Podcasts about Jehoram

SHOW NOTES   In Podcast Episode 327, “He Died to No One's Regret,” Kim discusses the life of King Jehoram of Judah, who lived a life none of us should imitate. In this episode, Kim will focus on some of the decisions made by Jehoram that led to the legacy no one should choose.   Our focal passage for this episode is 2 Kings 8:16-24 and 2 Chronicles 21, with 2 Chronicles 21:20 as the focal verse:   “Jehoram  was thirty-two years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one's regret, and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings. ” (2 Chronicles 21:20 CSB)     WEEKLY ENGAGEMENT FEATURE:   If you were to die today and your life was examined based on what you clung to the most, how would you be remembered?   Additional Resources and Scriptures:   Who Was King Jehoram/Joram in the Bible? 8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely. (Ps. 63:8) EMAIL — encouragingothersinlovingjesus@gmail.com TWITTER - https://twitter.com/EOinLovingJesus INSTAGRAM -  https://www.instagram.com/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus” YouTube Channel: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/@EncouragingOthersInLovingJesus     I WANT TO BEGIN A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.   RESOURCES USED FOR BOOK OF 1 & 2 Kings PODCASTS: “The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete Old Testament OT in One Volume” “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings” by Tony Merida “The Tony Evans Bible Commentary: Advancing God's Kingdom Agenda” “Life Application Study Bible” “The Swindoll Study Bible: NLT” by Charles R. Swindoll Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary “The Baker Illustrated Bible Background Commentary” by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays (Editors) Expositor's Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): Old Testament, 2004, by Kenneth L. Barker, John R. Kohlenberger, III.     "Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus" Facebook Group:   Our Facebook Group is devoted to providing a place for us to encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Follow the provided link to request admittance into “Encouraging Others in Loving Jesus”—https://www.facebook.com/groups/encouragingothersinlovingjesus/ Feel free to invite others who will be good encouragers and/or need encouragement to follow Jesus.   This podcast is hosted by Kim Smith, a small town Country Girl who left her comfort zone to follow Jesus in a big City World. Now, she wants to use God's Word and lessons from her faith journey to encourage others in loving Jesus.   In each episode, Kim will share insights regarding a portion of God's Word and challenge listeners to apply the lessons to their daily lives.   If you want to grow in your faith and learn how to encourage others in loving Jesus, subscribe and commit to prayerfully listening each week.   Remember, “It's Always a Trust & Obey Kinda Day!”   If you have questions or comments or would like to learn more about how to follow Jesus, please email Kim at EncouragingOthersinLovingJesus@gmail.com.     National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   988   https://988lifeline.org/   Reference: Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Tyndale House Publishers. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Wheaton, Ill: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004.   Podcast recorded through Cleanfeed and edited through GarageBand. The soundtrack, entitled “Outlaw John McShane” was obtained from Pixabay.       The HIDDEN Episodes:  If you can't access episodes 1-50 on your podcast app (the podcast was then entitled "A Country Girl in a City World - Loving Jesus"), you can get all the content at my Podbean site at https://acountrygirlinacityworldlovingjesus.podbean.com/      

Jehoram, king of Israel, receives the backhanded compliment that he was only slightly better than his wicked father and mother. As Jehoram wants to keep receiving tribute from Moab, he allies with Jehoshaphat of Judah. They take the southern route to Moab in order to include Edom in their alliance, but run short of water. During the crisis, Jehoshaphat finally looks for the Word of the LORD from the prophet Elisha. Although Jehoram is unfaithful, Elisha faithfully proclaims God's Word for the sake of Jehoshaphat. The LORD provides water and brings defeat upon Moab, just as the prophet foretold. Yet the human sacrifice performed by the king of Moab leads to the LORD's wrath being poured out, and the destruction comes to an end. In the midst of so much sin, Elisha stands as an example of faithfully seeking after the Word of the LORD.  Rev. Andrew Belt, pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Marshfield, WI, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study 2 Kings 3:1-27.  To learn more about Christ Lutheran, visit www.christmarshfield.org. "A Kingdom Divided” is a series on Sharper Iron that goes through 1-2 Kings. The division in the kingdom of Israel in this part of history was greater than a matter of north and south. The biggest division was between the people and their God. Yet even as the people rebelled against the LORD as their King, still He remained faithful to call them back to Himself through His prophets, working through history to send the good and gracious King, Jesus Christ. Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God's Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen. Submit comments or questions to: listener@kfuo.org

Garth Heckman The David Alliance TDAgiantSlayer@Gmail.com    [Verse 1] What have I gotta do to make you love me? What have I gotta do to make you care? What do I do when lightning strikes me And I wake to find that you're not there? [Verse 2] What do I do to make you want me? What have I gotta do to be heard? What do I say when it's all over? And sorry seems to be the hardest word [Chorus] It's sad (So sad), so sad It's a sad, sad situation And it's gettin' more and more absurd It's sad (So sad), so sad Why can't we talk it over? Oh, it seems to me That sorry seems to be the hardest word     The life of Allan The life of Mitch The life of Bill The life of Lief The life of Connor The life of Londa The life of Dane The life of Shane The life of Chris And finally the life of Joash in 2 Chron. 22-24   He was the king of crash and burn… started out right but ran off the tracks in a hurry… Let me catch you up to speed.    Two kingdoms.  Judah   and             Israel Jehoshaphat Ahab and Jezebel Jehoram (reigned 8 yr) Marries Athaliah  Ahaziah - Murdered @ 1 yr Athaliah kills her grandsons and takes the throne   Joash is saved by Jehosheba (Ahaziah's sister) Wife of the priest Jehoiadah    Ahab and Jezebel had a daughter Athaliah She marries Jehoshappaht. Jehoshaphat dies and his son (Jehoram) becomes king (Athaliahs son) Jehoram gets killed So his mother kills all her grandsons and assumes the throne. BUT… one of the grandsons is spared - Joash!       2 Chronicles 24:Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight throughout the lifetime of Jehoiada the priest.     17 But after Jehoiada's death, the leaders of Judah came and bowed before King Joash and persuaded him to listen to their advice   PERSAUDED HB Shaw-Maw Using the persons appetites and weaknesses they gave him consent to do what would be easiest and best for him.    A young girl or boy has appetites to be liked, to be loved, to be accepted… if you just go with the crowd, if you just give in to sexual urges or peer pressure to do what will make you liked… If you are told your parents don't understand… YOU CAN BE PERSUADED.  All of us have physical appetites/fleshly appetites Lust, sex, greed, apathy, laziness, anger, Gluttony    We have emotional appetites To be needed, feel wanted, accepted, loved, cared for. We also have emotional needs to want to hate, strike back, hurt those who hurt us, to distrust, to be and stay bitter.   There will always be people who will persuade or feed those desires… And if you listen you will cut short your blessings and maybe even your future in heaven.    2 Chron. 24: 20 Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, “This is what God says: Why do you disobey the Lord's commands and keep yourselves from prospering? You have abandoned the Lord, and now he has abandoned you!”

