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2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, days 231 and 232

Aug19

    Day 231 & 232—We are in the eighth month of Bible reading, with more of the book of the history of Israel and prophecy.

NOTE: Sundays and Mondays are posted together.

    Day 231 – 2 Kings 24 – 25, 2 Chronicles 36 (back step into last days of Judah, 4 kings after Josiah, Babylonian captivity, hope from Cyrus)

2 Chronicles 36:1-4 and 2 Kings 24 recaps Josiah’s son, Jehoahaz, becoming king in Judah and reigning for three months. The Pharoah of Egypt overthrew him, took him to Egypt, and made his brother Eliakim king (changing his name to Jehoiakim).

Nebuchadnezzar came. Eliakin/Jehoiakim became his servant for three years, rebelled, and was taken to Babylon in chains. His son, Jehoiachin, was made king. (Egypt came no more to Judah.)

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2 Chronicles 36:5-21, and 2 Kings 25. Jehoiachin reigned for three months, then surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, and he, as well as his family and servants, were carried away into captivity in Babylon.

The king of Babylon made Mattaniah (another son of Josiah) king of Judah and renamed him Zedekiah.  Mattaniah/Zedekiah reigned for eleven years (and did awful things to Jeremiah- see yesterday’s study). He rebelled against Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzar came with his army, laid siege to Jerusalem, and breached the walls.  They took Jerusalem, and when Zedekiah tried to escape, they captured him, killed all his sons in his sight, and then put out his eyes.  They took him to Babylon in chains.

And Nebuchadnezzar took the city, burned it, and carried away the rest of the treasures and all the people, leaving only a few of the poorest to look after the land.   He set up Gedaliah (a son & grandson of some of the good men in former King Josiah’s court) as governor.

Gedaliah gave wise advice to the remaining people (remember Jeremiah had come to stay with him). He told them to “Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.”  However, a plot among his own men arose, and Ishmael, of the royal family (perhaps wanting to reinstate himself as king) assassinated Gedaliah.   Then, fearing the Chaldeans, all the people and captains of the forces got up and went to Egypt. Now, there was no throne, no king, and no royalty at all left in Judah. 

(NOTE: When we continue in the book of Jeremiah, we’ll learn more details about this time, the prophet’s warnings, and what happened to him.)

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2 Kings 25:27-30.  This book ends with hope.

After Nebuchadnezzar dies, Evil-merodach, the new king in Babylon, “graciously freed Jehoiachin, king of Judah, from prison.” (Remember, this king surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar, as Jeremiah had advised, and was taken away – but not in chains.) “He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the other kings with them in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life, he dined regularly at the king’s table, and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, as long as he lived.”

(WOW! This almost sounds like what happens when a person becomes saved and a child of the living God!)

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    Day 231 – Habakkuk 1 – 3 (Habakkuk argues with God, God’s sovereignty, faith)

Habakkuk 1. Habakkuk knows Judah has sinned and deserves judgment but asks for revival and complains that God is using a far worse nation – the Chaldeans – to judge them.  He thinks the Chaldeans should be judged.  God says He is using them to judge Judah. No revival. But that the Chaldeans will also be judged.

Habakkuk acknowledges that God is sovereign and righteous and that Judah will not be wholly destroyed.

“Are You not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?  We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong…..”

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Habakkuk 2.  Habakkuk reminds God of how horrible the Chaldeans are (“mercilessly killing nations”). Then, he takes up a post on the wall and waits for God’s answer.

God answers in three ways. 1) He will also judge the Chaldeans. 2)  He lists the character traits of the wicked (his soul is puffed up, not upright) and the righteous (they shall live by their faith).  3) He gives His prophet a list of “woes” coming to the Chaldeans in verses 6-20, including,

a. THEIR becoming plunder,

b. THEIR houses will be taken from them,

c. THEIR labors will not last but also be burned with fire,

d. THEY will drink the cup of God’s wrath and be utterly shamed,

e. THEIR trust in false idols will demonstrate the superiority of the LORD over all gods.

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Habakkuk 3.  Now, the prophet pleads for God’s mercy (“…in wrath remember mercy”),

describes God’s power on Israel’s behalf (“You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck.”), and

praises God for His grace and sufficiency (“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail, and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer’s; He makes me tread on my high places.”).

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 230

Aug17

Day 230—We are in the eighth month of Bible reading, with more of Israel’s history and prophecy from Jeremiah and Psalms.

    Day 230 – Jeremiah 38 – 40, Psalm 74, 79 (Jeremiah pleads God’s words, is put into a cistern then, rescued, Jerusalem falls, Jeremiah delivered.  Psalms of woe & hope.)

Jeremiah 38. At the LORD’s word, Jeremiah keeps telling the people of Jerusalem to surrender to the Babylonians. They will save their lives, and the city will not be burned. The leaders don’t like this, say it is terrible for morale, and throw the prophet into an empty cistern. (Usually full of water, it’s been emptied during the long siege and has only a few feet of mud in the bottom…which Jeremiah sinks into.) 

Done and dead, they think. But an Ethiopian eunuch serving in the king’s house hears and goes to Zedekiah. He pleads for Jeremiah’s life and is given men and permission to rescue him.  Later, the king secretly sends for Jeremiah. But Jeremiah’s message is the same.  “Surrender to the king of Babylon, and your life will be spared. Stay here, and the city will be burned, and you and yours will die.”  Zedekiah doesn’t want to hear this.

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Jeremiah 39. So, 18 months after the siege begins, the walls of Jerusalem are breached, and the city falls. Zedekiah tries to escape out the back door, but they catch him.  They kill all his sons and officials in his sight and then gouge out his eyes. He is removed to Babylon in chains. A few impoverished, homeless people are left in the land to tend the vineyards and fields.

However, Nebuchadnezzar commands that Jeremiah be freed and allowed to go anywhere he chooses — to Babylon, where he will be cared for, or to stay in the land with the appointed Governor, Gedaliah. Jeremiah decides to live with Gedaliah among the people. 

Before he was released, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah about that Ethiopian eunuch who had seen that he was rescued from the cistern. 

“I will deliver you on that day, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war because you have put your trust in the LORD.      (WOW!)

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Jeremiah 40 gives more details about how Nebuzaradan, the captain of the Babylonian guard, let Jeremiah go free, listing all his choices: Babylon and be well taken care of; Judah and stay with the appointed Governor Gedaliah; or anywhere Jeremiah thought it right to go.  In any choice, he would be free. The Captain then gave him an allowance of food and a present and let him go.  Jeremiah went to Gedaliah and lived with him among the people left in the land.

Many other people who had fled Jerusalem at the siege now trickled back to Gedaliah. But soon, he received a message that the Ammonite king was sending a man named Ishmael to kill him. But the governor ignored the message.

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Psalm 74  begins, “O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?”   

“Your foes have roared in the midst of your meeting place;”   

“They have set your sanctuary on fire; they profaned the dwelling place of your name, bringing it down to the ground.”

“How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever?  Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy them!”

 

Psalm 79 says, “O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.”   

“How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?  Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms that do not call upon your Name!  For they have devoured Jacob and laid waste his habitation.”

“Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your Name’s sake!”

“Let the groans of the prisoners come before You; according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die.”

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 131

May10

    Day 131—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   Are you loving God more each day? Are you reciting, praying, and singing the Psalms we’ve been reading?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 131 – 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalm 20. – (War with Ammon & Syria, Trust in  God)

2 Samuel 10 and 1 Chronicles 19 tell of the same incident, with slight differences. Both show King David’s graciousness toward a son whose father has died. Both show the stupidity of the friends of that son. Both show the strategy, victory, and godliness of Commander Joab. 

Psalm 20 tells of their trust and hope in God, who helps in the day of trouble. 

David: “I will deal loyally with Hanun, son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent his servants to console him concerning his father.

