2 Chronicles 21-22 ~ And the Lord stirred up against

The Merneptah Stele currently resides in the Cairo Museum, Egypt.

tel dan stele, house of david, inscription, bible, archaeology, israel, israeli, history, goliath, gath, ... 8'. king of Israel, and I killed [Achaz]yahu son of [Joram kin]g ...

2 Chronicles 21-22

2 Chronicles 21

Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 2 He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.[a] 3 Their father gave them great gifts of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. 4 When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and also some of the princes of Israel. 5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 7 Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

8 In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. 9 Then Jehoram passed over with his commanders and all his chariots, and he rose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. 10 So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted from his rule, because he had forsaken the Lord, the God of his fathers.

11 Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom and made Judah go astray. 12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel and have enticed Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into whoredom, as the house of Ahab led Israel into whoredom, and also you have killed your brothers, of your father's house, who were better than you, 14 behold, the Lord will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, 15 and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the disease, day by day.’”

16 And the Lord stirred up against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabians who are near the Ethiopians. 17 And they came up against Judah and invaded it and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king's house, and also his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

18 And after all this the Lord struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19 In the course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honor, like the fires made for his fathers. 20 He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he departed with no one's regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.




2 Chronicles 22

22 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2 Ahaziah was twenty-two[c] years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. 3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor in doing wickedly. 4 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done. For after the death of his father they were his counselors, to his undoing. 5 He even followed their counsel and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to make war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians wounded Joram, 6 and he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that he had received at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was wounded.

7 But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there, he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. 8 And when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he met the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them. 9 He searched for Ahaziah, and he was captured while hiding in Samaria, and he was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.” And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.
Athaliah Reigns in Judah

10 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him ^[Joash] from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death. 12 And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.



Footnotes:
Jehoram was a king of the Kingdom of Israel. (2 Kings 8:16, 8:25-28) He was the son of Ahab and Jezebel. According to 2 Kings 8:16, in the fifth year of Joram of Israel, (another) Jehoram became king of Judah, when his father Jehoshaphat was (still) king of Judah, indicating a co-regency. The author of Kings also speaks of both Jehoram of Israel and Jehoram of Judah in the same passage, which can be confusing.



We wonder about the sins of the father being carried to the next generation. The passages are confusing. As we wonder on sins of the father.

What is not confusing - these people are indeed part of 'His Story.' Their lives recorded for us to see, what would be carried along, for us to hear His message to us - today. 

For millenniums, when David's Kingdom was split by Solomon's son, for taking bad advice, we hope even today for Israel to be united. It would seem ideal to have the Kingdoms of Judah and Isreal united by Jehoram. However, these kings were not even being mourned, for their lack of honor. Confusion resulted with surrounding wars - why -  because the Lord did not see goodness in their hearts. Not Good News. Just continued wars, with more unsettling news. We see this in our news today, our newspapers.

Yet, in Scripture, there is always an arrow pointing at something good. “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with all his heart.”

If you were to condense the passages, with sons, and arranged marriages of nefarious kings related to Ahab, you would see peace came with seeking the Lord.

While this post is not a history lesson explaining the ins and outs of genealogy, one would see a road map to confusing times. Not a time a Kingdom would hope for, the sheer lack of stability.

The Scriptures tell us what to do when we are suddenly in a commotion, I've seen my loved ones do this:

Jeremiah 9:23
This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches"

Proverbs 3:25-26
Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

Psalm 37:,6
Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

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Holy Week, before Easter, is not a time that I look forward to. There are years as I plan for Easter that Palm Sunday takes me by surprise. What to wear for Easter and throw in the progression of Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday, we as a Church Family, wave the branches for Jesus to be King. But Palm Sunday quickly becomes hearing all Jesus suffered for me.

The Old Testament, did not have Jesus proclaiming that He saw Satan fall from God's Kingdom like a bolt of lightning.

However, God has been with us since His Spirit hovered over the water's of creation in Genesis. Good people struggling against adversity to avoid evil.

Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him [Joash] from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death.

Jesus did not chunk out the people who forget that Palm Sunday isn't about your shoes. Jesus sat with the woman at the well. He reached into the waters, getting His Hands wet, for Peter immediately. And while it is so very painful to hear all Jesus did suffer, we have people like Jehoshabeath, who act and give justice because of His Holy Spirit, released into the world by all Jesus did for us.

Making this entirely possible:

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

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Luke 1:46-55 ~ He has filled

 

 Road to Bethlehem by Joseph Brickey

Luke 1:46-55

 

⁴⁶ And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
⁴⁷      and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
⁴⁹ for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
⁵⁰ And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹  He has shown strength with his arm;
     he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
⁵²  he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
     and exalted those of humble estate;
⁵³ he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
     in remembrance of his mercy,
⁵⁵  as he spoke to our fathers,
     to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

  

 Luke 1:38  
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said."

Mary believed God. Mary, the teenage girl, a virgin, dragged around the country, heavily pregnant. For a census she probably did not care much about, by a new husband - who considered having her stoned to death. A quick marriage ceremony and learning to live with the 500 to 1,500 people in Nazareth. (Where the 3rd century Church reports the Romans asked his nephews to denounce Jesus & Jesus' great, great nephews were put to death in an attempt to kill off the spread of Christianity, for 400 years).  After the holy family had flight to Egypt, they returned years later to Nazareth, Mary and Joseph had a seamless family; they were seen as good parents in the small town. A hard thing to do, not to favor or disfavor the Son of God.

Mary had a very difficult thing to do, returning to Nazareth to raise kids - the lady who was pregnant during the betrothal.  Mary even had to live down the Sanhedrin Council gossip still available in the 1st Century Talmud, upon the Sanhedrin discovering to their discomfort the miracles of Jesus. The Talmud ponders the problem of a living Jesus and denounces his mother. The Sanhedrin later try to cover up the quick, night trial without all the council present and again denounce Mary. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Still she lived in peace. And her family is recorded as being a seamless family, although blended. Jesus would agree with their parenting in the Scriptures.

Mark 6:2-4  
When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
 

Why would Jesus adopt John as his family. Perhaps partly, not to send Mary empty away even after she and His brothers had called for Him to leave with them.

Luke 8:21  
And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
 

John 19:26

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Acts 1:14  
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

1 Corinthians 9:5  
Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?

We do Mary a disservice when we fail to recognize her role as a mother and a wife. A mother who tried to rescue her Son.  A mother the Scriptures record as not repeating her mistake. Jesus honored Mary and He limited her role.  

Luke 11:27

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts at which you nursed! But he said, Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

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Genesis 27 ~ He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.”

Jacob Deceives Isaac,  painted by James Tissot

Genesis 27


When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, 4 and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, 6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, 7 ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. 9 Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. 10 And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” 11 But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. 12 Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” 13 His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.”

14 So he went and took them and brought them to his mother, and his mother prepared delicious food, such as his father loved. 15 Then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. 16 And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. 17 And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

18 So he went in to his father and said, “My father.” And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” 19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” 20 But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” He answered, “Because the Lord your God granted me success.” 21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. 24 He said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He answered, “I am.” 25 Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near and kiss me, my son.” 27 So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!
28 May God give you of the dew of heaven
and of the fatness of the earth
and plenty of grain and wine.
29 Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother's sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

30 As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting. 31 He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son's game, that you may bless me.” 32 His father Isaac said to him, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am your son, your firstborn, Esau.” 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.” 34 As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!” 35 But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.” 36 Esau said, “Is he not rightly named Jacob?[a] For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing.” Then he said, “Have you not reserved a blessing for me?” 37 Isaac answered and said to Esau, “Behold, I have made him lord over you, and all his brothers I have given to him for servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?” 38 Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him:

“Behold, away from the fatness of the earth shall your dwelling be,
and away from the dew of heaven on high.
40 By your sword you shall live,
and you shall serve your brother;
but when you grow restless
you shall break his yoke from your neck.”

41 Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” 42 But the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah. So she sent and called Jacob her younger son and said to him, “Behold, your brother Esau comforts himself about you by planning to kill you. 43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice. Arise, flee to Laban my brother in Haran 44 and stay with him a while, until your brother's fury turns away— 45 until your brother's anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I loathe my life because of the Hittite women.^{[daughters of Heth]} If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women like these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?”

The Shadow Knows. If you are old enough, you remember this was a radio broadcast.

John 2:25
He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man.


Yin and  yang,  a Chinese philosophical idea explaining opposite forces are interconnected and interdependent of each other. In other words, good follows evil.

Psalm 23
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life

David says in the presence of his enemies, he is determined his life will still give goodness and mercy.