Jehoram's wicked reign

Northwest Bible Church – May 4, 2025 – Matthew – Alan Conner Matthew 1:1-17  The Family Tree of Jesus Intro A. THE NAMES AND TITLES FOR JESUS (Matthew 1:1). 1. Jesus Christ -   2. Son of DAVID -  2 Sam. 7:12-13 3. Son of ABRAHAM -  Gen. 12:3; 17:5.   B. A WALK THROUGH THE GENEALOGY (Matthew 1:2-16). 1. First section (Matthew 1:2-6). a. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah.     (1) Tamar (Matthew 1:3) -   (2) Rahab (Matthew 1:5) –  (3) Ruth (Matthew 1:5) –  (4) Bathsheba (Matthew 1:6) - b. Boaz, Obed, Jesse, David.   2. Second section (Matthew 1:6-11).     a. David; Solomon; Rehoboam –  b. Abijah;   Asa;  Jehoshaphat  c. Jehoram;  Uzziah;  Jotham;  Ahaz;   Hezekiah   d. Manasseh;  Amon;  Josiah;  Jeconiah  3. Third section (Matthew 1:12-16).   Babylonian exile.   a. Zerubbabel –  b. Matthew 1:13-15.    9 names are unknown.   c. Jacob, Joseph, the husband of Mary by whom Jesus was born.  B. THE THEMES FROM THE GENEALOGY. 1. Why the emphasis on “fourteen” (Matthew 1:17)?    2. Full of sinners to highlight the grace of God.   3. Jesus is qualified to be the Messiah as a son of David.  God is faithful! 4. Lays foundation for the virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:16). 5. The three phases of history.  OUT OF DARKNESS, LIGHT! Conclusion

A Reason For Hope with Pastor Scott Richards! Sharing the Word one question of the heart at a time. Tags: Repentance, Jehoram's Age, and The Churches of Revelation

La Shunamita ottiene la restituzione dei suoi beni. Eliseo predice cose cattive per Hazael di Siria. Jehoram, re di Giuda.

Speridzione di Jehoram e di Giosafat contro Moab.

2 Kings 8-101. The Shunammite's Land - 2 Kings 8:1-62. Prophecy over a foreign land - 2 kings 8:7-153. Reign of Jehoram - 2 Kings 8:16-244. Reign of Ahaziah - 2 Kings 8:25-295. Zeal of Jehu - 2 Kings 9-10Teaching by Pastor Christian Slye at The Garden Fellowship on 4.2.2025.More teachings and information online at thegardenfellowship.com.

2 Kings 8-101. The Shunammite's Land - 2 Kings 8:1-62. Prophecy over a foreign land - 2 kings 8:7-153. Reign of Jehoram - 2 Kings 8:16-244. Reign of Ahaziah - 2 Kings 8:25-295. Zeal of Jehu - 2 Kings 9-10Teaching by Pastor Christian Slye at The Garden Fellowship on 4.2.2025.More teachings and information online at thegardenfellowship.com.

Jehoram is introduced to Judah: Jehoram goes down in history as one of the evilest and worst kings of Judah Jehoram kills his brothers for throne security Isaiah the prophet is introduced Jehoram dies of a severe bowel disease Ahaziah reigns in place of Jehoram   The new Lion of Judah Tee: https://www.p40ministries.com/product-page/the-lion-of-judah-tee-updated   After you're done with that, check out these websites:  YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

Matthew 1:1-17This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiahand his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.12 After the exile to Babylon:Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.17 Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. Series: Fix Your Eyes upon Jesus Hebrews 12:1-2 "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith"  Importance of Genealogy  God the Promise Keeper: Jesus is the fulfillment of God's Covenant.  God, the Grace Giver: Jesus is the revelation of God's Grace  God, the Loving Father: Jesus is the mediator of God's Love  Our Response  

Friday Bible Study (2/21/25) // 2 Kings 12 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.orgTo support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...2 Kings 12 (ESV)1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash[a] began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.Jehoash Repairs the Temple4 Jehoash said to the priests, “All the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of the Lord, the money for which each man is assessed—the money from the assessment of persons—and the money that a man's heart prompts him to bring into the house of the Lord, 5 let the priests take, each from his donor, and let them repair the house wherever any need of repairs is discovered.” 6 But by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, the priests had made no repairs on the house. 7 Therefore King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, “Why are you not repairing the house? Now therefore take no more money from your donors, but hand it over for the repair of the house.” 8 So the priests agreed that they should take no more money from the people, and that they should not repair the house.9 Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it and set it beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the Lord. And the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord. 10 And whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, the king's secretary and the high priest came up and they bagged and counted the money that was found in the house of the Lord. 11 Then they would give the money that was weighed out into the hands of the workmen who had the oversight of the house of the Lord. And they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the Lord, 12 and to the masons and the stonecutters, as well as to buy timber and quarried stone for making repairs on the house of the Lord, and for any outlay for the repairs of the house. 13 But there were not made for the house of the Lord basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, or any vessels of gold, or of silver, from the money that was brought into the house of the Lord, 14 for that was given to the workmen who were repairing the house of the Lord with it. 15 And they did not ask for an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to pay out to the workmen, for they dealt honestly. 16 The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.17 At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem, 18 Jehoash king of Judah took all the sacred gifts that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred gifts, and all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent these to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.The Death of Joash19 Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 20 His servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck down Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. 21 It was Jozacar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants, who struck him down, so that he died. And they buried him with his fathers .., and Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Moab rebelled against Israel, and Israel decided to take it back: King Jehoram is introduced Jehoshaphat goes to battle with Jehoram for some reason YHWH gives a prophecy to Elisha using music God performs a miracle for the Israelites  Israel completely defeats the Moabites The Moabite king sacrifices his oldest son to Chemosh   Be sure to click every link: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnh-aqfg8rw Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries  Website - https://www.p40ministries.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p40ministries  Contact - jenn@p40ministries.com  Rumble - https://rumble.com/c/c-6493869  Books - https://www.amazon.com/Jenn-Kokal/e/B095JCRNHY/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk  Merch - https://www.p40ministries.com/shop  YouVersion - https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/38267-out-of-the-mire-trusting-god-in-the-middle    Support babies and get quality coffee with Seven Weeks Coffee  https://sevenweekscoffee.com/?ref=P40   This ministry is only made possible due to your generous support https://ko-fi.com/p40ministries

Today, we dive into 2 Kings 3 and explore a powerful story of kings and prophets and how God's plan often looks nothing like what we expect. King Jehoram sets out on a mission to prove his strength, but things quickly go wrong—forcing him to rely on something much bigger than himself.

2 Kings 1:1-18 NIV After Ahab's death, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.” But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?'Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!' ” So Elijah went. When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you come back?” “A man came to meet us,” they replied. “And he said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, “This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” ' ”The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?” They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.” The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”Then he sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!' ”Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men. At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, “Man of God, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!' ”“If I am a man of God,” Elijah replied, “may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men. So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!” The angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king. He told the king, “This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” So he died, according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. As for all the other events of Ahaziah's reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

église AB Lausanne ; KJV 2 Kings (4 Kings) 3 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! ...

