Podcasts about Ahab

Coastal Community Church Audio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2025 5:06

At the age of 26 Josiah began to utilise the faithful craftsmen to repair the temple. Hilkiah the High Priest finds the Book of the Law (possibly the very one written by Moses about eight and a half centuries earlier). That precious book is handed to Shaphan the scribe to take it to king Josiah. Shaphan reads it before the king who rends his clothes. Josiah knows how greatly Judah has sinned against their God. Josiah sends to Huldah the prophetess, who tells them that judgment is unavoidable, but that it would be postponed until after Josiah's death because of his humility before his Sovereign. 2 Kings 23 records the reforms of Josiah all of which had been declared earlier to Jeroboam 1 by the unnamed prophet who came from Judah. Josiah causes all Judah to listen to and comply with the words of the newly found Book of the Law. The king, Josiah, finds the tomb of that prophet who had foretold these events and leaves his bones to lie undisturbed - this being symbolic of resurrection (Psalm 34 verses 20-22). Josiah keeps a Passover like none throughout the 430 years of history of the two kingdoms - Israel and Judah. Josiah dies in a battle against Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt. God had warmed Josiah not to meddle with Pharaoh Neco. But this was a bad error of judgment from Josiah that led to his tragic and premature death verses referred to in Isaiah 57 verses 1. Eliakim was placed, as a vassal of Neco, on the throne for three months; and Judah is put under tribute. Eliakim is removed and replaced by Jehoiakim. In Ezekiel 12 we have an enacted parable telling of the extremities and sufferings occasioned by the siege. Ezekiel portrays by his actions the outcomes of Jerusalem's siege. A very small remnant of Judah would be saved. Ezekiel shows that the profligate and weak king Zedekiah is to be taken into captivity. The statement was made by the false prophets that it would be a long time before the Almighty would bring such judgment on His people. Not so says Jeremiah who is asked by Yahweh to show the people of Judah the hardships that were to come and the scarcity of food. Luke chapter 8 begins by naming some of the women who accompany our Lord and his Apostles. Among them was Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's nobleman (consider some of the difficulties this may have occasioned - perhaps very similar to Obadiah, the steward of Ahab, who had fed 100 of Yahweh's prophets during the great drought). The Parable of the Sower is taught, as the basis of understanding all of our Lord's parables. As we have seen it can be called the parable of the soils as the seed sown is the same - it was the response of the 4 soil types that differed. The chapter then records an explanation from Jesus as to why our Lord spoke in parables. It was to reveal the message to the seekers and to confound the self-righteous. The teaching by parables is a fulfilment of Christ's mission and is explained in Psalm 78 verses 1-4 and Isaiah 6 verses 1-13. Then follows the parable of the lamp on the table which outlines the disciple's responsibility to spread the Gospel. Jesus' mother and brothers, being concerned for him, seek to curtail his preaching. They are told to join the supporters rather than those who are slowing down God's work. Next Jesus calms a storm demonstrating that he is indeed the Son of God (see Psalm 107 verses 23-32). The chapter then says that he heals the man called Legion. Whose curing is proved by the destruction of the pigs. The Jews should not have been breeding these as the Law of Moses forbad it. The record follows with the curing of the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years (note Luke's ironic comments about his fellow doctors). Then Jesus raises the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus (whose name means 'enlightenment') and presents her alive to her parents. Christ shows that he is indeed the Good Shepherd of John 10 when he said to the child "little lamb arise".

Don't Do Life Alone | Coastal Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2025 41:41

How does one of the greatest men of God crater so quickly?I Kings 18:46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak intohis belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.I Kings 19:3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.Elijah didn't stop believing in God.Elijah stopped connecting with God's people.I Kings 19:3-4 When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servantthere, while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to abroom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have hadenough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” I Kings 19:9 And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here,Elijah?”I Kings 19:10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty.The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put yourprophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left,I Kings 18:12b-13 Yet I your servant have worshiped the Lord since my youth.Haven't you heard, my lord, what I did while Jezebel was killing the prophets ofthe Lord? I hid a hundred of the Lord's prophets in two caves, fifty in each, andsupplied them with food and water. 3 Reasons We Isolate1. We grow comfortable with ISOLATION and being ALONE.God may PREPARE you in solitude, but He will SUSTAIN you in community.The root cause of most issues in our life a lack of a strong CHRISTIANCOMMUNITY.Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 ‘Two are better than one, because they have a good return fortheir labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyonewho falls and has no one to help them up.'Hebrews 10:24–25 ‘And let us consider how we may spur one another on towardlove and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit ofdoing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Dayapproaching.'CONNECT GROUP QR code slide on screen2. We believe the LIE that no one can RELATE to my situation.Your feelings are REAL, but they are not always RIGHT.1 Corinthians 10:13 ‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common tomankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you canbear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you canendure it.'James 5:17 ‘Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that itwould not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.'3. We forget how many PEOPLE God has FOR US.I Kings 19:13 Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah.”I Kings 19:14 “I am the only one left.”1 Kings 19:15 “The Lord said to him, ‘Go back the way you came,I Kings 19:18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have notbowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.'”Proverbs 27:17 ‘As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.'Galatians 6:2 ‘Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the lawof Christ.'1 Kings 19:11–12 “The Lord said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in thepresence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerfulwind tore through the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but theLord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lordwas not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was notin the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”

Figuring Out What My Drought is About // Reaping God's Harvest in My Life, Part 2

Christianityworks Official Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2025 23:38