Hanun’s princes:  “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? He’s sent them to search the city and spy it out to overthrow it.”

(This reminds me of the foolish advisors to Rehoboam who helped split Israel, after his father, King Solomon, died.)

So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half their beards (disgrace!), and cut off their garments in the middle (exposing their genitals). WHOA!! When King David heard this, he told his servants to stay in Jericho until their beards re-grew, and sent Joab with the army to deal with these ingrates.

When Hanun and the Ammonites saw they had become “a stench to David” they hired Syrians to come fight with them. $1K pieces of silver did the trick and the Syrians brought 20K soldiers (plus 1K and 12K from other areas) to fight. Commander Joab, with his second-in-command brother, Abishai, led Israel’s soldiers. When they saw two battle fronts they split their men.

Joab: If the Syrians are too strong for me, they you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to Him.”

All the armies fled before Israel’s armies. (Hmmm. This reminds me of recent world news.) But when these armies saw they’d been “shamed” in battle, they called more troops, crossed the Jordan, and arrayed themselves against Israel…again.

King David himself led the battle, killed 40K horsemen, and killed Shobach, the commander of their army. When the Syrians realized this resounding defeat, they “made peace with Israel and became subject to them.”

“So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.” 

Psalm 20:1-5, 7

"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May He send you help from the sanctuary 
and give you support from Zion!
May He grant you your heart's desire 
and fulfill all your plans!
May we shout for joy over Your salvation,
and in the name of our God, set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 129

May8

    Day 129—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   Are you loving God more each day? Are you reciting, praying, and singing the Psalms we’ve been reading?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 129 – 2 Samuel 8 – 9, 1 Chronicles 18. – (David’s victories & compassion as king)

2 Samuel 8 recounts the battles and victories over the nations surrounding Israel: Philistia, Moab, Amalek, Edom, and Zobah (as far as the Euphrates River), and the Syrians at Damascus.

In all these, David collected tribute and spoils that he dedicated to the LORD (later to be used by Solomon in building the Temple and its furnishings). But most importantly, the chapter says, “the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.” (verses 6, 14) King David wisely gave glory to God.

2 Samuel 9 shows King David’s kindness and loyalty to his BBF Jonathan, Saul’s son, who was killed in battle. “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show him the kindness of God for Jonathan’s sake?” 

They found a young man – Mephibosheth – a son of Jonathan alone. He had been crippled as a child when his nurse dropped him and crippled him in his feet. When David heard about Mephibosheth, he called for him and installed him in his house to “eat at his table always.” He also personally restored all the land that belonged to Saul and directed servants to till the land, harvest the crops, and give the proceeds to him. 

Mephibosheth could hardly believe his good fortune!  “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I.”

Isn’t this what God has done for believers in Jesus?  We are sinners, separated from a holy God by eons and light years because of our iniquity and transgressions.  And yet he has brought us to Himself by sending His Son, Jesus, who paid all our sin debt on the cross. Now we can sit at the banquet table of the King forever. 

1 Chronicles 18 also tells of the victories of King David over his enemies, expanding the kingdom of Israel far and wide. It’s interesting that he disabled 9/10s of the chariot horses after conquering Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. 

Why this cruelty?  For sure, to prevent an uprising and return of a mighty foe. However, it could also be that David remembered God’s cautions for the kings of Israel not to accumulate horses and chariots for themselves to win battles but instead to depend on God for their victories.

Verse 14: “So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people.”   (Wow. If only that was David’s final epitaph….)

 

Verses 15-17 end with a list of the important men in his service:

Joab – commander of the army

Jehoshaphat – recorder

Zadok & Ahimelech – priests

Shavsha – secretary

Benaiah – over the Cherethites & Pelethites, the loyal non-Jewish men who attached themselves to the king as his bodyguards

David’s sons – chief officials in the king’s service. 

 

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 121

Apr30

    Day 121—We have been reading the Bible daily for a third of the year.   What have you learned about God? About yourself?

Day 121 – 2 Samuel 5, 1 Chronicles 11-12 – (David is crowned king of all Israel. His mighty men are listed, as are some battles.)