Friday Bible Study (1/3/25) // 2 Kings 8: 7-29 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... #2Kings | #BibleStudy | #DanielBatarseh | #mbchicago | #mbcchicago | #Bible | #livechurch | #churchlive | #chicagochurch | #chicagochurches | #versebyverse | #church | #chicago | #sermon | #bibleexplained | #bibleproject | #bibleverse 2 Kings 8: 7-29 (ESV) Hazael Murders Ben-hadad 7 Now Elisha came to Damascus. Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick. And when it was told him, “The man of God has come here,” 8 the king said to Hazael, “Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord through him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?'” 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camels' loads. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?'” 10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,' but[a] the Lord has shown me that he shall certainly die.” 11 And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.” 13 And Hazael said, “What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you are to be king over Syria.” 14 Then he departed from Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” 15 But the next day he took the bed cloth[b] and dipped it in water and spread it over his face, till he died. And Hazael became king in his place. Jehoram Reigns in Judah 16 In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah,[c] Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 19 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, since he promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever. 20 In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. 21 Then Joram[d] passed over to Zair with all his chariots and rose by night, and he and his chariot commanders struck the Edomites who had surrounded him, but his army fled home. 22 So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23 Now the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 24 So Joram slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. Footnotes a. 2 Kings 8: 10 Some manuscripts say, ‘You shall certainly not recover,' for b. 2 Kings 8: 15 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain c. 2 Kings 8: 16 Septuagint, Syriac lack when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah d. 2 Kings 8: 21 Joram is an alternate spelling of Jehoram (the son of Jehoshaphat) as in verse 16; also verses 23, 24

2 Kings 3:1-11 In this exciting new series, we dive into the life of Elisha, the prophet who followed Elijah. After receiving a double portion of Elijah's spirit, Elisha was empowered by God to perform twice as many miracles as his teacher! Today, we join Elisha at the beginning of his journey when three kings—Jehoram of Israel, Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the king of Edom—team up to fight the king of Moab. Their journey, however, quickly goes wrong as they find themselves lost and without water in the wilderness. In desperation, King Jehoshaphat suggests seeking guidance from a prophet. Enter Elisha! ------------------ bible project animated video of 1 and 2 Kings Elijah coloring book on Amazon To listen to our Elijah series, go to episodes #292-301. This will also give them context for Elisha. ------------------------------------------------ To enjoy the library of bonus content (coloring pages, sheets, memory verse, etc) for the episodes go here and click bonus content. By enjoying them, you allow us to keep the episodes free for families all over the world to access and enjoy. From our family to yours, THANK YOU!  To connect with us, go here. For our free Read-A-Loud pdf book go here.       YouTube link show notes and patreon page “books of 1-2 kings summary, to elijah on amazon coloring bookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 16:13 - 17:6 Jehoshaphat was the 4th king in the kingdom of Judah.  The summary description of his life is given as follows:  "The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father David.  He did not seek the Baals, but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the practices of Israel . . . His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD" (2 Chr 17:3,4,6). Although he was one of the better kings of Judah and served God, for the most part, there are incidents in his life in which he was guilty of serious compromise … serious enough that two different prophets confronted him about his actions, declaring to him both God's displeasure and judgment.  Jehoshaphat attempted to bring spiritual vitality to the people of Judah by dispatching teachers of the Mosaic law and judges to bring justice (2 Chr 17:7-9; 19:5-11).  Under Jehoshaphat's rule the people of Judah experienced prosperity and peace (2 Chr 17:10-19). Jehoshaphat's weakness was his willingness to align himself with two wicked kings of the northern kingdom of Israel … Ahab and his son Azariah.  He did this through the marriage of his son, Jehoram, to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab (2 Chr 18:1; 21:1,6), military alliance (2 Chr 18:3), and a cooperative ship-building venture (2 Chr 20:35-37).  Because of this compromise, God's judgment fell on Jehoshaphat     (2 Chr 19:2; 20:37). The life of Jehoshaphat is a clarion call to us for wholehearted allegiance to God … beckoning us to resist compromise regarding things we ought not compromise.

Daily Dose of Hope October 20, 2024 Day 1 of Week 30   Scripture: 2 Kings 7-8; 2 Chronicles 21; Matthew 6 Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  Can you believe we are starting week 30 of our reading plan this week?  We have come a long way!  I hope you have been learning and growing.  Again, I would love to hear your feedback.   Today, we are again starting with 2 Kings, chapters 7-8.  The king of Aram attacks Samaria, and this leads to a severe famine in the land.  Elisha begins chapter 7 by prophesying that by the next day, food would be plentiful in Samaria.  Everyone was in disbelief.    In an interesting twist, four hungry leprous men decide to surrender to an Aramean camp but when they get there, it's empty.  After eating their fill and taking some plunder, they decide to share with the gatekeepers of Samaria that the Aramean camp is empty.  While they were initially hesitant to believe them, they discover that it is in fact true.  They plunder the camp and the prophecy is fulfilled.  God has provided a way to care for his people once again.    Chapter 8 provides more testimony to the great things God did through Elisha but it also details the succession of wicked kings in Judah.  2 Chronicles 21, also in today's reading, goes into detail about one of the kings, Jehoram, who succeeded Jehoshaphat in Judah.  His evil was horrific.  Of course, the big question is how much longer will God allow this to go on?   Our New Testament passage is Matthew 6.  This is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.  Again, Jesus is stretching people with his teaching on humility (when giving to the poor, praying, and fasting), on not worrying, and on gathering treasures in heaven rather than on earth.  These are life-changing teachings, if we can take them to heart.  I actually have had these Scripture verses regarding worry on the back of my bathroom door for about twenty years.  They are the kind of thing we need to read every day, several times a day.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Friday Bible Study (9/27/24) // 2 Kings 3:1-12 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but... #2kings | #BibleStudy | #DanielBatarseh | #mbchicago | #mbcchicago | #Bible | #livechurch | #churchlive | #chicagochurch | #chicagochurches | #versebyverse | #church | #chicago | #sermon | #bibleexplained | #bibleproject | #bibleverse 2 Kings 3:1-12 (ESV) Moab Rebels Against Israel 3 In the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, he clung to the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from it. 4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he had to deliver to the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams. 5 But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to battle against Moab?” And he said, “I will go. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “By which way shall we march?” Jehoram answered, “By the way of the wilderness of Edom.” 9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. And when they had made a circuitous march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “Alas! The Lord has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab.” 11 And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” Then one of the king of Israel's servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 16:29-33 Ahab was the seventh king of the northern kingdom of Israel.  Much like the first king of Israel, Jeroboam, the name of Ahab became notorious as a standard of wickedness.  Subsequent kings in Israel … and even Jehoram, a king of Judah in the south … were compared to Ahab in terms of his wickedness. "Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty-two years.  And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him" (1 Kgs 16:29,30).  Ahab's wife was Jezebel and she was completely given to the worship of Baal, the shameful deity of the Canaanites.  "Ahab did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him" (1 Kgs 16:33).  This summary statement sets the stage for what happens in 1 Kings 20,21.  Upon being besieged by the Syrians, God sends a prophet to tell Ahab that He would save Israel from them.  It is pure divine grace.  Ahab had not sought the Lord's help, but God spared Israel … twice … from the Syrian armies. Upon Elijah's prophecy of the death of Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kgs 21:17-24), Ahab contritely humbled himself and God postponed widespread destruction in Israel until after Ahab's death (1 Kgs 21:28,29).  It is the prominent theme of the Bible … the wickedness of the human heart, on the one hand … and the merciful grace of God toward rebels, on the other hand.  Of course, the apex of the display of God's mercy is the giving of His Son, that Jesus might bring us to God by His sacrifice for us. 