Everybody wants to reap a harvest in life. You do, I do. But sometimes, our lives feel a whole bunch more like a drought than a harvest. So exactly what is my drought about? What exactly is your drought about? Why is God letting this, this drought happen, to you and to me? Another Drought This week on Christianityworks we are continuing with the series called, “Reaping God's Harvest in My Life.” We all want to reap a harvest but sometimes, well, sometimes life is a bit more about drought than it is about harvest. Why is that? What's going on when we are going through a drought? Maybe you're going through a drought; a dry time; a difficult time, a time where things aren't just going the way you'd like them to go and when that's happening, it's dry and there's no rain and in a lot of countries there are famines when there are droughts. And when there's a drought on, what everybody is hanging out for is what? Well, of course we're all waiting for rain when there's a drought because we know to have a harvest we need rain. It's a very simple cycle – you buy some seed, you plant it, you wait for the rain, the rain comes and then the seed grows into a harvest and then we send out the workers into the field and we gather a harvest. No rain, no harvest! That's right isn't it? Well, let's see. Let's have a look. Last week we looked at Isaac's experience when - if you have a Bible, you can go back and look at it in Genesis chapter 26 – he went and did some silly things but then he went and sowed some seed in the middle of drought and we're told that his harvest, he reaped one hundredfold. So he planted one seed and for every one seed he planted, he reaped one hundred seeds. Today we are going to look at another drought. If you have a Bible, grab it. We are going to go to First Kings chapter 16. This is a time when Elijah, the Tishbite, got involved in a drought because one of the Kings of Israel was doing some silly things. If you have a look in First Kings chapter 16 verse 29, it says this: In the thirty eighth year of King Asa, of Judah, Ahab the son of Omri began to reign over Israel. Ahab, son of Omri, reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty two years. Ahab, son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who went before him. Now remember, in the history of Israel, by this time they were in the Promised Land, but the twelve tribes of Israel had split. The ten tribes to the north were referred to as Israel and the two tribes to the south, Judah and Benjamin, were referred to as Judah. That's why we have two Kings that the writer is here talking about. We're talking about Ahab who reigned over Israel, that's the ten tribes to the north and this guy was a bad dude. He was just not one of the good Kings; he did some terribly bad things and so God decided to deal with him by sending a drought. And this is where we see Elijah come, in the beginning of chapter 17 of First Kings and this is what happens. Now Elijah, the Tishbite, of Tishbe, in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. The Word of the Lord came to him saying: “Go from here and turn eastward and hide yourself in the Wadi of Cherith which is east of the Jordon. So Ahab did bad things; he married Jezebel, he worshipped another god called Baal and so God's response was to send God's man, Elijah, a prophet, to say to the King: “Listen, I am going to send a drought, not only on you but on your whole country.” Now what's going on here? God is a God of grace but He is also a God of great wisdom. God's blessing rains down on us when we are living in His will, when we are living obedient to Him, when we're living in a relationship with Him. He is like any dad, Dad wants to bless His kids but when we rebel, as the King did here, as Ahab clearly rebelled by worshipping other gods. What does God do? Does God throw a tantrum? I mean, is that what God is doing here? No, no! God is being like any father and saying, “Well, if you are going to rebel against me, my heart is to bring you back.” There are consequences to your rebelling, so when we rebel, as Ahab did, against God, God turns the blessing off sometimes. The blessings stop raining down from heaven. If you're a parent who's brought up a teenager, you know that you want to bless them. Don't you? I do! I have a wonderful daughter and I love to bless her but when they rebel; when they turn against us, when they do things that we say "you shouldn't do" because we know that there'll be consequences, well, sometimes we have to withdraw some of the blessings. Why? To be mean? No! To help them to grow; to help them to lift up, to help them to learn that there are consequences to rebellion. And it's the same deal with God, the original Father, sometimes, sometimes our drought is about that very thing. What about your drought? What is your drought about? What droughts have you got in your life at the moment – in relationships or maybe they're in a financial area of your life or maybe in an emotional area of your life? Stop and think for a minute and say, “Where are the areas in my life that I would say – well, I'm not really reaping a harvest there? That part of my life is going through a drought.” Ok then, is there anything that you are doing or not doing in those areas that might have caused God to be a good Dad and stop raining down His blessings on that part of your life? Is God trying to get your attention? We are not doing a guilt trip here. We're not saying, “Well, you know, if I don't do everything a hundred percent perfectly, God's going to come a whack me over the head with a big stick.” No! God's Dad! Jesus referred to Him as ‘Abba‘, Dad. God is a loving Father so we are not doing a guilt trip number. Ok? This is a realistic assessment of our lives and I want to ask you, “Is God speaking to you today and saying, “There is something that you need to turn away from?” Maybe you've got some financial issues and I would ask you, “What does your giving life look like? How much are you giving to God‘s work? How much are you giving to the poor because so often, when we stop giving our very best; giving the top of what we earn to God's work, all of a sudden our finances turn to a mess because God's plan is to use God's people to fund God's work and when we stop giving to God‘s work, then God says, “Well, you know, your life's out of balance,” and all of a sudden we seem to be having a financial drought. Sometimes we're having relationship problems or maybe a problem in a marriage and maybe God's saying, “Well, what's your relationship with me looking like? How come we're not spending any time together at the moment? What drought are you walking through right now? And let me ask you: exactly what is your drought about? I think it's a good question. Not every drought; not every difficult patch; not every wilderness experience that we have in our lives, is because we have made some mistakes. Sometimes it just happens. Sometimes other people do things and things are just happening and it's the way life is, but I gotta tell you, sometimes we are doing things that rebel against God like Ahab and God allows drought to come into our lives. The question is what can we do about it? We are going to look now at how Elijah went to be with a neurotic, suicidal widow and we will see exactly what God did. The Suicidal Widow We are talking this week about reaping God‘s harvest in my life, in your life and sometimes we go through a period of drought in our lives and it's Dad's way of getting our attention. God's way of saying, “Look, there's something in your life that's not quite right.” That's why we need to ask, when we are going through a time of drought, “What is my drought about?” But in a drought, we can spend our whole time hanging out for the drought to break and the drought breaks when? When the rain comes! We have seeds, we plant the seeds and we know we will need rain before the harvest will come. We can be so busy moaning and groaning about the fact that there's no rain, that there's a drought but we miss the whole point of the journey that God has got us on. Elijah was God's man, he didn't do anything wrong. He was God's man in the middle of this drought and he had to get some food and He did provide for him when he went down to that Wadi at Cherith which was east of the Jordon. God said, “You will drink from the Wadi and I'll command the ravens to feed you,” and that's exactly what happened, but eventually the water ran out, even in the Wadi and God said, “Well, you know, Elijah's my man, I am going to provide for him,” and he also had a plan to provide for a woman, a widow. Let's have a quick read of what exactly happened. This is coming from First Kings chapter 17, beginning at verse 8: The Word of the Lord came to Elijah and God said to him: “God now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon and live there for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” He's thinking, “Yes, yes! God has given the food to this widow and she's going to feed me and it's going to be fantastic.” So he goes down there. He sets out to Zarephath and when he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there, gathering sticks and he called her and said: “Bring me a little water in the vessel so that I might drink.” As she was gong to bring it, he called to her and said: “And bring me a morsel of bread in your hand,” but she said: “As the Lord, your God lives, I have nothing baked only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I'm now gathering a couple of sticks so that I can go home and prepare it for myself and my son that we may eat it and die.” Aw, fabulous! Elijah goes all this way down to this Zarephath place and he thinks God's going to provide for him and God gives him an neurotic, suicidal widow, who's about to have her last meal and die. Aw, fabulous, thank you, God! But Elijah says to her: “Do not be afraid. Go and do as I have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me and afterwards make something for yourself and your son, for thus says the Lord God of Israel: “The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the Lord sends rain of this earth.” She went and did as Elijah said so that she, as well as he and her household ate for many days. The jar of meal was not emptied neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the Word of the Lord, that He spoke through Elijah.” This is God's amazing provision. If drought was God's way of getting our