Skip to main content

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

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

March 24 + Daily notes & readings

DAY 83 The relationship between Saul and David worsens.  David is now Saul's enemy.   DAILY READINGS 1 Samuel 18-20 & Psalm 83 DAILY NOTES 1 Samuel 18 Saul's delight for David quickly turns.  Saul is jealous of David's success and the fact that everyone else seems to like David more than him. Of course, we have to think about what this evil spirit from the Lord might mean. Saul tries to kill David.  He even devises a plan to have him married into the royal family so that he can create a snare for him. What does it say about David that, even after Saul has tried to kill him, he still finds it an honor to be married to the family? David escapes Saul's traps.  So, from here on out, the text says that Saul considered David an enemy.  Think he knows what it means to love your enemies? 1 Samuel 19 Verse 5 reminds us of David's fight with Goliath.  At this point, David has fought other times.  What makes that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

May 23 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 143 DAILY READINGS Job 12-15 & Psalm 138 DAILY NOTES Job 12 Surely, Job says, his friends don't think they're the only ones with wisdom?  Plus, they are telling him anything that isn't known by all.   Maybe they aren't as smart as they think they are? God holds true wisdom.  "With God are wisdom and strength" (vs. 13). Job 13 Job's friends have taken it upon themselves to speak on behalf of God.  Job considers their representation to be false because they have not considered Job's condition. Job 14 Job's prayer to God continues. We see a bit of the book's larger vision in these verses.  Job recognizes, and wants God to remember, that all humanity shares the same days of life.   Job 15 Eliphaz considers that Job's questioning hinders God and would keep others from knowing God. Psalm 138 The praise of the psalmist is a communal act.   God has been faithful and the psalmist wants to thank God...
Post a Comment
Read more

March 2 + Daily readings & notes

DAY 61 I didn't include any daily notes today.  While they may seem strange, most of the laws we're reading about today are pretty straightforward.   Today's Bible Project video gives a final look at what the book of Deuteronomy is about.   DAILY READINGS Deuteronomy 24-27 & Psalm 61 OTHER OBSERVATIONS Within many of the commands of God given to the Israelites is the notion to remember.  Remember you were slaves to Egypt.  Remember what happened to Miriam.  Remember. The point is to remember what God has done and that the Israelites are now God's own people.  You can almost hear someone ask, "Why do we have to do [fill in the blank]?"  Because we are God's!  Remember it was the Lord who delivered us.  So, this is his way to be holy. Even the psalmist (in Psalm 61) picks up on this.  In speaking of God's protection, he says that God has given him the "heritage of those who fear your name."  ...
Post a Comment
Read more