God had said, “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.”

Now, both Samuel and Chronicles tell how David is finally anointed King of all Israel, including three-quarters of the tribes that had followed Saul. The first thing King David does is lead a battle against the Jebusites, defeating them and claiming Zion (Jerusalem) as “The City of David,” his capital. The mighty man who led that battle was Joab, whom King David chose as the commander of his army.

Unlike Saul, King David inquired of the LORD before going to battle. He was given instructions to go or stay and once to conquer them by listening for noise in the tops of balsam trees.

The chapters in Chronicles (11-12) list King David’s leaders, his mighty men and their accomplishments, and the number of soldiers coming to him from the northern tribes and those on the east side of the Jordan River.  King David met them saying,

“If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.”

In answer, the chief man of his top thirty men, who was “Spirit-clothed” said,

“We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse!  Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you,”

After that, King David received them.  And all met in Hebron to celebrate for three days eating and drinking, for those from Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing the food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen – abundant provisions of four, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep.

For, there was joy in Israel.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 102

Apr11

    Day 102 —  We have been reading the Bible daily for over a quarter of the year. Praise God! What have you learned about God? About yourself?

   Day 102 – 1 Samuel 15 – 17 (Saul, sin, & Samuel)

In Chapter 15, Samuel gives King Saul some very clear instructions. He is to strike the nation of Amalek and destroy all of them, and everything living thing they have.

(The Amalekites were the people who attacked Israel as they came out of Egypt, when they were a bunch of slaves and could not fight. God at that time foretold their doom. Let none be left alive.

So, Saul musters an army of 200K men of Judah. They go to Amalek and defeat them, killed all the people except King Agag (a trophy?) and all but the very best of the sheep, oxen, fatted calves and lambs. Did he obey the instructions of the LORD?  It seems “partial” obedience is not obedience, and when Samuel comes, he is furious with Saul.

“I saved the best animals for sacrifice!” Saul says. (Yeah, right.).

“Obedience is better than sacrifice,” Samuel says. “And because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has also rejected you from being king.” Then Samuel hacks King Agag to pieces. (!!!)

“I’ve sinned,” says Saul. I was afraid of the people, so I obeyed their voice. Please pardon my sin. Please go back with me.”

When Samuel says no, Saul grabs his robe and it tears. (Oops!) Samuel whirls around, “As you’ve torn this, God has torn the kingdom of Israel from you.  He has in mind, a man “after His own heart, who is better than you.”

Samuel sees Saul no more after this incident, but he grieves for the “would-be” king. The LORD also grieved that He had made Saul king over Israel.

In Chapter 16, God shakes Samuel out of his grief for Saul and sends him to anoint that “man after His own heart.”  God tells him to anoint a son of Jesse whom he will point out. (Jesse is the grandson of Ruth & Boaz.) Samuel obey and immediately thinks it must be Jesse’s firstborn son, Eliab, another tall, strong man. But God tells him NOT to look on appearance or height, but on the heart. Jesse brings all six of his sons who are present before Samuel. Samuel looks to God who shakes His head.  “Don’t you have another son?” Samuel asks Jesse, thinking that maybe he didn’t hear God’s words accurately.

“Only the youngest, a shepherd boy out with the sheep,” was the dismissive comment.

But God, through Samuel, calls for the boy, and when he arrives, God says, “THAT one!” Samuel anoints David and the Spirit of the LORD “rushed” upon him.

However, the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him. (Reminds me a little of the “thorn in the flesh” that God sent to keep another Saul (the Apostle Paul) humble.

No, “it just so happens” that Saul’s servants said that maybe, if a harpist were to come and play for Saul, he would get well. Saul thought it a good idea and inquired of them. They recommended none other than David, the shepherd boy who composed psalms to the LORD with his lyre as he watched his sheep.”  And so, David was brought into the court of King Saul now and then when the evil spirit tormented him. And Saul was “refreshed and well.” (Our Sovereign God orchestrates things so beautifully.)

