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 10:25 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Thursday April 16 >2 Kings 10-12 (The Message) > > 2 Kings 10 > 1-2Ahab had seventy sons still living in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters > addressed to the officers of > Jezreel, the city elders, and those in charge of Ahab's sons, and posted > them to Samaria. The > letters read: > 2-3 This letter is fair warning. You're in charge of your master's > children, chariots, horses, > fortifications, and weapons. Pick the best and most capable of your > master's sons and put him on the > throne. Prepare to fight for your master's position. > > 4 They were absolutely terrified at the letter. They said, "Two kings have > already been wiped out > by him; what hope do we have?" > > 5 So they sent the warden of the palace, the mayor of the city, the > elders, and the guardians to > Jehu with this message: "We are your servants. Whatever you say, we'll do. > We're not making anyone > king here. You're in charge-do what you think best." > > 6-7 Then Jehu wrote a second letter: > > If you are on my side and are willing to follow my orders, here's what > you do: Decapitate the > sons of your master and bring the heads to me by this time tomorrow in > Jezreel. > > The king's sons numbered seventy. The leaders of the city had taken > responsibility for them. > When they got the letter, they took the king's sons and killed all > seventy. Then they put the heads > in baskets and sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. > > 8 A messenger reported to Jehu: "They've delivered the heads of the king's > sons." > > He said, "Stack them in two piles at the city gate until morning." > > 9-10 In the morning Jehu came out, stood before the people, and addressed > them formally: "Do you > realize that this very day you are participants in God's righteous > workings? True, I am the one who > conspired against my master and assassinated him. But who, do you suppose, > is responsible for this > pile of skulls? Know this for certain: Not a single syllable that God > spoke in judgment on the > family of Ahab is canceled; you're seeing it with your own eyes-God doing > what, through Elijah, he > said he'd do." > > 11 Then Jehu proceeded to kill everyone who had anything to do with Ahab's > family in > Jezreel-leaders, friends, priests. He wiped out the entire lot. > > 12-13 That done, he brushed himself off and set out for Samaria. Along the > way, at Beth Eked > (Binding House) of the Shepherds, he met up with some relatives of Ahaziah > king of Judah. > > Jehu said, "Who are you?" > > They said, "We're relatives of Ahaziah and we've come down to a reunion > of the royal family." > > 14 "Grab them!" ordered Jehu. They were taken and then massacred at the > well of Beth Eked. > Forty-two of them-no survivors. > > 15 He went on from there and came upon Jehonadab the Recabite who was on > his way to meet him. > Greeting him, he said, "Are we together and of one mind in this?" > > Jehonadab said, "We are-count on me." > > "Then give me your hand," said Jehu. > > They shook hands on it and Jehonadab stepped up into the chariot with > Jehu. > > 16 "Come along with me," said Jehu, "and witness my zeal for God." > Together they proceeded in the > chariot. > > 17 When they arrived in Samaria, Jehu massacred everyone left in Samaria > who was in any way > connected with Ahab-a mass execution, just as God had told Elijah. > > 18-19 Next, Jehu got all the people together and addressed them: > Ahab served Baal small-time; Jehu will serve him big-time. > "Get all the prophets of Baal here-everyone who served him, all his > priests. Get everyone here; > don't leave anyone out. I have a great sacrifice to offer Baal. If you > don't show up, you won't live > to tell about it." (Jehu was lying, of course. He planned to destroy all > the worshipers of Baal.) > > 20 Jehu ordered, "Make preparation for a holy convocation for Baal." They > did and posted the date. > > 21 Jehu then summoned everyone in Israel. They came in droves-every > worshiper of Baal in the > country. Nobody stayed home. They came and packed the temple of Baal to > capacity. > > 22 Jehu directed the keeper of the wardrobe, "Get robes for all the > servants of Baal." He brought > out their robes. > > 23-24 Jehu and Jehonadab the Recabite now entered the temple of Baal and > said, "Double-check and > make sure that there are no worshipers of God in here; only > Baal-worshipers