One Year Bible, Thursday June 16th "The Kings of Israel and Judah Become More and More Corrupt, God Calls Elijah to Confront Jehu" "Peter Preaches to the Gentiles Who Receive the Holy Spirit and are Baptized!"
Nadab Rules in Israel
Trouble begets trouble. The trouble and chaos Jeroboam started now is cascading toward his descendants. Nadab reigned for 3 years, and then Baasha killed him and all of Jeroboam's descedants fulfilling the prophecy the Lord made through the Ahijah, the prophet in Shiloh.
This was the end of the dynasty of Jeroboam. Had Jeroboam remained obedient to the LORD, God promised him a lasting dynasty like the house of David (1 Kings 11:38). Because of Jeroboam’s sin, though he enjoyed a long reign, his son only reigned two years before the assassination of Nadab and the murder of all Jeroboam’s descendants. - Guzik
Baasha Rules in Israel
Baasha ruled 22 years and was continually at war with King Asa of Judah. He continued to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
As expected with a man who came to the throne through assassination, Baasha was a wicked man and ushered in a dreadful period for Israel, both spiritually and politically.
Elah Rules in Israel
The violence and blood lust continues as Zimri assassinates Elah, the son of Baasha.
“In less than fifty years the first two dynastys of Israel’s kings had come to an end and every member of their families been exterminated. God meant to make their doom an example to those who should thereafter live ungodly.” (Knapp)
Zimri Rules in Israel
Similar to the way Zimri overtook Elah, Omri struck down the city of Tirzah. When Zimri saw it, he burned down the palace he lived in and died.
Zimri had reigned in Tirzah seven days: The man who assassinated Elah, the son of Baasha, did not enjoy a blessed reign. His end came soon. - Guzik
Omri Rules in Israel
Omri's reign was no different than any other of the kings. He did evil in the Lord's sight and it says that he did more evil than any other kings before him. Most importantly, Omri bought a hill named Samaria and built a city on it. Samaria became the capital city of Northern kingdom of Israel.
This became the capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Omri built a capital that was politically neutral (being a new city with no previous tribal associations) and in a strong defensive position (on top of a hill). - Guzik
Ahab Rules in Israel
Believe it or not Ahab did more evil than any other kings. He took things to a new low. He also married Queen Jezebel, who led him to worship the idol, Baal. He built a temple and altar for Baal and also set up an Asherah pole.
Jeroboam intended to serve the LORD through idolatrous images (such as the golden calf) and in disobedient ways (altars and high places other than Jerusalem). Ahab introduced the worship of completely new, pagan gods. In his disobedience Jeroboam said, “I will worship the LORD, but do it my way.” Ahab said, “I want to forget about the LORD completely and worship Baal.” - Guzik
In his later years, Solomon tragically worshipped pagan gods. Yet Omri and Ahab were far worse in that they commanded the worship of idols. “He made statutes in favour of idolatry, and obliged the people by law to commit it. See Micah 6:16, where this seems to be intended: For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab” (Clarke).
Elijah Fed by Ravens
God brought His word to Elijah, the prophet, who told Ahab that there would be no dew or rain for the next couple of years until he gave the word. Meanwhile the ravens brought Elijah meat and bread, and he drank water from the brook until it dried up.
At this crucial time in the history of Judah and Israel, the Prophet Elijah suddenly appeared. He became the dominant spiritual force in Israel during the dark days of Ahab’s apostasy. - Guzik
There shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word: This was a dramatic demonstration against the pagan god Baal, who was thought to be the sky god, the god of the weather. Elijah showed that through his prayers to the God of Israel, Yahweh was mightier than Baal. - Guzik
The Widow at Zarephath
God sent Elijah to Zarephath to a widow there. When he came upon the widow, he asked her to make some bread for him. She only had a little flour and oil and said when this was gone she and her son would die. But Elijah told her that the Lord had promised that he would always leave enough flour and oil for she and her son to live and provide for Elijah too. And, this was the case for many days.
So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah: The widow actually did it – she willingly gave at great risk, based on her trust in the promise of God.
She and he and her household ate for many days: God fulfilled the promise to the widow, her son, and Elijah. God used her as a channel of supply and her needs were met as a result. - Guzik
The woman's son grew sick and became worse and worse until he died. The woman thought Elijah was at fault for this happening. Elijah took the child up into the upper room and laid his body over the child and asked God, "“O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?”
The Lord heard Elijah's prayer and revived the boy from death. Elijah brought the boy back to her mom, and she exclaimed that truly Elijah was a man of God, for God surely spoke through him!
We can imagine the happy days of provision in the household of the widow. Their needs were supplied by a continuing miracle of God. Yet those happy days were eventually covered by a dark shadow – the sickness and death of the widow’s son.
The death of the son was a double blow to the widow. Not only did she suffer as any mother who loses a child, but she also suffered as one who lost her only hope for the future. The expectation was that her son would grow and provide for her in her old age. Now that expectation was shattered. - Guzik
Elijah prayed with great heart and intimacy with God. He brought this seemingly unexplainable and irredeemable tragedy to God in prayer. Since he knew God led him to this widow, Elijah laid this tragedy on God and asked Him to remedy it. - Guzik
When Peter entered Cornelius' house, Cornelius bowed down to worship him like a god. Peter told him he was just a human being like him. Peter explained to him that though he had never entered a Gentile's home, God had told him to come to his house. Cornelius relayed the story of the angel that told him to send a man to Simon, the tanner's home and ask for a man named Simon Peter.
This is one of the shortest, yet most important passages of this section. Peter actually entered the house of a Gentile, something that Jewish customs and traditions strictly prohibited. By entering a Gentile’s home, Peter showed that his heart and mind had changed, and that he had learned the lesson of the vision of the great sheet. - Guzik
The Gentiles Hear the Good News
Peter then realized the purpose for him being there which was to bring the Good News of Jesus to the Gentiles. He recounted the story of Jesus, who began his ministry in Galilee and then went into Judah healing people in the power of the Holy Spirit. Peter told them that he was a witness to what happened when Jesus was hung on a tree, and then God raised him from the dead on the third day.
And Jesus appeared to the apostles, who he had lived his life with. They ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded Peter and the apostles to preach the Good News that Jesus was appointed by God to judge the living and the dead.
This is the foundation for Peter’s understanding that the gospel should now go forth to Gentiles. This statement goes completely against the prevailing Jewish thought at that time that God certainly did show partiality, towards the Jews and against the Gentiles. In essence, many Jews of Peter’s day thought that God loved the Jews while hating the Gentiles. - Guzik
Notably, Peter’s preaching to the Gentiles was essentially the same as his preaching to the Jews. He presented the person and work of Jesus Christ, with an emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus and our responsibility before God in light of these things. - Guzik
The Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit
As Peter preached these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon the believers. The Jewish believers couldn't believe that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit. The manifestation of the Holy Spirit was the Gentiles were speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues seemed to be the most common evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter had them baptized in the name of Jesus. Notice the order here. They received the Holy Spirit first and then were baptized. A couple of days ago I talked about the "messy spirituality"in the early church. There is no exact order to how God brings salvation to each person. Sometimes a person comes to faith, is baptized, and receives the Holy Spirit. Sometimes a person receives the Holy Spirit and then is baptized. The key thing is spoken of in Mark 16:16,
"Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved." The order doesn't matter!
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