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.

     After the death of Josiah, his son Jehoahaz took the throne, but he only ruled for three months before Pharaoh Neco took him captive and put his brother on the throne. Pharaoh Neco put Eliakim on the throne and changed his name to Jehoiakim. When the Babylonians first attacked Judah, Jehoiakim surrendered and agreed to pay tribute. After three years Jehoiakim rebelled, shortly after this he died and was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin. King Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Jerusalem and Jehoiachin surrendered to him. King Nebuchadnezzar took 10,000 of the people of Jerusalem captive back to Babylon along with Jehoiachin. Nebuchadnezzar put Jehoichin’s uncle on the throne and changed his name to Zedekiah. In the ninth year of his reign, Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon. The Babylonians returned and laid siege to Jerusalem for a little over two years. King Zedekiah then attempts to escape the siege, but is captured. The Babylonians kill his sons and gouge out his eyes before taking him away to Babylon in chains. The Babylonians then destroyed the Temple and most of Jerusalem, including tearing down its walls.
     After destroying Jerusalem, King Nebuchadnezzar appointed Gedaliah governor of Judah. Gedaliah assured the remaining people that if they served the king of Babylon all would be well for them. A few months later a member of the royal house of Judah killed Gedaliah and those with him. The rest of the people of Judah fled to Egypt to escape the expected retaliation of the Babylonians.

     Paul continued his speech to the crowd. He told them that God told him that the people of Jerusalem would not accept his testimony concerning Jesus. Paul further said that he argued with God by saying that the people of Jerusalem knew of how he persecuted the Church before his conversion. Paul then told them that God said He was sending him to the Gentiles. When the crowd heard this they began shouting again and demanding his death.
     The Roman commander took Paul into the garrison and ordered him lashed to make him confess his crimes. As they tied him down to lash him, Paul asked if it was legal to whip a Roman citizen without a trial. When the commander was told of this, he asked Paul if it was true that he was a Roman citizen. When Paul replied that he was, the Roman commander said that he had paid a lot to become a Roman citizen. Paul answered that he was one by birth. Paul did not seek Roman citizenship, but he took advantage of the fact that he had it in order to further his ministry.
     The following day, the commander called the Sanhedrin into session and had Paul stand before them. Paul began his defense by saying that he had a clear conscience before God. The high priest ordered those near to Paul to slap him or saying that. Paul responded by calling him a white-washed wall, which is a reference to the Jewish practice of white-washing the outside walls of tombs and is a vary offensive way of calling him a hypocrite. When those near him questioned him insulting the high priest, Paul apologized and said that he had not realized that he was the high priest. Paul further says that one should not speak badly of one’s rulers. This is something that Paul also says in his letters. This is really a challenge for me. I need to remember that those in positions of authority are there because God has chosen to put them there. They will remain in those positions of authority only so long as they serve God’s purpose by being there. We are called to offer them respect and honor, if only because of the authority that God has delegated to them.
     When Paul realized that the council before him was divided between Pharisees, who believed in resurrection, and Sadducees, who did not, he declared that he was on trial because his hope in the resurrection of the dead. This started an argument between the two factions, which got so heated that the Roman commander feared that Paul would be injured. He then ordered his men to remove Paul from the chamber and take him back to the fortress.

     The psalmist tells us that the rulers of the nations of the earth go to war against God and attempt to free themselves from His will. The psalmist further tells us that they will fail. They have no choice but to serve God’s will and God will smash them for their rebellion. This is an interesting passage in light of Paul’s comments about respecting rulers in the passage in Acts. Paul tells us that we should respect our rulers. The psalmist tells us that those rulers will rebel against God. The psalmist further tells us that despite their rebellion, the rulers will serve God. Those who rule this earth may rebel against God, but they will serve His will nevertheless.

     Today’s proverb is one that I try very hard to remember. I am very opinionated on many subjects. This means that I must struggle to hold my tongue until I am sure I know the facts of a case. I work very hard to see where a story I am told conceals facts that might change my perception of what happened. I then try to point out to others that perhaps judgement should be reserved until those facts are known. I often fail and, much to my chagrin, discover that I have come out in favor of a position which is contrary to the facts.