O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 12:21 AM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Wednesday April 15 >2 Kings 7-9 (The Message) > > 2 Kings 7 > 1 Elisha said, "Listen! God's word! The famine's over. This time tomorrow > food will be plentiful-a > handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel. The > market at the city gate will > be buzzing." > 2 The attendant on whom the king leaned for support said to the Holy Man, > "You expect us to believe > that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?" > > "You'll watch it with your own eyes," he said, "but you will not eat so > much as a mouthful!" > > 3-4 It happened that four lepers were sitting just outside the city gate. > They said to one another, > "What are we doing sitting here at death's door? If we enter the > famine-struck city we'll die; if we > stay here we'll die. So let's take our chances in the camp of Aram and > throw ourselves on their > mercy. If they receive us we'll live, if they kill us we'll die. We've got > nothing to lose." > > 5-8 So after the sun went down they got up and went to the camp of Aram. > When they got to the edge > of the camp, surprise! Not a man in the camp! The Master had made the army > of Aram hear the sound of > horses and a mighty army on the march. They told one another, "The king of > Israel hired the kings of > the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us!" Panicked, they ran for > their lives through the > darkness, abandoning tents, horses, donkeys-the whole camp just as it > was-running for dear life. > These four lepers entered the camp and went into a tent. First they ate > and drank. Then they grabbed > silver, gold, and clothing, and went off and hid it. They came back, > entered another tent, and > looted it, again hiding their plunder. > > 9 Finally they said to one another, "We shouldn't be doing this! This is a > day of good news and > we're making it into a private party! If we wait around until morning > we'll get caught and punished. > Come on! Let's go tell the news to the king's palace!" > > 10 So they went and called out at the city gate, telling what had > happened: "We went to the camp of > Aram and, surprise!-the place was deserted. Not a soul, not a sound! > Horses and donkeys left > tethered and tents abandoned just as they were." > > 11-12 The gatekeepers got the word to the royal palace, giving them the > whole story. Roused in the > middle of the night, the king told his servants, "Let me tell you what > Aram has done. They knew that > we were starving, so they left camp and have hid in the field, thinking, > 'When they come out of the > city, we'll capture them alive and take the city.'" > > 13 One of his advisors answered, "Let some men go and take five of the > horses left behind. The > worst that can happen is no worse than what could happen to the whole > city. Let's send them and find > out what's happened." > > 14 They took two chariots with horses. The king sent them after the army > of Aram with the orders, > "Scout them out; find out what happened." > > 15 They went after them all the way to the Jordan. The whole way was > strewn with clothes and > equipment that Aram had dumped in their panicked flight. The scouts came > back and reported to the > king. > > 16 The people then looted the camp of Aram. Food prices dropped > overnight-a handful of meal for a > shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel-God's word to the letter! > > 17 The king ordered his attendant, the one he leaned on for support, to be > in charge of the city > gate. The people, turned into a mob, poured through the gate, trampling > him to death. It was exactly > what the Holy Man had said when the king had come to see him. > > 18-20 Every word of the Holy Man to the king-"A handful of meal for a > shekel, two handfuls of grain > for a shekel this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria," with the > attendant's sarcastic reply to the > Holy Man, "You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and > food tumbling out?" > followed by the response, "You'll watch it with your own eyes, but you > won't eat so much as a > mouthful"-proved true. The final stroke came when the people trampled the > man to death at the city > gate. > > 2 Kings 8 > 1-3 Years before, Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought to > life, "Leave here and go, > you and your family, and live someplace else. God has ordered a famine in > the land; it will last for > seven years." The woman did what the Holy Man told her and left. She and > her family lived as aliens > in the country of Philistia for seven years. Then, when the seven years > were up, the woman and her > family came back. She went directly to the king and asked for her home and > farm. > 4-5 The king was talking with Gehazi, servant to the Holy Man, saying, > "Tell me some stories of the > great things Elisha did." It so happened that as he was telling the king > the story of the dead > person brought back to life, the woman whose son was brought to life > showed up asking for her home > and farm. > > Gehazi said, "My master the king, this is the woman! And this is her > son whom Elisha brought > back to life!" > > 6 The king wanted to know all about it, and so she told him the story. The > king assigned an officer > to take care of her, saying, "Make sure she gets everything back that's > hers, plus all profits from > the farm from the time she left until now." > > 7 Elisha traveled to Damascus. Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, was sick at the > time. He was told, "The > Holy Man is in town." > > 8 The king ordered Hazael, "Take a gift with you and go meet the Holy Man. > Ask God through him, 'Am > I going to recover from this sickness?'" > > 9 Hazael went and met with Elisha. He brought with him every choice thing > he could think of from > Damascus-forty camel-loads of items! When he arrived he stood before > Elisha and said, "Your son > Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, sent me here to ask you, 'Am I going to recover > from this sickness?'" > > 10-11 Elisha answered, "Go and tell him, 'Don't worry; you'll live.' The > fact is, though-God showed > me-that he's doomed to die." Elisha then stared hard at Hazael, reading > his heart. Hazael felt > exposed and dropped his eyes. Then the Holy Man wept. > > 12 Hazael said, "Why does my master weep?" > > "Because," said Elisha, "I know what you're going to do to the children > of Israel: > burn down their forts, murder their youth, smash their babies, rip open > their pregnant women." > > 13 Hazael said, "Am I a mongrel dog that I'd do such a horrible thing?" > > "God showed me," said Elisha, "that you'll be king of Aram." > > 14 Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master, who asked, "So, what did > Elisha tell you?" > > "He told me, 'Don't worry; you'll live.'" > > 15 But the very next day, someone took a heavy quilt, soaked it in water, > covered the king's face, > and suffocated him. > > Now Hazael was king. > > Jehoram of Judah > 16-19 In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, > Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat > king of Judah became king. He was thirty-two years old when he began his > rule, and was king for > eight years in Jerusalem. He copied the way of life of the kings of > Israel, marrying into the Ahab > family and continuing the Ahab line of sin-from God's point of view, an > evil man living an evil > life. But despite that, because of his servant David, God was not ready to > destroy Judah. He had, > after all, promised to keep a lamp burning through David's descendants. > 20-21 During Jehoram's reign, Edom revolted against Judah's rule and set > up their own king. Jehoram > responded by taking his army of chariots to Zair. > > Edom surrounded him, but in the middle of the night he and his > charioteers broke through the > lines and hit Edom hard. But his infantry deserted him. > > 22 Edom continues in revolt against Judah right up to the present. Even > little Libnah revolted at > that time. > > 23-24 The rest of the life and times of Jehoram, the record of his rule, > is written in The > Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. Jehoram died and was buried in the > family grave in the City of > David. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king. > > Ahaziah of Judah > 25-27 In the twelfth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab king of > Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram > king of Judah began his reign. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he > became king; he ruled only a > year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri king of > Israel. He lived and ruled > just like the Ahab family had done, continuing the same > evil-in-God's-sight line of sin, related by > both marriage and sin to the Ahab clan. > 28-29 He joined Joram son of Ahab king of Israel in a war against Hazael > king of Aram at Ramoth > Gilead. The archers wounded Joram. Joram pulled back to Jezreel to > convalesce from the injuries he > had received in the fight with Hazael. Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of > Judah paid a visit to Joram > son of Ahab on his sickbed in Jezreel. > > 2 Kings 9 > Jehu of Israel > 1-3 One day Elisha the prophet ordered a member of the guild of prophets, > "Get yourself ready, take > a flask of oil, and go to Ramoth Gilead. Look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat > son of Nimshi. When you > find him, get him away from his companions and take him to a back room. > Take your flask of oil and > pour it over his head and say, 'God's word: I anoint you king over > Israel.' Then open the door and > get out of there as fast as you can. Don't wait around." > 4-5 The young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. On arrival he found the army > officers all sitting > around. He said, "I have a matter of business with you, officer." > > Jehu said, "Which one of us?" > > "With you, officer." > > 6-10 He got up and went inside the building. The young prophet poured the > oil on his head and said, > "God's word, the God of Israel: I've anointed you to be king over the > people of God, over Israel. > Your assignment is to attack the regime of Ahab your master. I am avenging > the massacre of my > servants the prophets-yes, the Jezebel-massacre of all the prophets of > God. The entire line of Ahab > is doomed. I'm wiping out the entire bunch of that sad lot. I'll see to it > that