Chapter 17 tells the well-known story of David and Goliath.  The young man came one day to Israel’s camp with some food for his brothers. While there, he heard the boastful words of the giant Philistine, Goliath of Gath, defying the army of Israel.

“Why doesn’t someone shut that guy up?” he basically says.  His brothers deride him, so he goes to King Saul and volunteers to fight the giant.  “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

The cowardly King Saul (who is head and shoulders – at least 18 inches – taller than any other Israelite) sends a boy to fight a giant. But that boy is on the side of the LORD God.

“Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” Goliath roars. “I curse you in the name of Dagon!”

“I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied,” answers David, “that all the earth may KNOW that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may KNOW that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle IS THE LORD’S and He will give you into our hand.”

And with a single stone from a sling, the LORD-empowered shepherd boy kills the 9.5-foot champion of Gath. Then he runs to him, draws out that huge sword, and cuts off his head. So there!

King Saul, duly impressed, asks his commander, Abner, who that boy is.   Abner doesn’t know but says he will inquire. When David comes back, swinging the head of Goliath, Abner grabs him and brings him to Saul. David tells him he’s the son of Jesse, from Bethlehem.  (Did Saul not remember how David sometimes plays the lyre for him? But, maybe Saul is out of his mind at those times.)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 101

Apr10

    Day 101 —  We have been reading the Bible daily for over a quarter of the year. Praise God! What have you learned about God? About yourself?

   Day 101 – 1 Samuel 13 – 14 (Saul, Samuel, Jonathon)

Chapter 13  reveals the first years of Saul’s reign and “leading Israel into battle” (as they wanted of a king). Both the king and his son Jonathan were successful against the Philistines. But the mighty Philistines refused to take that for very long and mustered a hoard against Israel, including 30K iron chariots.

Freaking out at the sight, the men of Israel ran for cover, into caves, holes, rocks, tombs, and cisterns. Some fled across the Jordan River. Saul waited seven days for Samuel to come (which he had said), but then panicked. The king called for the burnt offering and did it himself. (A big no-no in God’s law.)  It was his big, history-altering mistake, for it caused the end of his dynasty. When Samuel arrived, the smoke of the offering was still in the air, and he told Saul that his kingdom was doomed and that the LORD had chosen another, a “man after His own heart,” to be a prince.

Saul still led the armies, but that proclamation would dwell on his mind until he was crazy.

Meanwhile, in Chapter 14, Prince Jonathan and his armor-bearer took on a pack of Philistines themselves, after asking God for a sign. His victory and bravery inspired Israel and they followed suit. “And the LORD saved Israel that day.”

However, unbeknownst to Jonathan, Saul foolishly vowed that no man should eat until the battle was done. Stupid, for they would have been stronger if they’d eaten, and they also would not have slaughtered the spoil right there on the battlefield out of desperate hunger, and eaten raw meat with the blood.  A really big breach of God’s law. (Leviticus 17:10-14) Also, Jonathan found a bit of honey and ate it, which invigorated him immediately.

When Jonathan heard of his father’s vow, he was ready to die, but the people resisted and ransomed him.

There continued to be hard fighting against the Philistines throughout Saul’s reign, and Saul found and gathered any strong or valiant men into his personal force. (David would become one of these.)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 100

Apr9

    Day 100 —  YAY! ONE HUNDRED days! We have been reading the Bible daily for over a quarter of the year. Praise God! What have you learned about God? About yourself?

   Day 100 – 1 Samuel 9 – 12 (a king for Israel, Saul)

So, a tall, dark, and handsome Benjaminite is chosen as Israel’s King.  We see in Chapter 9 how God orchestrates it all, from the loss of a few donkeys to the search and finding of a holy man to having a silver shekel available to give him as a gift, to the event of a sacrifice and feast, in which a special portion of meat had been reserved for a special guest, to God’s specific indication that the man, Saul, was to be anointed “prince over Israel.”

In Chapter 10, Samuel privately anoints Saul to be Israel’s prince, telling him that he will reign over them and save them from their surrounding enemies.  He then tells Saul of a few things that will happen to confirm this fact. Two men will meet him who will do certain things, plus a group of prophets who will also preclude the coming of God’s Spirit upon Saul. Then Saul was to go to Gilgal and wait there for Samuel for seven days.

Of course, all this comes to pass, and when the people are all gathered together, Samuel proclaims Saul King of Israel, reminding them that they have rejected the LORD as their King, and telling them again all the “bad” things about having a human king. Nevertheless, the people rejoice, shouting, “Long live the king!”

Chapter 11 tells of Saul’s first victory over their enemies, the Ammonites, who have been causing terror and submission by gouging out the eyes of the men of Israel. Saul summons 30,000 men from all of Israel and attacks, gaining victory.  At this point, Samuel calls Saul and all the people for a sacrifice and to “officially” make Saul their king before the LORD.

Chapter 12 tells of Samuel’s farewell as their leader, reminds them of the king they now have and what that will mean, and then challenges them to always “obey the voice of the LORD.” “Do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve him with all your heart, for you are God’s chosen people.” He promises to always pray for them and to instruct them in the good and right way.

It’s a good start. And Saul will do well for…. half a chapter.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 98 & 99

Apr8

    Day 98 & 99 —  We have been reading the Bible daily for a quarter of the year, and today, we begin the tenth book. Praise God! What have you learned about God? About yourself?  (Note: SUNDAY’s readings are combined with MONDAY’s)

   Day 98 – 1 Samuel 1 – 3 (Hannah, Samuel’s birth & call)

In Chapters 1 & 2, Hannah, the much-loved but barren wife of a Levite named Elkanah, prays for a son, promising to give him back to God all the days of his life. God hears and answers her prayer and Samuel is born. Like Samson, he is born under the Nazarite vow. But that is the only similarity.

After Hannah weans him, she takes the very young Samuel to the Tabernacle and gives him under the care of Eli, the priest. Every year, she visits him to bring new clothes. After fulfilling her promise, God gives Hannah five more children.

Samuel grew and ministered before the LORD in the presence of the old, fat, lazy priest, Eli, and his worthless, wicked sons. Hophni and Phinehas treated the offerings of the LORD with contempt and were very great sinners in His eyes. Eli mildly scolded them, but they continued in their sin, so God rejected the house of Eli.

In Chapter 3, the LORD calls Samuel. It seemed like Eli was calling the boy, so in obedience, he went to the old man three times. Finally, Eli realized God was calling him and told Samuel to answer, “Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.” And indeed, the LORD speaks to Samuel, prophesying the judgment on the house of Eli for his sons’ blasphemous behavior and his not correcting them.  Samuel is afraid to tell Eli the word of the LORD, but the old man insists, and after hearing the judgement, acquiesces.

After that, Samuel grew, and all the words God spoke to/through him came to pass. Everyone – from Dan to Beersheba – knew he was established as a prophet of the LORD.

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Day 99 – 1 Samuel 4 – 8 (Philistines, the ARK, Eli, Samuel,)

In Chapter 4, Israel goes to battle against the Philistines and they lose. The elders ask why, but before God can answer, they bring out “the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim” from Shiloh, where the Tabernacle was set up. When the people see it, all of Israel gives a thunderous shout so loud the Philistines are afraid.  They think the ARK is a god, like their carved images, instead of the earthly “throne” or dwelling place of Almighty God. They pump themselves up with “Take courage and be men and fight!”

They do, Israel loses, and the Ark of God is captured. Eli’s two sons are killed in battle. When Eli hears the news, he faints backward, breaks his neck, and dies. Phinehas’s wife goes into labor and also dies. The baby is named Ichabod, meaning, “The Glory has departed” from Israel.

In Chapter 5, the Philistines discover that having the Ark of the God of Israel is not such a great thing.  First, the statue of their god, Dagon, falls before the Ark in a pose of worship. Then it is completely decapitated. Then, the men of the five cities of Philistia begin dying of a weird, horrendous disease as they pass the Ark from one town to another. Eek! Get rid of the thing, they cry.