attention to bring us home, doesn't it follow that He'll sustain us during the drought? If we die in the middle of the drought, it's punishment. If we survive and we learn and we change, that is grace. That is God's blessing from the God of grace. Elijah was a prophet but the drought still affected him and he goes down there and he goes to this widow and he demands something amazing of this widow. He says to her, “Look I know you've got almost nothing left. I know you're about to die and your son is about to die, but first, from the little bit that you have left, cook me something to eat and I promise you that God's blessing will chase you down and your food will not run out until the day that the rain comes on this land.” Can you imagine if you were that widow or I was that widow and this man says, “Gimme, gimme! Gimme what you've got,” and the widow has a choice, either to withhold it – and we now know from this story, if she had withheld from the man of God – she and her son would have died because they would have run out of food. Or she had the choice to give and take a "faith risk". She was sowing seed in drought and she chose to give to Elijah. Question: what's the point of the widow's story? Why is it included? Because if you look at the few chapters around the particular chapter in First Kings, there's a big macro level story going on. There's a King who had sinned, a land full of famine and drought and just after this – we're not going to have time to go there – there's a big picture story where Elijah has a showdown with the prophets of Baal. All this big stuff going on here and we think this macro level is important but at the micro level God tells us here about this widow with no name who is dying, who in faith plants seeds and takes risks and experiences God's blessing. And what God's saying is that the little story is as important as the big story. Here's a guarantee – in the midst of your drought; in the midst of my drought, the Word of God will reach out to us, somehow in some little way and there might be some much bigger things going on as there were here but God will come along and say, “Plant a seed here and now.” A faint whisper, a prophet, the Holy Spirit stirring in our hearts, “Plant seed here and now,” and you know what I've noticed? – often we have a problem; an area in our life where there's drought and God says, “Plant a seed, not in there, not is that field, plant a seed way over here in another field,” and we think, “Hang on a minute, God, these two things have got nothing to do with each other. I need to plant into my field, I need to feed my need,” and God say, “No, don't feed your need, plant my seed.” That's really important – “Don't feed your need, plant my seed.“ The widow could have feed herself and her son first and God said, “No, feed my prophet first.” “God, why do you want me to plant over there, my problem's over here? Why, this is crazy, this doesn't make sense? Why?” The Lord's Rains Well, we are looking at reaping God's harvest in our lives and we've been looking at the story of Elijah and the widow and this drought and in the middle of this drought, when she had nothing left, God called the widow to sow the very, very little bit of food she had in her hand and give it to the prophet. Now she had a choice – she could have kept it. She could have said, “No, I need to feed my need,” but through Elijah, God said, “Don't feed your need, plant my seed over here, where I tell you.” And so the widow gave Elijah food. She sowed into his belly not her own belly and we saw as we read that story before, that God made sure that she was provided for. That none of her food ran out. Why is that? Why did God say, “Plant your seed over here – not in your need, not is your field – not where you want, do it the way I want you to?” Well, I think what's going on here is that God says, “Put me first.” We want to sow into our belly and that's not God's plan. This little story of this widow – we don't know her name - and Elijah is God's story. It's God's story of grace. It's a fabulous, wonderful miracle that she steps out in faith with her last little bit of food and she ends up with an endless supply of food to carry her through the famine. Isn't that a great story? God does that! When we honour Him, when we put Him first, He blesses us and she must have thought, “Fabulous, everything is going to be wonderful from here on in and then “Bang”! If you have a look at chapter 17, beginning at verse 17, we see that all of a sudden her son dies. After this, the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill. His illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him and she then said to Elijah: “What have you got against me O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son.” But he said to her: “Give me your son,” and he took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber, where he was lodging and laid him on his own bed. He cried out the Lord: “Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?” Then Elijah stretched himself upon the child three times and cried out to the Lord: “Lord my God let this child's life come into him,” and the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah and the life of the child came into him again and revived and Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and gave him to his mother and then Elijah said: “See, your son is alive,” so the woman said to Elijah: “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the Word of the Lord in your mouth, is truth. Isn't it amazing how we are going through a drought and God does some miracles along the way and we think, “Fabulous, we're on easy street and all of a sudden "whack"! It's like three steps forward, five steps back. It happens sometimes. It's often the way – miracle, calamity, another miracle. Why? Well, have a look at what it says in verse 24. Now I know that you're a man of God and that the Word of the Lord, in your mouth, is truth. The reason God lets this happen is so that we learn faith and so that we learn that God will provide; that God will come through. There's so much more in this story that we can't go through in the next chapter, chapter 18 – we don't have time for that but there's God's powerful showdown between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. I really encourage you to read it in chapter 18. But eventually, eventually, the drought comes to an end. This is what happens. Picking it up in chapter 18, verse 41: Elijah said to King Ahab: “Go up and eat and drink for there is the sound of rushing rain.” So Ahab when up to eat and drink and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees and he said to his servant, “Go up now and look forward to the sea.” And the servant went up and looked and he said, “There is nothing.” Then he said go again seven times and at the seventh time the servant said: “Look, a little cloud no bigger than a persons hand is rising up out of the sea,” and then he said: “Go say to King Ahab, “Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.” In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind and there was a heavy rain and Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. But the hand of the Lord was with Elijah and he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab, to the entrance of Jezreel. There's a drought. There's been a drought for three years. Nothing's been happening and all of a sudden, it's time for the drought to come to an end and this man, Elijah, speaks the Word of God and says, “There's going to be rushing rain, there's going to be a flood, get home before it happens.” He spoke those words before even one cloud appeared, because he serves the God who calls things that aren't as though they are. What about your drought – your relationship drought or financial drought or health drought or whatever it is – we are walking through life and we are travelling along and we have this sense that – "nothing is really going right for me" – and the Holy Spirit comes along and says, “Plant a seed in another field.” He whispers that into our hearts and we do that and we just decide to be obedient to God and we plant that seed and maybe there's some other big spiritual battle going on, we don't really understand and we think, “Well, God's got to worry about that because I've got to let Him fight that, I can't deal with that.” And one day in your heart, one day in your Spirit, you'll sense that the drought is about to break. Why? Because you've figured out what your drought was about and in your heart you see that little cloud; you see a cloud no bigger than a persons hand is rising out of the sea and in your heart you can rejoice. Before the rains even come, we know. We pray in faith; we give thanks because God takes us through the drought and like that widow, He calls us to plant a seed, to take a risk, to take a step of faith because in the middle of the drought God wants to change us because in the middle of the drought, God wants to grow us because right in the middle of the drought God wants to bless us. And so we experience His blessing in the drought and there are ups and downs and there are days we want to cry and days we want to laugh, but one day the drought finishes. One day when we've figured out what God is doing and we bend our will towards His and we obey Him and we plant a seed in another field. When we finally figure out we have to stop feeding our need and start planting God's seed, then God says,“He's learnt what I wanted him to learn; she's learned what I wanted her to learn.” And then it's time for the drought to break. It'll take time. Droughts always take time and when we're in the middle of the drought it's never a lot of fun. But when the rain comes, it's God's rain. When the blessing comes, it's God's blessing. See if we had planted the seed in our own field, we'd be able to say, “I did it!” but when we take this seed, this Spiritual faith decision that God is calling us to – whatever it is – maybe it's forgiving someone, maybe it's giving money to some ministry, maybe ... whatever God calls us to do. When we plant His seed, in the field of His choosing and the blessing comes and the rain comes and He changed our heart along the way, we know that it's the Lord's rain, we know it's the Lord's blessing and we know it's His flood-tide, and that's so much greater and better and sweeter than you or I could ever do. So let me ask you - what exactly is your drought about?