the family of Ahab > experiences the same fate as the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the > family of Baasha son of > Ahijah. As for Jezebel, the dogs will eat her carcass in the open fields > of Jezreel. No burial for > her!" Then he opened the door and made a run for it. > > 11 Jehu went back out to his master's officers. They asked, "Is everything > all right? What did that > crazy fool want with you?" > > He said, "You know that kind of man-all talk." > > 12 "That's a lie!" they said. "Tell us what's going on." > > He said, "He told me this and this and this-in effect, 'God's word: I > anoint you king of > Israel!'" > > 13 They sprang into action. Each man grabbed his robe; they piled them at > the top of the steps for > a makeshift throne. Then they blew the trumpet and declared, "Jehu is > king!" > > 14-15 That ignited the conspiracy of Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi > against Joram. > > Meanwhile, Joram and the entire army were defending Ramoth Gilead > against Hazael king of Aram. > Except that Joram had pulled back to Jezreel to convalesce from the > injuries he got from the > Arameans in the battle with Hazael king of Aram. > > Jehu said, "If you really want me as king, don't let anyone sneak out > of the city and blab the > news in Jezreel." > > 16 Then Jehu mounted a chariot and rode to Jezreel, where Joram was in > bed, resting. King Ahaziah > of Judah had come down to visit Joram. > > 17 A sentry standing duty on the watchtower in Jezreel saw the company of > Jehu arrive. He said, "I > see a band of men." > > Joram said, "Get a horseman and send him out to meet them and inquire, > 'Is anything wrong?'" > > 18 The horseman rode out to meet Jehu and said, "The king wants to know if > there's anything wrong." > > Jehu said, "What's it to you whether things are right or wrong? Fall in > behind me." > > The sentry said, "The messenger reached them, but he's not returning." > > 19 The king then sent a second horseman. When he reached them he said, > "The king wants to know if > there's anything wrong." > > Jehu said, "What's it to you whether things are right or wrong? Fall in > behind me." > > 20 The sentry said, "The messenger reached them, but he's not returning. > The driving is like the > driving of Jehu son of Nimshi-crazy!" > > 21 Joram ordered, "Get my chariot ready!" They hitched up his chariot. > Joram king of Israel and > Ahaziah king of Judah, each in his own chariot, drove out to meet Jehu. > They met in the field of > Naboth of Jezreel. > > 22 When Joram saw Jehu he called out, "Good day, Jehu!" > > Jehu answered, "What's good about it? How can there be anything good > about it as long as the > promiscuous whoring and sorceries of your mother Jezebel pollute the > country?" > > 23 Joram wheeled his chariot around and fled, yelling to Ahaziah, "It's a > trap, Ahaziah!" > > 24 Jehu pulled on his bow and released an arrow; it hit Joram between the > shoulder blades and went > right through his heart. He slumped to his knees in his chariot. > > 25-26 Jehu ordered Bidkar, his lieutenant, "Quick-throw him into the field > of Naboth of Jezreel. > Remember when you and I were driving our chariots behind Ahab his father? > That's when God pronounced > this doom upon him: 'As surely as I saw the blood of murdered Naboth and > his sons yesterday, you'll > pay for it on this exact piece of ground. God's word!' So take him and > throw him out in the field. > God's instructions carried out to the letter!" > > 27 Ahaziah king of Judah saw what was going on and made his escape on the > road toward Beth Haggan. > Jehu chased him, yelling out, "Get him, too!" Jehu's troops shot and > wounded him in his chariot on > the hill up to Gur, near Ibleam. He was able to make it as far as Megiddo; > there he died. > > 28 His aides drove on to Jerusalem. They buried him in the family plot in > the City of David. > > 29 In the eleventh year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah had > become king of Judah. > > 30-31 When Jezebel heard that Jehu had arrived in Jezreel, she made > herself up-put on eyeshadow and > arranged her hair-and posed seductively at the window. When Jehu came > through the city gate, she > called down, "So, how are things, 'Zimri,' you dashing king-killer?" > > 32 Jehu looked up at the window and called, "Is there anybody up there on > my side?" Two or three > palace eunuchs looked out. > > 33 He ordered, "Throw her down!" They threw her out the window. Her blood > spattered the wall and > the horses, and Jehu trampled her under his horse's hooves. > > 34 Then Jehu went inside and ate his lunch. During lunch he gave orders, > "Take care of that damned > woman; give her a decent burial-she is, after all, a king's daughter." > > 35-36 They went out to bury her, but there was nothing left of her but > skull, feet, and hands. They > came back and told Jehu. He said, "It's God's word, the word spoken by > Elijah the Tishbite: > In the field of Jezreel, > dogs will eat Jezebel; > > 37 The body of Jezebel will be like > dog-droppings on the ground in Jezreel. > Old friends and lovers will say, > 'I wonder, is this Jezebel?'" > > > > > > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. 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