

While Jehoash (Joash) was still reigning in Israel, Amaziah took the throne in Judah, and he was careful to follow God. Although Amaziah was obedient to God’s commands, he did not keep the whole law. For instance, by punishing those who had murdered his father, he did not deal correctly with them or their children, according to laws outlined in the Law of Moses. Although he had initially followed God, Amaziah continued to drift further away, bringing Judah down with him. He went to war against Edom, and after finding victory over them, he let his pride get in his way as he next went for Israel.


Now although Jehoash in Israel was not a great example of one who followed God, he showed great wisdom in this situation. He had noticed how Amaziah was becoming a prideful man, especially due to his victory in Edom. He also warned Amaziah that if he were to go to battle against Israel that they would surely defeat him. Amaziah did not listen, however, and was defeated in battle. Even worse, he was taken captive by the Israelites. This was Amaziah’s punishment for not following God. God spoke through the king of Israel to warn Amaziah of what would come if he did not let go of his pride and turn back to the Lord. Amaziah chose not to listen, and as a result, he had to face the consequences.

Sadly, things only grew worse in Judah as Amaziah met his end much like his father. A group of men rose up against him and carried him far away from the capital city to kill him. When they brought his body back to Judah, they buried him and placed his son, Azariah, on the throne. Now although Amaziah was considered to be one of the better kings in Judah’s history, we see that it only took one sin to bring him down. Unable to get rid of his prideful nature, Amaziah faced a series of trials that ultimately led to his death. His story illustrates the importance of not allowing sin to reign in our lives. As God’s children, sin should not have control over us. Instead, we should make fight against it daily, paying attention to the sin that easily tempts us and putting an end to it. This is a daily process where we must depend on God’s strength as we seek to put to death the sin in our lives. Amaziah failed to do this, and it ultimately led to his downfall.

Meanwhile, in Israel, Jeroboam II took the throne (during Amaziah’s reign in Judah). Like most of the kings before him, Jeroboam chose to turn away from God and did not do what was right in His sight. Life in Israel was growing worse and worse. They had no allies, and they found many of their citizens as slaves. They had also lost large chunks of their lands in battles as punishment from God. Seeing their distress, God chose to have mercy on them, knowing it was not yet time for them to be destroyed. Now it was not because of their love for Him or their obedience that God chose to help them out (for they were doing neither). It was purely out of His love for His children and His desire to see them return to Him that God chose to help them out by giving them some land and relieving some of the oppression they were feeling. However, Jeroboam’s reign came to an end, and Israel had still not returned to God.

Like Israel, we do not deserve God’s love, but He has chosen to extend His love to us through His Son. He sent Jesus to die for our sins, conquer death and sin through the resurrection, and offer eternal life to us. This is the Gospel, the story of Easter (which is right around the corner). So we must decide what we are going to do with this gift. Are we going to reject Him like Israel did so many times, or are we going to turn away from our sin and turn to Him? We each have to make this decision ourselves, but know that God is waiting for all of us with His arms opened wide.

Matt

The Priest's Graveyard Trailer

A trailer for a book? Some of you might wonder what is going on here. This is actually not all that uncommon. Many authors make videos about their upcoming novels in an effort to promote them beforehand. Ted Dekker has done this for years with several of his books. We are now just a little over 2 weeks away from the release of The Priest's Graveyard. The reviews that have been coming in have been amazing, and I cannot wait to get my hands on this book! Will it be his best? Time will tell. In the meantime, check out this trailer and go pre-order The Priest's Graveyard. I do not think you will be disappointed.



Matt

2 Kings 13

2 Kings 13

In 2 Kings 13 the story travels back to Israel.  After the death of Jehu, while Joash was still king in Judah, Jehu’s son, Jehoahaz took the throne.  Although Jehu had been instrumental in turning Israel back to God, they quickly fell away after his death.  They returned to the practices of some of their former kings, like Jeroboam, and did what was evil in God’s sight.  Under the leadership of Jehoahaz, they worshipped other gods, and as a result, God punished them.  God allowed Syria to destroy Israel, completely doing away with their army.  This drove Jehoahaz back to God, and when God saw that he had returned to Him, He sent them help.  Israel was able to hold off the Syrians from causing any more problems, and Israel was spared.  However, they continued to follow after other gods and did not completely turn back to God, which carried over into the reign of their next king, Jehoash.  Like his father, Jehoash did what was evil in God’s sight.