790: Avatars, Ancient Gods, and Possession with Jonathan Cahn

The Confessionals

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2025 53:40

What if the ancient gods never died, but returned, possessing world leaders and shaping history right now? In this explosive interview, Jonathan Cahn reveals shocking secrets from The Avatar, exposing how ancient deities, spiritual possession, and prophetic templates may be manipulating governments, culture, and entire nations. From mass exorcisms and supernatural encounters to hidden patterns linking Ahab, Jezebel, Jehu, Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris, the evidence points to a chilling spiritual agenda. Could America itself be undergoing a dark re-possession as the gods return, unleashing chaos, deception, and a battle between light and darkness foretold thousands of years ago? Please pray for Tony's wife, Lindsay, as she battles breast cancer. Your prayers make a difference! If you're able, consider helping the Merkel family with medical expenses by donating to Lindsay's GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/b8f76890 Become a member for ad-free listening, extra shows, and exclusive access to our social media app: theconfessionalspodcast.com/join The Confessionals Social Network App: Apple Store: https://apple.co/3UxhPrh Google Play: https://bit.ly/43mk8kZ Tony's Recommended Reads: slingshotlibrary.com My New YouTube Channel Merkel IRL: @merkelIRL My First Sermon: Unseen Battles Sasquatch and The Missing Man: merkelfilms.com Merkel Media Apparel: merkmerch.com SPONSORS SIMPLISAFE TODAY: simplisafe.com/confessionals GHOSTBED: GhostBed.com/tony CONNECT WITH US Website: www.theconfessionalspodcast.com Email: contact@theconfessionalspodcast.com Jonathan Cahn: Website | New Book: The Avatar MAILING ADDRESS: Merkel Media 257 N. Calderwood St., #301 Alcoa, TN 37701 SOCIAL MEDIA Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaI Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/theconfessionals/ Discord: https://discord.gg/KDn4D2uw7h Show Instagram: theconfessionalspodcast Tony's Instagram: tonymerkelofficial Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcas Twitter: @TConfessionals Tony's Twitter: @tony_merkel Produced by: @jack_theproducer OUTRO MUSIC Joel Thomas - Imposter YouTube | Apple Music | Spotify

america donald trump joe biden discord kamala harris avatar gofundme bill clinton possession angela merkel jezebel ahab avatars jehu jonathan cahn ancient gods

2 Kings 10 Summary

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2025 3:06

Jehu Destroys Ahab's Family (vv. 1–17):Jehu writes letters to Samaria, where Ahab's seventy sons live, challenging the leaders to make one of them king and fight for the throne. Fearing Jehu, they refuse and pledge loyalty to him. Jehu orders them to kill Ahab's sons and send him their heads, which they do. Jehu piles the heads in two heaps at the city gate, declaring that God's word spoken through Elijah has been fulfilled. He continues to kill all remaining relatives and supporters of Ahab in Jezreel and Samaria.Jehu Slaughters Ahaziah's Relatives (vv. 12–14):On his way to Samaria, Jehu meets relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah and has them executed.Jehu and Jehonadab (vv. 15–17):Jehu meets Jehonadab son of Rechab, a respected leader, and invites him to join in his zeal for the Lord. Together, they continue wiping out Ahab's family.Jehu Destroys Baal Worship (vv. 18–28):Jehu tricks the Baal worshipers by announcing a great sacrifice to Baal. He gathers them all in the temple, ensuring none of the Lord's servants are present. Once the temple is full, Jehu's men kill everyone inside and destroy the temple, turning it into a latrine.Jehu's Reign (vv. 29–36):Although Jehu eradicated Baal worship, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam (the golden calves at Bethel and Dan). The Lord commends Jehu for carrying out judgment on Ahab's house and promises that his descendants will rule Israel for four generations. However, because Jehu did not fully obey God, the Lord begins reducing Israel's territory through attacks from Hazael of Aram. Jehu reigns in Samaria for 28 years, and his son Jehoahaz succeeds him.Key Themes:Fulfillment of God's judgment against Ahab's dynasty.Zeal for God must be wholehearted—partial obedience is not enough.The danger of replacing one false worship with another (Baal destroyed, but golden calves remain).God rewards obedience but also disciplines incomplete faithfulness.

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Baal Latrine 2 Kings 10 Chew the Bible S3

RTTP on 91.3FM WUNH with The Reverend

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2025 46:31

Jehu Destroys Ahab's Family (vv. 1–17):Jehu writes letters to Samaria, where Ahab's seventy sons live, challenging the leaders to make one of them king and fight for the throne. Fearing Jehu, they refuse and pledge loyalty to him. Jehu orders them to kill Ahab's sons and send him their heads, which they do. Jehu piles the heads in two heaps at the city gate, declaring that God's word spoken through Elijah has been fulfilled. He continues to kill all remaining relatives and supporters of Ahab in Jezreel and Samaria.Jehu Slaughters Ahaziah's Relatives (vv. 12–14):On his way to Samaria, Jehu meets relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah and has them executed.Jehu and Jehonadab (vv. 15–17):Jehu meets Jehonadab son of Rechab, a respected leader, and invites him to join in his zeal for the Lord. Together, they continue wiping out Ahab's family.Jehu Destroys Baal Worship (vv. 18–28):Jehu tricks the Baal worshipers by announcing a great sacrifice to Baal. He gathers them all in the temple, ensuring none of the Lord's servants are present. Once the temple is full, Jehu's men kill everyone inside and destroy the temple, turning it into a latrine.Jehu's Reign (vv. 29–36):Although Jehu eradicated Baal worship, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam (the golden calves at Bethel and Dan). The Lord commends Jehu for carrying out judgment on Ahab's house and promises that his descendants will rule Israel for four generations. However, because Jehu did not fully obey God, the Lord begins reducing Israel's territory through attacks from Hazael of Aram. Jehu reigns in Samaria for 28 years, and his son Jehoahaz succeeds him.Key Themes:Fulfillment of God's judgment against Ahab's dynasty.Zeal for God must be wholehearted—partial obedience is not enough.The danger of replacing one false worship with another (Baal destroyed, but golden calves remain).God rewards obedience but also disciplines incomplete faithfulness.

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Return to the Pit Radio - 08 Sep 2025

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2025 194:00

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2 Kings 9 Summary

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 2:33

Jehu Anointed King (v. 1–13):Elisha sends a young prophet to secretly anoint Jehu, a commander in Israel's army, as king. The prophet declares that Jehu is chosen by God to destroy the house of Ahab and avenge the blood of the prophets and servants of the Lord shed by Jezebel. After the prophet departs, Jehu's fellow officers at first question him, but when Jehu tells them the message, they quickly proclaim him king.Jehu Kills Joram, King of Israel (v. 14–26):Jehu immediately acts. King Joram (son of Ahab) and King Ahaziah of Judah are at Jezreel, where Joram is recovering from battle wounds. As Jehu approaches, Joram rides out to meet him and asks if there is peace. Jehu replies that there can be no peace while Jezebel's idolatry and witchcraft continue. Realizing Jehu's intent, Joram tries to flee, but Jehu shoots an arrow through his heart. Jehu orders Joram's body thrown into the field of Naboth, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy of judgment for Ahab's family.Jehu Wounds Ahaziah, King of Judah (v. 27–29):Ahaziah tries to escape but is wounded by Jehu's men near Ibleam. He flees to Megiddo, where he dies.The Death of Jezebel (v. 30–37):Jehu then enters Jezreel, where Jezebel awaits him. She paints her eyes and adorns her head, mocking him from a window. Jehu commands her attendants to throw her down, and they do so. Jezebel's blood splatters on the wall and horses, and Jehu tramples her body. Later, when servants attempt to bury her, they find only her skull, feet, and hands, as dogs have eaten the rest — fulfilling Elijah's prophecy that Jezebel's body would be like dung on the field in Jezreel.Key Themes:God's judgment against Ahab's house fulfilled.Jehu as an instrument of divine justice.The certainty of God's prophetic word (everything Elijah foretold comes to pass).

