Date | Version | Reading Plan |
---|---|---|
October 19, 2024 | ESV (2016) | M’Cheyne Plan 2024 |
1 Kings 22
Kings of Israel
- Ahab
- Ahaziah
Kings of Judah
- Jehoshaphat
Following three years of peace between Syria and Israel, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, came down to meet Ahab, king of Israel. Ahab proposed the idea to Jehoshaphat of recapturing Ramoth-gilead, a “border town was taken by the Aramaeans and became a site of contention between Israel and Aram” (BEB) Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join him and battle and Jehoshaphat agreed but first wanted to consult a legitimate prophet of the LORD, thereby showing himself to be a pious king.
Ahab gathered four hundred prophets together and they said that Ramoth-gilead would be given into his hand. However, Jehoshaphat seemed to have doubted their report and inquired of another prophet of the LORD with whom they could consult. Ahab said that there was such a prophet, Micaiah, but that he never prophesies good concerning him. In the midst of this, Zedekiah, one of the false prophets, “made horns of iron to depict the irresistible power of Ahab and Jehoshaphat against the Syrians.” (BBC)
Micaiah was summoned and informed that his prophecy was to be in alignment with the other prophets who were in one accord that the king would be successful against Ramoth-Gilead. “Micaiah first said the same thing as the prophets: “Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!” But it is probable that he said it in a mocking manner. The tone of his voice must have dripped with irony and sarcasm.” (BBC) Ahab sensed the sarcastic tone and demanded that the prophet tell him the truth, to which Micaiah gave a vision of a sheep without a shepherd. This represented the scattering of Israel; that Ahab would be killed and his army dispersed.
Ahab addressed Jehoshaphat, presenting Micaiah’s prophecy as evidence that he could speak nothing but evil against the king. Then Micaiah boldly spoke again, relating “a vision in which a lying spirit, appearing before the LORD, agreed to trick Ahab into going against Ramoth Gilead and be slain. The lying spirit would put this advice into the mouth of all the king’s prophets. This is an example of how God, while not the author of evil, uses it to achieve His ultimate ends. He sent the lying spirit only in the sense that He permitted it.” (BBC) In response to this, Zedekiah struck Micaiah and asked, “How did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?”. Micaiah calmly told Zedekiah that he “would know the truth when he would hide in terror in a secret place—evidently when Ahab’s death would expose Zedekiah to the fate of a false prophet.” (BBC)
Ahab and Jehoshaphat proceeded in battle against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab said to Jehoshaphat that he would disguise himself before going into battle in the hopes he could avoid what Micaiah had prophesied. The Syrians had been ordered to kill the king of Israel. “At first they mistook Jehoshaphat for Ahab. The king of Judah cried out in terror, perhaps revealing his true identity in this way. Then Ahab was struck between the joints of his armor by a random arrow and was removed from the active fighting.” (BBC) Ahab was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening when he died. Ahab was brought to Samaria and was buried there. Ahab’s chariot was washed by the pool of Samaria where the dogs licked his blood and prostitutes washed themselves in it according what the LORD had spoken. According to the BBC, “This was only a partial fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy (21:19); it took place in Samaria rather than in Jezreel.” Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, then began his reign as Israel’s king.
The chapter and Book concludes with Jehoshaphat who had begun his reign when he was thirty-five years old and reigned twenty-five years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD but did not take down the high places. The BBC provides a helpful breakdown of Jehoshaphat’s administration:
- He followed his father’s example in combating idolatry, though he was not successful in eradicating it completely (v. 43).
- He reigned jointly with his father Asa.
- He made peace with Ahab, king of Israel (v. 44).
- He expelled the male cult prostitutes from the land (v. 46).
- His kingdom included the land of Edom (2 Sam. 8:14), where he was represented by a deputy (v. 47). His son Jehoram later lost Edom through a revolution (2 Kgs. 8:20).
- He allied himself with Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, in a shipbuilding project at Ezion Geber (2 Chron. 20:35, 36). Their plan was to send the ships … to Ophir for gold. But the ships were wrecked before they ever left port (v. 48), no doubt by a windstorm. The prophet Eliezer told Jehoshaphat that this was because the Lord disapproved of the unholy alliance with Ahaziah (2 Chron. 20:37). When Ahaziah suggested renewing the project, Jehoshaphat declined (v. 49).