In Chapter 6, they devise a plan to send it back to Israel, making it a test to see if “God” really is causing all their problems. They load it on a cart pulled by two milk cows who have young calves. No mama cow will leave her crying babies and pull a cart miles away, but they do, so Philistia knows that it is Israel’s God who is afflicting them. They also send some golden tumors and mice (???) to appease Israel’s God.

Chapter 7 describes how the Ark is kept in Abinadab’s house. His son Eleazar is consecrated (as a priest) to be in charge of it. And it remains there—twenty years!!  NOTE: The Ark of the Covenant is there until King David brings it to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6. 

Samuel chastises them and tells them to put away foreign gods, return to the LORD, and serve only Him. Samuel prays for them as they begin to repent. Suddenly, the Philistines come up against them, and they panic. But Samuel goes before the Lord and intercedes, and the LORD roars against the Philistines, who fled away. In memorial to this miracle, Samuel sets up a stone named Ebenezer, which means “Till now the LORD has helped us.” Peace comes to Israel, and Samuel judges them for all the days of his life.

Chapter 8 tells how Samuel gets old (60) and makes his sons, Joel and Abijah Judges over Israel.  But they, like Eli’s sons, do not walk in the ways of the LORD but begin to take bribes and pervert justice.  The elders see this and cry out for a king to judge them.  Feeling rejected, Samuel prays to God, who tells him that Israel hasn’t rejected Samuel but they have rejected the LORD Himself.  God tells Samuel to give them what they want…but to warn them how a king will reign over them.

Samuel warns them with a long list of how an earthly king will not be the same as their righteous King of Kings has been.  He will conscript their sons for his army and take their daughters for his cooks and bakers. He will take the best of their crops, servants, and animals. And they will become his “slaves,”

Israel does not heed Samuel’s warnings but cries out, “No, there SHALL be a king over us that we may be like all the nations. Our king will judge us, go before us, and fight out battles.”

And God says, “Give them a king.”

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 96

Apr5

    Day 96 —  We have been reading the Bible daily for a quarter of the year and have begun a new month. Praise God! What have you learned about God? About yourself?

   Day 96 – Judges 19 – 21 (A very bad incident, civil war, and kidnap)

Wow, can it get any worse? Today’s reading, the last in Judges, shows how morally low people can get without the knowledge of God.

Chapter 19 tells a story about a Levite that parallels the story of Sodom in Genesis 19. A Levite’s concubine runs away to her father and he goes after her. After several days, the father allows him to take her away. On the way home, they stop in a town of the tribe of Benjamin. An old man advises him to spend the night INDOORS!  The reason is that the town is full of craving homosexual men! Like at Lot’s door in Sodom, these men demand that the old man send the Levite out so they can “have their way with him.” The Levite sends out his concubine instead and they ravish her all night so that she dies at his doorstep. (Can you believe it??)

He loads her body on his donkey and goes home, where he cuts it in pieces and sends one to each of Israel’s tribes. (Gag!)  In Chapter 20, the tribes muster soldiers to go after Benjamin to destroy them all. After two costly defeats, they use an ambush technique we saw Joshua do against Ai, and nearly wipe out all the Benjaminites – only 600 left. 

Remorse then hits the other eleven tribes, and in Chapter 21, they devise a plan to give these 600 min, wives to carry on the line. They notice that one city in Israel did not send soldiers to fight. So they go and kill all the men and married women, and steal 400 virgins for the men of Benjamin.  But, alas, there are still 200 wifeless men! What to do??

They hear of a festival in Shiloh. They wait in ambush (a different kind) for the young women to come into the vineyards dancing… and grab 200 of them.  With these new wives, the 600 of Benjamin return, rebuild their towns, and live in them.

The last verse in Judges says it all. “In those days there was no king in Israel (and) everyone did what was right in their own eyes.”