One Year Bible, July 4

2 KINGS 23:31 - 25:30                                                                                                          
JEHOIAKIM: Puppet of Pharoah-Necho. When the Word was read by BARUCH (Jeremiah's scribe), Jehoiakim cut it up and burned it in the fire. He slew Urijah the prophet. Jeremiah prophesied his death ("He shall be buried with the burial of an ASS...")  Then NEBUCHADNEZZAR (of Babylon) defeated Pharoah-Necho and Jehoiakim was "bound in fetters and carried to Babylon."

JEHOIACHIN: Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and carried away Jehoichin to Babylon along with all his relatives, all the officers, army, and anyone with any class; leaving the poorest and lowest people to farm the land. AND Nebuchadnezzar stripped the Temple and the Palace of any gold, silver, brass, fabrics, etc. etc. Then put a puppet in charge that he re-named Zedekiah.

ZEDEKIAH : He rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar and so Nebuchadnezzar ransacked and flattened Jerusalem, burning anything that was still standing, including the Temple. He killed Zedekiah's sons in front of him, then put his eyes out, so that the last thing he ever saw with his own eyes, was his sons being killed. Then carried him in chains to Babylon and put him in prison, where he spent 37 years until Nebuchadnezzar died. THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH HAD COME TO AN END- 586BC. The prophet Jeremiah was taken to Egypt and stoned (tradition).

EVIL-MERODACH: THE SEVEN MARVELS OF GOD'S GRACE  Evil-Merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar, lifted the king of Judah out of prison and blessed him:

(1) "lifted up the head"
(2) "spake kindly"
(3) changed his prison garments"
(4) "did eat bread continually before him all the days of his life"
(5) "a continual allowance given him of the king,..."


RESPONSE:  I am intrigued as to why each king was listed as being the son of his MOTHER, and it was important enough that she is listed in the Bible by name!  King Solomon rose up to meet and bowed himself unto Bathsheba, and set her on his right hand.  Lev 19:3 says mothers are to be "feared".   She was not only prominent, but was deferred to by these kings.   When the kings went out to meet their enemies to try to placate them, they took their mothers with them!   And, of course, when the kings went into captivity, they took their mothers with them, too!

ACTS 22:17 - 23:10                                                                                                             
PAUL'S DEFENSE:  The only person NOT in control was the Roman centurion!   He rescued Paul from the Jewish mobs, then gets him a trial before the Sanhedrin Council.   Paul's speech there sets those people against one another, and the centurion has to rescue Paul AGAIN!   No one seems to know what the charges are against Paul, and there is seemingly no way to deal with this problem.

RESPONSE:   All Paul wants to do is go to Rome to preach the Gospel!  If he can keep from being torn limb-from-limb, he'll get there!  It is interesting to see how God orchestrates his trip to Rome.  We always want things to be simple and easy, but sometimes God has other plans.   He has purposes and intentions to carry out, and there are often other people involved.  I think sometimes that God's plans are too complicated, and sometimes look downright wrong!  BUT....hindsight showed them to be entirely wonderful with all kinds of effects going out in ripples.  When things get complicated in my life, I look for God.   I talk to Him and ask Him for wisdom and to tell me what MY part is.   Sometimes I feel like I am just along for the ride! Other times, I feel that everyone wants a piece of me!   But, if I don't have peace, then I repent and ask God to forgive me for having the wrong attitude AGAIN.   I want to please God.   That should be the ONLY MOTIVATING FACTOR in my life!

PSALM 2:1-12                                                                                                                      
SECOND TIME AROUND:  The "kings of the earth" set themselves against God. Who are they?   They are corporate CEO's, presidents, kings, officials, teachers, movie stars, media moguls, authors, anyone with any authority or influence in the earth.   The world-system belongs to the "world-spirit" of antichrist!  So, anyone who aligns themselves with these  "imagine a vain thing"  because God is LAUGHING AT THEM!   They are like a 2-year-old having a temper tantrum!   They have no REAL power.   We take possession with the TRUTH of the Gospel.   We stay in authority by worshipping the Son.

PROVERBS 18:13                                                                                                           
I think most of our problems occur because we just don't listen!  Most of us don't even know HOW to really listen!  Look into people's eyes, and HEAR what they are saying.  Don't just be thinking about how you will answer them when they finally shut up!

RESPONSE:   I hate that it often looks like the "kings of the earth" are getting away with stuff that they shouldn't.  I guess I need to read Psalm 2 more often!   God takes them just as seriously as we take that 2-year-old!   Our best offense is the Gospel.   This is something they can't take away from us!