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April 7 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 97

By the time we're done reading today, Solomon is dead and the kingdom is divided.  

Image result for kingdom of israel divided

DAILY READINGS

1 Kings 11-13 & Psalm 97

DAILY NOTES

1 Kings 11
  • This chapter describes Solomon's wrongdoing.  He followed the gods of his wives.  
  • As a result of Solomon's turning away, God says the kingdom will be torn apart.  That is a foreshadow of what to expect in the coming chapters.
  • Jeroboam rises against Solomon.  He will serve as king of Israel (the northern kingdom).  
  • Solomon dies and his son, Rehoboam assumes the throne.
1 Kings 12
  • The kingdom is divided.  The northern tribes secede.  Jeroboam is made king.
  • Jeroboam worries that people will return to Judah to continue worship and thus turn on him.  So, he erects golden calves for the people to worship (Remember how that worked out before?).
1 Kings 13
  • The story of two prophets.  Notice how the word given by God stands throughout the ordeal.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

Solomon, in all his wisdom, was unable to stand against the temptation of putting other gods before the Lord.  Notice in Chapter 11 that the text says "his heart was not true to the Lord his God."  I read that as saying he did not give up the practices of God.  His heart, though, was given more to the other practices.

That'll preach.

It's easy to not give God up.  That is, our hearts can very easily prioritize other things and we can be content with merely keeping God around.  That's not loving God with all our heart, strength and might.  That's keeping God in our back pocket just in case we need something.

And that's not a very wise way to live.

Stay blessed...john
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