I am using One Year Bible Online for my daily Bible study. For today, One Year Bible Online links here. I have found that by writing this daily blog of what I see when I read these scriptures, I get more out of them. I hope that by posting these ruminations others may get some benefit as well. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding these verses or what I have written about them, please post them.
Jehoshaphat succeeded his father Asa on the throne of Judah. Jehoshaphat was deeply committed to following God’s commands and he became a strong and wealthy king. Jehoshaphat sent teachers to the various towns of Judah to teach the people. Along with the teachers, Jehoshaphat sent Levites with copies of the Book of the Law to teach the way of the Lord. Jehoshaphat formed an alliance with Ahab by marrying his son to Ahab’s daughter. Jehoshaphat went on a state visit to Ahab. Ahab threw him a great feast and during the feast requests that Jehoshaphat join him in retaking a city. Jehoshaphat agrees but says that they should find out what the Lord says first. Ahab summons 400 prophets who all testify that God will give them victory. Jehoshaphat responds by asking for a prophet of the Lord of whom to ask the same question. This always struck me as odd until I noticed that 400 was the same number as the number of prophets of Baal that Elijah confronted on Mt. Carmel. When I noticed that I realized that these were 400 prophets of Baal. The phrasing of this passage suggests that Ahab and others in the region considered Baal and Yahweh interchangeable. However, the passage also shows us that the followers of God did not and that people like Ahab knew this but would try to pass off Baal as the same as Yahweh anyway. This in my mind is similar to Muslims claiming that they worship the same God as Christians. I believe that Christians will recognize that the characteristics of Allah, as understood by Muslims, is significantly different from the characteristics of the God that Christians worship. Muslims proclaim that they worship the same god as Christians, but the god they worship has different characteristics than the God that Christians worship.
Ahab admitted that there is a prophet of God in the land, but said that he hated him because he always said things that Ahab didn’t like. Jehoshaphat tells Ahab that kings should not talk like that. So Ahab summons Micaiah, the prophet. When the officials summon Micaiah, they tell him that the other prophets are prophesying victory and he should do the same. When Micaiah comes before Ahab, he tells him that he will be victorious in a sarcastic voice, making it clear that he is only telling him what he has been told by court officials to say. Ahab insists that Micaiah tell him what God said. Micaiah then tells him that God told him that if Ahab goes to war, he will be killed. Ahab goes to war anyway and is killed.
Paul wrote that God had foretold salvation for the Gentiles when He spoke through the prophets that those who had been told they were not His people would be called the children of God. On the other hand, He had also foretold that many of the Jews would reject His offered salvation when He said through the prophets that only a remnant would be saved. Paul tells us that the Gentiles, who had not been trying to meet God’s standards, were made right with God because they accepted God’s gift by faith. On the other hand, the people of Israel, who attempted to get right with God by keeping the law, were not made right with God because they refused to accept God’s way and attempted to accomplish it on their own merits. Paul goes on to tell us that this is true of everyone. No one can become right with God on their own merits. The only way to become right with God is to confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and God raised Him from the dead.
The psalmist tells us that some boast of military might and worldly power. He tells us that those fall down and collapse. But we should boast in the name of the Lord and rely on Him. If we do so, God will raise us up and help us to stand firm. We will raise a victory banner in the name of the Lord.
This proverb tells us that it is dangerous to arouse the anger of those with political power and that the honorable avoid a fight whenever they can. Only fools insist on quarreling.