1 Kings 21

WEEK  15                                              1 Kings 21

MONDAY  Reflections

Ahab was an evil man up until that point. He was spurred on by his wife to do evil. Yet after everything else he had done, it seems now he is repenting. Some think this is real repentance, others believe it isn't because he didn't rebuke his wife. He later attacked true prophets and didn’t return Naboth's vineyard. Either way, God gave Ahab some mercy in response to his actions.

 

God is merciful. We see in 2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Judgment came on Ahab and his family because of their sins, but God was willing to give them room to sincerely repent.  




1Ki 21:1-29
(1)  And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
(2)  And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
(3)  And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
(4)  And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
(5)  But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
(6)  And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
(7)  And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
(8)  So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
(9)  And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
(10)  And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
(11)  And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
(12)  They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
(13)  And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
(14)  Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
(15)  And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
(16)  And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
(17)  And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
(18)  Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
(19)  And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
(20)  And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.
(21)  Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,
(22)  And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.
(23)  And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
(24)  Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.
(25)  But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
(26)  And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
(27)  And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
(28)  And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
(29)  Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

Jeremiah 51

WEEK  14                                             Jeremiah 51

SATURDAY  Reflections

This chapter and the previous talk of the destruction of Babylon. One interesting note is that Jeremiah had these words copied and sent to Babylon to be read. In the middle of that busy city, the center of the world's power at the time, Seraiah was probably ignored completely. The book thrown in the river was destroyed but this was a picture that Babylon was going to sink and be destroyed. Again, this was probably ignored by those in authority. They, I am sure, felt there was no way they could be brought down.

 

The people who might have seen it and were given hope by it, were the captives from Judah. They had heard of the warnings from the prophets and heard of Jeremiah. They knew his words were true, so for them, this was a promise of hope. Those who brought destruction would meet their own. God would deal with them righteously. They were not like the other nations, whose hope was found in idols. God would redeem them. Hope is a powerful thing and now God is again giving it to his people. 

Jer 51:1-64
(1)  Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;
(2)  And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.
(3)  Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.
(4)  Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.
(5)  For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.
(6)  Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.
(7)  Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.
(8)  Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.
(9)  We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.
(10)  The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.
(11)  Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.
(12)  Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.
(13)  O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.
(14)  The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.
(15)  He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding.
(16)  When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
(17)  Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
(18)  They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
(19)  The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
(20)  Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
(21)  And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
(22)  With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;
(23)  I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.
(24)  And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD.
(25)  Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.
(26)  And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.
(27)  Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.
(28)  Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.
(29)  And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.
(30)  The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.
(31)  One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end,
(32)  And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.
(33)  For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.
(34)  Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.
(35)  The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.
(36)  Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.
(37)  And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.
(38)  They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps.
(39)  In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the LORD.
(40)  I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.
(41)  How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
(42)  The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.
(43)  Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby.
(44)  And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.
(45)  My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.
(46)  And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.
(47)  Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
(48)  Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD.
(49)  As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.
(50)  Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.
(51)  We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD'S house.
(52)  Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan.
(53)  Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.
(54)  A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:
(55)  Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:
(56)  Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.
(57)  And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.
(58)  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.
(59)  The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.
(60)  So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.
(61)  And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;
(62)  Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.
(63)  And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:
(64)  And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

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1 Kings 20

WEEK  14                                              1 Kings 20

FRIDAY  Reflections

The armies were set to destroy Israel and yet God had mercy on them. God also tried to teach the heathen nations that he was not a god like theirs but God of all. Ahab and Israel were living in disobedience to God. They didn't deserve to be rescued, but God in His mercy and for His own reasons gave Israel deliverance.

 

Ahab took even this grace and squandered it. He should have destroyed Israel's oppressor but let him go free. Now God's anger was set on Ahab and they would face the price for it. What other price do you see someone pay for disobeying God?