are allowed." Then they > launched the worship, making the sacrifices and burnt offerings. > > Meanwhile, Jehu had stationed eighty men outside with orders: "Don't > let a single person escape; > if you do, it's your life for his life." > > 25-27 When Jehu had finished with the sacrificial solemnities, he signaled > to the officers and > guards, "Enter and kill! No survivors!" > > And the bloody slaughter began. The officers and guards threw the > corpses outside and cleared > the way to enter the inner shrine of Baal. They hauled out the sacred > phallic stone from the temple > of Baal and pulverized it. They smashed the Baal altars and tore down the > Baal temple. It's been a > public toilet ever since. > > 28 And that's the story of Jehu's wasting of Baal in Israel. > > 29 But for all that, Jehu didn't turn back from the sins of Jeroboam son > of Nebat, the sins that > had dragged Israel into a life of sin-the golden calves in Bethel and Dan > stayed. > > 30 God commended Jehu: "You did well to do what I saw was best. You did > what I ordered against the > family of Ahab. As reward, your sons will occupy the throne of Israel for > four generations." > > 31 Even then, though, Jehu wasn't careful to walk in God's ways and honor > the God of Israel from an > undivided heart. He didn't turn back from the sins of Jeroboam son of > Nebat, who led Israel into a > life of sin. > > 32-33 It was about this time that God began to shrink Israel. Hazael > hacked away at the borders of > Israel from the Jordan to the east-all the territory of Gilead, Gad, > Reuben, and Manasseh from Aroer > near the Brook Arnon. In effect, all Gilead and Bashan. > > 34-36 The rest of the life and times of Jehu, his accomplishments and > fame, are written in The > Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Jehu died and was buried in the family > plot in Samaria. His son > Jehoahaz was the next king. Jehu ruled Israel from Samaria for > twenty-eight years. > > 2 Kings 11 > Athaliah of Judah > 1-3Athaliah was the mother of Ahaziah. When she saw that her son was dead, > she took over. She began > by massacring the entire royal family. But Jehosheba, daughter of King > Joram and sister of Ahaziah, > took Ahaziah's son Joash and kidnapped him from among the king's sons > slated for slaughter. She hid > him and his nurse in a private room away from Athaliah. He didn't get > killed. He was there with her, > hidden away for six years in The Temple of God. Athaliah, oblivious to his > existence, ruled the > country. > 4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the captains of the bodyguards and > the Palace Security > Force. They met him in The Temple of God. He made a covenant with them, > swore them to secrecy, and > only then showed them the young prince. > > 5-8 Then he commanded them, "These are your instructions: Those of you who > come on duty on the > Sabbath and guard the palace, and those of you who go off duty on the > Sabbath and guard The Temple > of God, are to join forces at the time of the changing of the guard and > form a ring around the young > king, weapons at the ready. Kill anyone who tries to break through your > ranks. Your job is to stay > with the king at all times and places, coming and going." > > 9-11 The captains obeyed the orders of Jehoiada the priest. Each took his > men, those who came on > duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and > presented them to Jehoiada the > priest. The priest armed the officers with spears and shields originally > belonging to King David, > stored in The Temple of God. Well-armed, the guards took up their assigned > positions for protecting > the king, from one end of The Temple to the other, surrounding both Altar > and Temple. > > 12 Then the priest brought the prince into view, crowned him, handed him > the scroll of God's > covenant, and made him king. As they anointed him, everyone applauded and > shouted, "Long live the > king!" > > 13-14 Athaliah heard the shouting of guards and people and came to the > crowd gathered at The Temple > of God. Astonished, she saw the king standing beside the throne, flanked > by the captains and > heralds, with everybody beside themselves with joy, trumpets blaring. > Athaliah ripped her robes in > dismay and shouted, "Treason! Treason!" > > 15-16 Jehoiada the priest ordered the military officers, "Drag her outside > and kill anyone who > tries to follow her!" (The priest had said, "Don't kill her inside The > Temple of God.") So they > dragged