The rest of 2 Kings 13 looks at the end of Elisha’s life.  While on his death bed, Elisha was able to have one last conversation with Jehoash, king of Israel.  Once again, remember that Jehoash and Joash are the same person.  We previously saw this when a Joash reigned in Judah.  This person, however, is king in Israel, but there are two different spellings for the same person.  So this latest king, Jehoash, was king when Elisha died.

Elisha told Jehoash that he would have victory over Syria, for God was going to give them the victory.  Due to the covenant that God had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He was not going to allow Israel to be destroyed (at least not yet).  So he promised that Israel, under the reign of Jehoash, would defeat Syria.  But when giving the prophecy, Elisha commanded Jehoash to keep shooting arrows into the ground, and Jehoash only did it three times.  Thinking that he would continue until the quiver was emptied, Elisha condemned him for not completing the task.  As a result, he promised Jehoash that they would only find victory over Syria three times instead of doing away with the threat of the Syrians forever.  After his death, Elisha’s predictions once again came true.  Even with a change in command in Syria (as Hazael died and his son, Ben-hadad took his place), Israel continued to have victory over Syria and took back their cities from the Syrians three times.

Finally, there was one last miracle of Elisha.  Even in his death, God had given him the ability to heal another man.  When some Moabites were traveling through the land, they threw a body into the grave of Elisha (possibly not knowing that Elisha was in there).  When their dead bodies came into contact with one another, the man was healed and made alive.  Now while Scripture does not tell us anything else about this man, can you imagine what he must have thought or what the men who had thrown his dead body in must have thought?  They must have realized that they were in the land of Israel, and while we will never know, it may have caused them to seek after God.  They had probably heard of some of the amazing miracles that had been performed in Israel, and this may have been enough to cause them to seek after God (but we may never know).

Thus ends the life of a great man of God.  Elisha was one who truly followed after God and obeyed His commands.  He allowed God to use him in miraculous ways and trusted that God would be able to work through him.  While there may have been times when Elisha wondered how God would be able to resolve such an “impossible” situation, he allowed God to work through his life.  He knew that God had a plan, and he was only God’s servant.  So when life seems impossible, we can trust that God has a plan.  He is all-powerful and can work everything out for good, according to His will.  We must learn to trust God, and allow Him to work through us.  We cannot live this life on our own, and if we try to do so, we will fall every time.  So be like Elisha and let God work in your life as you surrender to His will.

Matt

2 Kings 11-12

2 Kings 11-12

The scene now shifts back to Judah. While Jehu was reigning in Israel, Judah had to find someone to take the throne in Judah. Since their former 2 kings had followed in the ways of Ahab, they had been killed (by Jehu). That meant that Ahaziah’s son would be the next to take the throne, so that the kingship would remain in the line of David. However, Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah went on a rampage, killing anyone who might have the opportunity to take the throne. She declared herself as queen, but she did not know that one of Ahaziah’s sons had been spared. Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash (one of his sons) and hid him from Athaliah. She knew that the time would come when he would be promoted to the throne, but for the time being he was safe.


Seven years later, the time finally came for Joash to take the throne, and he really was only seven when he became king. Since he was so young, Jehoiada the priest served as a type of advisor for Joash. Jehoiada gathered all of the priests from Judah together and devised a plan that would give the crown to Joash. Without Athaliah’s knowledge, Jehoiada proclaimed Joash as king of Judah, and the people recognized him as their king as well. Of course, this pronouncement angered Athaliah, and she declared it as treason. She believed that she had a right to the throne. However, God had promised that the throne in Judah was only for those in the line of David. Although she married into that line, she was not a descendant of David.

Jehoiada eventually had Athaliah killed, along with the rest of her followers. He also led Israel in the taking down of anything that had to do with the worship of Baal. This completely did away with any of the influences of Ahab that were left in Judah. Jehoiada then led Joash and Judah into a covenant between them and God. Growing up in this position of authority and this covenant before God, Joash learned at a young age what it meant to follow God. So during his 40 year reign in Judah, Joash was able to bring the nation closer to God, something that had been destroyed during the reigns of Jehoram and Ahaziah.

