Today is something of a milestone (or a millstone, depending on your perspective). This is the 100th blog entry of On Jacob's Ladder! And they said it wouldn't last!!
Elisha is the key figure in the victory over Ben-hadad and the Arameans. Samaria is attacked, but saved through Elisha's miracles. Elisha weeps for Israel as he foretells the death of Ben-hadad to the king's servant, Hazael, because he sees that Hazael will succeed the current king and bring gray suffering upon the people of Israel. Jehoram and then his son, Ahaziah, become king of Judah in turn. They are evil and displease God, as Ahab had before them.
Elisha, at the Lord's instruction, anoints Jehu, son of Jehoshaphat, the king of Israel. Jehu leads men loyal to him to Jezreel, where both kings--of Judah and of Israel--are staying. He kills them both. He then sees to it that Jezebel is killed, and her body is left in the street to be torn apart and eaten by dogs. As Elisha had foretold, Jehu has the entire line of Ahab's descendants killed. Indeed 70 of them are killed, their heads put in baskets, and the baskets sent to Jehu. Soon after, Jehu oversees the destruction of the Temple of Baal, and the slaughter of all the Baal worshipers within it.
So very Quentin Tarantino!
Showing posts with label Baal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baal. Show all posts
Monday, May 6, 2013
Saturday, May 4, 2013
1 Kings 20-22
Ahab continues to displease the Lord, failing to follow His instructions and commands, worshipping Baal, and taking the vineyard of a good man, Naboth.
Indeed, no one gave himself up to the doing of evil in the sight of the Lord as did Ahab, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He became completely abominable by following idols, just as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.
When he is confronted (again) by Elijah, Ahab is (finally) repentant and humbles himself. The Lord shows mercy by deciding that He will not punish Ahab directly, but rather will deliver justice to Ahab's son.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, join together to make war on the Aramites, despite the prophetic warning of Micaiah. Ahab is killed in the battle, and is succeeded by his son, Ahaziah. Ahaziah follows in his parents' dishonorable footsteps, further displeasing the Lord. Jehoshaphat follows the righteous path blazed by his father, Asa, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
I love the name of Asa's son. I seem to remember some TV show (a cartoon?) or a movie when I was younger where a character would say "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!!" I wish I could remember what it was.
One other thing I found humorous in this passage is Ahab's response to the threat of Ben-hadad to slaughter the Israelites in battle (relayed to Ahab by the king of Aram's messenger):
It is not for the man who is buckling his armor to boast as though he were taking it off.
I guess that's the Old Testament way to say: "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
Indeed, no one gave himself up to the doing of evil in the sight of the Lord as did Ahab, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He became completely abominable by following idols, just as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.
When he is confronted (again) by Elijah, Ahab is (finally) repentant and humbles himself. The Lord shows mercy by deciding that He will not punish Ahab directly, but rather will deliver justice to Ahab's son.
Ahab and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, join together to make war on the Aramites, despite the prophetic warning of Micaiah. Ahab is killed in the battle, and is succeeded by his son, Ahaziah. Ahaziah follows in his parents' dishonorable footsteps, further displeasing the Lord. Jehoshaphat follows the righteous path blazed by his father, Asa, doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
I love the name of Asa's son. I seem to remember some TV show (a cartoon?) or a movie when I was younger where a character would say "Jumpin' Jehoshaphat!!" I wish I could remember what it was.
One other thing I found humorous in this passage is Ahab's response to the threat of Ben-hadad to slaughter the Israelites in battle (relayed to Ahab by the king of Aram's messenger):
It is not for the man who is buckling his armor to boast as though he were taking it off.
I guess that's the Old Testament way to say: "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched."
1 Kings 15-19
After Solomon's death, God's people remain split into two kingdoms--Judah and Israel. The kings that follow in those two kingdoms are, with one notable exception, men who continue to disobey and anger the Lord. Men who keep their people turned away from the true God. The exception is Asa, who reigns 41 years as the king of Judah and who pleases God just as his ancestor David had. "Asa's heart was entirely with the Lord as long as he lived." But even during Asa's reign, and after it, there is continuous warfare between Judah and Israel.