If life is problem solving, Isaac is having a heck of a time. He knows and believes he is the Keeper of Abraham's Blessing "Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you." And he knows he is surrounded by Rebecca, who is his love, yet is a self-interested, chess player. And Jacob, the shifty son who already has Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew. You'd think Isaac would have put a caveat saying if you're Jacob, no dice on the blessing. However, Isaac did think he was dying, but held on for Jacob to grow up and return with his 12 sons. And Rebecca did herself in, that daughter in law was a long time in coming and then, oi vay, the bickering of two of them. More sibling rivalry. 

We know from the Scriptures Rebekah and Isaac will have troubles in life; the Scriptures tell us are part of life. In the midst of signs, births, prosperity, betrayal, all trouble and stages of life; we learn from Isaac’s life, forgiveness allows the Holy Spirit to help Isaac to end well. We can almost hear Father God say to Isaac, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Is this a love story? Yes, we know it. We all root for Rebekah to complete the sign and become Isaac’s wife. We all want the signs of God’s approval in our life. We know Rebekah will place her son’s prosperity over her husband’s peaceful illness and anticipated death. We know Isaac will still have Rebekah as his wife when a life-time of years pass before the family is reunited in forgiveness. We know this miracle only can come from God.

Just as we know what Rebekah’s human nature will cause and allow, God knew what was in Rebekah’s heart and chose her to be part of His plan in fulfilling His promise to Abraham. In Jesus, we are heirs of Abraham, we are grafted into God’s tree of life. God chose Rebekah and God chooses us, asks us, wants us to be part of His plan in this life and heirs to His eternal kingdom.


 




I once heard a very interesting sermon by a Catholic Priest (he'd been a married Episcopal Priest, but brought his wife and the entire congregation to the Catholic faith) on yin and yang in Christianity. Every time there is great good, evil is going to show up, because evil is, by nature, jealous of goodness. Isaac has a great blessing and he wants to decide God's will. Rebekah wants to decide God's will and improve her own life by controlling Jacob's. Jacob wants all the goods all the time and is smart enough to take a blessing of God's. Esau is going to get tired of everybody.

You would think the Scriptures would be more like Dick and Jane go to summer camp, meet and marry. Instead you see life does strange things to families trying to get by. The one thing you can say for this Biblical family, they are still together after Lamon gets finished decades later working out his own issues on his son-in-law.

Romans 8:38
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us

Ephesians 3:19
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

1 Corinthians 15:58
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

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Psalm 117 ~ Praise the Lord

Psalm 117

1 Praise the Lord, all nations!
Extol him, all peoples!
2 For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the bible. Condensed, this is the nature of the Lord Most High. He is for everyone. He is worthy to be praised.

He isn't about Black-eyed Peas, don't step on a crack, wear a little bracelet with knots tied in it so many days, pray in this exact fashion, eat this diet, or wear your hair like this.

He does not ask you to sit up straight. He does not ask you to refrain from alcohol. He does not ask you not to dance. He does not ask you not to chew gum. He is not partial to one skin type or one color. He is not partial to one class over another. He does not say cleanliness is next to Him. He does not say that if you pay attention to Him at least once a week, He is pleased. He does not ask you to seek wealth. He is more fond of wisdom and kindness.

Father God seeks you. Father God does not expect you to save yourself. He doesn't just put you off until eternity, He is part of this life. He wants your love and trust. He is for you. He chose to create you. He is about love, wisdom, loyalty, forgiveness and eternity. He loves you.

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John 11:30-57 ~ He was deeply moved in His spirit and greatly troubled.

Jairus' Daughter, painted by Wilson Jay Ong

John 11:30-57

Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”


38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”


45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

54 Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 They were looking for[b] Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.


Why would the Lord be deeply moved in His Holy Spirit and greatly troubled?

1 Chronicles 13:10
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.

I don't think any of us see death as an enemy, in all situations.

Hebrews 2:14
Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil

Jesus did not come to earth uninformed. Proverbs tells us He delighted in Creation. Jesus knew about death. Jesus wasn't troubled Lazarus had died, remember:

John 11:12-15
The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

Jesus was purely reacting to the people and the way they did look at the passing of Lazarus.

