I Kings 19-22:
1. It is nice to know that even arguably the greatest prophet discussed in the bible was weak at times. We see in I Kings after having held the victorious showdown with the prophets of Baal that Elijah runs away after threats from Jezebel. He wanted to die and did not feel worthy to live any longer after his failing. Yet God forgave him and still continued to use him in great ways.
2. I wonder why it was necessary for Elijah to have to travel to Mount Horeb. Couldn't God have delivered the message there in the desert? Perhaps there was some benefit in him having to travel because it would teach him something, or perhaps there were things that were going to be on the way back that he would need to do that would have been out of his way otherwise.
3. It is interesting how Elisha knew exactly what Elijah wanted and was ready to go after bidding his parents farewell and slaughtering his oxen.
4. In Luke 9:61-62 Jesus states that no one who looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God after one who is asked to be his disciple says they want to first go back and say good-bye to their family. This is the exact same thing that Elisha asked of Elijah. But in the case of Elisha, we can see that Elisha was merely tying up loose ends - not hesitating about what he should do. Elisha understood the price that he would pay and willingly destroyed his former career tools when he killed his oxen and burned the tools to cook the meat of the oxen.
5. Standing up for what is right can potentially cost your life. When Naboth refused to give up the land that God had commanded them to keep (even though it may have even been in his best interest to sell it) because of God's command, he was framed and murdered. The sad part about this story is that in many cases it is the same type of scenario. No one within the town bothered to stand up for this one righteous man. Why not? Was it fear? Or was it just that all were truly as wicked as king Ahab and queen Jezebel?
6. It is interesting that God spared even Ahab and his family during the lifetime of Ahab because of his humble attitude when confronted with the sin he had committed. It tells me that God is very forgiving, if we will just humble ourselves unto repentance.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
Such a small thing
The first part of this week was really tough, as God allowed me to have an opportunity to trust Him more. I left the keys to the building in my uniform pocket, and each time I felt the pockets, I could not feel the keys.
I searched everywhere, and was thinking that tomorrow I would have to offer my resignation due to having lost the master keys to the building. (The cost to re-key a building is probably about $40K or so - if you lose a key, you might as well just say you quit.)
But I was my typical worrying self and God was His typical faithful self. (I still think that God worked a miracle - I am almost certain that they were not there earlier.) It is also interesting who you trust in these situations versus who you do not trust - I think it says something about who you are.
Hannah was in tears this evening when we prayed because of her concern for her Chinese grandma and grandpa who are not Christian. She was worried about them going to hell. I wonder if these things are signs from God that he wants me to pursue a different course.
From I Kings 15-18:
1. It is interesting that Asa is depicted here as a good king and one who did what the Lord was pleased with. In II Chronicles the bible tells us that until later in life, Asa was a very devout king. However, later in life he turned against some of the prophets who prophesied that he had not trusted God (which was true) by making a treaty with another nation. I guess this illustrates that God wants our entire lives to be devoted to him. The accumulation of faithfulness is a very good thing; though being faithful daily is also very important.
2. Hiel is an interesting person of mention in the passage. He was one who rebuilt Jericho. At the time that Jericho was destroyed, Joshua pronounced a curse upon the site, saying that it would cost someone their firstborn to lay the foundations of the city again and it would cost their youngest to set up the gates (Joshua 6:26). Sure enough, someone was dumb enough to test the curse, and it was true. This man's name was Hiel. (I imagine that at the time, what they said to him was "Hiel, No!" But would he listen? "Hiel no!")
3. It is interesting that there is no introduction to Elijah. He is just brought into the story. But no word is mentioned of his background, other than the fact that he is a Tishbite. I wonder...