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Dog Food 2 Kings 9 Chew the Bible S3

Coastal Community Church Audio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 43:32

Dog Food 2 Kings 9 Chew the Bible S3Jehu Anointed King (v. 1–13):Elisha sends a young prophet to secretly anoint Jehu, a commander in Israel's army, as king. The prophet declares that Jehu is chosen by God to destroy the house of Ahab and avenge the blood of the prophets and servants of the Lord shed by Jezebel. After the prophet departs, Jehu's fellow officers at first question him, but when Jehu tells them the message, they quickly proclaim him king.Jehu Kills Joram, King of Israel (v. 14–26):Jehu immediately acts. King Joram (son of Ahab) and King Ahaziah of Judah are at Jezreel, where Joram is recovering from battle wounds. As Jehu approaches, Joram rides out to meet him and asks if there is peace. Jehu replies that there can be no peace while Jezebel's idolatry and witchcraft continue. Realizing Jehu's intent, Joram tries to flee, but Jehu shoots an arrow through his heart. Jehu orders Joram's body thrown into the field of Naboth, fulfilling Elijah's prophecy of judgment for Ahab's family.Jehu Wounds Ahaziah, King of Judah (v. 27–29):Ahaziah tries to escape but is wounded by Jehu's men near Ibleam. He flees to Megiddo, where he dies.The Death of Jezebel (v. 30–37):Jehu then enters Jezreel, where Jezebel awaits him. She paints her eyes and adorns her head, mocking him from a window. Jehu commands her attendants to throw her down, and they do so. Jezebel's blood splatters on the wall and horses, and Jehu tramples her body. Later, when servants attempt to bury her, they find only her skull, feet, and hands, as dogs have eaten the rest — fulfilling Elijah's prophecy that Jezebel's body would be like dung on the field in Jezreel.Key Themes:God's judgment against Ahab's house fulfilled.Jehu as an instrument of divine justice.The certainty of God's prophetic word (everything Elijah foretold comes to pass).Your words were found and I ate them

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Stop Wavering | Coastal Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 36:52

Exodus 20:3 “You must not have any other god but me.”Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.idols made of gold and clay and silverAn IDOL is anything YOU VALUE more than God.IDOL: anything you seek to GIVE YOU what only God can.Colossians 3:5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Idols are not always BAD THINGS.Idols are often GOOD THINGS we put in GOD'S PLACE.Satan will do EVERYTHING to get you to put ANYTHING in God's place. False gods always PROMISE what only the true God can PROVIDE.It's time to STOP WAVERING!I Kings 18:17-20 When he (Ahab) saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.” So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel.ONE is always a MAJORITY with God. I Kings 18:21a Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you WAVER between two opinions?”When you RIDE THE FENCE with God, all you end up with is a SPLINTERED LIFE.I Kings 18:21b “If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”“If you're going to be saved, be saved all the way!”—Charles SpurgeonI Kings 18:21c But the people said nothing.I Kings 18:24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”I Kings 18:24b Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”I Kings 18:26-29 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.I Kings 18:36-38 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. I Kings 18:39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”It's time to STOP WAVERING!

Holy Tension

The Vineyard Church Weekend Messages

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025

During this message, we looked the story of Elijah on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings chapter 18. Ahab's confrontation was caused by... giving up on God's direction and limping along between two options. This weekend, Pastor Steve Huffman guided us through these two important points as we began our new series Holy Tension. This week be encouraged to anchor yourself to God's word. Full Service

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Ahab and Jezebel: When Passivity Meets Control

902 Church Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 38:01

jezebel ahab passivity

Episode 1280: 08-31-25 Modern Worship Service, Video

god time children lord israel service fill recreation niv obadiah ahab worship services lord almighty family ministries i kings modern worship

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 65:06

Chris Skoglund (Pastor of Recreation & Family Ministries), "Do You Recognize Him?.", Baptism Video, Children's Time, Modern Worship Praise Team (11:15 Service). 1. After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive..” 7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” 8. “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.'” 9. “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10. As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.' 15. Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” 18. “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have." 30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” 34. “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (I Kings 18:1-5; 7-11; 15-18; 30-39 NIV)

#270: Partners in Crime

True Wisdom

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2025 31:28

Send us a textSometime a person can allow others to lead them from God... Other times people decide to partner up to go in the complete opposite direction to God. Ahab was one of those who chose to align with someone who would do nothing to strengthen a relationship with God. In 1st Kings 16:31-33 it it indicates that Ahab did worse than those that went before him.Andrew and Robert discuss a few kings that didn't follow God's leading, how Ahab made worse choses than the other kings and how God gave him more time to change his ways.Support the showQuestions or Comments? Please reach out to us through email at questions@truewisdom.info or on Twitter/X @truewisdom_podGive instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:9-10The Key Principles of Effective Bible Study is a resource that we reference in many of our episodes. It is explained in a series of podcasts found at BibleStudy.ASBzone.com/357512/8572886.God's Precious Word is a condensed, 9-part series, based on the same document. Other Resources:— e-Sword Bible Software— MySword Bible Software— Blue Letter Bible Study Site— "Knowing the Bible" Bible Maps We pray that these resources will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies overall.

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Thoughts on the Bible Readings September 6th (2 Kings 11, 12; Ezekiel 2; 2 Corinthians 8, 9)

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2025 3:14

In our two chapters from 2 Kings 11 and 12 we have the story of the faithful boy king, Joash, who came to the throne at the age of seven. We also have the elimination of the remnants of Ahab's household in Judah - that is of Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. The treacherous Queen thought she had destroyed all the seed Royal in Judah. But the faithful high priest Jehoiadah, together with his remarkable and equally faithful covenant wife Jehosheba (Joash's aunt) hid and protected the heir to the throne in the temple of Yahweh). Upon the heir reaching 7 years of age the high priest set in train events that saw Athaliah's destruction, and the true monarchy restored. The remainder of the chapter records the covenant that Jehoiadah made with the people in concord with the king to remove Baal worship from Judah. Joash rules faithfully for forty years because of the faithful influence of his uncle on him. However, despite the removal of Baal worship, idolatry still persisted with many of Judah. Under Joash's influence he arranged for the temple to be repaired from funds voluntarily placed in a wooden box. The workers were paid from this, and accounting was not required due to their honesty. Joash bought time for the Kingdom of Judah from becoming subjects of Ben-Hadad and by paying tribute. The servants of Joash conspire against him and replace him with his son, Amaziah. In Ezekiel 2 we read of the prophet's commissioning as a priest. Ezekiel is called 'son of man' - a frequently used title of our Lord Jesus Christ. This title is emblematic of one, the Son of Man, our Lord Jesus Christ, whose mission would be so difficult, and so critically strategic to Yahweh's saving of the world from sin, that it necessitated that God be his Father in order for him to have the capability to successfully undertake the mission, without ensuring his success in any way, from his own love and complete trust and obedience of his Father. Ezekiel's mission was, as was Christ's, to a rebellious people who would refuse to listen. Ezekiel is told by the LORD that he will be savagely opposed by his people, but he is not to be afraid as the Almighty will be with him. In the test of time as Ezekiel's words from his Sovereign come to pass the nation will know that Yahweh's prophet will be vindicated in their midst. In 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 Paul encourages extreme generosity in giving support to the poor believers of Jerusalem. Paul had seen the need for this fund for some time and had arranged for the Gentile ecclesias to share their material wealth in the same way that God had blessed the Gentile believers in Christ in partaking of the Hope of Israel - the gospel that had been preached to Abraham and his seed. The Apostle says that generosity is of our Heavenly Father, who provides unstintingly for all of His children. Consider this, all we have is God's anyway; and not our own. When we give it is only what He has first given us. And if we feel we cannot give then think again. Our Heavenly Father is always able to recompense faithful service. But our greatest reason for giving is out of our gratefulness to Him for what He has given us in His Son. Chapter 9 verses 15 ESV read aloud - "Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!" Pause and Ponder. We too can show our gratitude to our Father by generously supporting through prayer and contributing of our abundance to our needy brothers.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow at https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

