Monday, June 25, 2012

June 25, 2012 … Ahab or Jehoshaphat?? … We Choose!

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 1st Kings, Chapter 16 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
 ============
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: 2nd Chronicles, Chapter 17 [NIV] To study these chapters, go to this link -
============

Highlight Passage: 1st Kings 16: 29-33 :[NIV] … 29 In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years.30 Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him.31 He not only considered it trivial to commit the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, but he also married Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and began to serve Baal and worship him.32 He set up an altar for Baal in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.33 Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him.
============
Highlight Passage #2: 2nd Chronicles 17: 1; 7-9 :[NIV] … 1 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him [Asa] as king and strengthened himself against Israel. … 7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah.8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.

My Journal for Today: I really love the way this chronological reading plan takes me through the characters of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, teaching me, from the characters in God’s word – i.e., HISTORY … His Story – about who we are in God’s kingdom. Today, I learn, from the contrast of what was going on the northern kingdom of Israel and southern kingdom of Judah, two vastly different approaches to life (i.e., world views), and how these two, personified in Ahab and Jehoshaphat, dictate how we live and move and have our being in this world and times as overseen by the God of all of life; and that is Jehovah, … Whom we know of as Jesus in our time and dispensation of living.

There could not have been two more different men, kings, or rulers than these two. Both were definitely influenced by how they were raised by their own earthly fathers, Ahab being raised and influenced by his evil daddy, Omri; and Jehoshaphat, being raised by his, imperfect, but Godly-directed, father, Asa. They were molded by God and the parenting of their fathers to become contrasting lessons in character and world views, teaching us that the one, who learns from God’s word and pursues God’s truth, will ultimately prevail in life.

So, we take note of how Jehoshaphat lived, seeing in 2nd Chronicles 17: 7-9 how the leader of God’s people in Judah tried to insure that God’s people followed God’s way by having them instructed and steeped in God’s word. Ahab, on the other hand, fell prey to his wife, Jezebel’s, idolatry and did all he could, by building a temple to Baal and constructing Asherah poles for the worship of evil idols, leading the people unto a life of destructive false worship. The former was doing all he could to lead his people to the life-giving message of the one, true God; and the latter choosing to be duped, by his own flesh and deceit-ridden heart, into the path leading to anti-god, deathly influences.

And we, like Ahab and Jehoshaphat, make the same ultimate choice, don’t we? We either choose to pursue God’s way, led by His word unto life; or we choose the anti-God way, led by our flesh unto death. Yes, history – HIS STORY – shows us that even though we live in these post NT times, the choices remain much the same.

So, my dear one, are we choosing to follow the ways of Ahab and live for the glory of self, by following Satan; or are we choosing to follow the ways of Jehoshaphat and to live for God’s glory, learning to and living by God’s word?

We choose!!!

My Prayer Today: … I choose Your way, Lord! Amen

No comments: