WOW! What an opening to Chapter 13 of the Acts of the Apostles:

Now in the Church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, among whom were Barnabas and Simon… and Manahen… and Saul. And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Saul and Barnabas unto the work to which I have called them.” Then having fasted and prayed and laid their hands upon them, they let them go.

Instantly takes you in with the mystery of “the work to which I have called them.”

What was the word that The Holy Spirit had called Saul and Barnabas?

Other questions popped up in my head too!

The Church of Antioch? Was this the first time the word “Church” is used up to this point in the New Testament?

Also, judging by the use of the term, “laid their hands upon them,” seems to be quite an early Church tradition.

And on a personal note coming off Day 119 in the Old Testament in Three Kings and introducing ‘The Third Testament of the Splendid Spiritual Self,’ here we have an active and speaking Holy Spirit. Random act, pure coincidence or somehow otherwise ordained?

 

Prayerfully Passive, then Divinely Decision are the changes in the direction of our life?

Jesus cures the blind and the disciples make wicked nonbelievers blind?

Paul’s discourse on the Old Testament… referenced 530 years in so doing but the period of time was likely to be three or four times that. I wonder if the prophets of today can see as far into the future as Paul recalled into the past? Not in terms of technology or worldly things but in terms of our spirit and souls.

God so stated that: “I have found in David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all that I desire.” Which translates to me that God has a heart and had one throughout the Old Testament history. His heart manifested itself in the Love of Jesus Christ in the New Testament and forever to all of time through the resurrection and eternal life… spiritually thinking. We know how our spirit will live on in heaven but what about our remaining years here on Earth?

David wrote Psalms 3 to 9, 11 to 32, 34 to 41, 68 to 70, 51 to 65,101, 86, 103, 108 to 110, 124, 122, 133, 131 and 138 to 145. He wrote a total of 73. (Reference.com)

“So we now bring you the good news that the promise made to our fathers, God has fulfilled to our children, in raising up Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘Thou art my son, this day I have begotten thee’… never again to return to decay, he has said thus, ‘I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.’ Because he says also in another Psalm, ‘Thou will not let thy Holy One undergo decay.’ For David… fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and did undergo decay; but he whom God raised to life did not undergo it.”

Realization that the resurrection was not made retroactive, was not grandfathered, to the good guys and gals of the Old Testament pre the resurrection of Jesus. What of those like John the Baptist that pre-deceased Jesus?

King David’s body did undergo decay; Jesus’ body did not. Why then do (or will do) our bodies undergo decay as physical evidence suggests?

As Billy Graham states… there are some things we humans cannot understand and must accept by faith!

I believe that and pray that God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit direct my thinking. Not that I can think like God but I surrender to His Will and His Power to carry out His Will with my life. I let God do my thinking for me!

Paul: “Be it known therefore to you, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and in Him everyone who believes is acquitted of all the things of which you could not be acquitted by the Law of Moses.”

Something clicked for me as I read, typed, and reread the above quotation of Paul.

First is there any way spelled out in the Bible that one can be acquitted in the Law of Moses?

Secondly, any sin, any evil act, even those we cannot yet fathomed in our minds (notice I did not say ‘imagine or inspire’ as I believe evil cannot be referenced as doing good or positive things; same reasoning as to why present day terrorists cannot be inspired to do heinous acts) is acquitted of those who believe. Forgiveness of all sins no matter what they are or who committed them is possible.

The people asked to have all of this said to them on the following Sabbath. Repetition was working even back them!

Many of the Jews and the worshipping converts went away with Paul and Barnabas, and they (Paul and Barnabas) talked with them and urged them to hold fast to the grace of God.

Some rejected the spoken word and judged themselves unworthy of eternal life.

And there you have it once again… that selfish egotistical control of ‘free will,’ yet if a habit is habitual cab ‘free will’ ever be free?

And in Lystra… a certain man… lame from his very birth… He listened to Paul as he spoke; when Paul, gazing at him and seeing that he had faith to be cured, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on thy feet.” And he sprang up and began to walk.

Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, saying “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.” And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercury… and with the people would have offered sacrifice… But upon hearing this, the apostles Barnabas and Paul rushed into the crowd, tearing their clothes, and shouting, “Men, why are you doing this? We also are mortals, human beings like you, bringing to you the good news that you should turn from these vain things to the living God… And even with these words they could hardly restrain the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

But some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium; and after winning over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking that he was dead.

But the disciples gathered round him and he got up and re-entered the city.

Got up and re-entered the city after being stoned?

After preaching the gospel… reassuring the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and reminding them that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed presbyters for them in each church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

…And from there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been entrusted to the grace of God for the work which they had now finished. On their arrival they called the church together and reported all that God had done with them, and how he had opened up to the Gentiles a door of faith.

The ‘Door of Faith’ is Open; Let Us Walk Through to True Freedom!

Day 120: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The ‘Door of Faith’ is Open; Let Us Walk In for True Freedom!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 13-14.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 13:  Paul’s first journey: Antioch; Cyprus; Antioch in Pisidia; Paul’s discourse: The Old Testament; The New Testament; God’s promise fulfilled; Forgiveness of sins granted; Result of Paul’s discourse; Paul and Barnabas persecuted.

Now in the Church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers, among whom were Barnabas and Simon… and Manahen… and Saul. And as they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Saul and Barnabas unto the work to which I have called them.” Then having fasted and prayed and laid their hands upon them, they let them go.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit, went to Seleucia and from there sailed to Cyprus.

…began to preach the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews… they also had John as assistant… there they came across a Jewish magician and false prophet named Bar-Jesus… Elymas, the sorcerer (for his name is so translated)… Saul (also called Paul), filled with the Holy Spirit… will thou not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And instantly there fell upon him a mist of darkness… then the proconsul, seeing what had happened, believed and was astonished at the Lord’s teaching.

…but John left them and returned to Jerusalem…

After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them (Paul and his companions), saying, “Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

Israelites and you who fear God, hearken… sojourners in the land of Egypt… forty years… after about four hundred and fifty years. After that he gave them judges, until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then they demanded a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Cis… for forty years… And removing him, he raised up David to be their king… (Paul’s discourse on the Old Testament).

God: “I have found in David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all that I desire.”

Paul continued with his discourse on the New Testament: “From his offspring, God according to promise brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus… John the Baptist: ‘I am not he whom you suppose me to be, but behold, there comes one after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose’… and all among you who fear God, to you the word of this salvation has been sent… and the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath… But God raised him from the dead on the third day; and he was seen during many days by those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem; and they are now witnesses for him to the people.”

“So we now bring you the good news that the promise made to our fathers, God has fulfilled to our children, in raising up Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘Thou art my son, this day I have begotten thee’… never again to return to decay, he has said thus, ‘I will give you the holy and sure promises of David.’ Because he says also in another Psalm, ‘Thou will not let thy Holy One undergo decay.’ For David… fell asleep and was laid among his fathers and did undergo decay; but he whom God raised to life did not undergo it.”

Paul: “Be it known therefore to you, brethren, that through him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and in Him everyone who believes is acquitted of all the things of which you could not be acquitted by the Law of Moses.”

The people asked to have all of this said to them on the following Sabbath. Repetition was working even back them!

Many of the Jews and the worshipping converts went away with Paul and Barnabas, and they (Paul and Barnabas) talked with them and urged them to hold fast to the grace of God.

The Jews were filled with jealousy and contradicted what was said by Paul, and blasphemed. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out plainly: “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have set thee for a light to the Gentiles, to be a means of salvation to the very ends of the earth.’”

But the Jews… stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and drive them from their district… but they (Paul and Barnabas) shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them… and the disciples continued to be filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts Chapter 14:  At Iconium many believe; At Lystra a cripple is cured; Paul refuses divine honors; Paul is stoned; Derbe; the return to Antioch.

Now it came to pass at Iconium… and so spoke that a great multitude of Jews and Greeks believed. But the disbelieving Jews stirred up and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against the brethren. They (Paul and Barnabas) stayed a long time, therefore, acting fearlessly in the Lord, who gave testimony to the word of his grace by permitting signs and wonders to be done by their hands… But when there was a movement on the part of the Gentiles and of the Jews with their rulers to insult and stone them, hearing of it, they escaped to the Lycaonian cities Lystra and Derbe… and there they went on preaching the gospel.

And in Lystra… a certain man… lame from his very birth… He listened to Paul as he spoke; when Paul, gazing at him and seeing that he had faith to be cured, said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on thy feet.” And he sprang up and began to walk.

Then the crowds, seeing what Paul had done, saying “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men.” And they called Barnabas Jupiter, and Paul Mercury… and with the people would have offered sacrifice… But upon hearing this, the apostles Barnabas and Paul rushed into the crowd, tearing their clothes, and shouting, “Men, why are you doing this? We also are mortals, human beings like you, bringing to you the good news that you should turn from these vain things to the living God… And even with these words they could hardly restrain the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

But some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium; and after winning over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking that he was dead. But the disciples gathered round him and he got up and re-entered the city.

After preaching the gospel… reassuring the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and reminding them that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed presbyters for them in each church, with prayer and fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

…And from there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had first been entrusted to the grace of God for the work which they had now finished. On their arrival they called the church together and reported all that God had done with them, and how he had opened up to the Gentiles a door of faith.

 

Elias prophesied that “there shall not be dew nor rain these years.”

And the word of the Lord came to him and told him to “go towards the east, and hide thyself by the torrent of Carith, which is over against the Jordan, and there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the torrent.

But after some time the torrent was dried up…

God to Elias: Arise, and go to Sarephta of the Sidonians, and dwell there: for I have commanded a widow woman there to feed thee.

The widow and her son were starving to death and had but one final meal to eat.

Elias to the widow: Fear not… For thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: The pot of meal shall not waste, nor the cruse of oil be diminished, until the day wherein the Lord will give rain upon the face of the earth… the pot of meal wasted not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord.

The son of the widow… fell sick… and the sickness was very grievous, so that there was no breath left in him.

Elias: O Lord my God, let the soul of this child, I beseech thee, return into his body. And the Lord heard the voice of Elias: and the soul of the child returned into him, and he revived.

Widow to Elias: Now, by this I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.

What true faith that Elias and the widow had. Not only does God feed and take care of the birds but in this biblical account had the birds feeding Elias. And then a widow who had no more food to eat believed in God and Elias and shared when most of us, including me, would have become territorial and tried to save our own families first. But her faith brought her son back to life. Another true miracle of the Old Testament.

Continuing the story……in the third year… there was a grievous famine in Samaria.

Elias to the people: I only remain a prophet of the Lord… and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be God… Come ye unto me… Elias the Prophet…

Elias: Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, and I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have done all these things. Hear me, O Lord, hear me that this people may learn, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again.

Then the fire of the Lord fell… And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God.

Elias to the people” Take the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape.

And when they had taken them, Elias brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.

And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat, and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain… behold the heavens grew dark, with clouds, and wind, and there fell a great rain.

…and behold the word of the Lord came unto him (Elias)… Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong wind… the Lord is not in the wind… an earthquake… the Lord is not in the earthquake… a fire… the Lord is not in the fire… a whistling of a gentle air… and the Lord said to him: Go and return on thy way through the desert to Damascus: and when though art come thither, thou shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria…. And thou shall anoint Jehu… to be king over Israel… and Eliseus… thou shalt anoint to be prophet of thy room… And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal.

So we listen for the Lord in the whistling of a gentle air (wind)… we denounce idols… we live out our seasons of a day, a lifetime and become our Splendid Spiritual Self for all of eternity.

Like and with the true faith of Elias and the Widow we are destined to be a miracle of The Old, The New and the Third Testaments.

Amen. Al-le-lu-ia!

Day 121: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Faith of Elias & Widow destine a Miracle of the Old Testament!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Third Book of Kings Chapters 17-20

Bible Notes:

This Book opens with the death of King David. Solomon, his son, succeeded him. King Solomon ruled wisely, beautified Jerusalem, and built the Temple. But later he encouraged idolatry. After his death his kingdom split into two hostile sections, Israel in the North and Juda in the South.

3 Kings Chapter 17: Elias predicts drought; Elias is fed by ravens; Elias visits a widow of Sarephta; Elias feeds the widow’s household; Elias restores life to the widow’s son.

Elias to Achab: …there shall not be dew nor rain these years…

And the word of the Lord came to him (Elias)…

God to Elias: …and go towards the east, and hide thyself by the torrent of Carith, which is over against the Jordan, and there thou shalt drink of the torrent: and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the torrent.

But after some time the torrent was dried up…

God to Elias: Arise, and go to Sarephta of the Sidonians, and dwell there: for I have commanded a widow woman there to feed thee.

Widow to Elias: …behold I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and dress it, for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

Elias to the widow: Fear not… For thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: The pot of meal shall not waste, nor the cruse of oil be diminished, until the day wherein the Lord will give rain upon the face of the earth… the pot of meal wasted not, and the cruse of oil was not diminished, according to the word of the Lord.

The son of the widow… fell sick… and the sickness was very grievous, so that there was no breath left in him.

Elias: O Lord my God, let the soul of this child, I beseech thee, return into his body. And the Lord heard the voice of Elias: and the soul of the child returned into him, and he revived.

Widow to Elias: Now, by this I know that thou art a man of God, and the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true.

3 Kings Chapter 18: Elias goes to Achab; Achab and Abdias seek feed for the cattle; Elias meets Abdias; Elias meets Achab; The prophets of Baal fail; Elias prepares a sacrifice; Elias brings down fire from heaven; The prophets of Baal are executed; The prayers of Elias bring rain.

…in the third year… there was a grievous famine in Samaria

God to Elias: Go and show thyself to Achab (king over Israel), that I may give rain upon the face of the earth.

Achab called Abdias the governor of his house… to see if we can find grass, and save the horses and mules… Achab went one way, and Abdias another way by himself.

Abdias feared the Lord very much. For when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, he took one hundred prophets and hid them by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water.

Abdias to Elias: Art thou my lord Elias?

Elias to Abdias: I am. Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here… this day I will show myself unto him.

Elias to Achab: thou… have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalim… nevertheless… gather unto me all Israel, unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred and fifty..

Elias to the people: I only remain a prophet of the Lord… and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be God… Come ye unto me… Elias the Prophet…

Elias: Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, and I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have done all these things. Hear me, O Lord, hear me that this people may learn, that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again.

Then the fire of the Lord fell… And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God.

Elias to the people” Take the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape.

And when they had taken them, Elias brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.

And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat, and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain… behold the heavens grew dark, with clouds, and wind, and there fell a great rain.

3 Kings Chapter 19: Elias flees from Jezabel; An angel feeds Elias; Elias to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Eliseus; Eliseus follows Elias.

Where did the name Dr. Seus come from? Only other place I have seen these four letters so arranged. Dr. Eli Seus?

And Achab told Jezabel all that Elias had done, and how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. And Jezabel sent a messenger to Elias, saying: Such and such things may the gods do to me, and add still more, if by this hour to morrow I make not thy life as the life of one of them.

Then Elias was afraid, and rising up he went withersoever he had a mind…

Elias… went forward… one day’s journey into the desert… he requested for his soul that he might die… slept in the shadow of a juniper tree… an angel of the Lord touched him… Arise and eat… and he ate and drank and fell asleep again… the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him… Arise, eat: for thou hast yet a great way to go. And he arose, and at, and drank, and walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God, Horeb.

…and behold the word of the Lord came unto him (Elias)… Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord: and behold the Lord passeth, and a great and strong wind… the Lord is not in the wind… an earthquake… the Lord is not in the earthquake… a fire… the Lord is not in the fire… a whistling of a gentle air… and the Lord said to him: Go and return on thy way through the desert to Damascus: and when though art come thither, thou shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria…. And thou shall anoint Jehu… to be king over Israel… and Eliseus… thou shalt anoint to be prophet of thy room… And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal.

3 Kings Chapter 20: The Syrians besiege Samaria; Achab refuses to meet Benadad’s terms; Achab defeats the Syrians; The Syrians again invade Israel; Achab again defeats the Syrians; Achab gives Benadad his freedom; A prophet reprehends Achab.

Benadad, king of Spain said to Achab, king of Israel: Thy silver, and thy gold is mine: and thy wives, and thy goodliest children are mine…

Achab: To morrow…

Ancients of Israel:  Hearken not to him, nor consent to him.

Achab to Benadad: Let not the girded boast himself as the ungirded…

Benadad… and the kings were drinking in pavilions…

And behold a prophet coming to Achab… said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Hast thou seen all this exceeding great multitude? Behold I will deliver them into thy hand this day: that thou mayest know that I am the Lord…

…he found the number of… seven thousand and they went out at noon…

But Benadad was drinking himself drunk in his pavilion…

Servants to Benadad… There are men coming out of Samaria…

Benadad to servants: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight take them alive…

So everyone (Israelites) slew the man that against him… the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued after them. And Benadad king of Syria fled away on horseback with his horsemen…

…the king of Israel going out… and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

Servants to Benadad: Their gods are the gods of the hills, therefore they have overcome us: but it is better that we should fight against them in the plains, and we shall overcome them…

Lord to Achab: Because the Syrians have said: The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys: I will deliver all this great multitude into thy hand and you shall know that I am the Lord.

…And the Children of Israel slew of the Syrians a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

And Benadad fleeing went into the city, into a chamber that was within a chamber…

Behold, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful: so let us put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our hands, and go to the king of Israel: perhaps he will save our lives…

So he (Achab) made a league with him (Benadad), and let him go…

Prophet to Achab: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man worthy of death, thy life shall be for his life, and thy people for his people…

Decisions made by a committee and a written letter to followers in Antioch; appears to definitely be a church organization in place by this time in history.

And within organizations, there are rules and when people do not follow the rules there are more rules to address the situation.

But with God, Jesus’ love and The Holy Spirit the questions and the answers come from within.

It seems circumcision is more of a health, than a religious decision today. Here circumcision becomes an issue in the early Church.

But some came down from Judea and began to teach the brethren, saying, “Unless you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Some of the Pharisees sect, who had accepted the faith, got up and said, “They must be circumcised and also told to observe the Law of Moses.”

Peter: “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among us, that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. Why then do you now try to test God by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke (the Law of Moses?) which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”

James: “Brethren, listen to me. Simon has told how God first visited the Gentiles to take from among them a people to hear his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written, ‘After these things I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down, and the ruins thereof I will rebuild, and I will set it up; that the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, who does these things.’ ‘To the Lord was his own work known from the beginning of the world.’ Therefore my judgment is not to disquiet those who from among the Gentiles are turning to the Lord; but to send them written instructions to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by idols and from immorality and from anything strangled and from blood.

Then the apostles and the Presbyterians… decided to select representatives (Judas, surnamed Barsabbas and Silas) to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas… They were bearers of the following letter:

…”For the Holy Spirit and we have decided to lay no further burden upon you but this indispensable one, that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangles and from immorality; keep yourselves from these things, and you will get on well. Farewell.”

‘God made choice among us’ meaning he choose one versus another to be a disciple or gave us free will? Probably too early in the Church to address free will although it was present from the moment Jesus selected Simon (Peter) and his brother Andrew as his first disciples.

The Acts of the Apostles Paul and Silas continues with the addition of Timothy…

And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, son of a believing Jewess, but of a Gentile father… This man Paul wished to go forth with him, and he took and circumcised him on account of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Gentile… So the churches grew stronger and stronger in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

They (Paul, Silas, and Timothy?) were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in the province of Asia… they tried to get into Bithynia, bit the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them… set out for Macedonia, being sure that God had called us to preach the gospel to them… and thence to Philippi, the principal (versus principle?) city of a part of Macedonia, a Roman colony.

Then there was an insistent woman and a girl that Paul saved from soothsaying prostitution which imprisons Paul and Silas.

And a certain woman named Lydia… who worshipped the Lord touched her heart to give heed to what was being said by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she appealed to us and said, “If you have judged me to be a believer in the Lord, come into my house and stay there.” And she insisted upon our coming.

…a girl met us who possessed a divining spirit and brought her masters much profit by soothsaying… she kept crying out, saying, “These men are servants of the most high God and they proclaim to you a way of salvation.”

Paul, being very much grieved, turned and said to the spirit, “I order thee in the name of Jesus Christ to go out of her.” And it went out that very moment.

Her masters seized Paul and Silas… bringing them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are making a great disturbance in our city; they are Jews, and are advocating practices which it is against the law for us to adopt or observe, since we are Romans.”

But even a time in prison was an opportunity to convert another to Christ:

…and after inflicting many lashes upon them they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely…But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying, singing the praises of God… and suddenly there was such a great earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And at once all the doors flew open, and everyone’s chains were unfastened. And the jailer, roused out of sleep and seeing that the doors of the prison were open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.”

The jailer… ran in, and trembling for fear fell down before Paul and Silas… he said, “Sirs what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy household.”

No acts, no ceremony, just belief in the Lord Jesus!

Magistrates: “let these men go.”

Jailer to Paul: “The magistrates have sent word that you are to be released; now therefore come forth and go in peace.”

Paul to the jailer: “They have beaten us publicly and without trial, although we are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now are they going to put us out secretly? By no means, but let them come themselves and take us out.”

The magistrates… came and appealed to them; and taking them out, besought them to leave the city… they departed.

In other words let all things done in darkness be brought to the light… silly questions of Christian Law, whether to circumcise or not are meaningless. Let The Holy Spirit give us the answer from the inside-out and set us free at the same time too!

Day 122: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; To Circumcise or Not? The Holy Spirit Gives Us the Answer & Frees too!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 15-16.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 15:  Dissension at Antioch; journey to Jerusalem; Peter’s decision; Advice from James; Two representatives sent to Antioch; The letter containing the decision; Promulgation of the letter; Paul sets out on his second journey.

But some came down from Judea and began to teach the brethren, saying, “Unless you be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

…relating the conversion of the Gentiles, and they caused great rejoicing among all the brethren.

But some of the Pharisees sect, who had accepted the faith, got up and said, “They must be circumcised and also told to observe the Law of Moses.”

Peter: “Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among us, that through my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith. Why then do you now try to test God by putting on the neck of the disciples a yoke (the Law of Moses?) which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they are.”

James: “Brethren, listen to me. Simon has told how God first visited the Gentiles to take from among them a people to hear his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written, ‘After these things I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen down, and the ruins thereof I will rebuild, and I will set it up; that the rest of mankind may seek after the Lord, who does these things.’ ‘To the Lord was his own work known from the beginning of the world.’ Therefore my judgment is not to disquiet those who from among the Gentiles are turning to the Lord; but to send them written instructions to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by idols and from immorality and from anything strangled and from blood.

Then the apostles and the Presbyterians… decided to select representatives (Judas, surnamed Barsabbas and Silas) to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas… They were bearers of the following letter:

…”For the Holy Spirit and we have decided to lay no further burden upon you but this indispensable one, that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangles and from immorality; keep yourselves from these things, and you will get on well. Farewell.”

Now some time after Paul said to Barnabas. “Let us return and visit the brethren in all the cities where we have preached the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”

And a sharp contention sprang up so that they (Paul and Barnabas) separated from each other, and Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas and set out, the brethren commending him to the grace of the Lord.

Acts Chapter 16:  Timothy; Departure for Macedonia; Preaching at Philippi; A possessed girl is cured; Paul and Silas beaten and jailed; The jailer is converted; Freedom.

And behold, a certain disciple was there named Timothy, son of a believing Jewess, but of a Gentile father… This man Paul wished to go forth with him, and he took and circumcised him on account of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Gentile… So the churches grew stronger and stronger in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

They (Paul, Silas, and Timothy?) were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in the province of Asia… they tried to get into Bithynia, bit the Spirit of Jesus did not permit them… set out for Macedonia, being sure that God had called us to preach the gospel to them… and thence to Philippi, the principal (versus principle?) city of a part of Macedonia, a Roman colony.

And a certain woman named Lydia… who worshipped the Lord touched her heart to give heed to what was being said by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she appealed to us and said, “If you have judged me to be a believer in the Lord, come into my house and stay there.” And she insisted upon out coming.

…a girl met us who possessed a divining spirit and brought her masters much profit by soothsaying… she kept crying out, saying, “These men are servants of the most high God and they proclaim to you a way of salvation.”

Paul, being very much grieved, turned and said to the spirit, “I order thee in the name of Jesus Christ to go out of her.” And it went out that very moment.

Her masters seized Paul and Silas… bringing them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are making a great disturbance in our city; they are Jews, and are advocating practices which it is against the law for us to adopt or observe, since we are Romans.”

…and after inflicting many lashes upon them they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely…But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying, singing the praises of God… and suddenly there was such a great earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And at once all the doors flew open, and everyone’s chains were unfastened. And the jailer, roused out of sleep and seeing that the doors of the prison were open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Do thyself no harm, for we are all here.”

The jailer… ran in, and trembling for fear fell down before Paul and Silas… he said, “Sirs what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy household.”

Magistrates: “let these men go.”

Jailer to Paul: “The magistrates have sent word that you are to be released; now therefore come forth and go in peace.”

Paul to the jailer: “They have beaten us publicly and without trial, although we are Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now are they going to put us out secretly? By no means, but let them come themselves and take us out.”

The magistrates… came and appealed to them; and taking them out, besought them to leave the city… they departed.

The message of this part of the Bible is that no king, or in today’s world, a president or dictator of a country, is above God and the wrath of God through prophets or other people.

Eminent domain of the Old Testament was such that if the king wanted your vineyard next door and you were not willing to sell it, then his wife would devise a plan resulting in you being stoned and left to die.

Naboth… had at that time a vineyard near the palace of Achab king of Samaria…

Achab to Naboth: Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs, because it is nigh (near in space, time, or relation), and adjoining to my house, and I will give thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

Naboth to Achab: The Lord be merciful to me, and not let me give thee the inheritance of my fathers.

Achab came to his house angry and fretting… And casting himself upon his bed, he turned away his face to the wall, and would eat no bread.

And Jezabel his wife… Thou art of great authority indeed, and governest well the kingdom of Israel. Arise, and eat bread, and be of good cheer, I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth…

So she wrote letters in Achab’s name and sealed them with his ring: and sent them to the ancients, and the chief men that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth. And this was the tenor of the letters: Proclaim a fast, and make Naboth sit among the chief of the people, and suborn (to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime) two men, sons of Belial against him, and let them bear false witness that he hath blasphemed God and the king: and let them carry him out, and stone him, and so let him die.

And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they made them sit against him: and they, like men of the devil, bore witness against him before the people… Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

But God was watching and worked through Elias to make His judgment. Athough Achab was remorseful and humbled himself there was a penalty to be paid and unfortunately this penalty fell upon his son and future generation.

The sins of our fathers…

And the word of the Lord came to Elias, the Thesbite, saying: Arise and go down to meet Achab king of Israel, who is in Samaria… saying: Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast slain, moreover also thou hast taken possession… In this place, wherein the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall lick thy blood also…

Achab to Elias: Hast thou found me thy enemy?

Elias to Achab: I have found thee, because thou are sold, to do evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and I will cut down thy posterity (all descendants of one person; succeeding or future generations collectively)… for what thou hast done, to provoke me to anger, and for making Israel to sin.

And of Jezabel also the Lord spoke, saying: The dogs shall eat Jezabel in the field of Jezabel. If Achab die in the city, the dogs shall eat him: but if he die in the field, the birds of the air shall eat him. 

Interesting that is Jezabel and Achab were to die in the field, the dogs would eat Jezabel but the birds would eat Achab, but if Achab died in the city the dogs would eat him.

Now there was not such another as Achab, who was sold to do evil in the sight of the Lord: for his wife Jezabel set him on, and he became abominable, insomuch that he followed the idols which the Amorrhites had made, whom the Lord destroyed before the face of the children of Israel. And when Achab had heard these words, he rent his garments, and put haircloth upon his flesh, and fasted and slept in sackcloth, and walked with his head cast down. And the word of the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying: Hast thou seen Achab humbled before me? Therefore, because he hath humbled himself for my sake, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

And the Third Book of Kings ends with a chapter about how Achab and Joaphat king of Juda listened to false prophets and invaded Ramoth Galaad. They were defeated and Achab was killed in battle.

This is a testimony to how God can utilize deceiving spirits and lying spirts to present false guidance to powerful people that results in their own demise:

And there passed three years without war between Syria and Israel.

Achab: Know ye not that Ramoth Galaad (a Levitical city and city of refuge east of the Jordan River) is ours, and we neglect to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria.

Josaphat king of Juda said to Achab king of Israel: As I am, so art thou: my people and thy people are one: and my horseman, thy horseman… Inquire, I beseech thee, this day, the word of the Lord.

 

There is only one man left, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: Micheas… but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good to me, but evil.

Then the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, sat each on his throne clothed with royal robes, in a court by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them… And all the prophets prophesized in like manner, saying: Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hands.

Micheas the only prophet? Who were all these other prophets? False prophets.

Micheas: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord shall say to me, that will I speak.

Micheas: I saw Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.

Micheas: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne… And the Lord said: who shall deceive Achab… that he may go up, and fall at Ramoth Galaad? And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will deceive him… I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.

Achab: Put this man (Miicheas) in prison, and fee him with bread of affliction, and water of distress, till I return in peace.

Micheas to Achab: If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me… Hear, all ye people.

The battle at Ramoth Galaad:

And a certain man bent his bow, shooting at a venture, and chanced to strike the king of Israel between the lungs and the stomach..

Achab: for I am grievously wounded…

And the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died in the evening: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot… according to the word of the Lord which he (Micheas) had spoken.

How do we find our true prophets like Micheas in our own lives?

…are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

So Achab slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his son reigned in his steed.

Josaphat… began to reign over Juda in the fourth year of Achab king of Israel… and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem… And he walked in all the way of Asa his father, and he declined not from it: and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.

…are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

And Josaphat slept with his fathers… and Joram his son reigned in his steed.

Ochozias… reigned over Israel two years, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord… made Israel to sin, he served also Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked the Lord the God of Israel, according to all that his father (Achab) had done.

What will be written in the book of words of the days of our lives?

In the end of The Third Book of Kings the word of the Lord reigned as Ochozias paid the debt of his father Achab as the word of the Lord always reigns…

The Word of the Lord Reigns Eternally; to Our Generation and Future Generations!

Day 123: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Word of the Lord Reigns Eternally; to Our Generation and Future Generations!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Third Book of Kings Chapters 21-22

Bible Notes:

This Book opens with the death of King David. Solomon, his son, succeeded him. King Solomon ruled wisely, beautified Jerusalem, and built the Temple. But later he encouraged idolatry. After his death his kingdom split into two hostile sections, Israel in the North and Juda in the South.

3 Kings Chapter 21: Naboth refuses to sell his vineyard; Jezabel’s plot against Naboth; Naboth is treacherously slain; Achab acquires Naboth’s vineyard; God’s judgment on Achab and Jezabel; Achab humbles himself before God.

Naboth… had at that time a vineyard near the palace of Achab king of Samaria…

Achab to Naboth: Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs, because it is nigh (near in space, time, or relation), and adjoining to my house, and I will give thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

Naboth to Achab: The Lord be merciful to me, and not let me give thee the inheritance of my fathers.

Achab came to his house angry and fretting… And casting himself upon his bed, he turned away his face to the wall, and would eat no bread.

And Jezabel his wife… Thou art of great authority indeed, and governest well the kingdom of Israel. Arise, and eat bread, and be of good cheer, I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth…

So she wrote letters in Achab’s name and sealed them with his ring: and sent them to the ancients, and the chief men that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth. And this was the tenor of the letters: Proclaim a fast, and make Naboth sit among the chief of the people, and suborn (to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime) two men, sons of Belial against him, and let them bear false witness that he hath blasphemed God and the king: and let them carry him out, and stone him, and so let him die.

And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they made them sit against him: and they, like men of the devil, bore witness against him before the people… Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

Interesting that Jezabel and Achab was not part of the fast or the ceremony?

Jezabel to Achab: Arise and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth… for Naboth is not alive, but dead…

And the word of the Lord came to Elias, the Thesbite, saying: Arise and go down to meet Achab king of Israel, who is in Samaria… saying: Thus saith the Lord: Thou hast slain, moreover also thou hast taken possession… In this place, wherein the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall lick thy blood also…

Achab to Elias: Hast thou found me thy enemy?

Elias to Achab: I have found thee, because thou are sold, to do evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and I will cut down thy posterity (all descendants of one person; succeeding or future generations collectively)… for what thou hast done, to provoke me to anger, and for making Israel to sin.

And of Jezabel also the Lord spoke, saying: The dogs shall eat Jezabel in the field of Jezabel. If Achab die in the city, the dogs shall eat him: but if he die in the field, the birds of the air shall eat him. 

Interesting that is Jezabel and Achab were to die in the field, the dogs would eat Jezabel but the birds would eat Achab, but if Achab died in the city the dogs would eat him.

Now there was not such another as Achab, who was sold to do evil in the sight of the Lord: for his wife Jezabel set him on, and he became abominable, insomuch that he followed the idols which the Amorrhites had made, whom the Lord destroyed before the face of the children of Israel. And when Achab had heard these words, he rent his garments, and put haircloth upon his flesh, and fasted and slept in sackcloth, and walked with his head cast down. And the word of the word of the Lord came to Elias the Thesbite, saying: Hast thou seen Achab humbled before me? Therefor, because he hath humbled himself for my sake, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

3 Kings Chapter 22: Alliance of Achab and Jesaphat; Achab and Jesaphat hear false prophets; Achab throws Micheas in prison; Achab is killed in battle; Ochozias succeeds Achab; Josaphat’s good reign over Juda; Joram succeeds Josphat; Ochozias’ wicked reign over Israel.

And there passed three years without war between Syria and Israel.

Achab: Know ye not that Ramoth Galaad (a Levitical city and city of refuge east of the Jordan River) is ours, and we neglect to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria.

Josaphat king of Juda said to Achab king of Israel: As I am, so art thou: my people and thy people are one: and my horseman, thy horseman… Inquire, I beseech thee, this day, the word of the Lord.

There is only one man left, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: Micheas… but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good to me, but evil.

Then the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, sat each on his throne clothed with royal robes, in a court by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them… And all the prophets prophesized in like manner, saying: Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hands.

Micheas the only prophet? Who were all these other prophets? False prophets.

Micheas: As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord shall say to me, that will I speak.

Micheas: I saw Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.

Micheas: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne… And the Lord said: who shall deceive Achab… that he may go up, and fall at Ramoth Galaad? And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will deceive him… I will go forth, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.

Achab: Put this man (Miicheas) in prison, and fee him with bread of affliction, and water of distress, till I return in peace.

Micheas to Achab: If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me… Hear, all ye people.

The battle at Ramoth Galaad:

And a certain man bent his bow, shooting at a venture, and chanced to strike the king of Israel between the lungs and the stomach..

Achab: for I am grievously wounded…

And the king of Israel stood in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died in the evening: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot… according to the word of the Lord which he (Micheas) had spoken.

…are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

So Achab slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his son reigned in his steed.

Josaphat… began to reign over Juda in the fourth year of Achab king of Israel… and he reigned five and twenty years in Jerusalem… And he walked in all the way of Asa his father, and he declined not from it: and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.

…are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

And Josaphat slept with his fathers… and Joram his son reigned in his steed.

Ochozias… reigned over Israel two years, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord… made Israel to sin, he served also Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked the Lord the God of Israel, according to all that his father (Achab) had done.

END of The Third Book of Kings

 

Paul, the prior persecutor of Christians now turned Christian and being persecuted continued his second journey proclaiming salvation through Jesus Christ…

And Paul, as was his custom, went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures; explaining and showing that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that this is the Christ, even Jesus, whom I preach to you. And some of them believed and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the worshipping Greeks and of the Gentiles, and not a few woman of rank.

Jews, moved with jealousy, to the magistrates: “These men who are setting the world in an uproar have come here too… and they are acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

They (the Jews of Thessalonica) came there (to Beroea) also to stir up and excite the multitude… sent forth Paul to go as far as the sea, while Silas and Timothy remained there.

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, he was exasperated to see how the city was wholly given to idolatry.

“May we know just what is this new doctrine which thou teachest? (Now all the Athenians and the visitors there from abroad used to spend all their leisure telling or listening to something new.)”

 

Paul: I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the Unknown God.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, that I proclaim to you. God… is Lord… does not dwell in temples built by hands; neither is he served by human hands as though he were in need of anything, since it is he who gives to all men life and breath and all things… and made them live all over the face of the earth… though he is not far from any one of us.

For in him we live and move and have our being, as indeed some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ It therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divinity is like to gold or silver or stone, to an image graven by human art and thought.”

Isn’t that the way it is with us too? We are lost just a little bit, just a little bit off purpose and when we realize it and adjust our perspective, giving gratitude, the powerful base of resurrection of our spirit is right there ready to help us help ourselves!

Paul went on to finish up his second journey staying in Corinth for one and a half years!

After he departed from Athens he came to Corinth… and there he found a certain Jew named Aquila with his wife Priscilla… because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul visited with them and, as he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and he set to work; for they were tent-makers by trade.

But when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul was wholly occupied with the word, emphatically assuring the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But as they contradicted him and blasphemed, he shook his garments in protest and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am innocent of it. Henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.”

…and many of the Corinthians heard Paul, and believed, and were baptized.

And one night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not fear, but speak and do not keep silence; because I am with thee, and no one shall attack thee or injure thee, for I have many people in this city.” So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

 

In what seemed at first like a mini-version of the crucifixion of Christ turns into freedom for Paul and the beating of the Chief Jew?

Jews to Gallio, proconsul of Achaia: “This fellow is persuading men to worship God contrary to the Law.”

Gallio to the Jews: “Look to it yourselves; I have no wish to decide such matters.”

And he drove them from the tribunal. Then they (the Jews seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio paid no attention to it.