her out to the palace's horse corral; there they killed her. > > 17 Jehoiada now made a covenant between God and the king and the people: > They were God's people. > Another covenant was made between the king and the people. > > 18-20 The people poured into the temple of Baal and tore it down, smashing > altar and images to > smithereens. They killed Mattan the priest in front of the altar. > > Jehoiada then stationed sentries in The Temple of God. He arranged for > the officers of the > bodyguard and the palace security, along with the people themselves, to > escort the king down from > The Temple of God through the Gate of the Guards and into the palace. > There he sat on the royal > throne. Everybody celebrated the event. And the city was safe and > undisturbed-they had killed > Athaliah with the royal sword. > > 21 Joash was seven years old when he became king. > > 2 Kings 12 > Joash of Judah > 1 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash began his kingly rule. He was king > for forty years in > Jerusalem. His mother's name was Gazelle. She was from Beersheba. > 2-3 Taught and trained by Jehoiada the priest, Joash did what pleased God > for as long as he lived. > (Even so, he didn't get rid of the sacred fertility shrines-people still > frequented them, > sacrificing and burning incense.) > > 4-5 Joash instructed the priests: "Take the money that is brought into The > Temple of God for holy > offerings-both mandatory offerings and freewill offerings-and, keeping a > careful accounting, use > them to renovate The Temple wherever it has fallen into disrepair." > > 6 But by the twenty-third year of Joash's rule, the priests hadn't done > one thing-The Temple was as > dilapidated as ever. > > 7 King Joash called Jehoiada the priest and the company of priests and > said, "Why haven't you > renovated this sorry-looking Temple? You are forbidden to take any more > money for Temple > repairs-from now on, hand over everything you get." > > 8 The priests agreed not to take any more money or to be involved in The > Temple renovation. > > 9-16 Then Jehoiada took a single chest and bored a hole in the lid and > placed it to the right of > the main entrance into The Temple of God. All the offerings that were > brought to The Temple of God > were placed in the chest by the priests who guarded the entrance. When > they saw that a large sum of > money had accumulated in the chest, the king's secretary and the chief > priest would empty the chest > and count the offerings. They would give the money accounted for to the > managers of The Temple > project; they in turn would pay the carpenters, construction workers, > masons, stoneworkers, and the > buyers of timber and quarried stone for the repair and renovation of The > Temple of God-any expenses > connected with fixing up The Temple. But none of the money brought into > The Temple of God was used > for liturgical "extras" (silver chalices, candle snuffers, trumpets, > various gold and silver > vessels, etc.). It was given to the workmen to pay for their repairing > God's Temple. And no one even > had to check on the men who handled the money given for the project-they > were honest men. Offerings > designated for Compensation Offerings and Absolution Offerings didn't go > into the building > project-those went directly to the priests. > > 17-18 Around this time Hazael king of Aram ventured out and attacked Gath, > and he captured it. Then > he decided to try for Jerusalem. Joash king of Judah countered by > gathering up all the sacred > memorials-gifts dedicated for holy use by his ancestors, the kings of > Judah, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, > and Ahaziah, along with the holy memorials he himself had received, plus > all the gold that he could > find in the temple and palace storerooms-and sent it to Hazael king of > Aram. Appeased, Hazael went > on his way and didn't bother Jerusalem. > > 19-21 The rest of the life and times of Joash and all that he did are > written in The Chronicles of > the Kings of Judah. At the last his palace staff formed a conspiracy and > assassinated Joash as he > was strolling along the ramp of the fortified outside city wall. Jozabad > son of Shimeath and > Jehozabad son of Shomer were the assassins. And so Joash died and was > buried in the family plot in > the City of David. His son Amaziah was king after him. > > > > > > > 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. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