Episode 1279: 08-31-25 Blended Worship Service, Video

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2025 66:33

Chris Skoglund (Pastor of Recreation & Family Ministries), "Do You Recognize Him?., Baptism, Children's Time, Choir, Blended Worship Praise Team (8:45 Service). 1. After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive.” 7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” 8. “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.'” 9. “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10. As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.' 15. Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” 18. “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have.." 30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” 34. “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (I Kings 18:1-5; 7-11; 15-18; 30-39 NIV)

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Episode 1278: 08-31-25 Sermon, Video

god lord israel fill recreation niv obadiah ahab lord almighty family ministries i kings baals sermon video

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2025 28:12

Chris Skoglund (Pastor of Recreation & Family Ministries), "Do You Recognize Him?. 1. After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.” 7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” 8. “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.'” 9. “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10. As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.' 15. Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” 18. “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals. 30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” 34. “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (I Kings 18:1-5; 7-11; 15-18; 30-39 NIV)

Thoughts on the Bible Readings September 5th (2 Kings 10; Ezekiel 1; 2 Corinthians 5, 6, 7)

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 3:32

2 Kings 10 tells of the fear from the rulers of Ahab's household of retaliation of Jehu upon the eunuchs who brought up Ahab's sons in Jezreel. Jehu tricks the eunuchs to kill Ahab's 70 sons in order to save their own lives. Jehu now conceives a plan to Jehu follows this by telling Jehonadab of his zeal to fulfill the word of Yahweh. Jehu next slays 42 of Ahaziah's relatives, before carrying out his great ruse to eliminate Baal worship in Israel. All of Baal's worshippers who were beguiled into believing that Jehu intends to become the greatest of Baal's worshippers. These deluded worshippers of Baal come into his house and are slaughtered to the very last person by Jehu's appointed executioners. Jehu was promoted by God and promised to have a dynasty of four generations because of the service done that he did for the Almighty. However, Jehu himself did it not out of zeal for God but for himself. Sadly, Jehu perpetuated the calf worship of Jeroboam 1st of Israel - the man who made Israel to sin. Ezekiel is the priest of Yahweh and is introduced to us in chapter 1. His name means 'El establishes'. He was a prophet among the Babylonian exiles in Chebar who had been taken to Babylon approximately BC 606. The prophecy opens with the wonderful vision of the four living creatures, or cherubim, these creatures are symbols of Yahweh's vehicle for accomplishing His purpose. The presentation put before us in chapter 1 is a mathematical impossibility. But this is not so in the divine scheme of things. The theme of the cherubim permeates Scripture from Genesis 3 to the book of Revelation. The eyes of the four-faced living creatures portray Yahweh's Omniscience - symbolised in the eyes within the wheels. 2nd Corinthians 5 outlines the Almighty's Word, or His campaign for the reconciliation of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection are its foundation and form the logical and heart-binding basis for our attachment to the great salvation of God. We become in Christ part of God's new creation. The Apostle Paul urges his readers to take up this ministry of reconciliation as Christ's ambassadors. In chapter 6 the great Apostle outlines his faithful commitment to the task of preaching the saving gospel message. Paul also establishes that this work is a call which embraces each believer in becoming a child of our Sovereign king. On our part we must embrace a complete commitment to holiness as God's beloved children. In the seventh chapter Paul entreats the Corinthians to find a place in their hearts for those whose love for them was unquestionable; and to embrace wholeheartedly the great task of receiving back into fellowship the repentant brother who had been disciplined by the ecclesia in the hope of restoring the erring brother to the company of fellow believers - the saints in our Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 13-16 speak of Paul's joy at receiving the news from Titus that the ecclesia at Corinth had followed the Apostle's advice and through ecclesial discipline achieved the result that Paul had hoped.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow at https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

Episode 1277: 08-31-25 Modern Worship Service, Audio

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Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 64:52

Chris Skoglund (Pastor of Recreation & Family Ministries), "Do You Recognize Him?.", Baptism Video, Children's Time, Modern Worship Praise Team (11:15 Service). 1. After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive..” 7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” 8. “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.'” 9. “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10. As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.' 15. Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” 18. “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have." 30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” 34. “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (I Kings 18:1-5; 7-11; 15-18; 30-39 NIV)

Thoughts on the Bible Readings September 4th (2 Kings 9; Lamentations 5; 2 Corinthians 3, 4)

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2025 3:31

Hi welcome to Christadelphian video.org Thoughts on the Bible Readings September 5th (2 Kings 10; Ezekiel 1; 2 Corinthians 5, 6, 7)2 Kings 10 tells of the fear from the rulers of Ahab's household of retaliation of Jehu upon the eunuchs who brought up Ahab's sons in Jezreel. Jehu tricks the eunuchs to kill Ahab's 70 sons in order to save their own lives. Jehu now conceives a plan to Jehu follows this by telling Jehonadab of his zeal to fulfill the word of Yahweh. Jehu next slays 42 of Ahaziah's relatives, before carrying out his great ruse to eliminate Baal worship in Israel. All of Baal's worshippers who were beguiled into believing that Jehu intends to become the greatest of Baal's worshippers. These deluded worshippers of Baal come into his house and are slaughtered to the very last person by Jehu's appointed executioners. Jehu was promoted by God and promised to have a dynasty of four generations because of the service done that he did for the Almighty. However, Jehu himself did it not out of zeal for God but for himself. Sadly, Jehu perpetuated the calf worship of Jeroboam 1st of Israel - the man who made Israel to sin. Ezekiel is the priest of Yahweh and is introduced to us in chapter 1. His name means 'El establishes'. He was a prophet among the Babylonian exiles in Chebar who had been taken to Babylon approximately BC 606. The prophecy opens with the wonderful vision of the four living creatures, or cherubim, these creatures are symbols of Yahweh's vehicle for accomplishing His purpose. The presentation put before us in chapter 1 is a mathematical impossibility. But this is not so in the divine scheme of things. The theme of the cherubim permeates Scripture from Genesis 3 to the book of Revelation. The eyes of the four-faced living creatures portray Yahweh's Omniscience - symbolised in the eyes within the wheels. 2nd Corinthians 5 outlines the Almighty's Word, or His campaign for the reconciliation of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection are its foundation and form the logical and heart-binding basis for our attachment to the great salvation of God. We become in Christ part of God's new creation. The Apostle Paul urges his readers to take up this ministry of reconciliation as Christ's ambassadors. In chapter 6 the great Apostle outlines his faithful commitment to the task of preaching the saving gospel message. Paul also establishes that this work is a call which embraces each believer in becoming a child of our Sovereign king. On our part we must embrace a complete commitment to holiness as God's beloved children. In the seventh chapter Paul entreats the Corinthians to find a place in their hearts for those whose love for them was unquestionable; and to embrace wholeheartedly the great task of receiving back into fellowship the repentant brother who had been disciplined by the ecclesia in the hope of restoring the erring brother to the company of fellow believers - the saints in our Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 13-16 speak of Paul's joy at receiving the news from Titus that the ecclesia at Corinth had followed the Apostle's advice and through ecclesial discipline achieved the result that Paul had hoped.Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow at https://christadelphianvideo.org/christadelphian-daily-readings/