He was most known for his efforts at repairing the Temple. While this was not an easy undertaking and it took almost 23 years to get the project started, Joash was able to collect enough money to restore their center of worship. Think about how big of a deal this was for Judah! Not only had they successfully destroyed anything that was associated with Baal, but they were also able to restore the things of God. This was a big swing religiously for the nation of Judah, and it was evident that they were truly turning back to God (at least for the time being). This can also serve as encouragement for us. We all drift from God at some point in our life, but we can be encouraged to know that He will always take us back. He loves us and wants us to return to Him, and if we get our lives back on track, we can find forgiveness and love in His arms.

Even though Joash, with the help of Jehoiada, was able to turn Judah back to God, his life ended tragically. Some of his own servants rose up and assassinated Joash, putting a tragic end to his reign as king. This gave the throne to his son, Amaziah, who would also continue to follow God as he led Judah. One final note, if you read through 2 Kings 12, you will notice that Joash is nowhere to be found (depending on your translation). Joash is sometimes referred to as Jehoash, so recognize that they are the same person.

Matt

2 Kings 10

2 Kings 10

If you read 2 Kings 9-10 without knowing the background of the story (basically 1 Kings 21 – 2 Kings 8), then you might not have much respect for Jehu. Without a knowledge of all that had gone on before under the reign of Ahab and his descendants, it would appear as if Jehu was a power hungry politician who killed anyone and everyone who stood in his way. This would also be an incorrect interpretation of Jehu’s actions. Knowing the story up to this point, we know that God had personally selected Jehu to carry out these actions. Because of the way Ahab and his family had acted, God had promised that they would all be destroyed. That included Ahab, his immediate family, and all even those in Judah who had married into his family. Although the king of Judah was a direct descendant of David, he also had connections to Ahab and his family. This was Jehu’s mission, to wipe out everyone who was associated with Ahab.


In 2 Kings 9 he took care of the big names, the kings of Israel and Judah as well as Jezebel. Then, in 2 Kings 10, Jehu began to take care of some of the smaller (yet powerful) offices throughout the land. He first sent letters to the servants and of Ahab’s 70 sons that were scattered throughout the land. He asked that they choose someone to reign as king over Israel. After seeing what Jehu had done to Joram, Ahaziah, and Jezebel, none of these men were willing to make any suggestions. They gave the kingdom to Jehu, thus fulfilling God’s plans. Jehu then commanded these men to kill their masters, all 70 of Ahab’s sons. Their heads were brought to Jehu the next day as he continued to destroy anyone associated with the house of Ahab.

From there, Jehu found some of the relatives of Ahaziah (those who had also been associated with Ahab). Discovering their relations to the former king, Jehu struck all of them down as well. Even the smallest, least influential person could have been a threat for Jehu. He had been commanded to wipe out everyone associated with Ahab, and did not matter how close they actually were. Just one person could cause a revolt against Jehu, so he faithfully did as God had commanded.

Finally, Jehu also wanted to do away with those who had blindly followed Ahab in his worship of Baal. He pretended to be a follower of Baal as well (which to me is quite deceiving). I am not sure if this was the best tactic, as this is not something I would be willing to even pretend to compromise. However, Jehu was able to convince all of the prophets and followers of Baal to gather together in one confined area. After making a great show in which he earned their trust, he had his guards kill them all. So not only were the political threats destroyed, but all who had followed after Ball (and not God) were killed as well.

So it seemed as if Israel was on the turn around. It seemed as if they were ready to turn back to God and get back in line with His commands. But sadly, that was not the case. Although Jehu had successfully taken care of the influence of the worship of Baal, he did not remove the two golden calves that had been constructed during the reign of Jeroboam. Parts of Israel may have returned to the Lord, but the nation as a whole did not. Due to Jehu’s initial obedience, God blessed Jehu and his descendants, allowing them to reign in Israel for four more generations. Due to his disobedience, however, God began taking away portions of their land, giving it to their enemies. Jehu helped turn Israel in the right direction, and he was a much better king than Ahab or his sons. Israel, however, was still on a downward trend as whole, and judgment was about to come.

Matt

2 Kings 9

God’s plans began being worked out in 2 Kings 9 as Jehu was declared as king in Israel. Ahab’s family would no longer have the privilege an honor of reigning in Israel (over God’s chosen people). Because of their continual disobedience to His commands, He stripped the kingdom out of their hands and gave it Jehu instead. Jehu was commanded to kill off everyone who was associated with the house of Ahab, which would include Jezebel, his wife who had caused Elijah so many problems, Joram, his son who was the current king in Israel, and Ahaziah, the king in Judah. All of these people were in some way related to Ahab, and they had all followed in His ways. As a result, they would all die.