Paul… sailed for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila; at Cenchrae he had his head shaved, because of a vow he had made. He arrived at Ephesus… but bade them farewell, saying, “I will come back to you, God willing.” …landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem to pay his respects to the church and then went down to Antioch.

A short sabbatical back in the homeland and Paul heads out on his third and final journey.

After spending some time there he departed… (beginning his third journey)… strengthening all the disciples.

…a certain Jew named Apollos… He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, used to speak and teach carefully whatever had to do with Jesus, though he knew of John’s baptism only… Priscilla and Aquila took him home and expounded the Way of God to him more precisely… he was of great service to those who had believed, for he vigorously refuted the Jews in public and showed from the Scriptures that Jesus is Christ.

Isn’t that strange that someone who knew of Jesus only knew of him through his baptism of John the Baptist?

Even more strange is this very night that I read, wrote and posted this article I watched the movie ‘Paul, the Apostle of Christ’ which includes Priscilla and Aquila and Paul’s death in Rome which was the end of his third journey. In the movie Luke visits him in prison and writes this very biblical account of the Acts of the Apostles.’

All is good for now, Christianity is growing. Paul’s journey continues; the movie, more discipleship reality, and the end is yet to come!

Day 124: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Paul’s Journey Continues; A Movie and Reality with the End Yet to Come!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 17-18.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 17:  Preaching in the synagogue at Thessalonica; Successful preaching in Beroea; Paul and the philosophers in Athens; Paul’s discourse in the Areopagus; Result of his discourse.

…they came to Thessalonica.

And Paul, as was his custom, went in to them and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures; explaining and showing that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that this is the Christ, even Jesus, whom I preach to you. And some of them believed and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the worshipping Greeks and of the Gentiles, and not a few woman of rank.

Jews, moved with jealousy, to the magistrates: “These men who are setting the world in an uproar have come here too… and they are acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

…to Beroea… Now these were of a nobler character than those of Thessalonica and they received the word with great eagerness, studying the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so…

They (the Jews of Thessalonica) came there also to stir up and excite the multitude… sent forth Paul to go as far as the sea, while Silas and Timothy remained there.

Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, he was exasperated to see how the city was wholly given to idolatry.

“May we know just what is this new doctrine which thou teachest? (Now all the Athenians and the visitors there from abroad used to spend all their leisure telling or listening to something new.)”

Paul: I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the Unknown God.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, that I proclaim to you. God… is Lord… does not dwell in temples built by hands; neither is he served by human hands as though he were in need of anything, since it is he who gives to all men life and breath and all things… and made them live all over the face of the earth… though he is not far from any one of us.

For in him we live and move and have our being, as indeed some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his offspring.’ It therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to imagine that the Divinity is like to gold or silver or stone, to an image graven by human art and thought.”

Acts Chapter 18:  Paul’s labors in Corinth; Paul before Gallio; Return to Antioch; Paul begins his third journey; Apollos at Ephesus.

After he departed from Athens he came to Corinth… and there he found a certain Jew named Aquila with his wife Priscilla… because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul visited with them and, as he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and he set to work; for they were tent-makers by trade.

But when Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul was wholly occupied with the word, emphatically assuring the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. But as they contradicted him and blasphemed, he shook his garments in protest and said to them, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am innocent of it. Henceforth I will go to the Gentiles.”

…and many of the Corinthians heard Paul, and believed, and were baptized.

And one night the Lord said to Paul in a vision, “Do not fear, but speak and do not keep silence; because I am with thee, and no one shall attack thee or injure thee, for I have many people in this city.” So he settled there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.

Jews to Gallio, proconsul of Achaia: “This fellow is persuading men to worship God contrary to the Law.”

Gallio to the Jews: “Look to it yourselves; I have no wish to decide such matters.”

And he drove them from the tribunal. Then they (the Jews seized Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the tribunal; but Gallio paid no attention to it.

Paul… sailed for Syria with Priscilla and Aquila; at Cenchrae he had his head shaved, because of a vow he had made. He arrived at Ephesus… but bade them farewell, saying, “I will come back to you, God willing.” …landing at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem to pay his respects to the church and then went down to Antioch.

After spending some time there he departed… (beginning his third journey)… strengthening all the disciples.

…a certain Jew named Apollos… He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and being fervent in spirit, used to speak and teach carefully whatever had to do with Jesus, though he knew of John’s baptism only… Priscilla and Aquila took him home and expounded the Way of God to him more precisely… he was of great service to those who had believed, for he vigorously refuted the Jews in public and showed from the Scriptures that Jesus is Christ.

I sure would like to know more about the vow Paul made that resulted in him shaving his head which by the way was shaven in the movie too.

This part of the Bible was straightforward reading, easy to understand, and likely not so easy to live out. We are all human just like the people written about in this part of the Bible.

Man is about to die and consults the wrong god.

The Right God is angered and very jealous. There is only one God of Israel—God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and The Holy Spirit. Amen. Al-le-lu-ia!

Ochozias: Go, consult Beelzebub, the god of Accaron, whether I shall recover of this my illness.

Lord to Elias: Arise, and go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria (Ochozias), and say to them: Is there not a God in Israel, that ye go to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron?

And the angel of the Lord spoke to Elias, saying: Go down with him, fear not, He arose therefore, and went down with him to the king (Ochozias), and he said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Because thou has sent messengers to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron, as though there was not a God in Israel, of whom thou mightiest inquire the word; therefore from the bed on which thou are gone up, thou shalt not come down, but thou shalt surely die.

So he (Ochozias) dies according to the word of the Lord which Elias spoke, and Joram his brother reigned in his stead.

Here is a good tip for living and acquiring wisdom: Ask for the right thing, be persistent and don’t every bully another human being!

Eliseus to Elias: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

Sons of the prophets to Eliseus: Dost thou know that this day the Lord will take away thy master from thee? And he (Eliseus) answered: I also know it: hold your peace.

Eliseus to Elias in Jericho: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

Eliseus to Elias at the Jordan: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

Elias to Eliseus: Ask what thou wilt have me to do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Eliseus said: I beseech thee that in me may be thy double spirit. And as they walked together, a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder; and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Eliseus saw him, and cried: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the driver thereof…

And he (Eliseus) took up the mantle of Elias, that fell from him… And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias… and they were not divided.

Eliseus said: Where is now the God of Elias?

And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over.

Little boys came out of the city (of Bethel) and mocked him (Eliseus), saying: Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And looking back, he saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two bears out of the forest, and tore of them two and forty boys…

And when you make a deal (a league in biblical times) keep your deal or it may cost you more than the sheep, it may cost you the life of your son!

Now Mesa, king of Moab, nourished many sheep, and he paid to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams with their fleeces. And when Achab was dead, he broke the league which he had made with the king of Israel.

Eliseus:  But now bring me hither a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him (Eliseus), and he said: Thus saith the Lord: Make the channel of this torrent full of ditches… You shall not see wind, nor rain: and yet this channel shall be filled with water, and you shall drink, you and your families, and your beasts.

Eliseus: and this is a small thing in the sight of the Lord; moreover he will deliver also Moab into your hands.

…the Moabites saw the waters over against them red, like blood, and they said: It is the blood of the sword: the kings have fought among themselves, and they have killed one another: go now, Moab, to the spoils.

 

And they being conquerors (camp of Israel), went and smote Moab… and the city was beset by slingers, and a great part thereof destroyed.

Then he (the king of Moab) took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall: and there was great indignation in Israel, and presently they departed from him, and returned to their own country.

Know that the Lord takes care of people in many ways, including the miracles of multiplication of the widow’s oil; a barren birth and revival of a dead child; bitter pottage made sweet; multiplication of 20 loaves of bread to feed a hundred men with leftovers; and leprosy taken from a humble man and given to a deceiving servant:  

Now a certain woman of the wives of the prophets cried to Eliseus, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead… and behold the creditor is come to take away my two sons to serve him… I thy handmaid have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me.

Eliseus to the woman: Go, borrow of all thy neighbors empty vessels not a few… And go in, and shut thy door, when thou art within, and thy sons: and pour out thereof into all those vessels… Go sell the oil, and pay thy creditor: and thou and thy sons live of the rest.

A great woman of Sunam: I perceive that this is a holy man of God (Eliseus), who often passeth by us. Let us therefore make him a little chamber, and put a little bed in it for him, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick, that when he cometh to us, he may abide there…

Eliseus to his servant Giezi say to her: Behold thou hast diligently served us in all things, what wilt thou have me to do for thee?

She answered: I dwell in the midst of my people.

Giezi to Eliseus: Do not ask, for she hath no son, and her husband is old.

Eliseus to servant Geizito woman: At this time, and this same hour, if life accompany, thou shalt have a son in thy womb… And the woman conceived, and brought forth a son in the time, and at the same hour, that Eliseus had said.

Child to father: My head acheth, my head acheth…

Father to servant: Take him, and carry him to his mother.

She set him on her knees until noon, and then he died.

Woman to husband: Send with me, I beseech thee, one of thy servants, and an ass that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

Father to woman:  Why dost thou go to him? To day is neither new moon nor Sabbath.

Man of God (Eliseus): Let her alone for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

Eliseus to servant Giezi: lay my staff upon the face of the child…

Mother to Eliseus: As the Lord liveth, and as the soul liveth, I will not leave thee…

Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child… The child is not risen…

And going in he (Eliseus) shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child: and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands” and he bowed himself upon him, and the child’s flesh grew warm… and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes… She (the mother) came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out.

Eliseus to one of his servants: Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one (servant) went out into the field to gather… wild herbs…. wild vine… wild gourds… for he knew not what it was…

…when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out, saying: Death is in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat thereof.

Eliseus said: Bring some meal… he cast it in the pot… and there was now no bitterness in the pot…

And a certain man came from Baalsalisa…  bringing twenty loaves…

Eliseus said: Give to the people that they may eat… his servant answered him: before one hundred men? They shall eat, and there shall be left. So he set it before them: and they ate, and there was left according to the word of the Lord…

Naaman, general of the army of the king of Syria…he was a valiant man and rich, but a leper.

Eliseus sent a messenger to Naaman: Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall recover health, and thou shalt be clean.

Naaman was angry and went away, saying: I thought he would have come out to me, and standing would have invoked the name of the Lord his God, and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy, and healed me… So he returned, and was going away with indignation…

Naaman’s servants to Naaman: Father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, surely thou shouldst have done it; how much rather what he now hath said to thee…

Then Naaman went down, and washed in the Jordan seven times: according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child, and he was made clean.

Naaman to Eliseus: In truth, I know there is no other God in all the earth, but only in Israel. I beseech thee therefore take a blessing (gift) of thy servant.

Eliseus to Naaman: As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.

So he (Naaman) departed from him in the springtime of the earth.

Giezi: I will run after him (Naaman), and take something of him…

Giezi to Naaman: Well: my master hath sent me to thee saying… two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them a talent of silver, and two changes of garments…

Eliseus to Giezi: Whence comest thou, Giezi? …Was not my heart present, when the man (Naaman) turned back from his chariot to meet thee? But the leprosy of Naaman shall also stick to thee, and to thy seed forever.

And he (Giezi) went out from him a leper as white as snow.

Miracles abound for us; yet humans all are we in need of one miracle!

Day 125: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Miracles Abound for Us; Yet Humans All are We!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Fourth Book of Kings Chapters 1-5.

Bible Notes:

This Book continues the history of the two hostile kingdoms, Israel and Juda, up to their captivity. The Assyrians in 722 B.C. led Israel away; the Babylonians in 586 B.C. led Juda into captivity.

4 Kings Chapter 1: Moab rebels; Ochozias tries to consult Beelzebub; Elias predicts the death of Ochozias; Elias twice brings fire from heaven; Elias visits Ochozias; Joram succeeds Ochozias.

And Moab rebelled against Israel, after the death of Achab.

Ochozias: Go, consult Beelzebub, the god of Accaron, whether I shall recover of this my illness.

Lord to Elias: Arise, and go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria (Ochozias), and say to them: Is there not a God in Israel, that ye go to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron?

Messengers to Ochozias: Thus saith the Lord: Is it because there was no God in Israel that thou sendest to Beelzebub the god of Accaron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed, on which thou are gone up, but thou shalt surely die.

Ochozias: It is Elias the Thesbite.

And he (Ochozias) sent to him a captain fifty, and the fifty men that were under him: Man of God (Elias), the king hath commanded that thou come down.

Elias to the captain: If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee, and thy fifty.

And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him, and the fifty that were with him.

And again he (Ochozias) sent to him (Elias) another captain of fifty men, and his fifty with him.

Elias answered: If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee, and thy fifty.

And fire came down fire from heaven, and consumed him, and his fifty.

Ochozias sent a third captain of fifty men, and the fifty that were with him.

And when he (Elias) was come, he fell upon his knees, before Elias, and besought him, and said: Man of God despise not my life… but now I beseech thee to spare my life.