1 Thessalonians 5
Paul saw that the church had no need for anything to be written to them regarding the day of the Lord. They were fully aware that it would come as a thief in the night, “deceptively, suddenly, destructively, inevitably, and inescapably.” (BBC) It will be surprise to those who proclaim peace and security—those in darkness—but not to those who are children of the light. Paul admonished them to stay awake and be sober. He contrasted those who sleep and get drunk at night with the church who belongs to the day, remaining sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and salvation as a helmet. God has not destined the church for wrath but salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul urged them to continue encouraging and building each other up as they had been doing.
Paul then wraps up his letter with some final instruction and a benediction. He provides several imperatives for Godly conduct, telling the church to:
- Admonish the idle
- Encourage the fainthearted
- Help the weak and be patient with them
- Ensure that no one pays evil for evil
- Always seek to do good
- Rejoice always
- Pray without ceasing
- Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Jesus for them
- Do not quench the Spirit
- Do not despise prophesies but test everything
- Hold fast to what is good
- Abstain from every form of evil
Paul then asked God to sanctify them and that their whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of Jesus Christ. He who calls us is faithful to His promise and will surely do it. Paul asked for the prayers among the saints, showing that he “never outgrew the need for prayer and neither do we.” (BBC) He then put them under an oath for his letter to be read to all the brothers, insisting that the saints “needed to hear the contents of the letter, even if it entailed reading it several times in different places.” (CSB Notes). Paul concludes with a benediction almost identical to Rom. 16:20 and 1 Cor. 16:23 in saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
Daniel 4
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon addressed all the peoples that it was good to him to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God had done for him. He then recounts a second dream and, again, the king’s advisors are unable to interpret the dream, prompting the king’s calling of Daniel for its interpretation.
When called, Daniel was “dismayed for a while”. The FSB describes that “The Aramaic used here indicates he was severely distressed.” Nebuchadnezzar, anxious to receive the dream’s interpretation, assured Daniel that he was not to be alarmed. Through the distress, Daniel moves forward in interpreting the king’s dream. He told Nebuchadnezzar that the tree he saw in the dream was him; that its leaves were beautiful, fruit abundant, providing food for all and shade for the beasts of the field. However, the tree would be struck down, representing how the king would be “struck with a mental illness that would cause him to live outdoors with the wild animals (or animals of the field) for seven years until he repented of his pride and acknowledged that the Most High is ruler over human kingdoms.” (CSB Notes) The silver lining was that this would only be for a specified time, not to be completely destroyed but eventually restored.
Daniel’s prophetic interpretation of the dream came to pass when the king was surveying his kingdom and pridefully claimed himself responsible for its success. “For seven years he lived like a beast. At the end of that time, he turned to God and acknowledged that He is the Most High … who lives forever. He was then restored to the glory of his kingdom.” (BBC)
Psalm 108
Psalm 108 is a corporate lament psalm (meant for group settings) that combines sections from Psa 57 and 60. The psalmist expresses concern that God has stopped helping Israel as He promised. He combines his personal relationship with God with his participation in the people of Israel, and pleads with God to help Israel triumph over local enemies. He quotes 57:7–11 as he praises God’s steadfast love (vv. 1–5). He then quotes 60:5–12 as he asks God to fulfill His promises and give them victory over their enemies (vv. 6–13). (FSB)
Psalm 109
In Psa 109, an individual lament psalm, the psalmist complains to God and requests His help as he experiences opposition from personal enemies. After crying out to God (v. 1), the psalmist describes the actions of his enemies (vv. 2–5). He then calls curses or imprecations on them (vv. 6–15). He continues to describe his enemies and ask Yahweh to punish them (vv. 16–20). He laments his condition (vv. 21–25) and again cries out to Yahweh for help (vv. 26–29). Finally, he concludes by giving thanks to Yahweh in anticipation of Yahweh’s deliverance (vv. 30–31). (FSB)
Resources
- J. I. Packer et. al, The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016)
- Faithlife Study Bible (Lexham Press, 2016)
- Believer’s Bible Commentary (Thomas Nelson, 2016)
- CSB Study Bible Notes (Holman Bible Publishers, 2017)
- The New American Commentary (Brentwood, TN: Holman Reference)
- Walter A. Elwell, Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Ada MI: Baker Publishing Group, 1988)
- The Bible: A Reader’s Guide (Sterling Publishing, 2011)
- Henry, Matthew, and Thomas Scott. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2003)
- Constable’s Notes