In this episode of Arise + Abide, Sally and Curtis explore the narrative in 2 Kings 8:7-29. The episode delves into the rise of new kings in both Israel and Judah, the tragic downfall of King Ben-Hadad, and the ominous future foretold by Elisha concerning Hazael's reign. Through deep reflection on the passage, Curtis and Sally discuss God's sovereignty over the nations, His faithfulness to His promises, and the personal cost of discipleship. They highlight the influence of human choices and external voices in leadership, using Jehoram's downfall as an example. Ultimately, they emphasize God's unwavering promise to David and how it is fulfilled in Jesus, the eternal light that leads to life. Tune in for a thoughtful reflection on obedience, leadership, and the eternal faithfulness of God.

Remember ch.15, God is with us as long as we are with Him! What was true for Jehoram is true for us. When we let out flesh, our passions control us, we are heading for a fall! When we submit to God, we control our passions because we are with God...

The Zeal of Jehu: A Call to Righteous Action • Friday Service Website: www.PastorTodd.org To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give Today, we are going to dive into the story of Jehu, a man chosen by God to execute His judgment on the house of Ahab and cleanse Israel of its idolatry. Jehu's story is one of zeal, decisive action, and obedience to God's command, yet it also serves as a warning about the dangers of incomplete devotion. Let's explore the key scriptures to gain a complete understanding of Jehu's mission and its implications for us today. 2 Kings 9:1-3 (NKJV) *"And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, 'Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among his associates, and take him to an inner room. Then take the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I have anointed you king over Israel.”' Then open the door and flee, and do not delay.'”*   2 Kings 9:6-7 (NKJV) "Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, 'Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel."'” 2 Kings 9:16-17 (NKJV) *"So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was laid up there. And Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram. Now a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, 'I see a company of men.' And Joram said, 'Get a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, "Is it peace?"'"*   2 Kings 9:22 (NKJV) "Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, 'Is it peace, Jehu?' So he answered, 'What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?'"   2 Kings 9:24 (NKJV) "Now Jehu drew his bow with full strength and shot Jehoram between his arms; and the arrow came out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot."   2 Kings 9:30-31 (NKJV) "Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window. Then, as Jehu entered at the gate, she said, 'Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?'" 2 Kings 9:32-33 (NKJV) "And he looked up at the window and said, 'Who is on my side? Who?' So two or three eunuchs looked out at him. Then he said, 'Throw her down.' So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot." 2 Kings 10:16 (NKJV) "Then he said, 'Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.' So they had him ride in his chariot." 2 Kings 10:28-29 (NKJV) *"Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel. However, Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan." 2 Kings 10:30-31 (NKJV) *"And the LORD said to Jehu, 'Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.' But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart

Friday Bible Study (8/30/24) // 2 Kings 1 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.orgFollow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...#2kings | #BibleStudy | #DanielBatarseh | #mbchicago | #mbcchicago | #Bible | #livechurch | #churchlive | #chicagochurch | #chicagochurches | #versebyverse | #church | #chicago | #sermon | #bibleexplained | #bibleproject | #bibleverse 2 Kings 1 (ESV) Elijah Denounces Ahaziah 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” So Elijah went. 5 The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6 And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the Lord, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” 8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.” 9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty men with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.'” 10 But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, “O man of God, this is the king's order, ‘Come down quickly!'” 12 But Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and entreated him, “O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king 16 and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'” 17 So he died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

2 Chronicles – Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah, Ahaziah Allies with Jehoram of Israel, Jehu Murders Princes of Judah Joel – The Devastation of Locusts, Starvation and Drought 2 Corinthians – God Gives Most

Today's chapter 11 in 1 Corinthians starts, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”  Paul, from the time Christ made himself known to him, had been the ‘role model' (a phrase often used today) of his life. So many follow strange ‘role models' today – but the Scriptures have the true ‘role models' for us – especial Paul and Christ.  We have nearly completed reading Jeremiah, and in several senses he is a suitable ‘role model' for us as we, like him, during and after the fall of Jerusalem, are surrounded by largely faithless people.   In 2 Kings 3 today we see the lack of wisdom of Jehoshaphat, the king from Jerusalem, in trying to work together with Ahab and then his son Jehoram, who, although relatives, only  show a token belief in the true God: these are lessons for all true believers.  Paul spells out the line of responsibility and authority. “I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” [v.3]  He tells them to “maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” [v.2] The word “traditions” should not be misunderstood, it applies to precepts of belief and practice that have been handed down, they can be either good or bad; from God or from men. Jesus challenged the bad “traditions,” see Mark 7 v.9,13.      Paul told the Thessalonians, “brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” [2 Thess. 2 v.15]  Today we have Paul's letters and all the other words that God has caused to be written and preserved. An example of a good tradition is the one Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians; when you are praying in your assembly,  a woman should cover her head, at least in prayer, and for a man to leave his head uncovered. (v.4-7,13-16).   No one should be “inclined to be contentious” about this, says Paul, [v.16] but sadly his comment to them “that there are divisions among you” [v.18] over many matters has been a factor ever since.  But, get the significance of the point he makes, “there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognised.” [v.19].   Today, there are still some, regrettably only a few, who accept the word of God as their authority: this begins by seeing that “the head of Christ is God”.  The dogma of the Trinity is symptomatic of all human efforts to ‘improve' on what God has caused to be written.  We must not make that mistake. 

Welcome to Day 2441 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom – Theology Thursday – Promise Undelivered? – I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2441 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2441 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. Today is the eighteenth lesson in our segment, Theology Thursday. Utilizing excerpts from a book titled: I Dare You Not To Bore Me With The Bible written by Hebrew Bible scholar and professor the late Dr. Michael S Heiser, we will invest a couple of years going through the entire Bible, exploring short Biblical lessons that you may not have received in Bible classes or Church. The Bible is a wonderful book. Its pages reveal the epic story of God's redemption of humankind and the long, bitter conflict against evil. Yet it's also a book that seems strange to us. While God's Word was written for us, it wasn't written to us. Today, our lesson is, Promise Undelivered? When exposed to evil, we might doubt God's presence. Soldiers' accounts and memoirs often recall times of doubt as they grappled with war atrocity and, ultimately, the struggle between good and evil. While Scripture is clear that good will triumph, it also says evil will win its share of battles. Second Kings 3 records a war event where evil won. Yahweh Takes Sides Second Kings 3 describes the rebellion of Moab, led by its king, Mesha, against the monarch of the northern kingdom of Israel, King Jehoram (3:5). Like his father Ahab, Jehoram solicited King Jehoshaphat of Judah (the southern kingdom) for assistance against his enemy (3:7). They were joined by the king of Edom (3:9). The invasion route—“by way of the wilderness of Edom”—is critical to the storyline. Edom was the territory settled by the descendants of the red-haired Esau (Gen 25:25: 36:1, 8). “Edom,” a play on the word adorn (DIN, “red”), was epitomized by the reddish soil and rock of its wilderness. By taking a circuitous approach to Moab, the invading armies must cross desert terrain without water (3:9). Jehoshaphat called the wilderness wandering prophet Elisha for advice (3:11-12). After a testy response to Jehoshaphat's plea (3:13-14), Elisha received word from Yahweh: God would supply the armies with water (3:16-17). It would appear—without rain—in a streambed that was presently bone dry. Elisha had even better news: “This is a light thing in the sight of the Lord. He will also give the Moabites into your hand” (3:18). No Faith, No Gain When they arrived at the place of battle, the Moabite soldiers were fooled by the pools of water that appeared red against the ground and the sun's reflection (3:21-22). They assumed it was blood and that invading armies (often enemies themselves) had erupted in battle against each other (3:23). When the Moabites approached to strip and plunder the dead, they were ambushed by the invading armies. In desperation, the king of Moab committed a horrible...