And the angel of the Lord spoke to Elias, saying: Go down with him, fear not, He arose therefore, and went down with him to the king, and he said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Because thou has sent messengers to consult Beelzebub the god of Accaron, as though there was not a God in Israel, of whom thou mightiest inquire the word; therefore from the bed on which thou are gone up, thou shalt not come down, but thou shalt surely die.

So he (Ochozias) dies according to the word of the Lord which Elias spoke, and Joram his brother reigned in his stead.

4 Kings Chapter 2: Eliseus refuses to depart from Elias; Elias divides the Jordan; Elias taken up to heaven; Eliseus divides the Jordan; Sons of the prophets worship Eliseus; Eliseus heals the water; Bears destroy the boys who mock Eliseus.

And it came to pass, when the Lord would take Elias into heaven by a whirlwind…

Eliseus to Elias: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

Sons of the prophets to Eliseus: Dost thou know that this day the Lord will take away thy master from thee? And he (Eliseus) answered: I also know it: hold your peace.

Eliseus to Elias in Jericho: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

Sons of the prophets to Eliseus in Jericho: Dost thou know that this day the Lord will take away thy master from thee? And he (Eliseus) answered: I also know it: hold your peace.

Eliseus to Elias at the Jordan: As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.

And Elias took his mantle, and folded it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, and they both passed over dry ground.

Elias to Eliseus: Ask what thou wilt have me to do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Eliseus said: I beseech thee that in me may be thy double spirit. And he (Elias) answered: Thou hast asked for a hard thing: nevertheless if thou see me when I am taken from thee, thou shalt have what thou asked: but if thou see me not, thou shalt not have it.

And as they walked together, a fiery chariot, and fiery horses parted them both asunder; and Elias went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

And Eliseus saw him, and cried: My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the driver thereof…

And he (Eliseus) took up the mantle of Elias, that fell from him… And he struck the waters with the mantle of Elias… and they were not divided.

Eliseus said: Where is now the God of Elias?

And he struck the waters, and they were divided, hither and thither, and Eliseus passed over.

Sons of the prophets: The spirit of Elias hath rested upon Eliseus…seek thy master (Elias), lest perhaps the spirit of the Lord hath taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley… And they sent fifty men: and they sought three days but found him not…

Men of Jericho to Eliseus: but the waters are very bad, and the ground barren…

Eliseus: This saith the Lord: I have healed these waters, and there shall be no more in them death or barrenness.

Little boys came out of the city (of Bethel) and mocked him (Eliseus), saying: Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And looking back, he saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two bears out of the forest, and tore of them two and forty boys…

4 Kings Chapter 3: Joram’s reign in Israel; King Mesa’s rebellion; Three kings visit Eliseus; Eliseus procures water without rain; Eliseus foretells victory; The Israelites defeat the Moabites.

And Joram the son of Achab reigned over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Josaphat king of Juda. And he (Joram) reigned twelve years. And he did evil before the Lord, but not like his father and his mother: for he took away the statues of Baal, which his father had made. Nevertheless he struck to the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin, nor did he depart from them.

Now Mesa, king of Moab, nourished many sheep, and he paid to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams with their fleeces. And when Achab was dead, he broke the league which he had made with the king of Israel.

Joram king of Israel to Josaphat king of Juda: The king of Moab is revolted from me, come with me against him to battle

Josaphat to Joram: I will come up: he that is mine is thine: my people, thy people: and my horses, thy horses.

Joram, Josaphat and the king of Edom went, and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey (by the desert of Edom)…

Joram: Alas, alas, alas, the Lord hath gathered us three kings together, to deliver us into the hands of Moab!

Here is Eliseus… who poured water on the hands of Elias…

Eliseus:  But now bring me hither a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him (Eliseus), and he said: Thus saith the Lord: Make the channel of this torrent full of ditches… You shall not see wind, nor rain: and yet this channel shall be filled with water, and you shall drink, you and your families, and your beasts.

Eliseus: and this is a small thing in the sight of the Lord; moreover he will deliver also Moab into your hands.

…the Moabites saw the waters over against them red, like blood, and they said: It is the blood of the sword: the kings have fought among themselves, and they have killed one another: go now, Moab, to the spoils.

And they being conquerors (camp of Israel), went and smote Moab… and the city was beset by slingers, and a great part thereof destroyed.

Then he (the king of Moab) took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall: and there was great indignation in Israel, and presently they departed from him, and returned to their own country.

4 Kings Chapter 4: Eliseus multiplies the widow’s oil; Eliseus promises a son to the Sunamitess; The son of the Sunamitess dies; She goes to Eliseus; Eliseus sees the dead child; Eliseus raises the child to life; Bitter pottage made sweet; Eliseus multiplies the bread.

Now a certain woman of the wives of the prophets cried to Eliseus, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead… and behold the creditor is come to take away my two sons to serve him… I thy handmaid have nothing in my house but a little oil, to anoint me.

Eliseus to the woman: Go, borrow of all thy neighbors empty vessels not a few… And go in, and shut thy door, when thou art within, and thy sons: and pour out thereof into all those vessels… Go sell the oil, and pay thy creditor: and thou and thy sons live of the rest.

A great woman of Sunam: I perceive that this is a holy man of God (Eliseus), who often passeth by us. Let us therefore make him a little chamber, and put a little bed in it for him, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick, that when he cometh to us, he may abide there…

Eliseus to his servant Giezi say to her: Behold thou hast diligently served us in all things, what wilt thou have me to do for thee?

She answered: I dwell in the midst of my people.

Giezi to Eliseus: Do not ask, for she hath no son, and her husband is old.

Eliseus to servant Geizito woman: At this time, and this same hour, if life accompany, thou shalt have a son in thy womb… And the woman conceived, and brought forth a son in the time, and at the same hour, that Eliseus had said.

Child to father: My head acheth, my head acheth…

Father to servant: Take him, and carry him to his mother.

She set him on her knees until noon, and then he died.

Woman to husband: Send with me, I beseech thee, one of thy servants, and an ass that I may run to the man of God, and come again.

Father to woman:  Why dost thou go to him? To day is neither new moon nor Sabbath.

Man of God (Eliseus): Let her alone for her soul is in anguish, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

Eliseus to servant Giezi: lay my staff upon the face of the child…

Mother to Eliseus: As the Lord liveth, and as the soul liveth, I will not leave thee…

Giezi was gone before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child… The child is not risen…

And going in he (Eliseus) shut the door upon him, and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up, and lay upon the child: and he put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands” and he bowed himself upon him, and the child’s flesh grew warm… and the child gaped seven times, and opened his eyes… She (the mother) came and fell at his feet, and worshipped upon the ground: and took up her son, and went out.

Eliseus to one of his servants: Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one (servant) went out into the field to gather… wild herbs…. wild vine… wild gourds… for he knew not what it was…

…when they had tasted of the pottage, they cried out, saying: Death is in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat thereof.

Eliseus said: Bring some meal… he cast it in the pot… and there was now no bitterness in the pot…

And a certain man came from Baalsalisa…  bringing twenty loaves…

Eliseus said: Give to the people that they may eat… his servant answered him: before one hundred men? They shall eat, and there shall be left. So he set it before them: and they ate, and there was left according to the word of the Lord…

4 Kings Chapter 5: Naaman goes to Samaria to see Eliseus; Naaman is healed of leprosy; Eliseus refuses Naaman’s gifts; Giezi’s avarice; Giezi’s punishment.

Naaman, general of the army of the king of Syria…he was a valiant man and rich, but a leper.

Little maid, led captive out of the land of Israel to Naaman: I wish my master had been with the prophet, that is in Samaria: he would certainly have healed him of leprosy which he hath.

King of Syria to Naaman: Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he (Naaman) departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of golf, and ten changes of a raiment.

When the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his garments, and said: Am I God, to be able to kill and give life, that this man hath sent to me, to heal a man of his leprosy? Mark, and see how he seeketh occasions against me.

Eliseus to the king of Israel: Why hast thou rent thy garments? Let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.

Eliseus sent a messenger to Naaman: Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and thy flesh shall recover health, and thou shalt be clean.

Naaman was angry and went away, saying: I thought he would have come out to me, and standing would have invoked the name of the Lord his God, and touched with his hand the place of the leprosy, and healed me… So he turned, and was going away with indignation…

Naaman’s servants to Naaman: Father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, surely thou shouldst have done it; how much rather what he now hath said to thee…

Then Naaman went down, and washed in the Jordan seven times: according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child, and he was made clean.

Naaman to Eliseus: In truth, I know there is no other God in all the earth, but only in Israel. I beseech thee therefore take a blessing (gift) of thy servant.

Eliseus to Naaman: As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.

So he (Naaman) departed from him in the springtime of the earth.

Giezi: I will run after him (Naaman), and take something of him…

Giezi to Naaman: Well: my master hath sent me to thee saying… two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them a talent of silver, and two changes of garments…

Eliseus to Giezi: Whence comest thou, Giezi? …Was not my heart present, when the man (Naaman) turned back from his chariot to meet thee? But the leprosy of Naaman shall also stick to thee, and to thy seed forever.

And he (Giezi) went out from him a leper as white as snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Now… Paul… came to Euphesus… and found certain disciples…

Paul: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”

Disciples: “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Paul: “How then were you baptized?”

Disciples: “With John’s baptism.”

Paul: “John baptized the people with a baptism of repentance, telling them to believe in him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; and when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve men in all.

Now this went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord. And God worked more than the usual miracles by the hand of Paul; so that even hankerchiefs and aprons were carried from his body to the sick. And the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

 

Paul’s address to the Ephesians:

“You know in what manner I have lived with you all the time since the first day that I came into the province of Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and in trials that befell me because of the plots of the Jews; how I have kept back nothing that was for your good, but have declared it to you and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jews and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now behold, I am going to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me, saying that imprisonment and persecution are awaiting me. But I fear none of these, nor do I count my life more precious than myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.”

Paul asks them to remember his teaching:

“And now, behold, I know that you all among whom I went about preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no longer. Therefore O call you to witness this day that I am innocent of the blood of all; for I have not shrunk from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops, to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will get in among you, and will not spare the flock. And from among your own selves men will rise speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Watch, therefore, and remember that for three years night and day I did not cease with tears to admonish every one of you.

Paul’s farewell:

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up and to give the inheritance among all the sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my needs and those of my companions. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling you ought to help the weak and remember the word of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Amen! Al-le-lu-ia!

Day 126: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective;  Paul’s Farewell Address to the Ephesians; More Blessed to Give than Receive!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 19-20.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 19:  Paul comes to Ephesus; Paul remains at Ephesus for two years; False exorcists; They burn their books publicly; Paul plans to continue his journey; Silversmiths at Ephesus fear Paul’s doctrine; A riotous assembly; The town clerk restores order.

Now it was while Apollos was in Corinth that Paul… Came to Euphesus… and found certain disciples…

Paul: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”

Disciples: “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Paul: “How then were you baptized?”

Disciples: “With John’s baptism.”

Paul: “John baptized the people with a baptism of repentance, telling them to believe in him who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

On hearing this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; and when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they began to speak in tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve men in all.

Now this went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Gentiles, heard the word of the Lord. And God worked more than the usual miracles by the hand of Paul; so that even hankerchiefs and aprons were carried from his body to the sick. And the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.

But certain of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, also attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits in them, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” …But the evil spirit answered and said to them, “Jesus I acknowledge, and Paul I know, but who are you?

…and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in high honor…

And many who practiced magical arts collected their books and burnt them publicly; and they reckoned up the prices of them, and found the sum to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. Thus mightily did the word of the Lord spread and prevail.

After all this, Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and to go to Jerusalem, saying “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

For a silversmith named Demetrius, by making silver shrines of Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsman… “Men, you know that our wealth comes from this trade”… this man Paul has persuaded and turned away numbers of people, saying, “Gods made by human hands are not gods at all.”

“Great is Diana of the Ephesians.”

“Men of Ephesus, what man indeed is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Diana and of Jupiter’s offspring?

Acts Chapter 20:  Journey through Macedonia and Greece; Paul restores life to a boy at Troas; Leaving Troas; Paul’s address to the Ephesians; Paul asks them to remember his teaching; His farewell; Paul’s departure.

And a young man named Eutychus, who was sitting at the window, was overcome by drowsiness and, as Paul addressed them at great length, he fell fast asleep and fell down from the third story to the ground and was picked up dead. Paul went down and laid himself upon him, and embracing him, said, “Do not be alarmed, life is still in him.”

