Nahum 1

                                          

WEEK 6                                              Nahum 1

FRIDAY  Reflections

The book of Nahum is filled with the prophecy against Israel's greatest enemy, Assyria, and its capital, Nineveh. The book is a real downer for fans of Nineveh in Jonah, the city that at one time repented. However, one of the things that really stand out is God’s promises to those who trust Him. Verse seven of chapter one reminds us that God is good and He cares for those who trust Him. We see again in the middle of destruction, God promises to do what is right for those who love Him. 

Here is a link to a great video to understand Nahum: https://youtu.be/Y30DanA5EhU


Nah 1:1-15
(1)  The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.
(2)  God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
(3)  The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
(4)  He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon languisheth.
(5)  The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.
(6)  Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
(7)  The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
(8)  But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
(9)  What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.
(10)  For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.
(11)  There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.
(12)  Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
(13)  For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
(14)  And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.

(15)  Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.

2 Corinthians 2

WEEK 6                                     2 Corinthians 2

THURSDAY  Reflections

Paul admonishes the people to forgive the person who has caused trouble in their midst. The hope is that this person might be made right with God and with the people. Paul implies that holding onto unforgiveness will give Satan an advantage over the church. Whenever there is anger and unforgiveness in a church, it gives Satan an advantage. I remember a church board member describing a board meeting as Satan coming right in and taking charge because of a disagreement.

 

Unforgiveness is never an option for the believer. It is always a weapon of the Devil. The person who is most hurt by unforgiveness is the one who refuses to forgive.    

2Co 2:1-17
(1)  But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
(2)  For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?
(3)  And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
(4)  For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.
(5)  But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.
(6)  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
(7)  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.
(8)  Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.
(9)  For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
(10)  To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;
(11)  Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.
(12)  Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,
(13)  I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.
(14)  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
(15)  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
(16)  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
(17)  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

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Proverbs 22

WEEK  6                                      Proverbs 22

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

The sluggard says, "There's a lion outside! I'll be killed in the public square!" Proverbs 22:13

 

This fear here could be real. If you lived in a village on the edge of the Judean countryside in Solomon's time, a lion could be a real concern. However, what I noticed in this scripture is not that fear is making this person lazy, but a lazy person is using fear to justify their lack of activity.

 

People still do this today. I don't want to belittle real fear. Fear is hard to deal with. I am not trying to point a finger, but placing a mirror. You might look in and say, "No, that's not me." or you might look in the mirror and see something you may need to change.

 

The person in this scripture is saying things like, "I'm going to get fired anyway, why try?"  "They hate people like me, why apply for the job?" or "My work will never be good enough, so why waste my time?" and the like.

 

I will admit, at times, I fight the idea that my work isn't good enough. Maybe when you read this, you will say, " You're right, it isn't that good."

 

However, at least I am not using fear as an excuse not to try.

 

Here is my thought, the more we give in to the fear of "what may happen" the stronger fear becomes.

 

Yes, there may be a monster blocking your way, but then again, the monster might not be as big as you think. The only way to know is to go and find out. One thing is certain: if you don't go out "into the square," you will never succeed. You will only become lazy (or lazier).

 

Don't use fear as an excuse. Don’t allow fear to hold you back. 

Pro 22:1-29

(1)  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

(2)  The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

(3)  A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

(4)  By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.

(5)  Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them.

(6)  Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

(7)  The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.

(8)  He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his anger shall fail.

(9)  He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

(10)  Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.

(11)  He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.

(12)  The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the words of the transgressor.

(13)  The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.

(14)  The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of the LORD shall fall therein.

(15)  Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

(16)  He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

(17)  Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

(18)  For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

(19)  That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

(20)  Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,

(21)  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

(22)  Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

(23)  For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

(24)  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

(25)  Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.

(26)  Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts.

(27)  If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?

(28)  Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

(29)  Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

2 Kings 16

WEEK  6                                                2 Kings 16

TUESDAY  Reflections

Ahaz was so wicked that he caused his sons to pass through the fire. In this ritual, babies were passed over a fire and placed on the hands of the god Moloch (Molech). If they survived, they were considered worthy. Ahaz stole from God's temple to bribe (pay tribute to) Assyria, though he probably didn't think of it that way. He also fashioned an idol/altar based on what he saw in the conquered city of Damascus and installed it in the temple. He commanded the priest to offer a sacrifice to false gods. 

2Ki 16:1-20
(1)  In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
(2)  Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.
(3)  But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.
(4)  And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
(5)  Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him.
(6)  At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day.
(7)  So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.
(8)  And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a present to the king of Assyria.
(9)  And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.
(10)  And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it, according to all the workmanship thereof.
(11)  And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
(12)  And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.
(13)  And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace offerings, upon the altar.
(14)  And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD, from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.
(15)  And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.
(16)  Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz commanded.
(17)  And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.
(18)  And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house, and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for the king of Assyria.
(19)  Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
(20)  And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič - @specialdaddy on Unsplash

2 Kings 15

WEEK  6                                             2 Kings 15

MONDAY  Reflections

The Gold Standard, the best rating, for a king was when it was said he was like David. This didn't mean he was perfect, but the king's attitude and actions reflected the best of David's reign. The Silver Standard was that he did right in the sight of the Lord. This lower standard would go on and say either “like their father” or “not as David.” This second rating was saying that the king did good and his attitude was right, but he failed in other areas, usually in the arena of enforcing the worship of God alone.

 

Failure for a king is seen in the words “he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” These kings didn't worship God and usually did horrible things to their people. The Northern tribes, Israel, only had failures as kings.  

 

In this chapter, we see two mediocre kings for Judah and wicked king after wicked king in Israel. What I notice here is what was becoming the common method of ascension to the throne in Israel: assassination. When gaining power is done repeatedly by murder, one can only wonder how cheap life has become in Israel. When you read the prophets, you get the answer. 

2Ki 15:1-38
(1)  In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.
(2)  Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.
(3)  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done;
(4)  Save that the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places.
(5)  And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son was over the house, judging the people of the land.
(6)  And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
(7)  So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.
(8)  In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.
(9)  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
(10)  And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
(11)  And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
(12)  This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying, Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation. And so it came to pass.
(13)  Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.
(14)  For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
(15)  And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
(16)  Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped up.
(17)  In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.
(18)  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
(19)  And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.
(20)  And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not there in the land.
(21)  And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
(22)  And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead.
(23)  In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.
(24)  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
(25)  But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites: and he killed him, and reigned in his room.
(26)  And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
(27)  In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.
(28)  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.
(29)  In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.
(30)  And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.
(31)  And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
(32)  In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.
(33)  Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok.
(34)  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did according to all that his father Uzziah had done.
(35)  Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate of the house of the LORD.
(36)  Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
(37)  In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
(38)  And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

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