Jehu did not hesitate and followed the commands given to him by Elisha’s servant. Knowing that the Israelites were currently in battle with Syria, Jehu found the perfect opportunity to find time alone with their king, Joram. Joram had sustained an injury in battle and was encamped away from the battle so that he could heal. By convincing Joram’s messengers to stay with him, Jehu forced Joram to come out to meet him face to face, giving Jehu the perfect opportunity to kill him. The situation only grew better when Joram brought Ahaziah out with him (king of Judah). They had formed an alliance and were fighting together against the Syrians. This worked to Jehu’s benefits as he found both kings hiding out in the same place.

Being upfront with Joram, Jehu plainly stated why he had come. He told Joram of the sins he had committed and that he had come to deal with that issue. Joram quickly caught on and knew that Jehu was about to kill him. So he and Ahaziah both fled, hoping to escape from Jehu, but they were not fast enough. In a matter of moments, Jehu was able to kill off both kings. Not only did this fulfill the promise God had made to Ahab about the future of his family, but it also fulfilled the promise God had made to Naboth’s family. If you do not know this story, go back and read 1 Kings 21. Apparently, a promise had been made to Naboth’s family that the blood for the death of Naboth and his sons would be repaid with the blood of their enemies. Amazingly, the sight of that vineyard was close by, and Jehu had Joram’s body thrown on to that land in order to fulfill that promise made by God.

When Jehu returned to Jezreel, he found Jezebel waiting for him. She knew what he had done, but Jehu had the upper hand. With the help of his servants, he had Jezebel thrown out the window, and she died when her body hit the ground. Another prophecy God had given (through Elijah) was that the dogs would eat the body of Jezebel and she would be unrecognizable. When Jehu and his men went down to retrieve her body, they found that only her skull and a few other body parts remained. They only knew that it was Jezebel because of where the body was.

So many stories come to a close in 2 Kings 9 as we see the fulfillment of several of God’s prophecies through Elijah and Elisha. Not only did these events put an end to the line of Ahab, but they also brought reconciliation to the house of Naboth. Furthermore, Jehu would be able to reign as king of Israel, having successfully taken over the kingdom (with God’s help). It is clear from the events of 2 Kings 9 that God’s plans always come to pass. It may take years for situations to resolve themselves, but we can trust that God will keep His word. So when we find ourselves in a troubling situation, we can be confident that God will stick by our side. He has a plan, and if we will remain obedient to His commands and do as He asks, then we will see His plans work out for our ultimate good.

Matt

2 Kings 8:7-29

2 Kings 8:7-29

As the story shifts its focus back to the kings, it begins by showing the power struggle that was arising in Syria. When king Ben-hadad was on his death bed, he sent his servant Hazael to inquire of Elisha. He wondered if he would recover from the sickness he had received. Elisha told Hazael that the king would surely recover from his illness but he would also die. He then began to weep knowing what the future held for Hazael, Syria, and Israel. Elisha went on to tell Hazael that because of the evil in his heart, he would be the one that would not only kill Ben-hadad but also attack Israel. Shocked at what Elisha had told him, Hazael could not believe what Elisha had predicted about his future, but after relaying the good news to the king about his recovery, Hazael murdered Ben-hadad. He was then promoted and became king of Syria.


Meanwhile, Judah was beginning to drift from God. For the most part, Judah had been blessed with several great kings. It was a rare exception when they found one that chose to turn from God. As they were all direct descendants of David, most followed in his footsteps. Jehoram, however, did not. His wife was Ahab’s daughter, and if you remember anything about Ahab, he was the worst king Israel had ever seen. The influence of her family caused Jehoram to stumble, and he followed in their ways and not the ways of God. While God could have destroyed Judah then and there, He chose to spare them due to the promise He had made with David. There was punishment, however, as the Edomites revolted against Israel, setting up their own king. Whereas kings like David and Solomon were blessed by conquering new lands and extending the kingdom, Jehoram experienced the loss of land due to his disobedience.

After his death, his son, Ahaziah, took the throne. He too had connections with the house of Ahab. His mother was Ahab’s granddaughter. So he walked in the ways of Ahab and not of God. He later formed an alliance with Israel, but not in an effort to reunite the two nations. He knew that Syria was a common enemy, so the two nations joined forces in an effort to destroy Hazael and Syria. The plan backfired, and Joram (king of Israel) was injured.

