159 - Asa Dies and Elijah's early ministry

The Prophet Elijah Receiving Bread and Water from an Angel
1625 Peter Paul Rubens

Kathleen's thoughts

1 Kings 15: 24,16: 34, 18,3,4, 22:41-43,46, 17: 1-24, 18: 1-3a
2 Chronicles 16: 13-14, 20: 31-33,17: 1-19, 18:1


Asa died in the 41st year of his reign and rested with his fathers. He was buried in his own tomb that he had hewn out for himself in the city of David. They laid him out in a coffin that was full of spices and various mixtures of prepared ointments; then they made a great fire in his honour.
During his reign Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho.

Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the Lord and he took 100 prophets and hid them 50 men to a cave and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord's prophets

Jehoshaphat son of Asa  became king over Judah. He was 35 years old when he became king and he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem.  He walked in the way of Asa his father; he did not turn away from it.

Jehoshaphat strengthened himself against Israel. The Lord was with him so He established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honour in abundance.

Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers told Ahab that there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command.

Then a revelation came to Elijah from the Lord to leave and turn eastward and hide yourself at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordon. and the ravens will provide for you there.

Then the word of the Lord came to him and go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there.
The Lord had commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.
When he arrived at the city gate  the widow was gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink she did this and the he told her to bring him a piece of bread that was in her hand.
 She told Elijah that she had only enough for her and her son that day and was gathering wood to cook  for her and her son so we can eat it and then die. Elijah reassured her not to be afraid and told her to prepare a loaf for him  and then after that make for yourself and your son  for this is what the Lord God of Israel says "The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.

This widow had such faith and carried out what Elijah told her do do After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness became very severe until no breath remained in him She said to Elijah. Man of God what do we have in common? Have you come to remind me of my guilt and to kill my son?" \
Elijah said to her give me your son so he took him from her arms and brought him up to the upper room where he was staying and laid him on his own bed. The he cried out to the Lord and he stretched himself out over the boy three times He cried out to the Lord and said " My Lord God, please let this boys' life return to him!
The Lord listened to him and healed the boy and Elijah said Look your son is alive
Then the woman said "Now I know you a man of God and the Lord's word in your mouth is the truth.
This part reminds me of Jesus, He arose on the third day and here Elijah laid over him 3 times calling out to the Lord and the child arose.
I love the flour jar being filled enough to feed her and her son.
God's promise that we do not need to worry about our future if we trust, lean and have faith in God. He will supply our needs pressed down to overflowing.

Blessings
Kathleen.

159 - the LORD listened to Elijah's voice

Elijah restoring the Widow's Son
1886 by Ford Madow Brown.

Chareen's Thoughts

Today's Readings 1 Kings 15, 16, 17, 18, 22 & 2 Chronicles 17,18

• King Asa has died and his son Jehoshaphat has become king.
• Jezebel the wife of Ahab slaughtered the Lord's prophets but Obadiah a man who loved and feared the Lord took and hid 100 of the Lord's prophets.  He not only hid them but provided for them.
• Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king.  He did what was right in the LORD's sight. However the high places were not taken away.
• 3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the first ways of his father [David]. He did not seek the Baals 4 But sought and yearned with all his desire for the Lord, the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not after the ways of Israel. 2 Chronicles 17:3-4
• It was during the reign of Ahab and Jehoshaphat that the Lord called Elijah the Tishbite from Gilead.  Elijah went before Ahab and declared that there would be no rain until he commands it. From this point the Lord cares for Elijah first in the desert and then when he lives with the widow.  
• During his stay with the widow her son dies.  Elijah asks the Lord to restore her son and He does.
• After three years the Lord tells Elijah to return to Ahab.

During my readings of these kings I find it interresting that whenever a new king is introduced we are told wether he is good or evil and then we are told who his mother or grandmother was.

Blessings
Chareen

158 - Asa the king of Judah and the kings of Israel.

Asa destroys the idols and forbids worship in local shrines
Author: Unknown Date 1372

Kathleen's thoughts Asa destroys the idols and forbids worship in local shrines
Author: Unknown Date 1372

Chronicles 15,16
Kings 15,16

The kings of Israel were walking in sin and did not serve the Lord.
King Baasha.. The word of the Lord also came against Baasha and against his house because of all the evil he had done in the Lord's sight. provoking Him with the work of his hands and being like the house of Jeroboam, and because Baasha had struck down the house of Jeroboam
So Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. His son
Elah became king. he reigned for 2 years.
His servant Zimri who was the commander of half his chariots conspired against him and while Elah was in Tirzah drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza Zimri went and struck Elah down and became king.
Zinri struck down the whole house of Baasha
Zimri was king for 7 days.
Israel made Omri king of Israel and when Zimri saw that be went into the royal palace and burned it down with himself in it.
Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria for 22 years
Omri's son Ahab did what was evil in the Lord's sight more than all who were before him.
He married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians and then proceeded to serve Baal and worship him. Jezebel incited him and he committed the most detestable acts by going after idols as the Amorites.

Asa king of Judah the rest of all the events of Asa's reign along with all his might, all his accomplishments and the cities he built. are written about in the Historical record of Judah's kings. But in his old age he developed a disease in his feet. this happened in his 39th year of reign.

The Lord is with you when you seek Him He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you.

Because of the Egyptian king taking the treasuries out the temple I note in 2 Chronicles 15: 17 that Asa brings his own gold, silver and the utensils into the temple.

One of the interesting things here is how God lets us know that all the accomplishments and might are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's kings. This is repeated all the time.

Scripture for the day Exodus 15:26 If you will carefully obey the Lord your God, do what is right in His eyes, pay attention to His commands, and keep all His statutes, I will not inflict any illness on you I inflicted on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.

Blessings
Kathleen.