Episode 1276: 08-31-25 Blended Worship Service, Audio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2025 66:19

Chris Skoglund (Pastor of Recreation & Family Ministries), "Do You Recognize Him?., Baptism, Children's Time, Choir, Blended Worship Praise Team (8:45 Service). 1. After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive.” 7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” 8. “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.'” 9. “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10. As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.' 15. Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” 18. “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have.." 30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” 34. “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (I Kings 18:1-5; 7-11; 15-18; 30-39 NIV)

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Jesus, I See What You've Done For Other People, And I Want That For Me 2 Kings 8 Chew the Bible Season 3

jesus christ israel bible kings scriptures reigns damascus chew 2 kings ahab edom shunammite orgfollow ahaziah jehoram youversion bible hazael ben hadad comadditional

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2025 56:52

Jesus, I See What You've Done For Other People, And I Want That For Me 2 Kings 8 Chew the Bible S3The Shunammite Woman's Land Restored: Elisha warns the Shunammite woman to flee a seven-year famine. When she returns, her land has been seized. She goes to the king, and as she arrives, the king's conversation with Elisha's servant about the prophet's miracles leads to the immediate restoration of all her property.Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad: Elisha prophesies in Damascus that the ill King Ben-Hadad will die, and that his servant, Hazael, will become king and inflict great evil on Israel. Hazael returns and murders Ben-Hadad, taking his throne.Reigns of Jehoram and Ahaziah: Jehoram of Judah reigns for eight years and does evil, leading to Edom's rebellion. His son, Ahaziah, then reigns for one year, also doing evil and aligning himself with the wicked house of Ahab.Your words were found and I ate them

Episode 1275: 08-31-25 Sermon, Audio

Coastal Community Church Audio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2025 27:58

Chris Skoglund (Pastor of Recreation & Family Ministries), "Do You Recognize Him?. 1. After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria, 3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4. While Jezebel was killing off the Lord's prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.) 5. Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.” 7. As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?” 8. “Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.'” 9. “What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death? 10. As surely as the Lord your God lives, there is not a nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to look for you. And whenever a nation or kingdom claimed you were not there, he made them swear they could not find you. 11. But now you tell me to go to my master and say, ‘Elijah is here.' 15. Elijah said, “As the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, I will surely present myself to Ahab today.” 16. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?” 18. “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals. 30. Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32. With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.” 34. “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. 36. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37. Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. 39. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!” (I Kings 18:1-5; 7-11; 15-18; 30-39 NIV)

god lord israel fill recreation niv obadiah ahab sermonaudio lord almighty family ministries i kings baals

How God Gets Us Ready | Coastal Community Church

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2025 43:23

I Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”Before God can do something big THROUGH YOU, he often times needs to work ON YOU.God will often humble you PRIVATELY before using you PUBLICLY.Usually this happens during a painful season of WAITING.I Kings 17:2-3 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan.”KERITH: Hebrew—“Cut off” or “Cut down”“It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until he has hurt him deeply.”—A.W. TozerDuring your WAITING, God wants to develop your DEPENDENCE on Him.I Kings 17:4-6 “You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.If DEPENDENCE is the goal, WEAKNESS is an advantage. 2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time he (GOD) said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Finally, God will call you to radical OBEDIENCE.I Kings 17:7-9 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”I Kings 17:9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”I Kings 17:10 So he went to Zarephath.What has God been preparing you for that you need to STAND UP, MOVE and be RADICALLY OBEDIENT to?Successful people do CONSISTENTLY what average people do OCCASIONALLY.

1 Kings 18:16-40

Calvary Sunday Messages

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2025 56:10

1 Kings 18:16-4016 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”18 “I have not made trouble for Israel,” Elijah replied. “But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.”20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”But the people said nothing.22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal's prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.” 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again.“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: “Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.”38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

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Daily Readings & Thought for August 28th. “ELIJAH WENT UP BY A WHIRLWIND”

god jesus christ israel kings acts middle east john the baptist hebrew saviour readings king jesus ahab thess whirlwind chron jehoram daily reading

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2025 4:34

Our reading of 2 Kings 2 today records the transfer of responsibility before God from Elijah to Elisha.Elisha requests, “Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” [v.9] and it is significant that it is recorded of Elisha that he ultimately performs twice as many miracles as Elijah. However, in doing God's most important work and conveying God's messages it is evident that Elijah is the greater prophet, he is the one with Moses on the mount when Jesus is transfigured.Elisha's sight of his dramatic departure when “Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” [v.11], is proof to him that he has a double portion of his “spirit.” But what kind of “heaven” does he go to? The next use of the Hebrew word for heaven is in ch. 7 v.2 about whether the “windows of heaven” could be opened to provide flour and food! The rain comes from heaven (eg 1 Kings 8 v.25). The fact that a letter later came from Elijah to Jehoram, the son-in-law of Ahab, makes it clear Elijah was still somewhere on the earth (see 2 Chron.21 v.12).So God removes Elijah from the scene because his work is finished, just as John the Baptist, whom Jesus refers to as a promised Elijah (Matt. 17 v.11,12) came – and his work was finished in “turning the hearts” (Malachi 4 v.6) of people ready for the ministry of Christ. He was removed from the scene to leave the way clear for Jesus. The widespread impact of his work is clear from the way Paul encounters those who only knew the baptism of John – who were a great distance from Israel (see Acts 18 v.25 19 v3,4)The heavens of the sky are to be the scene of the most dramatic events yet! When Jesus returns those alive will see him “coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels … and they will gather his elect …” [Matt. 24 v.30,31] The elect are God's people Israel to be once more gathered from the four winds to Israel reestablished under the new King Jesus. The clouds of heaven are those immortalised saints who come with Jesus (1 Thess. 4:16-18). Jesus says, “all the tribes of the earth will mourn … the sun will be darkened … the powers of the heavens will be shaken..” [v.29] Some think this means the political heavens, but it seems that is has the dual meaning which also includes the literal heavens.The world has witnessed dramatic events in the past, and frightening events in the present are increasing, but the most dramatic times of all are still ahead! How soon? Watch the Middle East! Let us make sure our faith is as strong as possible – and that we each have a real relationship with our Saviour.