The story of King Jehoram should have gone in a different direction. He took over as king of Judah from his father, good King Jehoshaphat. Yet he not only started off wrong but ended his life in a very tragic way. Andrew and Robert read the sad story in  2nd Chronicles 21.Support the Show.Questions or Comments? Please reach out to us through email at questions@truewisdom.info or on twitter @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 9:9-10We encourage you to download our primary Bible Study resource called “The Key Principles of Effective Bible Study” from http://bit.ly/17vs3LU, and listen to the associated explanatory podcasts that Andrew has provided at https://BibleStudy.asbzone.com/357512/8572886.We pray that this resource will be very helpful to you in your Bible Studies overall.

Friday Bible Study (8/2/24) // 1 Kings 22: 29-53 // Visit our website: https://mbchicago.org Follow us to remain connected: Facebook:   / mbc.chicago   Instagram:   / mbc.chicago   TikTok:   / mbc.chicago   Podcasts: Listen on Apple, Spotify & others To support this ministry, you can donate via: Zelle to: info@mbchicago.org Website: https://mbchicago.org/give Venmo: https://venmo.com/mbchurch PayPal: https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_but...#1kings | #BibleStudy | #DanielBatarseh | #mbchicago | #mbcchicago | #Bible | #livechurch | #churchlive | #chicagochurch | #chicagochurches | #versebyverse | #church | #chicago | #sermon | #bibleexplained | #bibleproject | #bibleverse 1 Kings 22: 29-53 (ESV) Ahab Killed in Battle 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. 31 Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 34 But a certain man drew his bow at random[a] and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 35 And the battle continued that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, until at evening he died. And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. 36 And about sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!” 37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. 38 And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the Lord that he had spoken. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah 41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. 45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 46 And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa. 47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. 49 Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

When we read from 2 Chronicles in our last episode, we covered Edom's rebellion against Judah during Jehoram's reign, wherein they separated from Judah and established their own king. Obadiah rebukes this nation for their rebellion in our first reading. A return to the book of Kings, now in the second part, means a little backtracking: in short, Jehoshaphat is king and Jehoram has not yet taken the throne. Ahab's son Ahaziah is now on the throne in Samaria of Israel, but he won't outlive the Lord's prophecy against Ahab which says that his family line would come to an end in the next generation. Last but not least, the prophet Elijah passes his mantle to Elisha who receives a double portion of Elijah's spirit.Obadiah - 1:03 . 2 Kings 1 - 6:10 . 2 Kings 2 - 11:43 . Psalm 119:81 - 17:31 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Monday, 15 July 2024   Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah. Matthew 1:8   “And Asa begot Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat begot Joram, and Joram begot Uzziah” (CG).   The previous verse finished with the words, “And Abijah begot Asa.” The ongoing genealogy continues with, “And Asa begot Jehoshaphat.”   The record of Jehoshaphat is first found in 1 Kings 15:24. However, the narrative at that time switches to the line of the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat is not mentioned again until 1 Kings 22. The summary of his life is found there saying –   “Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43 And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.” 1 Kings 22:41-43   The name Jehoshaphat means Yah has Judged or Yah Judges. He was a good king of Judah. Matthew next records, “and Jehoshaphat begot Joram.”   This king is called both Jehoram (2 Kings 8:16) and Joram (2 Kings 8:23). Of him, it says –   “He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the Lord.” 2 Kings 8:17, 18   As such his record defines him as a bad king. His name means Yah is High or Yah is Exalted. With him out of the way, Matthew next skips three generations of kings: Ahaziah, Joash, and Amaziah. He also omits the reign of Athaliah, the wicked queen who usurped the throne upon the death of Ahaziah, her son. Athaliah was the daughter of Omri, King of Israel. He was a bad king.   Joash (aka Jehoash) was a good king during the time of his instruction under Jehoiada the priest. Eventually he was killed and Amaziah, his son, reigned. Amaziah was an ok king, “yet not like his father David” (2 Kings 14:3). Eventually, a conspiracy was formed against him and he was killed. That is when his son Azaiah (aka Uzziah) replaced him. This is where Matthew's genealogy continues. As it says, “and Joram begot Uzziah.”   He is first noted in 2 Kings 14:21. Azariah means Yah Has Helped. Uzziah means something like Strength of Yah or Yah is My Strength. Azariah (Uzziah) was considered a good king over Israel, but he became prideful, attempted to offer incense to the Lord in the temple (a duty that belongs to the priest alone), and he was struck with leprosy till the day he died. He lived in an isolated house apart from the people and he was cut off from the house of the Lord.   Life application: There are various suggestions as to why Matthew skips generations in his genealogy. One is that the three generations were omitted to keep the record of generations totaling fourteen to maintain the pattern set forth in Matthew 1:17. This is obvious, but it does not explain why he chose that pattern or why he chose these three to be omitted.   There is the suggestion that the three omitted kings were descended from Jezebel and that this is then explained by the words of the second commandment –   “For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:5, 6   That is reasonable, but it may not be the case as well. The word “begot” does not necessarily mean from one generation to the next. Jesus was begotten of all of the people named in His genealogy, being a product of each of them. Therefore, it is not necessary to include all the names.   Despite the difficulties in this genealogy, especially when compared to that of Luke's found in Luke 3, there is no known ancient dispute against them by detractors of the Christian faith. They were considered reasonable and reliable from the very beginning. And more, there are possible explanations for all of the complexities found in them. Referring to the innumerable written commentaries available on them will provide reassurances that these records are acceptable as valid representations of the genealogy of Jesus Christ.   Lord God, Your word is big, it is often complicated, and it has mysteries that take careful consideration. And yet, for those who are willing to put in the effort of searching, comparing, and contemplating what is recorded in it, there are always answers that can be found to even the most difficult issues. Thank You for Your word which challenges us to seek You out more and more, no matter how much we already know. Amen.  