Paul’s address to the Ephesians:

“You know in what manner I have lived with you all the time since the first day that I came into the province of Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and in trials that befell me because of the plots of the Jews; how I have kept back nothing that was for your good, but have declared it to you and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jews and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now behold, I am going to Jerusalem, compelled by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there; except that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me, saying that imprisonment and persecution are awaiting me. But I fear none of these, nor do I count my life more precious than myself, if only I may accomplish my course and the ministry that I have received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.”

Paul asks them to remember his teaching:

“and now, behold, I know that you all among whom I went about preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no longer. Therefore O call you to witness this day that I am innocent of the blood of all; for I have not shrunk from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Take heed to yourselves and to the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has placed you as bishops, to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will get in among you, and will not spare the flock. And from among your own selves men will rise speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Watch, therefore, and remember that for three years night and day I did not cease with tears to admonish every one of you.

Paul’s farewell:

“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up and to give the inheritance among all the sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for my needs and those of my companions. In all things I have shown you that by so toiling you ought to help the weak and remember the word of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

And there was much grieving among them all… being grieved most of all at his saying that they would no longer see his face.

There’s a soft, spiritual, and inspiring side to this part of the Old Testament and a hard, brutal, and violent side to the demise of the house of Achab (Israel’s former king along with his son Joram) and Ochozias the king of Juda.

First the soft, spiritual, and inspiring side that has the potential to open us up to all that is good in the Universe and the Kingdom of God:

Not talking about mere eyesight here, more about perspective, what can one see with their heart? Or how is our heartfelt eyesight clouded from one’s fears or resentments or the untruths of their life story?

Eliseus: Lord, Open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of Horses and chariots of fire round about Eliseus.

Eliseus: Lord, Strike, I beseech thee, this people with blindness. And the Lord struck them with blindness, according to the word of Eliseus.

Eliseus: Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord Opened their eyes, and they saw themselves to be in the midst of Samaria.

For the Lord had made them hear, in the camp of Syria, the noise of chariots, and of horses, and of a very great army…

The Lord made the Syrian army hear things that were not there!

What of our other three of our five senses—touch, smell, and taste? Surely God has the power to have us touch or feel something differently than it is; to smell something appealing that is rancid or vice versa; and to taste bitterness when it should be sweet?

He can make emotions, whether worldly good or bad, just be emotions and a part of the human experience. He can make us indifferent between pain and pleasure, once again coming from our Splendid Spiritual Selves there is no difference.

Our five senses are God given and we trust them or should we trust them?

Perhaps it is our Silly Ego or our denial or our rationalization or our justification that we are tricked by?

If we can free ourselves, surrender, and align our free will and its choices with the Will of God which comes complete with a mighty source of power then indeed the Universe is all ours to enjoy in the glimpse of a lifetime with the promise of God’s Kingdom eternally a big bonus!

Now the hard, brutal, and violent side to the demise of Achab and Ochozias and their legacies whether human or material:

In the fifth year of Joram son of Achab king of Israel, and of Josaphat king of Juda, reigned Joram son of Josaphat king of Juda. He was two and thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Achab had walked… and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

And Joram slept with his fathers… and Ochozias his son reigned in his steed.

In the twelfth year of Joram son of Achab king of Israel, reigned Ochozias son of Joram king of Juda. Ochozias was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem… and he did evil before the Lord, as did the house of Achab…

He went also with Joram son of Achab, to fight against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth Galaad, and the Syrians wounded Joram, and he went back to be healed in Jezrahel…

Eliseus the prophet called one of the sons of the prophet… take this little bottle of oil in thy hand… go to Ramoth Galaad… thou shalt see Jehu… thou shalt put it (the oil) on his head, and shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: I have anointed thee king over Israel, (the people of the Lord. And thou shalt cut off the house of Achab thy master)…

Jehu is king… conspired against Joram. Now Joram had besieged Ramon Galaad, he and all Israel, fighting with Hazael king of Syria, and returned to be healed in Jezrahel of his wounds… and Ochozias king of Juda was come down to visit Joram.

Then there was a showdown:

Joram king of Israel, and Ochozias king of Juda went out, each in their own chariot… to meet Jehu…

Joram to Jehu: Is there peace Jehu?

Jehu: What peace? So long as the fornications of Jezabel thy mother, and her many sorceries are in their vigor.

Joram turned his hand, and fleeing, said to Ochozias: There is treachery Ochozias.

Jehu bent his bow with his hand and shot Joram between the shoulders; and the arrow went out through his heart, and immediately he fell in his chariot.

Jehu to Badacer his captain: So now take him, and cast him into the field (of Naboth), according to the word of the Lord.

Ochozias king of Juda seeing this, fled… and Jehu pursued him, and said: Strike him also in his chariot. And they struck him… and he fled into Mageddo, and died there… and they carried him to Jerusalem: and they buried him in the sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.

Jehu came into Jezrahel… Jezabel hearing of his coming in, painted her eyes with stibic stone, and adorned her head, and looked out of a window…

Jehu said…Throw her down headlong: and they threw her down, and the wall was sprinkled with her blood, and the hoofs of the horses trod upon her… It is the word of the Lord… In the field of Jezrahel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezabel, and the flesh of Jezabel shall be as dung upon the face of the earth… so that they who pass by shall say: Is this that same Jezabel?

 

And now the ridding of Achab and Ochozias and the possibility of any descendants:

And Achab had seventy sons in Samaria so Jehu wrote letters… But they (Achab’s seventy sons) were exceedingly afraid, and said: Behold two kings could not stand before him, and how shall we be able to resist?

And he (Jehu) wrote letters the second time to them saying: If you be mine, and will obey me, take the heads of the sons of your master, and come to me to Jezrahel by to morrow this time… And when the letters came to them (the chief men of the city), they took the king’s (Achab’s) sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him (Jehu) in Jezrahel.

Jehu to People: You are just: if I conspired against my master (Joram king of Israel, son of Achab), and slew him, who hath slain all these?

Jehu: See therefore now that there hath not fallen to the ground any of the words of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Achab, and the Lord hath done that which he spoke in the hand of his servant Elias.

So Jehu slew all that were left of the house of Achab in Jezrahel, and all his chief men, and his friends, and his priests, till there were no remains left of him (Achab).

And he arose, and went to Samaria… he met with the brethren of Ochozias king of Juda… and he said: Take them alive. And they took them alive, and killed them… two and forty men, and he left not any of them.

And now to rid Israel of Baal:

Jehu to Jonadab: Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart?

Jonadab: It is. If it be, said he, give me thy hand. And Jehu gave him his hand and lifted him up to him into the chariot…

Jehu to Jonadab: Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. And he slew all that were left of Achab in Samaria, to a man, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Elias.

Jehu to the people: Achab worshipped Baal a little, but I will worship him more… call to me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests, let none be wanting, for I have a great sacrifice to offer Baal: whosoever shall be wanting shall not live. Now Jehu did this craftily, that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal… there was not one left that did not come… and Jehu and Jonadab… but that there be the servants of Baal only…

Jehu to fourscore men without (outside): If any of the men escape, whom I have brought into your hands, he that letteth him go shall answer life for life… Go in, and kill them, let none escape…brought the statue out of Baal’s temple, and burnt it, and broke it into pieces. They destroyed also the temple of Baal, and made a jakes (outhouse) in its place unto this day.

But Jehu was not perfect in the eyes of God:

So Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel; but yet he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel sin, nor did he forsake the golden calves that were in Bethel and Dan…

The Lord to Jehu: Because thou hast diligently executed that which was right and pleasing in my eyes, and hast done to the house of Achab according to all that was in my heart, thy children shall sit upon the throne Of Israel to the fourth generation.

Apparently there was revenge in the heart of the Lord?

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord the God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel to sin.

In those days the Lord began to be weary of Israel: and Hazael ravaged them in all the coasts of Israel from the Jordan eastward…

And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria, was eight and twenty years and his son Joachaz reigned in his steed.

Amidst this two-sided section of the Old Testament is a lot of confusion on my part:

Two different Jorams? One the son on Achab the king of Israel and the other the son of Josaphat king of Juda who died and Ochozias took over for?

There were two battles in Ramoth Galaad as the former king of Israel Achab was killed in Ramoth Galaad.

There also was one technicality as Third Kings has Ochozias, son of Achab too reigning over Israel in Samaria for two years whereas Fourth Kings has it for only one year?

And for a short period of time there were two kings of Israel—Joram, Achab’s son and Jehu, courtesy of Eliseus the prophet and God, of course.

Actually I think I am confused as there were two Ochozias (son of Joram king of Juda and son of Achab king of Israel)? I know I am confused!

So there you have it—imperfection—found in me and all us human beings!

 

Day 127: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Inspiring Perspective, Jehu Cleans up Israel, & My Confusion!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Fourth Book of Kings Chapters 6-10

Bible Notes:

This Book continues the history of the two hostile kingdoms, Israel and Juda, up to their captivity. The Assyrians in 722 B.C. led Israel away; the Babylonians in 586 B. C. led Juda into captivity.

4 Kings Chapter 6: Eliseus causes iron to float; Eliseus reveals the Syrian plans; The Syrian army is blinded; Their sight and freedom restored; Benadad besieges Samaria; Famine causes a woman to eat her son; The king orders the beheading of Eliseus.

The sons of the prophet

And it happened, as one was felling some timber, that the head of the axe fell into the water… for this same (axe) was borrowed… Then he (Eliseus) cut off a piece of wood, and cast it in thither: and the iron swam… Take it up. And he (a servant) put out his hand and took it.

The man of God (Eliseus)

No one… but Eliseus the prophet… telleth the king of Israel all the words, that thos speakest in thy privy chamber.

Eliseus: Lord, Open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of Horses and chariots of fire round about Eliseus.

Eliseus: Lord, Strike, I beseech thee, this people with blindness. And the Lord struck them with blindness, according to the word of Eliseus.

Eliseus: Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord Opened their eyes, and they saw themselves to be in the midst of Samaria.

And it came to pass after these things, that Benadad king of Syria gathered together all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

Certain Woman: Save me, my lord O king.

King: If the Lord doth not save thee, how can I save thee?

King: What aileth thee?

Certain Woman: This woman said to me: Give me thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day: Give thy son that we may eat him. And she hath hid her son.

King: May God do so and so to me, and may he add more, if the head of Eliseus… stand on him this day.

4 Kings Chapter 7: Eliseus prophesies a time of plenty; Four lepers find the Syrians have fled; Fulfillment of Eliseus’ prophecy; The doubting lord is trod to death.

Eliseus: Thus saith the Lord: To morrow about this time a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a stater, and two bushels of barley for a stater, in the gate of Samaria…

Lord to the man of God (Eliseus): If the Lord should make flood-gates in heaven, can that possibly be which thou sayest?

Eliseus: Thou shalt see it with thy eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

Four lepers to the camp of the Syrians…

For the Lord had made them hear, in the camp of Syria, the noise of chariots, and of horses, and of a very great army…

Wherefore they arose, and fled away in the dark… desiring to save their lives.

Four lepers: We went to the camp of the Syrians, and found no man there…

The five horses that are remaining in the city (because there are no more in the whole multitude of Israel, for the rest are consumed)…

…And the people trod upon him in the entrance of the gate; and he died, as the man of God said… And it came to pass according to the word of the man of God…

4 Kings Chapter 8: The Sunamitess among the Philistines; Her property restored; Hazael goes to Eliseus; Hazael murders Benadad; Joram’s wicked reign; Edom and Lobna revolt; Ochozias succeeds Joram; Ochozias’ wicked reign; Joram is wounded.

Eliseus: for the Lord hath called a famine, and it shall come upon the land for seven years…

And when the seven years were ended…

And the king talked with Giezi, the servant of the man of God (Eliseus), saying: Tell me all the great things that Eliseus has done… the woman appeared, whose son he had restored to life, crying to the king for her house, and her lands… And the king appointed her an eunuch, saying: Restore her all that is hers, and all the revenues of the lands, from the day that she left the land, to this present.

Google Search: The eunuchs of the Bible were usually castrated males or those incapable of reproduction due to a birth defect. A eunuch could also be someone who performed work typical of eunuchs, although he remained perfectly capable of having sex—i.e., “eunuch” in some cases was simply a title. The purpose of intentional castration was to induce impotence and remove sexuality. It was a common practice in ancient times for rulers to castrate some of their servants and/or advisers in order to subdue and pacify them. It was especially common to castrate men who tended the royal harem.

Eliseus also came to Damascus, and Benadad king of Syria was sick…

King to Hazael: Can I recover of this my illness?

Eliseus to Hazael: Go tell him: Thou shalt recover; but the Lord hath shown me that he shall surely die.

And he stood with him, and was troubled so far as to blush; and the man of God (Eliseus) wept.

Hazael to Eliseus: Why doth my lord weep?

Eliseus: Because I know the evil that thou wilt do to the children of Israel. Their strong cities thou wilt burn with fire, and their young men thou wilt kill with the sword, and thou wilt dash their children, and rip up their pregnant women.