Thoughts on the Bible Readings (1 Kings 22, Jeremiah 49, 1 Corinthians 8, 9) for Aug 27th.

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2025 5:01

We reach the end of 1 Kings today with chapter 22. The record tells us of a respite from war for 3 years. At the end of this time, Jehoshaphat, Ahab's son in law went to see his relative. Jehoshaphat is invited to join Ahab in a campaign against Syria but shows reluctance without the endorsement for the war by a prophet of Yahweh. The false prophets of Ahab promise victory, but Jehoshaphat remains adamant that without God's endorsement he will not proceed. Eventually Micaiah is summoned and sarcastically tells Ahab to go and conquer. The prophet was abused before he outlines the Almighty's attempt to entice and destroy the wicked king. Micaiah is put in tough conditions - being fed on bread and water - until his monarch would return in peace. Micaiah says that this cannot happen as Yahweh's Word cannot be broken. The king of Israel entered the battle in disguise, but was slain by an arrow shot by chance. Ahab having died in battle was carried to Samaria for burial and the dogs licked the blood from the washed chariot, in the very place of Naboth's slaughter, as Elijah had prophesied. Jehoshaphat, whose mother was faithful, walked as Asa his father had. He was a king like David. The record tells of a further error of judgment by Jehoshaphat in the joint venture with Israel's Ahaziah in the constructing of a navy at Ezion-geber. Ahaziah the son of Ahab came to rule over Israel and continued the wicked legacy of his father Ahab. The idolatry and wickedness had begun with Jeroboam: "the man who caused Israel to sin". Jehoshaphat seems to be like those described in 1 Corinthians 3 verses 13-15 ie his works were at times dubious but he may very well be saved.The 49th chapter of Jeremiah speaks of judgment poured out upon the nations surrounding Israel: Ammon (Moab's half brother); Edom, Syrian Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, and Elam. These nations and their principal cities were to experience the judgments from Yahweh delivered via the Babylonians. Verses 1-6 tell of the devastation of Ammon. Verses 7-22 speak of the total overthrow of Edom, ie Esau - Israel's brother. As we read these verses we should also consider the book of Obadiah and the words of Malachi 1 verses :2-5. Verses 23-27 outline the punishment of Damascus. Verses 28-33 predict the desolation of Hazor and Kedar in terms similar to the judgment of Babylon: compare Isaiah 14. Verses 34-39 speak of the punishment of Elam. Interestingly there are promises of latter day restoration for Ammon and Elam. The two kingdoms which bookend the prophecies of Jeremiah 49. As previously noted these pronouncements had applications for the prophet's time and, again, in the near future when the fortunes of Ammon and Elam will be reversed in the Kingdom of God. In the first of Corinthians 8 Paul outlines the problem facing the believers was not knowledge, but rather the insistence of exercising supposed rights. Idols were nothing; and so the eating of meats that had been devoted to an idol was of no consequence. What was of importance was, that, the insistence of some believers that they could go to a venue that promoted immorality. Paul declares that this could be cause for the stumbling of another believer. So for the sake of food, the Apostle explaines: do not destroy the conscience of another - for whom Christ died. Chapter 9 continues the argument that the foregoing of rights was essential if saving others is our objective. Paul's own example illustrates this. He explained in verses 8-14 by using two examples from the Law. This is followed by the Apostle showing that his preaching was from an obligation and was not entirely voluntary. This Paul explains humbles him and eliminates boasting. This section of the book 1 Corinthians concludes with the need for perseverance and discipline to attain the prize of eternal life.

Thoughts on the Bible Readings (1 Kings 22, Jeremiah 49, 1 Corinthians 8, 9) for aug 27th.

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025 4:34

We reach the end of 1 Kings today with chapter 22. The record tells us of a respite from war for 3 years. At the end of this time, Jehoshaphat, Ahab's son in law went to see his relative. Jehoshaphat is invited to join Ahab in a campaign against Syria but shows reluctance without the endorsement for the war by a prophet of Yahweh. The false prophets of Ahab promise victory, but Jehoshaphat remains adamant that without God's endorsement he will not proceed. Eventually Micaiah is summoned and sarcastically tells Ahab to go and conquer. The prophet was abused before he outlines the Almighty's attempt to entice and destroy the wicked king. Micaiah is put in tough conditions - being fed on bread and water - until his monarch would return in peace. Micaiah says that this cannot happen as Yahweh's Word cannot be broken. The king of Israel entered the battle in disguise, but was slain by an arrow shot by chance. Ahab having died in battle was carried to Samaria for burial and the dogs licked the blood from the washed chariot, in the very place of Naboth's slaughter, as Elijah had prophesied. Jehoshaphat, whose mother was faithful, walked as Asa his father had. He was a king like David. The record tells of a further error of judgment by Jehoshaphat in the joint venture with Israel's Ahaziah in the constructing of a navy at Ezion-geber. Ahaziah the son of Ahab came to rule over Israel and continued the wicked legacy of his father Ahab. The idolatry and wickedness had begun with Jeroboam: "the man who caused Israel to sin". Jehoshaphat seems to be like those described in 1 Corinthians 3 verses 13-15 ie his works were at times dubious but he may very well be saved.The 49th chapter of Jeremiah speaks of judgment poured out upon the nations surrounding Israel: Ammon (Moab's half brother); Edom, Syrian Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, and Elam. These nations and their principal cities were to experience the judgments from Yahweh delivered via the Babylonians. Verses 1-6 tell of the devastation of Ammon. Verses 7-22 speak of the total overthrow of Edom, ie Esau - Israel's brother. As we read these verses we should also consider the book of Obadiah and the words of Malachi 1 verses :2-5. Verses 23-27 outline the punishment of Damascus. Verses 28-33 predict the desolation of Hazor and Kedar in terms similar to the judgment of Babylon: compare Isaiah 14. Verses 34-39 speak of the punishment of Elam. Interestingly there are promises of latter day restoration for Ammon and Elam. The two kingdoms which bookend the prophecies of Jeremiah 49. As previously noted these pronouncements had applications for the prophet's time and, again, in the near future when the fortunes of Ammon and Elam will be reversed in the Kingdom of God. In the first of Corinthians 8 Paul outlines the problem facing the believers was not knowledge, but rather the insistence of exercising supposed rights. Idols were nothing; and so the eating of meats that had been devoted to an idol was of no consequence. What was of importance was, that, the insistence of some believers that they could go to a venue that promoted immorality. Paul declares that this could be cause for the stumbling of another believer. So for the sake of food, the Apostle explaines: do not destroy the conscience of another - for whom Christ died. Chapter 9 continues the argument that the foregoing of rights was essential if saving others is our objective. Paul's own example illustrates this. He explained in verses 8-14 by using two examples from the Law. This is followed by the Apostle showing that his preaching was from an obligation and was not entirely voluntary. This Paul explains humbles him and eliminates boasting. This section of the book 1 Corinthians concludes with the need for perseverance and discipline to attain the prize of eternal life. Thanks for joining us - we pray you found these comments helpful in your appreciation of God's words, join again tomorrow

Daily Readings & Thought for August 26th. “HAVE YOU FOUND ME, OH MY ENEMY?”