The wickedness of the house of Ahab had now spread throughout all of Judah, and they had become as corrupt as their northern neighbor, Israel. This story illustrates the dangers of associating ourselves with people such as these. While it is important to reach out to all people in an effort to share the Gospel with them, and while it is important to build those relationships so that they can see Christ living in us, our strongest relationships should be with fellow Christians. It is far easier for non-believers to bring us down than for us to lift them up. Please do not think that I am saying that we should not have strong relationships with non-believers (for we should for the sake of the Gospel). But those relationships should look a lot different from the relationships we have with fellow believers.

Thankfully, Ahab’s influence was about to come to end. God had promised Ahab that his line would find its end in Israel. Remember that whereas the kings of Judah were still from the same line of David (an unbroken line), the kings of Israel came from many different families. Due to corruption and murder, several different families had inherited the throne in Israel. So while God did not end it with Ahab, He told Ahab that his son would be the end of his line. The story continues in 2 Kings 9.

Matt

2 Kings 8:1-6

2 Kings 8:1-6

As this extended section of the miracles that Elisha performed comes to an end in 2 Kings 8, a familiar family comes back into the picture. Some of the first we saw Elisha ministering to was the Shunammite woman, who had provided for him in so many ways, and her son, whom had been raised from the dead. Elisha apparently stayed in touch with this family and may have even spent more time with them in the time that had passed since we last saw them. So after receiving word that a famine was about to come on the land, Elisha warned her and her family of the coming famine. He encouraged them to leave Israel for 7 years so that they would not have to endure the famine, which they did. They traveled to the land of the Philistines and lived there for 7 years. But when they came back to Israel, they found that they no longer had their land.


Meanwhile, the king was speaking with Elisha’s servant, Gehazi. This is an interesting pairing, as the king had an on and off relationship with Elisha. While he supported Elisha in some ways, he hated Elisha at times as well. Furthermore, Gehazi was the servant who had been plagued with leprosy after he sought out rewards from Naaman for the minor role he played in Naaman’s healing of leprosy. In 2 Kings 8, however, we find them discussing the great works of Elisha. It appears as if they had put their differences behind them and were truly amazed at what Elisha was able to do. In the middle of their conversation on how Elisha had even been able to raise people from the dead, the Shunammite woman and her son entered into the room. She was seeing if there was any way that they could receive their land back. After hearing her story about what Elisha had done for them, knowing that Elisha held this family in high regards, the king restored all her land and gave back to her all that it produced while they had been away.

It seems as if these two men ended up closer to the Lord in the end. They had been through some rough times and had doubted God’s presence and ability on multiple occasions. But the testimony of Elisha finally convinced them that God was who He said He was. They could deny all that God had done through Elisha. It was clear that God had been at work. Time and time again, Elisha’s words came true just as he had predicted. That begs the question, what do others see in us? Is it evident that God is at work in our lives? Our lives should point back to God, proving that He is still at work today. When people see us, they should see God. When people hear us speaking, they should hear about God. Our lives should reflect the truths taught in Scripture, and our words should boldly proclaim His Gospel. When our walk matches our talk and we live lives dedicated to God’s service, people will not be able to deny that God is still at work. They will see God and hopefully turn to Him. It is our responsibility to share this Good News with others.

This marks the end of this extended section of Elisha. While Elisha is still in the story of the kings for several more chapters, the story will now begin to focus back in on the various kings of Israel and Judah (much like 1 Kings). We will continue down the line of kings seeing who remained obedient to God and who drifted from Him. As a side note, remember that there were 2 “Jehoram’s,” one in Israel and one in Judah. 2 Kings 8 refers to the “Jehoram” in Israel as “Joram.” He is the man who has been king during these last several chapters where the story has focused more on Elisha than Jehoram/Joram himself, and this is where the story will pick up next.

Matt

2 Kings 6:24-7:20

2 Kings 6:24-7:20

Strife continued between the Israelites and the Syrians. Although the Israelites had been spared once, as they Syrians had been turned away after encountering God’s horses and chariots of fire, they found themselves in trouble yet again. After some time, the Syrians returned to Israel (or as it is being referred to in these chapters, Samaria). They lay siege to the city and caused a great famine amongst the Israelites. The famine was so severe that the Israelites were reverting to some extreme actions just to survive. For instance, two women fought over boiling their own children just so they would have something to eat. When one of the women hid her child, she caused a great uproar in the city, to which they went to the king for a solution. But the king was in just as much distress over the situation. He was mourning as well, not knowing what to do or where to turn. He felt like his only option was to kill Elisha, an order he gave out of his anger and distress.