In this Bible Story, Jehu is used by God to rid Israel of evil. He kills Jezebel and all the remnants of king Ahab. He also toppls the temples of Baal along with all its followers. Eventually, he succumbs to his own inner evils and strays away from God. This story is inspired by 2 Kings 9:30-10:36. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Kings 9:34 from the King James Version.Episode 139: Jehoshaphat, in an attempt to broker peace between him and Israel, betrothed his son Joram to Ahab's daughter Athaliah. But because the wicked and idolatrous nature of her parents was in her, both Jehoram and the nation of Judah would be led astray. And as he, his kingdom, and his sons passed away; his wife Athaliah plotted. Determined to stay in power, she killed all of her grandchildren so that the line of David could not stand in her way. But God would not let her evil stand in the way of His promise. Jehosheba, Athaliah's daughter, hid away one of Ahaziah's sons in the temple to be raised by the priests and taken care of until he could become king!Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Kings – Jehu Reins over Israel, Jehoram is Assassinated, Jehu Assassinates Shaziah, Jezebel is Slain, Judgement upon Ahab's House, Jehu Destroys Baal Worshipers, Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu, Athaliah Queen of Judah James - the Tongue is a Fire, Wisdom from Above

ICYMI... Let's talk about the words, actions and character of Donald J. Trump in light of what the Bible says about virtue and vice. But instead of starting with our political preferences and prejudices and THEN backing shards of Scripture into what we want, what if we started with what the Bible actually says FIRST? Then we can more earnestly reckon with the implications of what we're dealing with today.    We're on Patreon! Join the community:  https://www.patreon.com/politicsandreligion   It would mean so much if you could leave us a review:  https://ratethispodcast.com/goodfaithpolitics    Here are a few of the Scriptural references that came up: Exodus 20: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."  2 Kings 3: "(Jehoram) did evil in the sight of the Lord."  Proverbs 6: "There are six things that the Lord hates, Seven that are an abomination to Him..."  Proverbs 10: "Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool..."  John 2: "(Jesus) said, 'Take these things away from here; stop making My Father's house a place of business!'”   Let us know what you think. You can find Corey on all the socials @coreysnathan such as www.threads.net/@coreysnathan.   Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.   Very grateful for our sponsor Meza Wealth Management. Reach out to Jorge and his team: www.mezawealth.com

Blessed Seed of the Righteous (Audio) David Eells (6/26/24)  I thought to pick out these scriptures to point out how the seed of the righteous are favored of the Lord in everything. Psa 112:1 Praise ye Jehovah. Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, That delighteth greatly in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: The generation of the upright shall be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house; And his righteousness endureth forever.  Gen 22:15-18 And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 17 that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.   Isa 65:17-25 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and there shall be heard in her no more the voice of weeping and the voice of crying. 20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed. 21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.   22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith Jehovah.   Isa 61:8-9 For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 And their seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed.   Deu 28:2-4 and all these blessings shall come upon thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy beasts, the increase of thy cattle, and the young of thy flock.   Deu 30:19-20 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; 20 to love Jehovah thy God, to obey his voice, and to cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the length of thy days; that thou mayest dwell in the land which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.  Job 5:17-18 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up; He woundeth, and his hands make whole. 25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, And thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.   Job 42:12-17 So Jehovah blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: …. 13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first, Jemimah: and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16 And after this Job lived a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 17 So Job died, being old and full of days.  Psa 102:24-28 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: Thy years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27 But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end. 28 The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee.   Psa 127:3-5 Lo, children are a heritage of Jehovah; And the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.  Psa 128:1-6 Blessed is every one that feareth Jehovah, That walketh in his ways. 2 For thou shalt eat the labor of thy hands: Happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. 3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of thy house; Thy children like olive plants, Round about thy table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed That feareth Jehovah. 5 Jehovah bless thee out of Zion: And see thou the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. 6 Yea, see thou thy children's children. Peace be upon Israel.   Psa 25:12-13 What man is he that feareth Jehovah? Him shall he instruct in the way that he shall choose. 13 His soul shall dwell at ease; And his seed shall inherit the land.   Psa 37:25-26 I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread. 26 All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth; And his seed is blessed.   Psa 102:27 But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end. 28 The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee.   Gen 6:18 But I will establish my covenant with thee(Noah); and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. Gen 7:1 And Jehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.   Gen 12:1-3 Now Jehovah said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee: 2 and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing: 3 and I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  Gen 12:7 And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah, who appeared unto him.  Gen 13:14-16 And Jehovah said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, northward and southward and eastward and westward: 15 for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then may thy seed also be numbered.  Gen 17:5-9 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee. 6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9 And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations.   Gen 19:12, 14-16 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of the place: 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked. 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16 But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.   Gen 21:12-13 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy handmaid; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13 And also of the son of the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.   Gen 26:2-5, And Jehovah appeared unto him (Isaac), and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 4 and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 5 because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. 24 And Jehovah appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.   Gen 46:3-7 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes. 5 And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: 7 his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.  Gen 48:15-22 And he (Israel) blessed Joseph, and said, The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God who hath fed me all my life long unto this day,16 the angel who hath redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth. 17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head. 18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father; for this is the first-born; put thy right hand upon his head.   19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it. He also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: howbeit his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations. 20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee will Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh. 21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God will be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers. 22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.  Num 14:20-24 And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 21 but in very deed, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of Jehovah; 22 because all those men that have seen my glory, and my signs, which I wrought in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have tempted me these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 23 surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that despised me see it: 24 but my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.  Num 25:10-13 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. 12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: 13 and it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was jealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.  Neh. 9:7-8 Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham, 8 and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it unto his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.  Lev 26:42-46 then will I remember my covenant with Jacob; and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. 43 The land also shall be left by them, and shall enjoy its sabbaths, while it lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they rejected mine ordinances, and their soul abhorred my statutes. 44 And yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am Jehovah their God; 45 but I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am Jehovah. 46 These are the statutes and ordinances and laws, which Jehovah made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by Moses.   Deu 4:35-37,40 Unto thee it was showed, that thou mightest know that Jehovah he is God; there is none else besides him. 36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he made thee to see his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. 37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out with his presence, with his great power, out of Egypt; 40 And thou shalt keep his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days in the land, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, forever.  Deu 10:12-13, 15 And now, Israel, what doth Jehovah thy God require of thee, but to fear Jehovah thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Jehovah thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 to keep the commandments of Jehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 15 Only Jehovah had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all peoples, as at this day.   Deu 12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee forever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the eyes of Jehovah thy God.   Psa 37:25-26 I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his seed begging bread. 26 All the day long he dealeth graciously, and lendeth; And his seed is blessed.  Psa 102:24-28 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: Thy years are throughout all generations. 25 Of old didst thou lay the foundation of the earth; And the heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; As a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: 27 But thou art the same, And thy years shall have no end. 28 The children of thy servants shall continue, And their seed shall be established before thee.  Psa 103:17-18 But the lovingkindness of Jehovah is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, And his righteousness unto children's children; 18 To such as keep his covenant, And to those that remember his precepts to do them.  Pro 3:33 The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked; But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.  Pro 11:20-21 They that are perverse in heart are an abomination to Jehovah; But such as are perfect in their way are his delight. 21 Though hand join in hand, the evil man shall not be unpunished; But the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.  Pro 12:7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not; But the house of the righteous shall stand.  Pro 13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children; And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the righteous.  Pro 20:7 A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, Blessed are his children after him.   Isa 44:1-5 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant, and Israel, who I have chosen: 2 Thus saith Jehovah that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, who will help thee: Fear not, O Jacob my servant; and thou, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. 3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: 4 and they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses. 5 One shall say, I am Jehovah's; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto Jehovah, and surname himself by the name of Israel.  Isa 65:23 They (Jerusalem) shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them.  Jer 32:38-41 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good; and I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from me. 41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.  Est 10:3 For Mordecai (who is a type of the Man-Child) the Jew was next unto king Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of his brethren, seeking the good of his people, and speaking peace to all his seed. *David's seed  2Sa 22:50-51 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah, among the nations, And will sing praises unto thy name. 51 Great deliverance giveth he to his king, And showeth lovingkindness to his anointed, To David and to his seed, for evermore.  1Ki 2:31-33 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father's house. 32 And Jehovah will return his blood upon his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father David knew it not, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah. 33 So shall their blood return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed forever: but unto David, and unto his seed, and unto his house, and unto his throne, shall there be peace forever from Jehovah.  1Ki 11:11-13 Wherefore Jehovah said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to thy son, for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.  1Ki 15:3-5 And he (Abijam) walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; and his heart was not perfect with Jehovah his God, as the heart of David his father. 4 Nevertheless for David's sake did Jehovah his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem; 5 because David did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.  2Ki 8:18-19 And he (Jehoram) walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah. 19 Howbeit Jehovah would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give unto him a lamp for his children always.  Psa 89:27 I also will make him (David) my first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth. 28 My lovingkindness will I keep for him for evermore; And my covenant shall stand fast with him. 29 His seed also will I make to endure forever, And his throne as the days of heaven. 35 Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David: 36 His seed shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before me.  Psa 144:9-15 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: Upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee. 10 Thou art he that giveth salvation unto kings; Who rescueth David his servant from the hurtful sword. 11 Rescue me, and deliver me out of the hand of aliens, Whose mouth speaketh deceit, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. 12 When our sons shall be as plants grown up in their youth, And our daughters as corner-stones hewn after the fashion of a palace; 13 When our garners are full, affording all manner of store, And our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; 14 When our oxen are well laden; When there is no breaking in, and no going forth, And no outcry in our streets: 15 Happy is the people that is in such a case; Yea, happy is the people whose God is Jehovah.  *The Seed of Christ. Those who have the Word in their heart are the seed of Christ as in the parable of the sower.  Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased Jehovah to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of Jehovah shall prosper in his hand.  Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.  Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness. 13 For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith. 16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all 17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were. 18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.  1Jn 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one also that doeth righteousness is begotten of him.  1Jn 3:7 My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:  1Co 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.  Act 2:38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.   *Cornelius, his kinsmen and friends  Act 10:22 And they said, Cornelius a centurion, a righteous man and one that feareth God, and well reported of by all the nation of the Jews, was warned of God by a holy angel to send for thee (Peter) into his house, and to hear words from thee. 23 So he called them in and lodged them. And on the morrow he arose and went forth with them, and certain of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24 And on the morrow they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having called together his kinsmen and his near friends.  Act 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago, until this hour, I was keeping the ninth hour of prayer in my house; and behold, a man stood before me in bright apparel, 31 and saith, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call unto thee Simon, who is surnamed Peter; he lodgeth in the house of Simon a tanner, by the sea side. 33 Forthwith therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore we are all here present in the sight of God, to hear all things that have been commanded thee of the Lord. 34 And Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him.  Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision that believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.  *The Jailor and all in his house  Act 16:27-34 And the jailor, being roused out of sleep and seeing the prison doors open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29 And he called for lights and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and brought them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house. 32 And they spake the word of the Lord unto him, with all that were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, immediately. 34 And he brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his house, having believed in God.    Another teaching about "the seed of the righteous" on the site is here: Families

