Day 26: 1 Kings 16:21-2 Kings - 90 Day Challenge

Now Know Why It's Called the Book of Kings

Will Israel Ever Find a Leader?!

Has yesterday's reading sunk in yet? I'm still trying to wrap my head around the near constant shift in power. 

Unfortunately, today's reading doesn't exactly help. Right from the get-go, we're faced with Israel going through two more kings, but Ahab did "more evil than any of those before him." Yikes.

We then get our first introduction to Elijah, a prophet of God and a performer of miracles. He follows all that God commands of him, and right in 1 Kings 17, Elijah's faith in the Lord is so powerful, a sick child is brought back to life, after his widowed mother aids Elijah. 

Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, were incredibly horrible people. Jezebel tried to kill off all the prophets of God who were still residing in Israel, but Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace, was secretly hiding the prophets. 

Elijah returns to Israel and tells the people they can't continue wavering between gods. They must chose to either follow the Lord, or follow Baal (who they are currently worshiping). Elijah challenges their god, and when they are unable to have Baal perform the acts that God Himself can do (such as light a waterlogged altar on fire) they turn their hearts back to the Lord. 

Elijah flees because Ahab and his wife clearly like Elijah even less now, but the Lord appears to Elijah, and tells him to journey back.

Israel goes to war with Ben-Hadad, Israel defeats them, but lets the leader go. A prophet tells Ahab that this is a mistake, because the Lord told him to eradicate all of Ben-Hadad, but he let the leader go because they made a treaty. The prophet tells Ahab that the Lord will take Ahab's life in his place. 

Ahab wants this man, Naboth's, vineyards. Naboth says no, so Jezebel has him killed so that Ahab can have the vineyard. Elijah then puts the fear of God into Ahab (sort of) and Ahab straightens up a bit. 

Ahab and Jehoshephat, the King of Judah, get together to fight Gilead, and when they called together the prophets, and they all said yes except Micaiah, who says it's a bad idea. As it turns out, Micaiah was right, and Ahab is killed, leaving his soon Ahaziah to rule Israel. (Ahaziah was also evil and worshipped Baal). Meanwhile, Judah's king Jehoshaphat was good, and worshiped the Lord. When he died, his son Jehoram took over. 

Ahaziah is injured, and when he sends messengers to ask Baal-Zebub (the god he worshiped, aka Beelzebub from Lord of the Flies, if you've read that book), but before they can do that, Elijah runs into them and tells them that the Lord has already proclaimed that Ahaziah will die. Ahaziah dies, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy. 

God takes Elijah up to heaven, and Elijah's assistant, Elisha, takes Elijah's place as prophet. Elisha also performs miracles as Elijah did. He creates fresh drinking water for people in need, and punishes some punk kids who made fun of him for balding (watch your words, people.)

The city of Moab revolts against Israel, and they all go to war. Elisha has the Israelites dig holes, which are filled with water the next day when they've run out of water. God hands Moab over to Israel. 

Elisha then performs some more miracles of the Lord, such as exponentially multiplying the oil of a widow, who's sons are about to be taken for her late husband's debt (she sells the oil at the market to pay it off), and restoring the life of another child who had died (just like Elijah). 

And that's where the reading ends! 

God appears and God provides!

I know today's reading was weird at times, but I hope you can appreciate the number of ways God continued to provide for those who had turned their backs on him. God's love is INFINITE, it never stops, it never ends, and he ALWAYS wants the best for each of us. 

Go forth with God's love, and share it always.

Tomorrow's reading: 2 Kings 4:38 - 2 Kings 15:26

Have a wonderful day!

Jill Jafarace

Director of Student Ministry

New Leaf UMC