I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 18-19.

I love the story of Elijah confronting the prophets of Baal. I never really paid much attention to the beginning of the story. It was just setting the stage for the main event. God sent Elijah to talk to King Ahab and set up the confrontation, after which God would send the rain once more. The first thing in the introduction we should note is that the man in charge of King Ahab’s palace was a devout follower of the Lord who had protected 100 prophets of God from Jezebel, Ahab’s queen. So, things were bad in Israel for those who were faithful to God, yet here was a man in charge of the palace itself who was a believer. Let us always remember that no matter how bad things get there are more faithful believers out there than we realize.

But there is more to the introduction worth noting. When Elijah tells Obadiah to inform King Ahab where Elijah is, Obadiah expresses his fear that Elijah will no longer be there when he gets back with the king. Reading between the lines of Obadiah’s response we can see that King Ahab had received many reports about where Elijah was during these three years, yet every time he sent men, or went himself, to capture Elijah, Elijah was no longer there when they got to where he had been. This is the companion lesson to the one I mentioned in the previous paragraph. If God chooses to hide us from those seeking our death, no power on earth will be enable them to find us.

Because I have previously written about the confrontation described here all I am going to write today is that Elijah was a great showman. As you read the passage think about how carefully Elijah stages things to maximize their impact on the people watching. What I want to focus on is what happened after Elijah’s great victory. He fled in fear for his life and fell into grave depression, wishing to die. Despite his encounter with Obadiah, Elijah felt like he was the only faithful follower of God left. Sometimes we forget that this is what God is replying to when He does what comes next. There was a mighty windstorm, but God was not in it. Then there was a powerful earthquake, but again, God was not in it. After the earthquake there was a raging fire and again God was no in it. Finally, there was a gentle whisper, and that was God speaking. In that whisper God told Elijah that he was not alone. God had preserved 7,000 who refused to bow down to Baal. Just because they were not loud and boisterous did not mean that God was not with them. It may seem like God is not acting in today’s world, but just because He is quiet does not mean that what He is doing will not make big changes.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 15-17.

Today’s passage begins a section where it can be difficult to follow as the writer recounts a few generations of Judah’s kings then a few generations of Israel’s (the Northern Kingdom) kings. We learn that Rehoboam’s son did evil in God’s sight, just as Rehoboam had done. However, Rehoboam’s grandson, Asa, did what was pleasing in God’s sight. He got rid of the shrine prostitutes and destroyed the idols they worshiped, He even went so far as to depose his grandmother from the position of authority which she had held under his father because she had built an Asherah pole. It is worth noting that Asherah was the queen consort of the chief deity of Sumer and extra-biblical sources suggest that the Israelites worshiped her as the chief consort to God. The Asherah worship mentioned here shows us that humans have always attempted to sexualize God. Part of this effort to sexualize God is part of a wish to give sex a central role in our lives that God never intended for it to have.

The writer switches over to the kings of Israel, telling us that they went from bad to worse. Omri becomes king and builds the city of Samaria, making it his capital. Omri’s son, Ahab then institutionalizes Baal worship as the official religion of Israel, the Northern Kingdom. My reading of the Biblical passages about Ahab lead me to believe that Ahab wanted to treat Baal as just another name for God and Baal worship as a legitimate alternative to worship of God. All of this brought him into conflict with Elijah, a prophet of God who knew the difference.

Our first encounter with Elijah occurs when he confronts King Ahab and tells him that there would be drought in the land for the next several years, until Elijah would announce its end. As James tells us Elijah was a man just like us, yet he prayed that it would not rain and it did not rain for 3 1/2 years until he prayed once more for it to rain. So, we learn the power of prayer from Elijah. We also learn another lesson from this story. When Elijah went to the widow near Sidon and asked her for food she told him she had only enough food for herself and her son for one last meal. Elijah tells her that if she makes him a bit of bread first, she will not run out of food until the drought was over and crops were harvested. The woman did as Elijah instructed and indeed she did not run out of food. despite only having enough for one last meal when she did so. From this we learn that if we do God’s will, He will provide for our needs.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 13-14.

When I read the story about the man of God from Judah who went to Bethel to prophecy against Jeroboam I have always focused on either Jeroboam’s hand getting paralyzed and the altar splitting open, or on the old prophet who lied to the man of God to get him to break God’s command to him about not eating in the Northern Kingdom. However, I do not think I ever before noticed that the man of God prophesied that a descendant of David named Josiah would destroy the altar which Jeroboam had built. Something which did indeed come to pass.

