January 31, 2025, 2 Kings 2:1-14 2  Now when the  Lord  was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.  2  And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the  Lord  has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the  Lord  lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.  3  And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the  Lord  will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.” 4  Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the  Lord  has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the  Lord  lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.  5  The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and...

January 30, 2025, 2 Kings 1:1-18 1  After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2  Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.”  3  But the angel of the  Lord  said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?  4  Now therefore thus says the  Lord , You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went. 5  The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?”  6  And they said to him, “There came a man to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him,...

January 29, 2025, 1 Kings 22:41-53 41  Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.  42  Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.  43  He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the  Lord . Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.  44  Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. 45  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?  46  And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa. 47  There was no king ...

January 28, 2025, 1 Kings 22:29-40 29  So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.  30  And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.  31  Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.”  32  And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out.  33  And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.  34  But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around a...

January 27, 2025, 1 Kings 22:13-28 13  And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”  14  But Micaiah said, “As the  Lord  lives, what the  Lord  says to me, that I will speak.”  15  And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and triumph; the  Lord  will give it into the hand of the king.”  16  But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the  Lord ?”  17  And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the  Lord  said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’”  18...

January 26, 2025, 1 Kings 22:1-12 22  For three years Syria and Israel continued without war.  2  But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.  3  And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”  4  And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5  And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the  Lord .”  6  Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”  7  But Jehoshaphat...

January 25, 2025, 1 Kings 21:25-29 25  (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the  Lord  like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.  26  He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the  Lord  cast out before the people of Israel.) 27  And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.  28  And the word of the  Lord  came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,  29  “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house.” Praise the Lord, we see Ahab repenting, and God delayed his punishment on Ahab’s house because of this repentance.   Repentance isn’t just lip service.   It is more ...

January 24, 2025, 1 Kings 21:17-24 17  Then the word of the  Lord  came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,  18  “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession.  19  And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the  Lord , “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the  Lord : “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.”’” 20  Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the  Lord .  21  Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.  22  And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the h...

January 23, 2025, 1 Kings 21:1-16 21  Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.  2  And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.”  3  But Naboth said to Ahab, “The  Lord  forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”  4  And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food. 5  But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?”  6  And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to...

January 22, 2025, 1 Kings 20:35-43 35  And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the  Lord , “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him.  36  Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the  Lord , behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down.  37  Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him.  38  So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.  39  And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you sha...

January 21, 2025, 1 Kings 20:26-34 26  In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.  27  And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country.  28  And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the  Lord , ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The  Lord  is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the  Lord .’”  29  And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day.  30  And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left...

January 20, 2025, 1 Kings 20:13-25 13  And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the  Lord , Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the  Lord .”  14  And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the  Lord , By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”  15  Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand. 16  And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.  17  The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, “Men are coming out from Samaria.”  18  He said, “If they have co...

January 19, 2025, 1 Kings 20:1-12 20  Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it.  2  And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad:  3  ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’”  4  And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.”  5  The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.”  6  Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’” 7  Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the l...

January 18, 2025, 1 Kings 19:19-21 19  So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.  20  And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”  21  And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. This is an interesting passage. Elijah comes upon Elisha. He places his cloak upon Elisha. Elisha then leaves his oxen and runs after Elijah. He goes back and tells his parents goodbye, he sacrificed his only source of income and gave it to the people. Elisha is all in! Are we always all in when ...

January 17, 2025, 1 Kings 19:9-18 9  There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the  Lord  came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  10  He said, “I have been very jealous for the  Lord , the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.”  11  And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the  Lord .” And behold, the  Lord  passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the  Lord , but the  Lord  was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the  Lord  was not in the earthquake.  12  And after the earthquake a fire, but the  Lord  was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound...

January 16, 2025, 1 Kings 19:1-8 19  Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.  2  Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.”  3  Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O  Lord , take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”  5  And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.”  6  And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down aga...

January 15, 2025, 1 Kings 18:41-46 41  And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.”  42  So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees.  43  And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” And he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again,” seven times.  44  And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”  45  And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.  46  And the hand of the  Lord  was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of...

January 14, 2025, 1 Kings 18:20-40 20  So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.  21  And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the  Lord  is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.  22  Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the  Lord , but Baal's prophets are 450 men.  23  Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it.  24  And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the  Lord , and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”  25  Then El...

January 13, 2025, 1 Kings 18:1-19 18  After many days the word of the  Lord  came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”  2  So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.  3  And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the  Lord  greatly,  4  and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the  Lord , Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)  5  And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.”  6  So they divided the land between them to pass through it. Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself. 7  And as Obadiah was on t...