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April 13 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 103

After we hear again from the mother of the child who Elisha raised from the dead (Chapter 4), most of the rest of today's readings deal with the succession of kings.  You know how peaceably that always works out 😏

DAILY READINGS

2 Kings 8-11 & Psalm 103

DAILY NOTES

2 Kings 8:4
  • The king is talking with Gehazi.  Didn't Gehazi get leprosy?  Aren't lepers shunned?  And is this the same king that was ready to kill Elisha back in Chapter 6?
2 Kings 9
  • Here's an interesting bit of commentary I found: "The death of Jezebel brings to an end the influence of the most powerful woman in the history of the Northern Kingdom."
2 Kings 10 (death chapter?)

2 Kings 11
  • There's been a lot of revolt and death within the kingdoms.  It seems that the end of Chapter 11 describes a time when that tension has dwindled and brought about a time when the influence of Baal is being eradicated.
Psalm 103
  • A psalm of thanksgiving.  The psalm not only mentions things that God has done, but offers attributes of God to be thankful for.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

By now you've noticed that the kingdom of Judah, in terms of true worship, is superior to the Northern Kingdom-remember when Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)?  That doesn't mean that Judah didn't have their issues.  And it doesn't mean that all of Israel's (Northern Kingdom) kings were bad, kind of.

King Jehu is a good example.  At the end of Chapter 10 he "wiped out Baal from Israel."  That's a good thing.  The very next sentence, however,, reminds us that he didn't turn completely away from all of the improper worship.  The writer also makes a comment a few verses later that he "was not careful to follow the law of the Lord the God of Israel with all his heart."

Of course, there is a theological bias against Israel.  These are true worship wars!  

But I think it's still a good reminder of the importance of remembering the greatest commandment.  We're called to love God with ALL we have.  Have you heard me say that before?  

A modern example of Jehu's incomplete worship might be almost-cliche.  When we confine Jesus stuff to Sunday morning, we're half following.  Actually, considering a Sunday worship service is approximately 74 minutes, we're 0.7341269841269841 following.  

Keep following.  Along the way, leave behind what's keeping you from experience the full power of God.

Stay blessed...john

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