So one of his servants went to the house where Elisha was staying with the intent of killing him, and the king was not far behind. Knowing that the men were on their way, Elisha told his men what they were up to. They held the door shut, not letting the king or his servant into the room and carried on their conversation with only a door separating them. The king wanted relief from the famine and threat of war, and Elisha promised that it would soon come. The servant doubted that God could actually provide for them in their present crisis, but Elisha assured him that they would be giving and selling food at the gates of the city the next day. In fact, he also knew told the servant that he (the servant) would not taste any of the food that was being sold.

Meanwhile, God was taking care of the Syrians with his horses and chariots. Hearing the sound of a great army approaching, the Syrians feared that the Israelites had joined forces with one of the larger countries in the area, like Egypt. They fled back to their homeland, leaving Israel altogether. In fact, they left so quickly that they did not even take the time to collect up all of their things, making their camp look like a ghost town.

There were also four guards outside the city gates contemplating how they would die. They knew that the famine would eventually kill them, but they wondered when the Syrians would come and attack. Knowing that death was more than likely imminent, they left their post and went into the Syrian camp hoping that they would find help there. They were shocked to see that the Syrians were gone, and after going through the whole camp, they reported back to the king that the Syrians had left. Wanting to make sure that the Syrians were not devising some master plan, the king sent a few men all the way to the Jordan just to make sure the Syrians had not snuck off somewhere else to prepare for a surprise attack. Those men found no trace of the Syrians and knew that the coast was clear. As a result, the Israelites were able to ransack the Syrian camp, taking all of their food (which is what they needed most). In a fulfillment of the prophecy God had given through Elisha, the food was then sold at the gates to the city and that servant did not receive any to eat. But in a surprising twist, the reason he did not eat was because he was killed in the gates when he was trampled by the men running through. He did not believe that God could actually provide for their needs and laughed at the idea that they would soon have food to sell and to eat. As a result, he found himself dead while the rest of the city was rejoicing at God’s provisions. Even when it seems impossible, God can meet the needs of His children if He so chooses.

Matt

2 Kings 6:1-23

2 Kings 6:1-23

These short stories recounting the many miracles of Elisha continue in 2 Kings 6. First, the sons of the prophets prepare to find a new city in which to live. After receiving permission from Elisha, they set out to a city along the Jordan and began to build a new place to live. In the process, one of their axes fell into the river. The man was greatly disturbed not because he had lost the ax but because he had lost an ax that he had borrowed from someone else. There would have been punishment for that action according to the Law if he was never able to return the ax to the one who had given it to him. Elisha saw no problem, however, as he was able to cause the ax to float in the water. Whether he manipulated the wood or the water, I am not sure. Either way, this went against the laws of nature as Elisha exhibited the power of God (for only God can manipulate the laws of nature).


Not long afterwards, the Syrians began to prepare for battle against the Israelites. Elisha, knowing of the king of Syria’s plans because God had given him that ability, warned the king of Israel. He told Jehoram where the Syrians would be so that Jehoram could keep his armies away from that area lest they be defeated by the Syrians. This rightly enraged the king of Syria. He did not understand how the Israelites had discovered his plans. He assumed that one of his own men was secretly working with the Israelites, but he soon found out that that was not the case. Someone finally figured out that it was the prophet Elisha, and the king of Syria ordered that they surround the city he was living in and destroy it. Think about how foolish this order is. Elisha knew his plans; he had known when and where they would attack Israel. So would Elisha not know that they would be coming his way next? Furthermore, his special knowledge was a gift from God (and probably viewed as some sort of special power in the eyes of the Syrians). If he was able to know their plans, would it not be possible that he could do other miraculous things as well? The king of Syria was so focused on destroying Elisha that he did not think through all the possibilities, not realizing how foolish his actions were.

So when the Syrians approached the city of Dothan, where Elisha was living at the time, there was naturally fear in Dothan. In fact, Elisha’s servant feared that they might be overrun. Elisha assured him that there was a much larger army surrounding them that would protect them from the Syrians. God had sent His horses and chariots of fire (more than likely an army of angels) to protect Elisha and those in the city of Dothan. The servant’s eyes were later opened so that he could see them and find comfort in the fact that God had sent them help. The Syrians were then led into Israel, where Elisha told Jehoram that they had captured the Syrians. The in an act of generosity, they fed the Syrians and sent them back to their homelands. They could have destroyed the Syrians in that moment, but instead, they let them leave hoping that they would see their act of kindness and not try and attack Israel again.