1Ki 20:1-43
(1)  And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
(2)  And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
(3)  Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
(4)  And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.
(5)  And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
(6)  Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
(7)  Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
(8)  And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
(9)  Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
(10)  And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
(11)  And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
(12)  And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
(13)  And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.
(14)  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
(15)  Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
(16)  And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
(17)  And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
(18)  And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
(19)  So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
(20)  And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.
(21)  And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
(22)  And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
(23)  And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
(24)  And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
(25)  And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
(26)  And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
(27)  And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
(28)  And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
(29)  And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
(30)  But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
(31)  And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
(32)  So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
(33)  Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
(34)  And Benhadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
(35)  And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.
(36)  Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
(37)  Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
(38)  So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
(39)  And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
(40)  And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
(41)  And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
(42)  And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.
(43)  And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

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Matthew 14

WEEK  14                                            Matthew 14

THURSDAY  Reflections

I am going to look at this chapter backward. In the last two sections, we see God/Jesus showing great power. He is walking on water and multiplying the fish and the bread. These demonstrate the power of Jesus as the Messiah and over the powers of this world. The truths seen in both are wonderful, but the first section of this chapter shows a defeat and humiliation for one of God’s greatest servants, John the Baptist.

 

In the walking on water, we are taught that keeping our eyes on Jesus in the middle of the storm can keep us safe. This is a lesson taught throughout scripture. Psalms 91 is a great reference for how keeping our eyes on God will keep us safe. Yet, we come back to the first of the chapter and are reminded that God doesn’t always keep us safe from all harm in this world.

 

In the feeding of the five thousand, we see Jesus' power over the natural world. It was like there was a replicator from Star Trek there in the baskets. Once the bread and fish were put in the empty baskets it replicated the rest. It is an amazing story. The truth is the miracle happened in the hands of the apostles while they were handing out the bread and fish. It also gave 12 doubting men a basket each left over for their own needs. God provides, yet what about John?

 

At the beginning of this chapter, we are hit by an injustice. John was just a preacher without any power. Yet the truth of his words landed him in prison. Herod could have ignored John and it wouldn’t have changed his life at all. Yet he could not stand anyone telling him that what he wanted to do was wrong. So, Herod threw John into prison.

 

Did God deliver John the Baptist? No, and yes, I realize there were reasons John needed to leave the stage (He/Jesus must increase and I/John must decrease John 3:30), but it still feels wrong. It doesn’t feel like justice took place. John Wesley on his notes on the New Testament wrote, “How mysterious is the providence (God), which left the life of so holy a man in such infamous hands! which permitted it to be sacrificed to the malice of an abandoned harlot, the petulance of a vain girl, and the rashness of a foolish, perhaps drunken prince, who made a prophet's head the reward of a dance!” It makes one want to ask, God what are you doing? This isn’t fair? However, what was fair about Jesus, God in the flesh, being taken by sinful men and crucified on a cross? There was nothing fair about it. God, though, walked in the world as we walked. He suffered as we do, but this is not the end of the story. 

 

John Wesley didn’t end his commentary on John’s murder with the statement I just quoted. He ends in words that remind him and us this world is not all there is. John Wesley wrote, “But we are sure the Almighty will repay his servants in another world for whatever they suffer in this.” Yes, it may end badly here, but this world is not all there is.  As radio commentator Paul Harvey said, God will someday say, this is “the rest of the story.”

Mat 14:1-36

(1)  At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

(2)  And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

(3)  For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

(4)  For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

(5)  And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

(6)  But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

(7)  Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

(8)  And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

(9)  And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

(10)  And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

(11)  And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

(12)  And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

(13)  When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

(14)  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

(15)  And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

(16)  But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

(17)  And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

(18)  He said, Bring them hither to me.

(19)  And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

(20)  And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

(21)  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

(22)  And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

(23)  And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

(24)  But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

(25)  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

(26)  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

(27)  But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

(28)  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

(29)  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

(30)  But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

(31)  And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

(32)  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

(33)  Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

(34)  And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

(35)  And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;

(36)  And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

Photo by Pietro De Grandi on Unsplash

Ecclesiastes 11

WEEK  14                                       Ecclesiastes 11

WEDNESDAY  Reflections

Life under the sun requires hard work and diversifying your investment. This is just wise advice. Even as the preacher of Ecclesiastes speaking on the vanity of life, he still encourages hard work and wise planning. If this is important now, how much more for those who understand that God rewards those who work wisely. Under heaven money brings some security, in light of eternity money can be used to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. (Matthew 25, Acts 4:32-36).



Ecc 11:1-10
(1)  Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
(2)  Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
(3)  If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
(4)  He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
(5)  As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
(6)  In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
(7)  Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:
(8)  But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.
(9)  Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
(10)  Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Photo by Autumn Mott Rodeheaver on Unsplash