When you think about Uzzah, do you really believe Uzzah was thundered at when he arrived in Sheol? Heaven was created upon the death of Jesus. I think God, our Father, is this :

Ephesians 2:4
God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us

Paul Burrell was a footman for Queen Elizabeth II and later butler to Diana, Princess of Wales. Burrell was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in November 1997 for services to the Royal Family. In the first few weeks of his service, he was told if he touched the Queen for any reason, he would be fired. The Queen became tangled in her dog, Corgi, leashes and started to fall down a flight of stairs. Paul rushed forward to grab her arm and shoulder. He was immediately fired. Queen Elizabeth then hired him to be her personal servant, where he had daily access to the Queen almost constantly. Paul's initial supervisor was chastised.

Going back to the fate of Uzzah:

Ephesians 2:5-10
even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

If you recall your 1 Chronicles 13, the LORD was miffed with David for his reaction to death.

And look further at the passage,
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Jesus had work to do with death, combating another tomb, another stone. Jesus stone was hard to move with Roman guard and a seal from Pilate.

Jesus had work to do, in this life with death:

Luke 7:11-17
Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” 15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” 17 And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

And Jesus raised this child as well:

Matthew 9:18-19, continued in Luke 8
these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.

Luke 8:49-56
49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, “Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Why is Jesus so acclaimed for Lazarus and not the Widow in Nain's Son and Jairus' daughter? Jesus was in the beginning of his ministry and He was not ringing out orders as Moses had done.

Jesus timed His miracles well. Knowing this about the way miracles are delivered:

Matthew 13:10-15
Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

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2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11 ~ so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow

2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11

But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

2 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.

5 Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure—not to put it too severely—to all of you. 6 For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, 7 so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. 9 For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. 10 Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, 11 so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.


Judgement. Let's all be less judgmental. I find that to be true like faith is blind - so be blindfolded. We get through life learning from seeing our sibling get popped for doing something incorrectly. We learn family drama and high emotion over seeing report cards. We see rewards for good work. Life is about learning from the people around us.

We are saddened to see someone diminished by age. Saddened to see people diminished by hate.

Life is about learning what gifts we have been given, propelling us forward. And some friends lift us up and others bring us down. Sometimes we take ourselves far too seriously.

And that nasty Paul - he is at it again. Being that Christian Overlord telling us suffering is good.

Romans 5:3-5
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

This almost sounds as if we want to suffer. No Paul is saying - look to what purpose can be taken from the trouble. Solomon said blessing and trouble are from His Hand. You need Character to stand - instead of fall - for anything or something.

 so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice

1 Thessalonians 2:13
And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

Matthew 19:17
And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”

At this point we all want to know - suffering - rejoicing - rather like Janet Jackson - what have you done for me lately?

And the correct response, because we are transparent to HIM is this -
"Father God, I have a few things I sure could use Your help with. And if You'd help I'd be mighty pleased and grateful. But I would like to build my life and my days to have meaning. To be meaningful to me and to You. I open my hands, my heart. Today let us build Your kingdom on earth with goodness and mercy from Psalm 23 being the wake I leave in this life. In the name of Jesus. Amen."


Back to the passage today:

Paul does not want to push power on someone to establish their faith or HIS. He is refraining from the visit saying you are doing fine.

Paul says we need to push people to do better - no - should rather turn to forgive and comfort.

Paul acts upon this principle - from Father God - know the abundant love that I have for you.

Forgiveness is given for such an odd reason - that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs. Surely we do not believe in evil. If you don't, you are probably one of the people who make fun of walking by faith - blindfolded. You have to be blindfolded not to know there is evil.

Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. That's right. Our Paul gets only the second slot in the Christendom Kingdom on Earth. His Basilica had endurance and you have to look at that as a sign of God. 5 July 1823 a fire, started through the negligence of a workman who was repairing the lead of the roof, resulted in the almost total destruction of the basilica which, alone of all the churches of Rome, had preserved its primitive character for 1435 years. It was re-opened in 1840, and reconsecrated 1855.

Can you imagine - Peter went to the Jews - that small town, captain of industry and built His Church not to be prevailed against by the forces of what....

Matthew 16:18
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

So outsiders would say - look at the Church rewarding Paul by shoving his Basilica outside the walls of the city. Paul went to the Gentiles. Paul was all in - the Temple - upwardly mobile - Paul decided that mercy overcomes the rules. And the Lord took care of that Basilica for years and years. God feels forgiveness brings us into HIS path. And darkness is not where He wants our hearts, faith, love - to be. Paul stayed outside the walls to bring more people in.