God was with Elisha and his men in their time of greatest need. He was not through with Elisha, so He sent His army of angels to protect him. We never know when the end of our life may come. It could be today, or it could be years from now. So when the hard times come, we must always turn to God, seeking His help and protection, knowing that He may choose to let us suffer for a little while. Nowhere in Scripture do we see that God’s children will never suffer. Sometimes God does provide that way of escape, but there are other times in which He lets us go through the hard times. Either way, it should always draw us closer to Him, teaching us to trust Him in His infinite wisdom. He knows what is best for us, as He knows the end of the story. So whether He protects us as He did for Elisha in 2 Kings 6 or lets us suffer for a while, we can trust that He has a plan. We may not understand it all in the moment, but we can know that God is in control of our lives.

Matt

2 Kings 5:15-27

2 Kings 5:15-27

Elisha was not a prophet because he wanted to receive the gifts and blessings that people might offer him as a result of his service. He was not seeking payment for the miracles he performed (through God’s strength). He knew that this was the task God had called him to, and living in obedience to God was enough “payment” for Elisha. So when Naaman offered him payment for his services, for healing Naaman of his leprosy, Elisha refused. He knew it was not his place to receive anything for something he had not done. God was the one who had performed the miracle, not Elisha. Elisha was just the instrument that God used. The fact that Naaman had declared that he would serve God and God alone from that moment forward was enough “payment” for Elisha.


However, this was not enough for Gehazi, Elisha’s servant. Gehazi was the man that had been the messenger between Elisha and Naaman in the first part of 2 Kings 5. He was the one who had explained to Naaman what he needed to do to be cured from leprosy. He also felt that they should accept Naaman’s offer, so he set out after Naaman. But he did not just ask for whatever Naaman had previously offered. Instead, Gehazi made the situation worse by lying to Naaman. He created a lie about two men who had just arrived and were in need of money and clothes. Oblivious to the situation, Naaman did as he said. He believed that Elisha had sent Gehazi with the message and did not question the situation.

The situation only got worse when Gehazi returned home. Elisha asked him where he had been, and Gehazi once again had to lie. He could not tell Elisha that he had gone to accept gifts from Naaman when Elisha had already declined Naaman’s offer. Furthermore, he could not tell Elisha the story he had made up to get Naaman to give him the gifts he had received. So he told Elisha that he had not gone anywhere. Elisha knew that Gehazi was lying and knew what he had done. So as punishment, a curse was put on Gehazi and his family, and they suffered from the disease of leprosy that had once troubled Naaman.

The lesson here seems pretty obvious; do not lie. It is such a simple lesson. Lies always lead to more lies. The more you lie, the harder it is to come clean later. We see what happened to Gehazi as he had to continue to lie in order to stay in Elisha’s good graces. However, his lies eventually caught up with him, and they always well. Even the best liars will eventually slip up, and when they do, there can be some severe ramifications.

That is not the only lesson we learn from Gehazi, however. Another is this; when we serve God, we should not expect anything in return. While it is true that God does indeed bless His children, it should never be our motivation in serving Him. Elisha refused to accept the gifts from Naaman because he saw them as payment for his service to God. Elisha served God because he loved God. He wanted to live in obedience to God’s commands. He wanted to do as the Lord asked, and he did not expect God to reward him for his service. That does not mean that we have to feel guilty if God rewards us in some way for obedience and service. Again, God does want to bless His children, and He might choose to reward us in some way. But if we ever become more focused on what we might receive from God than on our service to God, we have fallen into the same trap that Gehazi fell into.

Matt

The Magician's Nephew

Did you ever wonder how it all started?  No I am not talking about world.  I am talking about the world of Narnia.  Where did it come from?  Why did people start crossing over from one world to the other?  Who is Aslan, and where did he come from?  Why was evil allowed in Narnia in the first place?  These questions and more are answered in this 6th book of The Chronicles of Narnia series.