Fr. Mike highlights the wickedness and unfaithfulness of king Ahab, king Jehoram and king Azaiah. We learn that their selfish and disobedient actions have severe consequences. Today's readings are 1 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 21-22, and Song of Solomon 7. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

You may have a time keeping the kings' names straight. They certainly didn't keep their paths straight!

Let's talk about the words, actions and character of Donald J. Trump in light of what the Bible says about virtue and vice. But instead of starting with our political preferences and prejudices and THEN backing shards of Scripture into what we want, what if we started with what the Bible actually says FIRST? Then we can more earnestly reckon with the implications of what we're dealing with today.    Here are a few of the Scriptural references that came up: Exodus 20: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me."  2 Kings 3: "(Jehoram) did evil in the sight of the Lord."  Proverbs 6: "There are six things that the Lord hates, Seven that are an abomination to Him..."  Proverbs 10: "Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool..."  John 2: "(Jesus) said, 'Take these things away from here; stop making My Father's house a place of business!'”   Let us know what you think. You can find Corey on all the socials @coreysnathan such as www.threads.net/@coreysnathan.   It would mean so much if you could leave us a review on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/TPandRPod   Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other is part of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.   Very grateful for our sponsor Meza Wealth Management. Reach out to Jorge and his team: www.mezawealth.com  

Join Jameson Steward this week for a very important discussion of the sin of gossip.

How did Elijah send a letter to King Jehoram, if Elijah had already been taken to heaven? Does this represent a contradiction in the Bible?

With family: 2 Chronicles 22–23; Revelation 10 2 Chronicles 22–23 (Listen) Ahaziah Reigns in Judah 22 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2 Ahaziah was twenty-two1 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly. 4 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done. For after the death of his father they were his counselors, to his undoing. 5 He even followed their counsel and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to make war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians wounded Joram, 6 and he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that he had received at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was wounded. 7 But it was ordained by2 God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. 8 And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them. 9 He searched for Ahaziah, and he was captured while hiding in Samaria, and he was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom. Athaliah Reigns in Judah 10 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath,3 the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him4 from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death. 12 And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land. Joash Made King 23 But in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage and entered into a covenant with the commanders of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri. 2 And they went about through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers' houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3 And all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada5 said to them, “Behold, the king's son! Let him reign, as the LORD spoke concerning the sons of David. 4 This is the thing that you shall do: of you priests and Levites who come off duty on the Sabbath, one third shall be gatekeepers, 5 and one third shall be at the king's house and one third at the Gate of the Foundation. And all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6 Let no one enter the house of the LORD except the priests and ministering Levites. They may enter, for they are holy, but all the people shall keep the charge of the LORD. 7 The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand. And whoever enters the house shall be put to death. Be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.” 8 The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God. 10 And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. 11 Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king.” Athaliah Executed 12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the LORD to the people. 13 And when she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration. And Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “Treason! Treason!” 14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, “Bring her out between the ranks, and anyone who follows her is to be put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Do not put her to death in the house of the LORD.” 15 So they laid hands on her,6 and she went into the entrance of the horse gate of the king's house, and they put her to death there. Jehoiada's Reforms 16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the LORD's people. 17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18 And Jehoiada posted watchmen for the house of the LORD under the direction of the Levitical priests and the Levites whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the LORD, to offer burnt offerings to the LORD, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David. 19 He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean. 20 And he took the captains, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, marching through the upper gate to the king's house. And they set the king on the royal throne. 21 So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been put to death with the sword. Footnotes [1] 22:2 See 2 Kings 8:26; Hebrew forty-two; Septuagint twenty [2] 22:7 Hebrew was from [3] 22:11 Spelled Jehosheba in 2 Kings 11:2 [4] 22:11 That is, Joash [5] 23:3 Hebrew he [6] 23:15 Or they made a passage for her (ESV) Revelation 10 (Listen) The Angel and the Little Scroll 10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” (ESV) In private: Zechariah 6; John 9 Zechariah 6 (Listen) A Vision of Four Chariots 6 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. 2 The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, 3 the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses—all of them strong.1 4 Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The chariot with the black horses goes toward the north country, the white ones go after them, and the dappled ones go toward the south country.” 7 When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth. 8 Then he cried to me, “Behold, those who go toward the north country have set my Spirit at rest in the north country.” The Crown and the Temple 9 And the word of the LORD came to me: 10 “Take from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon, and go the same day to the house of Josiah, the son of Zephaniah. 11 Take from them silver and gold, and make a crown, and set it on the head of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 12 And say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: for he shall branch out from his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. 13 It is he who shall build the temple of the LORD and shall bear royal honor, and shall sit and rule on his throne. And there2 shall be a priest on his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”' 14 And the crown shall be in the temple of the LORD as a reminder to Helem,3 Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen the son of Zephaniah. 15 “And those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. And this shall come to pass, if you will diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.” Footnotes [1] 6:3 Or and the fourth chariot strong dappled horses [2] 6:13 Or he [3] 6:14 An alternate spelling of Heldai (verse 10) (ESV) John 9 (Listen) Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind 9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.” 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.” 18 The Jews1 did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus2 to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” 24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”3 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt;4 but now that you say, ‘We see,' your guilt remains. Footnotes [1] 9:18 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time; also verse 22 [2] 9:22 Greek him [3] 9:35 Some manuscripts the Son of God [4] 9:41 Greek you would not have sin (ESV)

