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April 10 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 100

100 days in the books.....or 100 days in the Book!

We're finishing 1 Kings today.  There's no happy ending here.  We've still got a long way for that.

Image result for naboth's vineyard

DAILY READINGS

1 Kings 20-22 & Psalm 100

DAILY NOTES

1 Kings 20
  • Ahab fights the Arameans.  Initially, he concedes to their king (Verse 4).  When King Aram asks for more than Ahab is comfortable with, he asks his elders for advice.  The war is initiated afterwards.
  • Don't forget that Ahab is not a hero.  Elijah has defeated Ahab's Baal prophets.  Ahab does not have complete prophetic support.  The victory he sees is God's.
    • By the way, by the end of the chapter, Ahab is portrayed as a "resentful and sullen" person.  The next chapter offers the same description.  Does that mean he's a big cry baby?
1 Kings 21
  • Ahab wants Naboth's vineyard for himself.  Naboth refuses.  Ahab sulks, and his wife, Jezebel, plots to have Naboth killed.
  • The prophet Elijah appears again and gives a judgement against Ahab and Jezebel.  Ahab repents (sackcloth).  Consequently, his life is spared.
1 Kings 22
  • Fighting with Aram again.  
  • The two kingdoms join together to fight Aram.  While 400 prophets said to go to battle, King Jehoshaphat asks for one more.  The last one, Micaiah, predicts that they will be defeated.  
    • Ahab is defeated and dies as a result.  
  • The chapter (the book) ends with King Jehoshaphat ruling Judah as a faithful king and Ahaziah ruling Israel as one who did evil in the sight of God.  
Psalm 100
  • A song of praise.  Since we are God's people, we are to offer him praise.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

We're reading about the kings of Israel and Judah.  Have you noticed how much the prophets come into play?  Those pesky prophets always have some word from God.  Most times, we don't want to hear it.  That's why Ahab didn't want to have Micaiah come.  Ahab knew he was going to mess everything up for him.  

None of us really want to hear from a prophet, do we?  Prophets aren't here to give us pleasantries.  They're hear to offer us a word from God.  Typically, that word needs to be given because we aren't following along too well.  

Are there prophets around still today?  I believe so.  Maybe they don't travel in packs and play with entrails like in the Old Testament.  But God still has something to say, and we're still people.  We still need to hear from God.  

Be on the look out for God's prophets.  You'll have a good idea if it's a prophet speaking by how angry or uncomfortable s/he is making you feel.

Stay blessed...john
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