This is the book that they have chosen for the next Narnia movie.  Now I know that I had mentioned previously that The Silver Chair would probably be the next movie, and I thought it would (as did many other people).  But with this series, they really can take it any many different directions and end up with the same result.  So although we will not see the continuing adventures of Eustace in the next movie, we will meet the first boy and girl from our world that stumbled into Narnia.  Plus, if this movie does well enough, we will eventually be able to see Eustace's second trip to Narnia.

This news is only a few days old, and the movie itself may not come out for a couple of years.  That means we have plenty of time to start talking it up.  Get people excited about the latest installment of Narnia.  It will be a great conversation starter as it not only provides answers to some of they mysteries of Narnia (like the lamppost), but it also has some great Christian parallels.  Like the movies before it, there will be some great Christan themes portrayed that will have people talking.

Until then, enjoy the other 3 movies that have already been released.  The Voyage of the Dawn Treader comes out on DVD in just a couple weeks.  Be sure to pick up a copy!  Then, why not read through the series.  You have 2 years to do so!  Read the whole story (all 7 books), and see the big picture.  Hopefully production will move along quickly and we will find ourselves back in Narnia not too long from now!

Matt

2 Kings 5:1-14

2 Kings 5:1-14

Moving on to 2 Kings 5 (yes, it is a new chapter!), the story shifts to a man from Syria. Naaman was a commander in the army of the king of Syria, and he was well respected by the Syrians and king. He had led Syria to victory over Israel (because God had granted the victory to Syria), and that victory elevated his status among his people. There was, however, a problem with Naaman. He was a leper. This awful skin disease, which marked Israelites as unclean, plagued Naaman, and he sought relief. Knowing of his condition, a young Israelite servant girl that Naaman had acquired ruing his battles told him that there was a prophet of God in Israel that could heal him. She believed in God’s power and knew that God spoke and worked through His prophets.


So Naaman prepared for a trip to Israel, hoping to find relief from his disease. He took with him a letter from the king of Syria asking the king of Israel to grant him healing. This story is a perfect example of why Israel had been created. God wanted Israel to be a light to the nations so that the surrounding nations would see that there was something different in Israel. This would then lead them to Israel’s God (the only God). But Israel’s unfaithfulness had distorted God’s plans, and they had not lived up to their potential. This young girl, however, recognized God’s power and because of her, Naaman set out to learn more.

The king in Israel, however, became upset with Naaman, knowing that he could not perform this miracle. He wondered why the king of Syria would ask such a ridiculous request of him and thought that it might be a set up of some type. When Elisha heard of the situation, he rebuked the king, reminding him that through God’s strength, the healing of Naaman was not impossible. So Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman with instructions on what he was to do cleanse himself of the leprosy. After washing himself 7 times in the Jordan River, he would find healing.

Naaman became upset with Elisha’s instructions. He was expecting more, something more miraculous. He did not want to have to physically do something. Furthermore, he did not understand why he could not cleanse himself in his own rivers (which were cleaner in his opinion). He was ready to walk away and continue to live in his sickness. Is this not a picture of the lost? They (do not forget that this was once us if we are believers) are given the answer to their problem, sin. They are told to trust in Jesus in order to find forgiveness and salvation. Yet, they want to do it on their own terms, find another way. They are not satisfied with God’s way and turn from Him living in their sin as they try to find healing through their own strength.

That is where Naaman was until his servants confronted him on the issue. They knew he had been given very simple and very specific instructions. All he had to do was obey those simple instructions, and he would be healed. Naaman eventually recognized his foolishness, went to the Jordan, and did exactly what Elisha had asked. In the same way, the Gospel really is quite simple. We do not really have to “do” anything. God tells us that if we believe on Him, that He sent His Son to die for our sins, that Jesus died and rose again from the dead conquering sin and death, and confess our faith in Him, then we can be saved. It is really that simple, and yet we make it so hard. We say that it is too easy or that God could never accept us. We try to fix our lives before we come to God or reject Him altogether. Like Naaman, many people turn from the truth and walk away. But unlike Naaman, there are many who never turn back. No one ever goes back to them to confront them on the issue. No one ever tries to share the Gospel with them again.

May this be a lesson for those of us who are Christians, that we do not give up on a person just because they reject Christ the first time. Continue to get to know those people, love them, and invest in their lives. Continue to share the Gospel with them. They may never come to know Christ, but what would happen if we gave up on them? There is only one way to salvation, and that is through Jesus Christ. There is a world out there that needs to hear it, and we are the ones that God chose to deliver the message.

Matt