Saturday, October 18, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
1 Kings 11:9-40
9 GOD was furious with Solomon for abandoning the GOD of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him 10 and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed GOD's orders.
11 GOD said to Solomon, "Since this is the way it is with you, that you have no intention of keeping faith with me and doing what I have commanded, I'm going to rip the kingdom from you and hand it over to someone else. 12 But out of respect for your father David I won't do it in your lifetime. It's your son who will pay — I'll rip it right out of his grasp. 13 Even then I won't take it all; I'll leave him one tribe in honor of my servant David and out of respect for my chosen city Jerusalem."
14 GOD incited Hadad, a descendant of the king of Edom, into hostile actions against Solomon. 15 Years earlier, when David devastated Edom, Joab, commander of the army, on his way to bury the dead, massacred all the men of Edom. 16 Joab and his army stayed there for six months, making sure they had killed every man in Edom. 17 Hadad, just a boy at the time, had escaped with some of the Edomites who had worked for his father. 18 Their escape route took them through Midian to Paran. They picked up some men in Paran and went on to Egypt and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave Hadad a house, food, and even land. 19 Pharaoh liked him so well that he gave him the sister of his wife, Queen Tahpenes, in marriage. 20 She bore Hadad a son named Genubath who was raised like one of the royal family. Genubath grew up in the palace with Pharaoh's children.
21 While living in Egypt, Hadad heard that both David and Joab, commander of the army, were dead. He approached Pharaoh and said, "Send me off with your blessing — I want to return to my country."
22 "But why?" said Pharaoh. "Why would you want to leave here? Hasn't everything been to your liking?"
"Everything has been just fine," said Hadad, "but I want to go home — give me a good send-off!"
23 Then God incited another adversary against Solomon, Rezon son of Eliada, who had deserted from his master, Hadadezer king of Zobah. 24 After David's slaughter of the Arameans, Rezon collected a band of outlaws and became their leader. They later settled in Damascus, where Rezon eventually took over as king. 25 Like Hadad, Rezon was a thorn in Israel's side all of Solomon's life. He was king over Aram, and he hated Israel.
26 Adversaries Arise
And then, the last straw: Jeroboam son of Nebat rebelled against the king. He was an Ephraimite from Zeredah, his mother a widow named Zeruah. He served in Solomon's administration.
27 This is why he rebelled. Solomon had built the outer defense system (the Millo) and had restored the fortifications that were in disrepair from the time of his father David. 28 Jeroboam stood out during the construction as strong and able. When Solomon observed what a good worker he was, he put the young man in charge of the entire workforce of the tribe of Joseph.
29 One day Jeroboam was walking down the road out of Jerusalem. Ahijah the prophet of Shiloh, wearing a brand-new cloak, met him. The two of them were alone on that remote stretch of road. 30 Ahijah took off the new cloak that he was wearing and ripped it into twelve pieces.
31 Then he said to Jeroboam, "Take ten of these pieces for yourself; this is by order of the GOD of Israel: See what I'm doing — I'm ripping the kingdom out of Solomon's hands and giving you ten of the tribes. 32 In honor of my servant David and out of respect for Jerusalem, the city I especially chose, he will get one tribe. 33 And here's the reason: He faithlessly abandoned me and went off worshiping Ashtoreth goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh god of the Moabites, and Molech god of the Ammonites. He hasn't lived the way I have shown him, hasn't done what I have wanted, and hasn't followed directions or obeyed orders as his father David did.
34 "Still, I won't take the whole kingdom away from him. I'll stick with him through his lifetime because of my servant David whom I chose and who did follow my directions and obey my orders. 35 But after that I'll remove the kingdom from his son's control and give you ten tribes. 36 I'll leave one tribe to his son, to maintain a witness to my servant David in Jerusalem, the city I chose as a memorial to my Name.
37 "But I have taken you in hand. Rule to your heart's content! You are to be the king of Israel. 38 If you listen to what I tell you and live the way I show you and do what pleases me, following directions and obeying orders as my servant David did, I'll stick with you no matter what. I'll build you a kingdom as solid as the one I built for David. Israel will be yours! 39 I am bringing pain and trouble on David's descendants, but the trials won't last forever."
40 Solomon ordered the assassination of Jeroboam, but he got away to Egypt and found asylum there with King Shishak. He remained in exile there until Solomon died.
1 Kings 3:10-14
10 God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. 11 And God said to him, "Because you have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, 12 I'll give you what you've asked for — I'm giving you a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and there'll be no one after. 13 As a bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you didn't ask for — there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. 14 And if you stay on course, keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life."
Thursday, October 16, 2014
2 Samuel 12
12:1 But GOD was not at all pleased with what David had done, and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, "There were two men in the same city — one rich, the other poor. 2 The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. 3 The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him.
4 "One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest."
5 David exploded in anger. "As surely as GOD lives," he said to Nathan, "the man who did this ought to be lynched! 6 He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!"
7 "You're the man!" said Nathan. "And here's what GOD, the God of Israel, has to say to you: I made you king over Israel. I freed you from the fist of Saul. 8 I gave you your master's daughter and other wives to have and to hold. I gave you both Israel and Judah. And if that hadn't been enough, I'd have gladly thrown in much more. 9 So why have you treated the word of GOD with brazen contempt, doing this great evil? You murdered Uriah the Hittite, then took his wife as your wife. Worse, you killed him with an Ammonite sword! 10 And now, because you treated God with such contempt and took Uriah the Hittite's wife as your wife, killing and murder will continually plague your family. 11 This is GOD speaking, remember! I'll make trouble for you out of your own family. I'll take your wives from right out in front of you. I'll give them to some neighbor, and he'll go to bed with them openly. 12 You did your deed in secret; I'm doing mine with the whole country watching!"
13 Then David confessed to Nathan, "I've sinned against GOD."
Nathan pronounced, "Yes, but that's not the last word. GOD forgives your sin. You won't die for it. 14 But because of your blasphemous behavior, the son born to you will die."
15 After Nathan went home, GOD afflicted the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and he came down sick. 16 David prayed desperately to God for the little boy. He fasted, wouldn't go out, and slept on the floor. 17 The elders in his family came in and tried to get him off the floor, but he wouldn't budge. Nor could they get him to eat anything. 18 On the seventh day the child died. David's servants were afraid to tell him. They said, "What do we do now? While the child was living he wouldn't listen to a word we said. Now, with the child dead, if we speak to him there's no telling what he'll do."
19 David noticed that the servants were whispering behind his back, and realized that the boy must have died.
He asked the servants, "Is the boy dead?"
"Yes," they answered. "He's dead."
20 David got up from the floor, washed his face and combed his hair, put on a fresh change of clothes, then went into the sanctuary and worshiped. Then he came home and asked for something to eat. They set it before him and he ate.
21 His servants asked him, "What's going on with you? While the child was alive you fasted and wept and stayed up all night. Now that he's dead, you get up and eat."
22 "While the child was alive," he said, "I fasted and wept, thinking GOD might have mercy on me and the child would live. 23 But now that he's dead, why fast? Can I bring him back now? I can go to him, but he can't come to me."
24 David went and comforted his wife Bathsheba. And when he slept with her, they conceived a son. When he was born they named him Solomon. GOD had a special love for him 25 and sent word by Nathan the prophet that GOD wanted him named Jedidiah (God's Beloved).
2 Sam 7:18-29
18 King David went in, took his place before GOD, and prayed: "Who am I, my Master GOD, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this place in life? 19 But that's nothing compared to what's coming, for you've also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow, my Master GOD! 20 What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, Master GOD, just as I am. 21 You've done all this not because of who I am but because of who you are — out of your very heart! — but you've let me in on it.
22 "This is what makes you so great, Master GOD! There is none like you, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we've heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique in the earth, whom God set out to redeem for himself (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt? 24 You established for yourself a people — your very own Israel! — your people permanently. And you, GOD, became their God.
25 "So now, great GOD, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it permanently! Do exactly what you've promised! 26 Then your reputation will flourish always as people exclaim, 'The GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will remain sure and solid in your watchful presence. 27 For you, GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel's God, told me plainly, 'I will build you a house.' That's how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you.
28 "And now, Master GOD, being the God you are, speaking sure words as you do, and having just said this wonderful thing to me, 29 please, just one more thing: Bless my family; keep your eye on them always. You've already as much as said that you would, Master GOD! Oh, may your blessing be on my family permanently!"
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Monday, October 13, 2014
Judg 13:2-25
2 At that time there was a man named Manoah from Zorah from the tribe of Dan. His wife was barren and childless. 3 The angel of God appeared to her and told her, "I know that you are barren and childless, but you're going to become pregnant and bear a son. 4 But take much care: Drink no wine or beer; eat nothing ritually unclean. 5 You are, in fact, pregnant right now, carrying a son. No razor will touch his head — the boy will be GOD's Nazirite from the moment of his birth. He will launch the deliverance from Philistine oppression."
6 The woman went to her husband and said, "A man of God came to me. He looked like the angel of God — terror laced with glory! I didn't ask him where he was from and he didn't tell me his name, 7 but he told me, 'You're pregnant. You're going to give birth to a son. Don't drink any wine or beer and eat nothing ritually unclean. The boy will be GOD's Nazirite from the moment of birth to the day of his death.'"
8 Manoah prayed to GOD: "Master, let the man of God you sent come to us again and teach us how to raise this boy who is to be born."
9 God listened to Manoah. God's angel came again to the woman. She was sitting in the field; her husband Manoah wasn't there with her. 10 She jumped to her feet and ran and told her husband: "He's back! The man who came to me that day!"
11 Manoah got up and, following his wife, came to the man. He said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife?"
He said, "I am."
12 Manoah said, "So. When what you say comes true, what do you have to tell us about this boy and his work?"
13 The angel of God said to Manoah, 14 "Keep in mind everything I told the woman. Eat nothing that comes from the vine: Drink no wine or beer; eat no ritually unclean foods. She's to observe everything I commanded her."