Our biases also allow us to overlook that the writer considers the fact that Jeroboam appointed priests from among the common people to be as big of a sin as the fact that he set up idols for the people to worship. Now, considering that King David had some of his sons perform priestly duties, I think Jeroboam did not just appoint non-Levites as priests. I think he sold the priesthood to those who would say what he wanted them to say rather than what God commanded them to say or even what they thought was right. Jeroboam did not allow the priesthood to hold him accountable for his behavior. He made the priesthood accountable to him, but he was accountable to no one (or so he thought).

The writer finishes out today’s passage by telling us that under Rehoboam the people of Judah set up pagan shrines to worship at. King Solomon had built and worshiped at temples for pagan gods, but the people, for the most part, continued to worship God. Now, under Rehoboam, the people themselves began setting up pagan shrines, even establishing shrines with male and female prostitutes. While I can find no clear references on the subject, it seems probable to me that these male shrine prostitutes engaged primarily, or even exclusively, in same-sex activity.. The one thing I am sure of is that the relationship with these prostitutes was abusive.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 11-12.

King Solomon took many wives. When I was growing up I was told that many of these were marriages designed to cement alliances. However, I think now that Solomon used his wealth and power to satisfy his lusts by taking as a wife or concubine any woman he desired. In his old age, he began to take part in the worship practices of some of those women. I suspect that he did so seeking new thrills. He began to worship Ashtoreth, whose worship likely included sexual acts, and Molech, whose worship included child sacrifice. In any case, King Solomon became so involved in these activities that he failed to put down the rebellions which rose up in foreign lands which King David had conquered. King Solomon’s idolatry even led to a rebellion among the tribes of Israel, but this rebellion Solomon was able to put down.

Upon King Solomon’s death, the leaders of the tribes of Israel summoned Jeroboam back from his exile in Egypt to present their demands to Rehoboam. By looking at the demands which Jeroboam presented to Rehoboam and the role he held under Solomon, we get a pretty clear picture of the cause of the rebellion. Under Solomon, Jeroboam was in charge of the labor force from the descendants of Joseph until he was forced into exile. In addition to his other building projects, Solomon had ordered the building of temples to various foreign gods. Whether the discontent resulted from the fact that they were building idolatrous temples, or just from the workload, Solomon’s building projects stressed the loyalty of the people of Israel to King David’s dynasty. As we read Rehoboam’s response to the people’s demands we see that he had never understood the political balancing that his father and grandfather had done. Rehoboam thought being king was just about exercising power. When Solomon had taken the throne he had done so with the aid and advice of some of David’s closest advisers. However, Solomon was mostly secure on the throne his entire reign, so Rehoboam did not see the need for carefully listening to experienced advisers. It was only when a prophet of God warned him against making war against his fellow Israelites that Rehoboam began to realize the limits of his power. Even then I wonder if Rehoboam chose to listen to the prophet or if his army refused to go to war after hearing the prophet.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 9-10.

Much of the history of the Middle East can be understood by God’s response to King Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the Temple. God told Solomon and the people of Israel that the Temple in Jerusalem would always be dear to His heart. God promised Solomon and the people of Israel that if they remained faithful to Him, He would establish Solomon’s dynasty over Israel forever. However, if they abandoned God and took to worshiping other gods, the Temple would become an illustration to the world of their unfaithfulness. In this response God restated His promise to David that one of his descendants would sit on David’s throne for ever. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus. But we also see the fulfillment of God’s promise of the Temple being an illustration of the consequences of turning away from God in the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

The passage then goes on to mention King Solomon’s building projects and extensive trade network. The writer tells us that Solomon conscripted the non-Israelites living in the land as forced labor for these building projects, but that Israelites were only conscripted into his military or as supervisors over the forced labor of foreigners. I want to note that when the Old Testament refers to how we should treat foreigners it is generally referring to people like the non-Israelites in this passage, not to people living in another land.

The passage goes into extended detail about King Solomon’s trade empire and the way it spread his fame. Solomon worked with Hiram of Tyre to send ships far and wide for trade. Some of Solomon’s ships sailed the Mediterranean with Hiram’s trading fleet. But Solomon also built a trade port on the Red Sea to trade across the Indian Ocean. Hiram provided Solomon with expert sailors to crew the ships. This passage shows how Solomon worked with other rulers for mutual advantage. Hiram dominated the Mediterranean trade, but, by working with him, Solomon also benefited. On the other side, Solomon dominated the Indian Ocean trade, but Hiram benefited from this trade because of their partnership. Under Solomon, Israel was able to function as a transshipment point for trade between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. The visit from the Queen of Sheba represents an illustration of the fame which such trade brought to Solomon. It seems to me that King Solomon’s reputation for wisdom resulted from the way in which he established mutually beneficial relationships with his trading partners. The Queen of Sheba brought many gifts to King Solomon such that it increased his wealth. Yet, he appears to have sent her home with gifts that appear to have increased her wealth.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 4-6.