Hazael: Nut what am I thy servant a dog, that I should do this great thing?

Eliseus: The Lord has shown me that thou shalt be king of Syria.

Benadad… and on the next day… he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.

In the fifth year of Joram son of Achab king of Israel, and of Josaphat king of Juda, reigned Joram son of Josaphat king of Juda. He was two and thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Achab had walked… and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

But the Lord would not destroy Juda, for David his servant’s sake, as he had promised him, to give him a light, and to his children always.

In his days (Joram?) Edom revolted, from being under Juda, and made themselves a king… So Edom revolted from being under Juda, unto this day. Then Lobna revolted at the same time.

And Joram slept with his fathers… and Ochozias his son reigned in his steed.

In the twelfth year of Joram son of Achab king of Israel, reigned Ochozias son of Joram king of Juda. Ochozias was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem… and he did evil before the Lord, as did the house of Achab…

He went also with Joram son of Achab, to fight against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth Galaad, and the Syrians wounded Joram, and he went back to be healed in Jezrahel…

King of Israel Achab was killed in Ramoth Galaad…

4 Kings Chapter 9: Eliseus sends a messenger to Jehu; Jehu is anointed king; Jehu goes to see Joram in Jezrahel; Jehu slays Joram; Ochozias is slain; Jezabel is slain and eaten by dogs.

Eliseus the prophet called one of the sons of the prophet… take this little bottle of oil in thy hand… go to Ramoth Galaad… thou shalt see Jehu… thou shalt put it (the oil) on his head, and shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: I have anointed thee king over Israel, (the [people of the Lord. And thou shalt cut off the house of Achab thy master)…

Jehu is king… conspired against Joram. Now Joram had besieged Ramon Galaad, he and all Israel, fighting with Hazael king of Syria, and returned to be healed in Jezrahel of his wounds… and Ochozias king of Juda was come down to visit Joram.

King: Are all things peaceful?

Jehu: What has thou to do with peace?

King: Is there peace?

Jehu: What has thou to do with peace? Pass, and follow me.

Joram king of Israel, and Ochozias king of Juda went out, each in their own chariot… to meet Jehu…

Joram to Jehu: Is there peace Jehu?

Jehu: What peace? So long as the fornications of Jezabel thy mother, and her many sorceries are in their vigor.

Joram turned his hand, and fleeing, said to Ochozias: There is treachery Ochozias.

Jehu bent his bow with his hand and shot Joram between the shoulders; and the arrow went out through his heart, and immediately he fell in his chariot.

Jehu to Badacer his captain: So now take him, and cast him into the field (of Naboth), according to the word of the Lord.

Ochozias king of Juda seeing this, fled… and Jehu pursued him, and said: Strike him also in his chariot. And they struck him… and he fled into Mageddo, and died there… and they carried him to Jerusalem: and they buried him in the sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.

Jehu came into Jezrahel… Jezabel hearing of his coming in, painted her eyes with stibic stone, and adorned her head, and looked out of a window…

Jehu said…Throw her down headlong: and they threw her down, and the wall was sprinkled with her blood, and the hoofs of the horses trod upon her… It is the word of the Lord… In the field of Jezrahel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezabel, and the flesh of Jezabel shall be as dung upon the face of the earth… so that they who pass by shall say: Is this that same Jezabel?

4 Kings Chapter 10: Jehu destroys seventy sons of Achab; Slaying of the house of Achab in Jezrahel; Jehu slays forty-two brothers of Ochozias; Slaying of the house of Achab in Samaria; Jehu destroys the worshipers of Baal;  Jehu follows Jeroboam’s wickedness; Hazael ravages Israel; Joachaz succeeds Jehu.

And Achab had seventy sons in Samaria so Jehu wrote letters… But they (Achab’s seventy sons) were exceedingly afraid, and said: Behold two kings could not stand before him, and how shall we be able to resist?

And he (Jehu) wrote letters the second time to them saying: If you be mine, and will obey me, take the heads of the sons of your master, and come to me to Jezrahel by to morrow this time… And when the letters came to them (the chief men of the city), they took the king’s (Achab’s) sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him (Jehu) in Jezrahel.

Jehu to People: You are just: if I conspired against my master (Joram king of Israel, son of Achab), and slew him, who hath slain all these?

Jehu: See therefore now that there hath not fallen to the ground any of the words of the Lord, which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Achab, and the Lord hath done that which he spoke in the hand of his servant Elias.

So Jehu slew all that were left of the house of Achab in Jezrahel, and all his chief men, and his friends, and his priests, till there were no remains left of him (Achab).

A d he arose, and went to Samaria… he met with the brethren of Ochozias king of Juda… and he said: Take them alive. And they took them alive, and killed them… two and forty men, and he left not any of them.

Jehu to Jonadab: Is thy heart right as my heart is with thy heart?

Jonadab: It is. If it be, said he, give me thy hand. And Jehu gave him his hand and lifted him up to him into the chariot…

Jehu to Jonadab: Come with me, and see my zeal for the Lord. And he slew all that were left of Achab in Samaria, to a man, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Elias.

Jehu to the people: Achab worshipped Baal a little, but I will worship him more… call to me all the prophets of Baal, and all his servants, and all his priests, let none be wanting, for I have a great sacrifice to offer Baal: whosoever shall be wanting shall not live. Now Jehu did this craftily, that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal… there was not one left that did not come… and Jehu and Jonadab… but that there be the servants of Baal only…

Jehu to fourscore men without (outside): If any of the men escape, whom I have brought into your hands, he that letteth him go shall answer life for life… Go in, and kill them, let none escape…brought the statue out of Baal’s temple, and burnt it, and broke it into pieces. They destroyed also the temple of Baal, and made a jakes in its place unto this day.

Jakes—an outdoor privy; outhouse; an archaic slang word for lavatory.

So Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel; but yet he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel sin, nor did he forsake the golden calves that were in Bethel and Dan…

The Lord to Jehu: Because thou hast diligently executed that which was right and pleasing in my eyes, and hast done to the house of Achab according to all that was in my heart, thy children shall sit upon the throne Of Israel to the fourth generation.

But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord the God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jerobaum, who had made Israel to sin.

In those days the Lord began to be weary of Israel: and Hazael ravaged them in all the coasts of Israel from the Jordan eastward…

And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria, was eight and twenty years.

 

 

 

It’s time for Paul to come home to Jerusalem where it all started with Christ’s Resurrection. After a year and a half in Corinth and three years with the Ephesians, Paul wants to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost.

Here is his journey to Jerusalem:

After sighting Cyprus and leaving it to the left, we sailed for Syria and landed at Tyre.

Having looked up the disciples, we stayed there seven days. And they told Paul through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem.

Paul: “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

And when we could not persuade him, we acquiesced and said. “The Lord’s will be done.” After this we made our preparations and went our way to Jerusalem.

On our arrival in Jerusalem the brethren gave us a hearty welcome. On the next day Paul went with us to James, and all the presbyters came in. After greeting them, he related in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

They to Paul: “Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, all of them zealous upholders of the Law.

Now, they have heard about thee that thou dost teach the Jews who live among the Gentiles to depart from Moses, telling them they should not circumcise their children, nor observe customs. What then?

So do what we tell thee. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and sanctify thyself along with them, and pay for them that they may shave their heads; and all will know that what they heard of thee is false, but that thou thyself also observes the Law.

Then Paul took the men, and the next day after being purified along with them he entered the temple and announced the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

Jews from the province of Asia: “Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people and the Law and this place, and moreover he has brought the Gentiles also into the temple and has desecrated this holy place.”

Stirred up, thrown into confusion, was in a tumult…

…seizing Paul, they proceeded to drag him out of the temple… They were trying to kill him… and when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul… shouting, “Away with him!”

Paul was saved by the tribune and the soldiers but all he wanted to do was tell his story to the people, most of who were disbelieving Jews:

Paul to the tribune: “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. But I beg thee, give me leave to speak to the people.

He gave him leave, and Paul… addressed them in Hebrew, saying…

Paul: “I am a Jew, and I was born at Tarsus in Cilicia bit was brought up here in this city, a pupil of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the strict acceptation of the Law of our fathers. I was zealous for the Law just as all of you are today. And I persecuted this way even to the death, binding and committing to prisons both men and women, as the high priest can bear me witness, and all the elders. In fact I received letters from them to the brethren in Damascus, and I was on my way to arrest those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.”

Paul: “And it came to pass that, as I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly about noon there shone round about me a great light from heaven: and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me:

The Lord: “Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?”

Paul: “Who art thou, Lord?”

The Lord: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou are persecuting.”

Paul: “What shall I do Lord?”

The Lord Jesus: “Get up and go into Damascus, and there thou shall be told of all that thou art destined to do.”

And as I could not see because of the dazzling light, my companions (who saw indeed the light, but they did not hear the voice) had to lead me by hand, and so I reached Damascus.

Paul: “Now one Ananias, an observer of the Law… came to me…

Ananias: “Brother Saul, regain thy sight.”

Ananias: “The God of our fathers has appointed thee beforehand to learn his will and to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for thou shalt be his witness before all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why dost thou delay” Get up and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.”

Paul: “And it came to pass that, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I was in an ecstasy and saw him as he said to me…”

The Lord Jesus: “Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.”

Paul: “Lord, they themselves know that I used to imprison and beat in one synagogue after another those who believed in thee; and when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I was standing by and approved it, and took charge of the garments of those who killed him.”

The Lord Jesus: “Go, for to the Gentiles far away I will send thee.”

The People: “Away from the earth with such a one! For it is not right that he should live.”

The tribune ordered him to be taken into the barracks and to be scourged and tortured that he might find out why they shouted so against him.

Paul to the centurion: “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman, and without a trial?

Centurion to Tribune: “What art thou about to do? This man is a Roman citizen.”

Tribune to Paul: “Tell me, art thou a Roman?”

Paul: “Yes.”

Tribune: “I obtained this citizenship at a great price.”

Paul: “But I am a citizen by birth.”

At once therefore those who had been going to torture him left him…

The next day, as he wished to find out the real reason why he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him and ordered the priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble; and taking Paul forth, he placed him in front of them.

Why did the Jews turn on Paul after he shared his conversion story?

 

Fear of change, the unknown, what is beyond the law?

Resentment and pride, why Paul speaking to the Lord Jesus and not me?

This setting seems like a re-enactment of Jesus’ trials and tribulations.

A tribune in place of Pontius Pilate trying to understand the issue and help Paul

Once again Paul has an opportunity to tell his story and we have an ongoing opportunity to learn more about how Jesus works on us from the inside-out and through other people.

Stay tuned, only six more chapters in the Acts of the Apostles.

Paul has returned to Jerusalem; to what extent will the prior persecutor become the persecuted?

Day 128: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Paul Returns to Jerusalem; Persecutor becomes Persecuted.

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Acts of The Apostles Chapters 21-22.

Bible Notes:

Saint Luke, the author of the third Gospel, wrote also this history of the primitive Church. Opening with the story of the Ascension and Pentecost, this book records the important events of the early Church: the mass conversions after Pentecost; the persecution by Herod; the conversion of Saint Paul; his three missionary journeys; his arrest and final trip to Rome

Acts Chapter 21:  Arrival at Tyre; Ptolemais and Caesarea; Arrival at Jerusalem; Paul and the Law of Moses; The Jews drag Paul out of the Temple; A tribune arrests Paul; Paul asks to address the people; Paul receives permission to speak.

After sighting Cyprus and leaving it to the left, we sailed for Syria and landed at Tyre.

Having looked up the disciples, we stayed there seven days. And they told Paul through the Spirit not to go to Jerusalem.

…came to Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four daughters, virgins, who had the gift of prophecy.

…there came down from Judea a certain prophet named Agabus… and taking Paul’s girdle, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: The man whose girdle this is the Jews will bind like this at Jerusalem, and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”

Paul: “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

And when we could not persuade him, we acquiesced and said. “The Lord’s will be done.” After this we made our preparations and went our way to Jerusalem.

On our arrival in Jerusalem the brethren gave us a hearty welcome. On the next day Paul went with us to James, and all the presbyters came in. After greeting them, he related in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.

They to Paul: “Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, all of them zealous upholders of the Law.

Now, they have heard about thee that thou dost teach the Jews who live among the Gentiles to depart from Moses, telling them they should not circumcise their children, nor observe customs. What then?

So do what we tell thee. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and sanctify thyself along with them, and pay for them that they may shave their heads; and all will know that what they heard of thee is false, but that thou thyself also observes the Law.

Then Paul took the men, and the next day after being purified along with them he entered the temple and announced the completion of the days of purification, when the sacrifice would be offered for each of them.

Jews from the province of Asia: “Men of Israel, help. This is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people and the Law and this place, and moreover he has brought the Gentiles also into the temple and has desecrated this holy place.”