15 Manoah said to the angel of God, "Please, stay with us a little longer; we'll prepare a meal for you — a young goat."
16 GOD's angel said to Manoah, "Even if I stay, I won't eat your food. But if you want to prepare a Whole-Burnt-Offering for GOD, go ahead — offer it!" Manoah had no idea that he was talking to the angel of God.
17 Then Manoah asked the angel of God, "What's your name? When your words come true, we'd like to honor you."
18 The angel of GOD said, "What's this? You ask for my name? You wouldn't understand — it's sheer wonder."
19 So Manoah took the kid and the Grain-Offering and sacrificed them on a rock altar to GOD who works wonders. 20 As the flames leapt up from the altar to heaven, GOD's angel also ascended in the altar flames. When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell facedown to the ground. 21 Manoah and his wife never saw the angel of GOD again.
Only then did Manoah realize that this was GOD's angel. 22 He said to his wife, "We're as good as dead! We've looked on God!"
23 But his wife said, "If GOD were planning to kill us, he wouldn't have accepted our Whole-Burnt-Offering and Grain-Offering, or revealed all these things to us — given us this birth announcement."
24 The woman gave birth to a son. They named him Samson. The boy grew and GOD blessed him. 25 The Spirit of GOD began working in him while he was staying at a Danite camp between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Judg 6:8-10
"GOD, the God of Israel, says,
I delivered you from Egypt,
I freed you from a life of slavery;
9 I rescued you from Egypt's brutality
and then from every oppressor;
I pushed them out of your way
and gave you their land.
10 "And I said to you, 'I am GOD, your God. Don't for a minute be afraid of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living.' But you didn't listen to me."
Judg 2:10-3:10
that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of GOD or the work he had done for Israel.
11 The People of Israel did evil in GOD's sight: 12 they served Baal-gods; they deserted GOD, the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; they took up with other gods, gods of the peoples around them. They actually worshiped them! And oh, how they angered GOD 13 as they worshiped god Baal and goddess Astarte! 14 GOD's anger was hot against Israel: He handed them off to plunderers who stripped them; he sold them cheap to enemies on all sides. They were helpless before their enemies. 15 Every time they walked out the door GOD was with them — but for evil, just as GOD had said, just as he had sworn he would do. They were in a bad way.
16 But then GOD raised up judges who saved them from their plunderers. 17 But they wouldn't listen to their judges; they prostituted themselves to other gods — worshiped them! They lost no time leaving the road walked by their parents, the road of obedience to GOD's commands. They refused to have anything to do with it.
18 When GOD was setting up judges for them, he would be right there with the judge: He would save them from their enemies' oppression as long as the judge was alive, for GOD was moved to compassion when he heard their groaning because of those who afflicted and beat them. 19 But when the judge died, the people went right back to their old ways — but even worse than their parents! — running after other gods, serving and worshiping them. Stubborn as mules, they didn't drop a single evil practice.
20 And GOD's anger blazed against Israel. He said, "Because these people have thrown out my covenant that I commanded their parents and haven't listened to me, 21 I'm not driving out one more person from the nations that Joshua left behind when he died. 22 I'll use them to test Israel and see whether they stay on GOD's road and walk down it as their parents did."
23 That's why GOD let those nations remain. He didn't drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them.
Judges 3
3:1 These are the nations that GOD left there, using them to test the Israelites who had no experience in the Canaanite wars. 2 He did it to train the descendants of Israel, the ones who had no battle experience, in the art of war. 3 He left the five Philistine tyrants, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living on Mount Lebanon from Mount Baal Hermon to Hamath's Pass. 4 They were there to test Israel and see whether they would obey GOD's commands that were given to their parents through Moses.
5 But the People of Israel made themselves at home among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. 6 They married their daughters and gave their own daughters to their sons in marriage. And they worshiped their gods.
7 Othniel
The People of Israel did evil in GOD's sight. They forgot their GOD and worshiped the Baal gods and Asherah goddesses. 8 GOD's hot anger blazed against Israel. He sold them off to Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. The People of Israel were in servitude to Cushan-Rishathaim for eight years.
9 The People of Israel cried out to GOD and GOD raised up a savior who rescued them: Caleb's nephew Othniel, son of his younger brother Kenaz.The Spirit of GOD came on him and he rallied Israel. He went out to war and GOD gave him Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim. Othniel made short work of him.
10 The land was quiet for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Judg 2:1-4
2:1 GOD's angel went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, "I brought you out of Egypt; I led you to the land that I promised to your fathers; and I said, I'll never break my covenant with you — never! 2 And you're never to make a covenant with the people who live in this land. Tear down their altars! But you haven't obeyed me! What's this that you're doing?
3 "So now I'm telling you that I won't drive them out before you. They'll trip you up and their gods will become a trap."
4 When GOD's angel had spoken these words to all the People of Israel, they cried out — oh! how they wept!
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
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