One Year Bible, June 26

2 KINGS 9:14 - 10:31                                                                                                       
HE DRIVES LIKE JEHU!"  Apparently Jehu raced his chariot from place-to-place.  With the goal of destroying the "House of Ahab", he killed the king of Israel (Joram), the king of Judah, (Ahaziah, Jezebel's grandson), and finally, Jezebel herself.  Actually, he had Jezebel's eunuchs throw her out a second-story window, her blood splattered on the walls, then stomped on her body.   By the time he got around to giving her a burial, the dogs had eaten all but her head, hands and feet...just like the prophet said.  STILL NOT DONE: Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria (his capital).   Jehu had the Jezreelites bring the sons' heads in baskets. Just to be sure he got them all, Jehu also killed the "great men, kinfolks, and priests." Then he met 42 "brethren" of the king and queen of Judah and he killed them too.  Then on to Samaria to exterminate anyone still in the palace.

JEHU ERADICATES BAAL WORSHIP: He had a "solemn assembly" (wink-wink) for all the "prophets, servants and priests" of Baal, then killed them all!  He broke down their images, and broke down the house of Baal.   BUT.....he didn't destroy the golden calves in Bethel and Dan.   Jehu didn't walk in the law of God "with all his heart."

RESPONSE:   With God, it's all or nothing!  This is because those little pockets of resistance will cause you to BETRAY God at some point.  God and Satan both will make sure it comes right down to the wire for us - where we have to choose.  ALL idolatry must be rooted out.  That is, any SUBSTITUTES we make for God, whether they be pastimes, habits, fear, stuff, entertainment, whatever soothes our hearts and our flesh - all SUBSTITUTES for God must be dealt with.

ACTS 17:1-34                                                                                                                  
Paul is learning the apostolic role of how to establish the Church in cities:

PHILIPPI: Acts 16:12-40: The importance and POWER of prayer and worship.

THESSALONICA & BEREA: Acts 17:1-14: The importance and POWER of the Word.
Again, Paul "turned the world upside down."  In both cities, "chief and honorable women" made up most of the believers.

ATHENS: Acts 17:15-45:  Man's problem is MORAL, not intellectual; so intellectual arguments fail to convince.  NOTE:  In a city wholly given over to "idolatry", Paul did NOT pray against strongholds, or whatever; he proclaimed the Truth. V. 22 The word "superstitious" means "Fear of demons".   IMPORTANT: V. 26-27 God chose the time and place where I would be born so that I would seek Him early in life!

RESPONSE:   "In Him we live, and move and have our being".   If this is not true of you, then you have a big problem with the Holy Spirit.   But don't worry!   He will war with those things in your flesh that are stopping you.  Christians, by definition, must be God-centered, or they will betray the Lord eventually.

PSALM 144:1-15:                                                                                                              
The Septuagint title for this Psalm is "Concerning Goliath".  It is our BATTLE SONG to the God of Victory.   Or, we can call it "Happy are the people whose God is the Lord."   It is a prayer for the MANIFESTATION OF GOD'S POWER.   Just notice the mindset of someone who is battling anything: Dependency on God to be "my goodness (lovingkindness, affectionate One), my fortree, my high tower, my deliverer, my shield (of faith), my trustworthy One, my strength, my teacher, my provider".   Yes!   We are happy!

PROVERBS 17:27-28                                                                                                         
An "excellent spirit" is literally a "chilly spirit" (cool-tempered).  He doesn't spout off!   In fact, saying nothing or holding your peace is such a virtue, that even a fool can be thought wise and understanding if he does it!

RESPONSE:  "That there be no complaining in the streets"....or in the house either!  And it looks like being talkative is NOT a virtue.