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.
As soon as Jehu had the support of the officers with him, he led a force of men to Jezreel, where King Joram was recovering from his wounds. When Jehu and his men approached Jezreel, the city guard told the king that a troop was coming. King Joram sent out a messenger to find out if the approaching men were hostile or not. Jehu ordered the messenger to join his force. King Joram sent out and second messenger with the same result. King Joram had his chariot prepared and rode out to meet Jehu accompanied by his nephew, King Ahaziah of Judah. They met Jehu at the plot of land that King Ahab had killed Naboth over. Jehu killed King Joram and King Ahaziah fled. Jehu pursued King Ahaziah and some of his men were able to wound him as he fled. King Ahaziah was able to escape from Jehu, but died of his wounds. His servants took his body back to Jerusalem for burial. When Jezebel heard that Jehu was coming to the city of Jezreel, she made herself up and sat at the window of the palace. When Jehu entered the city, she called out to him that he would meet the same fate as Zimri, who had killed the predecessor to Ahab’s father. Jehu calls out for Jezebel to be thrown down from the window. Several palace eunuchs follow his command and throw her out, where Jehu tramples her body under his horses’ hooves. Jehu points out to those accompanying him that the death of Joram and Jezebel fulfilled the prophecies of Elijah concerning Jezebel and Ahab. Jehu then has all of Ahab’s remaining sons killed.
Jehu then declares a great assembly and sacrifice to worship Baal. He summoned all of the Baal worshipers to the assembly. When the Baal worshipers had assembled, he tells them to make sure that no one who worshiped the Lord was there, only Baal worshipers. As the rituals get under way, Jehu orders his men to kill everyone in the assembly. After killing all of the Baal worshipers, Jehu completely desecrated the temple of Baal. The passage tells us that Jehu destroyed every trace of Baal worship in Israel, but continued the worship of the golden calves that Jeroboam had built.
When Paul arrived in Thessalonica, he went to the synagogue service and for three Sabbaths in a row he made the case from Jewish scripture that Jesus was the Messiah. Some of the Jews and many of the God-fearing Gentiles were convinced and joined Paul and Silas. Some of the Jews who did not believe stirred up a mob to drag Paul and Silas before the town council. When they did not find them, they grabbed some other prominent believers and took them before the council. They accused the believers of being part of an insurrection. The city council forced the believers who had been brought before them to post bond and then released them. That night the believers sent Paul and Silas on to Berea. The Bereans were more receptive of the message of Paul and Silas. However, when some Jews from Thessalonica came to Berea and started stirring up opposition to Paul and Silas, they sent Paul on to Athens.
In Athens, Paul got into debates with various philosophers. Paul appears to have done well in these debates until he started talking about the Resurrection. At this point, they asked Paul to address the assembly of philosophers (the original Greek is ambiguous as to exactly who Paul was asked to address, this is my interpretation of the situation). Paul talked about how the people of Athens worship many different gods and even have an altar to an “unknown god.” Paul told them that the “unknown god” is the God of whom he speaks. Paul said that God has no needs for people to fill, that instead God fills people’s needs. He continued by saying that God had overlooked man’s ignorance of Him in the past, but has now sent Jesus to call people to repent of their sins and follow Him. Paul told them that God proved that Jesus was His messenger by raising Him from the dead. Once again, the Resurrection is a sticking point for many of the philosophers. The response to Paul’s message here is the same as we experience today when we speak to people about the Gospel. Many held Paul in contempt for believing that someone could be raised from the dead, some wanted to debate him some more at another time, and a few believed.
God will provide for our safety and protection if we rely on Him. If we accept God as our Lord and Savior we will experience joy and God will watch over us.
If an argument you are trying to make will take a lot of words to explain, you should probably refrain from making it. When you are having a discussion with someone and you find yourself becoming angry, it is probably time to stop talking. If you wish to be perceived as wise, keep your mouth shut. The wise speak sparingly and if the foolish do not speak, they will not reveal their foolishness.