Stirred up, thrown into confusion, was in a tumult…

…seizing Paul, they proceeded to drag him out of the temple… They were trying to kill him… and when they saw the tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul… shouting, “Away with him!”

Paul to the tribune: “I am a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. But I beg thee, give me leave to speak to the people.

He gave him leave, and Paul… addressed them in Hebrew, saying…

 

Acts Chapter 22:  Paul’s address: his former life; His Conversion; His baptism by Ananias; His vision; Paul ordered to be scourged and tortured; Roman citizenship saves him, Paul before the Sanhedrin.

Paul: “I am a Jew, and I was born at Tarsus in Cilicia bit was brought up here in this city, a pupil of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the strict acceptation of the Law of our fathers. I was zealous for the Law just as all of you are today. And I persecuted this way even to the death, binding and committing to prisons both men and women, as the high priest can bear me witness, and all the elders. In fact I received letters from them to the brethren in Damascus, and I was on my way to arrest those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.”

Paul: “And it came to pass that, as I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly about noon there shone round about me a great light from heaven: and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me:

The Lord: “Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?”

Paul: “Who art thou, Lord?”

The Lord: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou are persecuting.”

Paul: “What shall I do Lord?”

The Lord Jesus: “Get up and go into Damascus, and there thou shall be told of all that thou art destined to do.”

And as I could not see because of the dazzling light, my companions (who saw indeed the light, but they did not hear the voice) had to lead me by hand, and so I reached Damascus.

Paul: “Now one Ananias, an observer of the Law… came to me…

Ananias: “Brother Saul, regain thy sight.”

Ananias: “The God of our fathers has appointed thee beforehand to learn his will and to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for thou shalt be his witness before all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why dost thou delay” Get up and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.”

Paul: “And it came to pass that, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I was in an ecstasy and saw him as he said to me…”

The Lord Jesus: “Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.”

Paul: “Lord, they themselves know that I used to imprison and beat in one synagogue after another those who believed in thee; and when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I was standing by and approved it, and took charge of the garments of those who killed him.”

The Lord Jesus: “Go, for to the Gentiles far away I will send thee.”

The People: “Away from the earth with such a one! For it is not right that he should live.”

The tribune ordered him to be taken into the barracks and to be scourged and tortured that he might find out why they shouted so against him.

Paul to the centurion: “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman, and without a trial?

Centurion to Tribune: “What art thou about to do? This man is a Roman citizen.”

Tribune to Paul: “Tell me, art thou a Roman?”

Paul: “Yes.”

Tribune: “I obtained this citizenship at a great price.”

Paul: “But I am a citizen by birth.”

At once therefore those who had been going to torture him left him…

The next day, as he wished to find out the real reason why he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him and ordered the priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble; and taking Paul forth, he placed him in front of them.

A ruthless mother rules while her daughter hides her grandson to become the king later on at the age of seven. Joiada the priest protects the young ruler and together they restore the temple in Jerusalem:

And Athalia the mother of Ochozias, seeing that her son was dead, arose, and slew all the royal seed. But Josaba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochozias, took Joas the son of Ochozias… and hid him from Athalia, so that he was not slain. And he (Joas) was with her six years, hid in the house of the Lord. And Athalia reigned over the land.

Joiada the priest… made him (Joas) king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands, they said, God save the king.

…and she (Athalia) saw the king standing upon a tribunal… she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy…

Joiada commanded the centurions… Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord. And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.

Joiada restores true worship… And Joiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people… and all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal, and broke down the altars… they slew also Mathan the priest of Baal…

Now Joas was seven years old, when he began to reign.

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joas began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem… And Joas did that which was right before the Lord all the days that Joiada the priest taught him.

Here is a first glimpse of the inside finances of the early temple in Jerusalem:

All the money of the sanctified things, which is brought into the temple of the Lord by those that pass, which is offered for the price of a soul, and which of their own accord, and of their own free heart they bring into the temple of the Lord, let the priests take it according to their order, and repair the house, wheresoever they shall see any thing that wanneth repairing.

…the priests did not make the repairs of the temple… and the priests were forbidden to take any more money of the people…

And Joiada the high priest took a chest and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord.

For it (the money collected in the chest) was given to them that did the work, that the temple of the Lord might be repaired… they bestowed it faithfully…

But the money for the trespass, and the money for sins, they brought not into the temple of the Lord, because it was for the priests.

The ongoing saga of the kings in power in Israel over Samaria, in Juda including Jerusalem, and in Syria to the north continues…

Most who reigned were evil in the eyes of the Lord:

…reigned… over Israel in Samaria. And he did that which is evil before the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin.

More details are to be found in the book of words of the days of the kings of Israel and Juda:

And the rest of the acts of Azarias, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

…are thy not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

 

What have I learned about my faith through these passages?

 

I am not sure but… there was a young king, there were temple finances, and the reign of kings over time were many, and there is a book of words!

Glory be to God! Al-le-lu-ia! Amen!

Day 129: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; A Young King, Temple Finances, the Reign of Kings, and the Book of Words!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Fourth Book of Kings Chapters 11-16

Bible Notes:

This Book continues the history of the two hostile kingdoms, Israel and Juda, up to their captivity. The Assyrians in 722 B.C. led Israel away; the Babylonians in 586 B.C. led Juda into captivity.

4 Kings Chapter 11: Athalia usurps the throne by murder; Joiada’s plot; Joas is proclaimed king; Athalia is slain; Joiada restores true worship.

And Athalia the mother of Ochozias, seeing that her son was dead, arose, and slew all the royal seed. But Josaba the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ochizias, took Joas the son of Ochozias… and hid him from Athalia, so that he was not slain. And he (Joas) was with her six years, hid in the house of the Lord. And Athalia reigned over the land.

Joiada the priest… made him (Joas) king, and anointed him: and clapping their hands, they said, God save the king.

…and she (Athalia) saw the king standing upon a tribunal… she rent her garments, and cried: A conspiracy, a conspiracy…

Joiada commanded the centurions… Let her not be slain in the temple of the Lord. And they laid hands on her: and thrust her out by the way by which the horses go in, by the palace, and she was slain there.

Joiada restores true worship… And Joiada made a covenant between the Lord, and the king, and the people… and all the people of the land went into the temple of Baal, and broke down the altars… they slew also Mathan the priest of Baal…

Now Joas was seven years old, when he began to reign.

4 Kings Chapter 12: Joas’ good reign; Joas orders repairs to the Temple; Hazael bribed not to attack Jerusalem; Joas murdered and succeeded by Amasias.

In the seventh year of Jehu, Joas began to reign: and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem… And Joas did that which was right before the Lord all the days that Joiada the priest taught him.

All the money of the sanctified things, which is brought into the temple of the Lord by those that pass, which is offered for the price of a soul, and which of their own accord, and of their own free heart they bring into the temple of the Lord, let the priests take it according to their order, and repair the house, wheresoever they shall see any thing that wanneth repairing.

…the priests did not make the repairs of the temple… and the priests were forbidden to take any more money of the people…

And Joiada the high priest took a chest and bored a hole in the top, and set it by the altar at the right hand of them that came into the house of the Lord, and the priests that kept the doors put therein all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord.

For it (the money collected in the chest) was given to them that did the work, that the temple of the Lord might be repaired… they bestowed it faithfully…

But the money for the trespass, and the money for sins, they brought not into the temple of the Lord, because it was for the priests.

Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Geth, and took it and set his face to go up to Jerusalem… Wherefore Joas king of Juda took up all the sanctified things… all the silver… and sent it to Hazael king of Syria, and he went off from Jerusalem.

And his (Joas) servants arose, and conspired among themselves, and slew Joas… and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and Amasias his son reigned in his stead,

4 Kings Chapter 13: Joachaz’ wicked reign in Israel; Israel saved by the prayers of Joachaz; Joas succeeds Joachaz; Joas’ wicked reign; Jeroboam succeeds Joas; Eliseus prophesies three victories; Death and burial of Eliseus; Hazael afflicts Israel until his death.

Israel/Samaria to the north and Juda/Jerusalem to the south (referenced map).

In the three and twentieth year of Joas son of Ochozias king of Juda, Joachaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria, seventeen years. And he did evil before the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin, and he departed not from them.

And the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael the king of Syria, and into the hand of Benadad the son of Hazael, all days.

Bit Joachaz besought the face of the Lord; and the Lord heard him, for he saw the distress of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them, and the Lord gave Israel a savior, and they were delivered out of the hand of the king of Syria…

And Joachaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria: and Joas his son reigned in his stead.

In the seven and thirtieth year of Joas, king of Juda, Joas the son of Joachaz reigned over Israel in Samaria sixteen years. And he did that which is evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin, but he walked in them.

And Joas slept with his fathers: and Jeroboam sat upon the throne.

Now Eliseus was sick of the illness whereof he died: and Joas king of Israel went down to him…

Joas to Eliseus: O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the guider thereof…

Eliseus to Joas: The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of the deliverance from Syria: and thou shall strike the Syrians in Aphec, till thou consume them… And he struck three times and stood still. And the man of God (Eliseus) was angry with him (Joas)… If thou hadst smitten five or six or seven times, thou hadst smitten Syria even to utter destruction: but now three times shalt thou smite it.

And Elias died, and they buried him. And the rovers from Moab… were burying a man, saw the rovers, and cast the body into the sepulcher of Eliseus. And when he had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life, and stood on his feet.

Now Hazael king of Syria afflicted Israel all the days of Joachaz, and the Lord had mercy on them, and returned to them because of the covenant, which he had made with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob…three times did Joas (king of Israel) beat him (Benadad king of Syria, son of Hazael), and restored the cities to Israel.

4 Kings Chapter 14: Amasias’ good reign in Juda; Amasias defeats the Edomites; Joas defeats Amasias; Jeroboam succeeds Joas; Amasias assassinated; Azarias succeeds Amasias; Jeroboam’s wicked reign; Zacharias succeeds Jeroboam.

… reigned Amasias son of Joas king of Juda… And he did that which was right before the Lord, but yet not like David his father… And when he had possession of the kingdom, he put his servants to death that had slain the king his father, but the children of the murderers he did not put to death, according to that which is written in the look of the law of Moses, wherein the Lord commanded saying:

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: but every man shall die for his own sins.

He (Amasias) slew of Edom in the valley of the Saltpits ten thousand men, and took the rock by war, and called the name thereof Jectehel, unto this day.

Amasias (Juda/Jerusalem) sent messengers to Joas (Israel/Samaria): Come let us see one another… And Juda was put to the worst before Israel… But Joas took Amasias and him into Jerusalem: and he broke down the wall of Jerusalem… four hundred cubits… And he (Joas) took all the gold, and silver, and all the vessels, that were found in the house of the Lord, and in the king’s treasures, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

And Joas slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria… and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead…

Now they made a conspiracy against him (Amasias) in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachis… and killed him there.

And all the people of Juda took Azarias, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amasias…

…reigned Jeroboam the son of Joas king of Israel in Samaria… And he did that which was evil before the Lord. He departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin. He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath, unto the sea of wilderness, according to the word of the Lord the God of Israel… that there was no one to help Israel… but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam…

 Kings Chapter 15: Azarias becomes leprous; Joathan succeeds Azarias; Zacharias is assassinated; Manahem slays Sellum and takes the throne; Manahem pays tribute to the Assyrians; Phaceia succeeds Manahem; Phacee slays and succeeds Phaceia; Osee slays and succeeds Phacee; Joatham’s good reign in Juda; Achaz succeeds Joatham.

…reigned Azarias son of Amasias, king of Juda. He was sixteen years old when he began to reign… And the Lord struck the king, so that he was a leper unto the day of his death, and he dwell in a free house apart: but Joatham the king’s son governed the palace, and judged the people of the land… And the rest of the acts of Azarias, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda? …and Joatham his son reigned in his stead.

…reigned Zacharias son of Jeroboam over Israel in Samaria. And he did that which is evil before the Lord, as his fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam… who made Israel to sin.

Sellum… reigned one month in Samaria. And Manahem… came into Samaria, and struck Sellum… and slew him, and reigned in his stead. And the rest of the acts of Sellum, and his conspiracy, which he made, are thy not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

And Manahem slept with his fathers; and Phaceia his son reigned in his stead.

…reigned Joatham son of Ozias king of Juda.

And Joatham slept with his fathers… and Achaz his son reigned in his stead.

4 Kings Chapter 16: Achaz’ wicked reign in Juda; Achaz hires the Assyrians to help him; Achaz desecrates the Temple; Ezechias succeeds Achaz.

…reigned Achaz… But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel: moreover he consecrated also his son, making him pass through the fire according to the idols of the nations: which the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel.

And Achaz slept with his fathers… and Ezechias his son reigned in his stead.