From the list of King Solomon’s officials we learn that King Solomon formally delegated governing Israel to subordinates. These officials almost certainly had other officials reporting to them. In yesterday’s passage, King Solomon eliminated the various power bases which King David had spent his reign balancing. In their place he set up officials and governors whose power derived from King Solomon. All of this demonstrates Solomon’s wisdom. King David had conquered most of the surrounding lands. King Solomon established a system of government which allowed him to use the wealth of these lands to begin building projects. In discussing King Solomon’s wisdom and knowledge the writer mentions that he composed a large number of proverbs and wrote a large number of songs. I am sure that some of those proverbs were designed to give guidance to the officials and judges who served under Solomon.

In describing King Solomon’s wisdom and fame, the author uses language which is reminiscent of myths, legends, and tall-tales. I am not saying that King Solomon was not that wise, merely that the writer is using the language used in those sorts of stories to quickly convey Solomon’s great wisdom before moving on to talk about his actual actions. I mention this to contrast it with the precision the writer uses to describe the year in which construction began on the Temple. He writes that Temple construction began in the 4th year of Solomon’s reign, 480 years after the Israelites left Egypt. This gives us a hard and fast date from which we can figure out when everything that happened before this occurred. Of course, the problem we have is that we cannot be sure when King Solomon built the Temple.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on 1 Kings 2-3.

Today’s passage begins with what I believe is an account of the same event described in 1 Chronicles 28.  Here King David advises Solomon to keep the Law of Moses and instructs him to settle “debts” which David considers to still be outstanding.  David lists two men whom David asks Solomon to see suffer the consequences of the wrongs they have done and the sons of a man whom David asks Solomon to care for because of the good their father had done him.  I find it interesting that of all the people David had interacted with it was Barzillai whom David made a point of rewarding on his deathbed.  I don’t know the significance of it, but I find it interesting.

Later, Adonijah goes to Bathsheba and asks her to get King Solomon to allow him to marry Abishag, the last of King David’s concubines.  When Bathsheba takes this request to her son, King Solomon, he reacts badly, ordering the execution of Adonijah.  Further he orders Abiathar to retire from all priestly duties.  When Joab heard of Adonijah’s execution he sought sanctuary at the altar that was with the Ark of the Covenant.  It is only when Solomon hears that Joab has done this that he orders Joab’s execution.  I am less than clear on what happened here.  Joab and ABiathar had supported Adonijah’s attempt to claim the crown before King David’s death, but when Solomon granted his brother the right to live out his life in peace as long as he stayed out of politics, they appear to have been granted a similar deal.  Now, I understand how Adonijah’s attempt to marry King David’s concubine violated his deal, I do not see that Abiathar or Joab played a role in that.  

Perhaps we really see what was happening here when the passage tells us that after doing these things King Solomon sent for Shimei.  While Shimei had not supported Adonijah’s bid for the throne he had also not actively supported Solomon either.  And we know that Shimei had relished King David’s temporary loss of power during Absalom’s rebellion (even though he had not actively supported Absalom).  What we have here is King Solomon consolidating power.  He eliminated those who had power and opposed him and acted to limit those who had power and whose support for him was ambivalent.  By forcing Shimei to remain in Jerusalem, Solomon limited his ability to maintain connections which could threaten Solomon’s hold on the throne.  Then when Shimei acted to exert his power outside of Jerusalem, Solomon had him killed.

Finally today’s passage ends with King Solomon seeking wisdom and with an illustration of that wisdom.  You can look at the incident at Gibeon as an actual event (as I do) or as a figurative event and the lesson is the same either way.  Early in his reign, King Solomon recognized that the task of governing, of leading, the people of Israel was more than he could accomplish on his own.  Rather than seeking his own gratification he sought the ability to better serve others.  Because King Solomon sought God’s wisdom to govern His people God granted him wealth and fame.  If we seek and strive to serve God, God may not grant us fame and wealth as He did King Solomon, but He will grant us that which truly makes us happy.