Tuesday, May 16, 2023

THE WRONG PATH

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 9

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

 

Southeast of Haifa lies Mount Carmel. As you stand on its peak, below you can see the fertile plains of the Jezreel Valley which, during the course of 7,000 years, has seen countless battles. The Book of Revelation identifies this spot as the place where the final battle of Armageddon will be fought. It was on Mount Carmel that Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

 

Key Verse: 2 Kings 9:6

Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel…'”

God endorsed the appointment of Jehu to replace Ahab. What fresh new potential! Almost immediately Jehu’s choices led him down the wrong path. He murdered both the King of Israel and the King of Judah, who, with their armies, were defending their lands against Syria. We understand that the events of the tragic, as well as the blessed, history of the people of God were written down so that we might learn from the things they did wrong as well as the things they did right. Let us remember that, while today’s reading shows the mess made by those who do wrong, there were still thousands of people who were humbly serving the God of Elijah and Elisha.
Like Jehu, we are always in danger of relying on a past blessing while we are in the process of moving rapidly away from God. We can never rely on previous experience with God as a guarantee that we are right in His sight now. We must make a deliberate decision to communicate with God and hear from Him every day. Jesus, in His humanity, did that. He rose early in the morning and spent time in prayer. He was receiving His guidance for the day. Therefore, He could say, “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that please Him” (John 8:29).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, thank You for setting such an example for me. You demonstrated that as a human being, not using Your divine nature to help Yourself, I too can “do the things that please Him.” I ask that I will be given daily grace to remain always faithful to You. Because of Your indwelling Presence, I live with confidence in Your keeping power. May the smile of Your approval be upon me. In Your Name I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

From my earliest memories hearing or reading children’s Bible stories, I saw Jehu as a hero. Those stories would gloss over the worst parts. Jehu driving his chariot “furiously” was an exciting mental picture for me. I could imagine myself driving a chariot like that. Then there was the death of Jezebel and the dogs consuming the remains of this exceedingly wicked woman. I may have been older when I remember thinking that this was justice because of her crimes against humanity. Around this time I also remember seeing the body of the Italian dictator, Mussolini, near the close of World War II, hanging from a balcony in a central city square. It was justice, people said. I understood from Scripture that all of us “reap what we have sown.” A New Testament reading I’ve just looked up is Galatians 6:7-10. Those verses speak to me of reaping good things also. This “good” reaping will continue into eternity in Heaven as I stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ, where believers are judged according to their works and eternal rewards are given or withheld (see 2 Corinthians 5:6-10).

Yours for laying up treasures in Heaven (Matthew 6:19-21),

David

P.S. I have chosen to ask my son Ron to continue recording the video version of my blog, since I have not quite been up to the task lately. Thank you for your ongoing prayers! The “vlogs” can be found HERE.

The statue of Elijah at the Carmelite Monastery on Mount Carmel reflects the Lord’s victory over the prophets of Baal. Shortly afterward, fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the altar, and even the water.

4 thoughts on “Tuesday, May 16, 2023

  1. Amen to David’s prayer:

    “Lord Jesus, thank You for setting such an example for me. You demonstrated that as a human being, not using Your divine nature to help Yourself, I too can “do the things that please Him.” I ask that I will be given daily grace to remain always faithful to You. Because of Your indwelling Presence, I live with confidence in Your keeping power. May the smile of Your approval be upon me. In Your Name I pray, Amen!”

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