With family: 2 Chronicles 21; Revelation 9 2 Chronicles 21 (Listen) Jehoram Reigns in Judah 21 Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.1 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. 4 When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. 7 Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever. 8 In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. 9 Then Jehoram passed over with his commanders and all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. 10 So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 11 Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom and made Judah go astray. 12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom, as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you have killed your brothers, of your father's house, who were better than you, 14 behold, the LORD will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, 15 and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day.'” 16 And the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the anger2 of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king's house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son. 18 And after all this the LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19 In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. 20 He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. Footnotes [1] 21:2 That is, Judah [2] 21:16 Hebrew spirit (ESV) Revelation 9 (Listen) 9 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.1 2 He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; 9 they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10 They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.2 12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come. 13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. 17 And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire3 and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound. 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Footnotes [1] 9:1 Greek the abyss; also verses 2, 11 [2] 9:11 Abaddon means destruction; Apollyon means destroyer [3] 9:17 Greek hyacinth (ESV) In private: Zechariah 5; John 8 Zechariah 5 (Listen) A Vision of a Flying Scroll 5 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.”1 3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely2 shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. 4 I will send it out, declares the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.” A Vision of a Woman in a Basket 5 Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, “Lift your eyes and see what this is that is going out.” 6 And I said, “What is it?” He said, “This is the basket3 that is going out.” And he said, “This is their iniquity4 in all the land.” 7 And behold, the leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket! 8 And he said, “This is Wickedness.” And he thrust her back into the basket, and thrust down the leaden weight on its opening. 9 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, two women coming forward! The wind was in their wings. They had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basket between earth and heaven. 10 Then I said to the angel who talked with me, “Where are they taking the basket?” 11 He said to me, “To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it. And when this is prepared, they will set the basket down there on its base.” Footnotes [1] 5:2 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [2] 5:3 Hebrew lacks falsely (supplied from verse 4) [3] 5:6 Hebrew ephah; also verses 7–11. An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters [4] 5:6 One Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts eye (ESV) John 8 (Listen) 8 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”]] I Am the Light of the World 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father1 who sent me. 17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” 19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. 21 So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come'?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” 25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. The Truth Will Set You Free 31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free'?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave2 to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” You Are of Your Father the Devil 39 They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” Before Abraham Was, I Am 48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.' 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.'3 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”4 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. Footnotes [1] 8:16 Some manuscripts he [2] 8:34 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; also verse 35 [3] 8:54 Some manuscripts your God [4] 8:57 Some manuscripts has Abraham seen you? (ESV)

In this Bible Story, Jehu is used by God to rid Israel of evil. He kills Jezebel and all the remnants of king Ahab. He also toppls the temples of Baal along with all its followers. Eventually, he succumbs to his own inner evils and strays away from God. This story is inspired by 2 Kings 9:30-10:36. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Kings 9:34 from the King James Version.Episode 139: Jehoshaphat, in an attempt to broker peace between him and Israel, betrothed his son Joram to Ahab's daughter Athaliah. But because the wicked and idolatrous nature of her parents was in her, both Jehoram and the nation of Judah would be led astray. And as he, his kingdom, and his sons passed away; his wife Athaliah plotted. Determined to stay in power, she killed all of her grandchildren so that the line of David could not stand in her way. But God would not let her evil stand in the way of His promise. Jehosheba, Athaliah's daughter, hid away one of Ahaziah's sons in the temple to be raised by the priests and taken care of until he could become king!Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the hit musical Hamilton, England’s King George III is humorously portrayed as a cartoonish, deranged villain. However, a new biography on King George said he was not the tyrant described in Hamilton or America’s Declaration of Independence. If George had been the brutal despot that Americans said he was, he would have stopped their drive for independence with extreme, scorched-earth measures. But he was restrained by his “civilized, good-natured” temperament. Who knows if King George died with regret? Would his reign have been more successful if he’d been harsher with his subjects? Not necessarily. In the Bible we read of King Jehoram, who solidified his throne by putting “all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel” (2 Chronicles 21:4). Jehoram “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 6). His ruthless reign alienated his people, who neither wept for his gruesome death nor made a “funeral fire in his honor” (v. 19). Historians may debate whether George was too soft; Jehoram was surely too harsh. A better way is that of King Jesus, who is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus’ expectations are firm (He demands truth), yet He embraces those who fail (He extends grace). Jesus calls us who believe in Him to follow His lead. Then, through the leading of His Holy Spirit, He empowers us to do so.

In this Bible Story, David plays the part of loyal servant to Achish the Philistine king, but remains loyal to Israel. When the Amalekites raid David's town and steal all their families, David's heroic spirit is rekindled, and he mounts a rescue mission. This story is inspired by 1 Samuel 28. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 1 Samuel 28:7 from the King James Version.Episode 94: Dark days were at hand for Israel and the Philistines, and battle after battle began to wear on the hearts of both nations. Saul was now without David, without Samuel, without God, and without peace. He begged God to speak to him, sought prophets, and waited for dreams but God was silent towards him. Desperate, he went to Endor and sought the medium that lived there in hopes of bringing the spirit of Samuel up from the dead. God allowed this to happen but instead of hearing words of hope, Samuel told Saul that tomorrow he and his sons would die in battle.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd HaberkornSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fr. Mike highlights the wickedness and unfaithfulness of king Ahab, king Jehoram and king Azaiah. We learn that their selfish and disobedient actions have severe consequences. Today's readings are 1 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 21-22, and Song of Solomon 7. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.