a dark day

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

LAND15 (3)2 Kings 9

Who is responsible for the deaths of these kings, and Jezebel?  An inscription at Tel Dan claims that the king of Syria did it.  This passage says it was Jehu.  But the prediction – particularly of how they would die – goes all the way back to Elijah.  Ultimately, these enemies of God and his people were doomed by God himself.  But he did not arbitrarily set them apart for destruction.  It was their own sins that caught up with them on that dark day. 

LORD, forgive us and cleanse us.  Separate us from our sins so that they do not come back to meet us on a dark day – your day of judgment.

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the burden of knowing

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

jd-at-beach2 Kings 8

Elisha knew that king Ben-hadad was not going to die of his sickness, but he also knew that Hazael was going to murder him, take his place, and then commit great atrocities against Israel.  Elisha wept.  When a servant of God has revealed truth, but cannot affect the destiny of those who ignore it, it is a great burden.  No wonder Elisha wept.  Just as Jesus lamented over the city of Jerusalem.  The burden of knowing the truth is sometimes worse than the burden of not knowing.

LORD, thank you for your truth.  Give us courage to proclaim it, even when it pains us to know it.

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believing God’s promises

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

016_162 Kings 6:24-7:20

Bad things happen at times, and we cannot prevent them.  We need to avoid getting an attitude of pessimism when things are not going well.  The captain had seen much suffering, and he had grown cynical.  When the prophet Elisha predicted a dramatic economic turn-around, he was not able to accept it.  When we read from God’s word what he promises for us, we are sometimes guilty of the same cynicism.

LORD, forgive our faithlessness.

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seeing God at work

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

n1257512658_30117341_12357322 Kings 6:1-23

The miracles described in this text were not parlor tricks designed to mystify.  They were displays of power intended to help God’s people do his will, or hinder their enemies from doing theirs.  Often we do not see God at work in our lives because they are so filled with us, and not directed toward him and his glory.

LORD, direct us to your plan, and open our eyes that we might see you fulfilling it.

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keeping emotions in check

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

baptism 1082 Kings 5

Even when God is at work among us, our emotions can hide the glory of his presence if we are not in right relationship with him.  Consider how emotions sent these three people in the wrong direction:

  1. the fear of the king of Israel (7)
  2. the pride of Naaman (11)
  3. the greed of Gehazi (19-21)

These first two men were allowed to repent and get back on track, but Gehazi’s greed affected him and his descendants after him.

LORD, help us to keep our emotions in check, and not to test your grace.

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we want more

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

SDC139212 Kings 4

Elisha’s miracles are evidence that there is a power beyond the natural.  Both the poor widow and the wealthy Shunnamite woman need this power.  The LORD heals, provides, and restores life.   The limits of our present world are not limits to him.  This present life is  a kind of test.  Will we be satisfied with the natural with its limits, or will we seek more.

LORD, we want more.

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incomplete victory

Posted on November 3, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

SDC139202 Kings 3

The combined armies of Israel, Judah and Edom accomplish all that Elisha predicts, but stops short of eliminating Moab altogether. It appears that the Moabite king’s sacrifice of his oldest son changes things.  We must be careful not to assume that God honored this act, because he condemns it elsewhere.  Instead, the wrath that came was the rage felt by the Moabites.  Not only were they losing the battle, but they had just lost their future king.  They would have fought ferociously to the last man. The LORD’s armies – sensing this – appropriately chose to retreat.

LORD, give us wisdom to settle for incomplete victories until Christ returns and his kingdom is restored.

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getting out of the way

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

58707_1587198758257_1184444053_31700239_2322217_n2 Kings 2

This passage does not prove a lot of the things that people think it does.  It says nothing about where someone goes when he dies. Elijah did not die that day.  A number of the incidents of this passage have not been repeated with other prophets.  It seems to focus more on the succession of Elisha as a prophet than anything else.  Perhaps the point was that God had a limit to Elijah’s ministry, and both he and Elisha had to cooperate with God’s will.

LORD, make us willing to follow your plan, even if it means just getting out of the way.

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a consuming fire

Posted on November 1, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

SDC139192 Kings 1

You would think that after losing 102 men to the power of God — Ahaziah would stop trying to strong-arm Elijah.  But his rebellion against the LORD had blinded him of reality.  Even though he was facing God’s judgment, he continued to try to work out things in his favor. Our God is a consuming fire, and he will not be manipulated.  At least the third commander had the wisdom to treat the prophet with reverence.

LORD, give us wisdom to truly seek your favor, not to try to manipulate you for our gain.

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a legacy of peace

Posted on October 31, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

SDC139181 Kings 22:41-53

Two kings are compared.  Each is said to carry on the traditions of his father: one evil, one good.  Yet there was one thing Jehoshaphat was known for. He had made peace with the king of Israel. 

LORD, if I cannot be great, at least let me leave a legacy of peace.

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