4. I am wondering how the ravens brought him food. Was it cooked meat? Where (other than the obvious miracle) could the ravens have been getting this stuff from? I mean, picture in your mind a guy just on the other side of the hill who loves to grill out, but every day has trouble with pesky ravens taking half of what he puts out. Or another possibility is that just on the other side of the hill is a shrine to worship winged creatures, where people of a neighboring town offer foods up. The ravens have always come to this little ravine to enjoy their meals, and now someone is there who scares them away when they get over there to enjoy a snack. (It is fun to think of the possibilities...)
5. It is interesting that only after Elijah had brought the widow's son back to life did she believe that Elijah was a man of God who spoke the word of God. I guess the providing a virtually everlasting supply of food was not enough.
6. The story of the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal is one of my favorite stories in the bible. I see there that it appears that just after this incident, Elijah had to entreat God to allow rain upon the land. I am guessing that he was impatient too, since he sent his servant to check seven times. The bible records that he went up to the top of mount Carmel and put his face between his knees before he sent his servant to check. I am guessing that he was asking / begging God to work this miracle. But after having spent all this time in prayer (assumption), he had enough energy that he was able to (through God's spirit) outrun the horses of Ahab as they went back to Jezreel.
I searched everywhere, and was thinking that tomorrow I would have to offer my resignation due to having lost the master keys to the building. (The cost to re-key a building is probably about $40K or so - if you lose a key, you might as well just say you quit.)
But I was my typical worrying self and God was His typical faithful self. (I still think that God worked a miracle - I am almost certain that they were not there earlier.) It is also interesting who you trust in these situations versus who you do not trust - I think it says something about who you are.
Hannah was in tears this evening when we prayed because of her concern for her Chinese grandma and grandpa who are not Christian. She was worried about them going to hell. I wonder if these things are signs from God that he wants me to pursue a different course.
From I Kings 15-18:
1. It is interesting that Asa is depicted here as a good king and one who did what the Lord was pleased with. In II Chronicles the bible tells us that until later in life, Asa was a very devout king. However, later in life he turned against some of the prophets who prophesied that he had not trusted God (which was true) by making a treaty with another nation. I guess this illustrates that God wants our entire lives to be devoted to him. The accumulation of faithfulness is a very good thing; though being faithful daily is also very important.
2. Hiel is an interesting person of mention in the passage. He was one who rebuilt Jericho. At the time that Jericho was destroyed, Joshua pronounced a curse upon the site, saying that it would cost someone their firstborn to lay the foundations of the city again and it would cost their youngest to set up the gates (Joshua 6:26). Sure enough, someone was dumb enough to test the curse, and it was true. This man's name was Hiel. (I imagine that at the time, what they said to him was "Hiel, No!" But would he listen? "Hiel no!")
3. It is interesting that there is no introduction to Elijah. He is just brought into the story. But no word is mentioned of his background, other than the fact that he is a Tishbite. I wonder...
4. I am wondering how the ravens brought him food. Was it cooked meat? Where (other than the obvious miracle) could the ravens have been getting this stuff from? I mean, picture in your mind a guy just on the other side of the hill who loves to grill out, but every day has trouble with pesky ravens taking half of what he puts out. Or another possibility is that just on the other side of the hill is a shrine to worship winged creatures, where people of a neighboring town offer foods up. The ravens have always come to this little ravine to enjoy their meals, and now someone is there who scares them away when they get over there to enjoy a snack. (It is fun to think of the possibilities...)
5. It is interesting that only after Elijah had brought the widow's son back to life did she believe that Elijah was a man of God who spoke the word of God. I guess the providing a virtually everlasting supply of food was not enough.
6. The story of the showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal is one of my favorite stories in the bible. I see there that it appears that just after this incident, Elijah had to entreat God to allow rain upon the land. I am guessing that he was impatient too, since he sent his servant to check seven times. The bible records that he went up to the top of mount Carmel and put his face between his knees before he sent his servant to check. I am guessing that he was asking / begging God to work this miracle. But after having spent all this time in prayer (assumption), he had enough energy that he was able to (through God's spirit) outrun the horses of Ahab as they went back to Jezreel.
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