We work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

Why?

To let you know the abundant love that God has for you.

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Psalm 98:1-4 ~ Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

Psalm 98:1-4

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
2 The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

David was called apple in the eye of God. He was very unique in the ability to continue to serve God as he lived in ditches, evading authority and later dancing, with all his might, for God.

Psalm 17:8
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings,


Proverbs 7:2
keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;

Zechariah 2:8
For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:

It is a common misconception David was uniquely the only apple of God's eye.

1 Chronicles 29:10-13
Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. 13 And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

We are so apt to praise Him and cling to Him when our lives are not as we hope. How much more was David living HIS Praise for wanting to build His Father God a dwelling. And praise Him even when turned down. Naming his next child after Nathan, simply for Nathan's willingness to tell David the Lord's Truth.

David, I'm pretty sure, on God's behalf, was giving us a lesson on how loving an open heart finds those Thundering Old Testament Prophets. The person acting on God's behalf should want to love the people he delivers Father God's love towards.

David included the men unwilling to help him during his two decades of knowing himself to be anointed of the Lord. When Saul died and his concubine's son placed on the throne, David continued to believe. David - did well. He was indeed the anointed of God - seeking His Glory.

Let us pray as David, each day asking Father God to build our life and use our lives for His purposes. For the glory of Jesus Christ. Never, never, never forgetting to give Thanks for our blessings. Amen.

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Psalm 124 ~ the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us

Psalm 124

A song of ascents. Of David.

1 If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
2 if the Lord had not been on our side
when people attacked us,
3 they would have swallowed us alive
when their anger flared against us;
4 the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
5 the raging waters
would have swept us away.

6 Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
7 We have escaped like a bird
from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.



A younger man who has not wept is a savage, and the older man who will not laugh is a fool.

Religion in its humility restores man to his only dignity, the courage to live by grace.

- Both quotes are from George Santayana

Jesus, is quoted by the dear physician Luke, with a phrase that sticks in my mind - "And days shall come upon you."

Days come upon all of us. Monet was known to have suffered the death of his first wife. Monet painted her body changing color. Grief effects all of us differently. And for each of these deaths, like the death of a step-daughter, Monet ceased to paint. He virtually was unable to do what was his greatest joy.

We all exist at a different emotional temperature. John Boehner, current Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, is someone who cries easily, like I do. I've noticed something about tears. People in our generation are embarrassed by emotion. Tears are a natural product of the body expressing genuine emotion. God tells us He enjoys the depths of our heart and has created us to be transparent to Him.

One of the benefits of a good cry, your body accepts the emotion, your spirit recognizes the truth and with prayer, healing begins.

However
the raging waters
would have swept us away.

We all have times we say to the LORD, not this emotion - not right now. What will we do with the emotion. And frankly, we can accept self-pity for so long, we become like Psalm 2 - rather evil.

When, I've learned through experience, we earnestly pray The Lord's Prayer. we can have strength. A renewal of hope surging through us. Therefore strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, Does saying The Lord's Prayer work each time? Absolutely. Sound too good to be true? Well.  However, at the beginning of the prayer, you ask Father God, "Your will be done." Therefore, like the Centurion, who pleased Jesus so much, we expect HIM to show up just by His Word. Telling us He will never leave or forsake us. And He will be with us.

Embarrassment. Because there are certainly times when our emotions must be discussed. And displayed. Never let the moment of need be dismissed as being over the top - unless this is a terrible pattern. 

Let's not be the generation freaking out over emotion.

We should give encouragement to emotion as gently listening. The emotion, crying, does not need to be discussed until the person weeping wants to mention that. An open expression and care is the needed response. I see people cry, all the time, at the Pregnancy Assistant Center, where I volunteer. They usually remark, eventually on their own emotion. I just say, "Tears Are only Emotion. Here is a kleenex. I've seen tears before and cried myself."  Usually a matter of fact reaction, with understanding, helps a lot. The Scriptures tell us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with the rejoicing. I do believe in weeping with someone in something like a huge announcement is appropriate, but usually people just, and Scripture, expresses, walk with them in their conversation.

1 Timothy 4:12
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Jesus recognized small children are more apt to speak the thoughts of their heart and put faith first.

Ezekiel 36:26
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Jeremiah 17:10
“I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Matthew 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Psalm 112:7
He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.



Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

A song of ascents! Alleluia!

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