Ahab is one of the kings of Israel who displeases the Lord. He is married to Jezebel, who turns him away from God to the worship of Baal. She is responsible for the murder of many priests of the true God in her quest to keep the people (and her husband, the king) committed to Baal.
The Lord sends a prophet, Elijah, to rescue his people. Ahab and Jezebel seek to kill Elijah, but the Lord protects him. Elijah trusts in the Lord and, does as He commands, finds a widow and her son with whom he lives for some years. His first words to her--Do not be afraid!--are words we later hear Jesus speak often in the New Testament. Words of greeting; words of comfort. The Lord sustains the three of them with water and food. When her son falls sick and stops breathing, Elijah takes the boy's body to the upper room of the house and prays to God to breathe life back into the boy. The Lord hears Elijah's prayer and the boy is restored. This story reminds me of other miracles Jesus performs, including perhaps most obviously the raising of Lazarus.
Elijah meets Obadiah, a servant of Ahab who nevertheless has remained true to God, and instructs him to announce Elijah's return. Although afraid, Obadiah does as Elijah asks him. When they meet, Elijah challenges Ahab and the prophets of Baal to a test to demonstrate whose god is the true God. The God of Elijah prevails, and Elijah has the people of Israel kill the prophets of Baal. There is a great moment describing their fruitless efforts being made by the prophets of Baal to summon their god to show his power: But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening.
When she learns of this, Jezebel sends a messenger to Elijah promising to kill him; Elijah flees. Elijah becomes discouraged and fearful and hides in a cave. But God comes to Elijah in his distress and calls him from the cave to witness God's power and presence:
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord--but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake--but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire--but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak.
Elijah recognizes the Lord's voice in the soft whisper of the wind, and obeys the Lord's instructions. He takes the road to the desert near Damascus and meets Elisha, the prophet the Lord has selected to succeed Elijah. Upon meeting Elijah, Elisha leaves all that he has behind to follow Elijah.
So often, I wish the Lord would speak to me in a loud, strong, clear voice. I need to listen for Him in the whispers of life--to recognize His voice in the unexpected place, as Elijah did.
Ahab is one of the kings of Israel who displeases the Lord. He is married to Jezebel, who turns him away from God to the worship of Baal. She is responsible for the murder of many priests of the true God in her quest to keep the people (and her husband, the king) committed to Baal.
The Lord sends a prophet, Elijah, to rescue his people. Ahab and Jezebel seek to kill Elijah, but the Lord protects him. Elijah trusts in the Lord and, does as He commands, finds a widow and her son with whom he lives for some years. His first words to her--Do not be afraid!--are words we later hear Jesus speak often in the New Testament. Words of greeting; words of comfort. The Lord sustains the three of them with water and food. When her son falls sick and stops breathing, Elijah takes the boy's body to the upper room of the house and prays to God to breathe life back into the boy. The Lord hears Elijah's prayer and the boy is restored. This story reminds me of other miracles Jesus performs, including perhaps most obviously the raising of Lazarus.
Elijah meets Obadiah, a servant of Ahab who nevertheless has remained true to God, and instructs him to announce Elijah's return. Although afraid, Obadiah does as Elijah asks him. When they meet, Elijah challenges Ahab and the prophets of Baal to a test to demonstrate whose god is the true God. The God of Elijah prevails, and Elijah has the people of Israel kill the prophets of Baal. There is a great moment describing their fruitless efforts being made by the prophets of Baal to summon their god to show his power: But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening.
When she learns of this, Jezebel sends a messenger to Elijah promising to kill him; Elijah flees. Elijah becomes discouraged and fearful and hides in a cave. But God comes to Elijah in his distress and calls him from the cave to witness God's power and presence:
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord--but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake--but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire--but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak.
Elijah recognizes the Lord's voice in the soft whisper of the wind, and obeys the Lord's instructions. He takes the road to the desert near Damascus and meets Elisha, the prophet the Lord has selected to succeed Elijah. Upon meeting Elijah, Elisha leaves all that he has behind to follow Elijah.
So often, I wish the Lord would speak to me in a loud, strong, clear voice. I need to listen for Him in the whispers of life--to recognize His voice in the unexpected place, as Elijah did.
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