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Discipleship Development...
Again and again throughout these passages – throughout Scripture as a whole, we see the rejection of our Creator, His righteous judgment and punishment; and yet, God’s endless pursuit of us, who many would say are the masterpiece of His creation. I fail to disagree with that. Now then, there is indeed a lot of sadness in these Scriptures… Therefore, to trust and to believe, to honor, worship and glorify the Lord; and to pray to Him, to live lives worthy of His majesty, and to study and contemplate His Word; ….now that sounds like a grand heart preparation. Ready, Set… Go! This Week’s Study:
What to Expect:
Some Things to Look For:
Our Perspective: After again reading about the “Envoys from Babylon,” it begs the question: how discerning are we with strangers; especially when it comes to Kingdom living and how the Holy Spirit speaks through us? Our bible tells us of “The Year of the Lord’s Favor,” but if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then it stands to reason that every day we are “living in” His favor, yes? Brothers and sisters, remember to seek the Lord, for it is He and He alone who can lift our eyes to see the finish line of that race we run called life. Prayer: Our gracious Heavenly Father, open our spiritual eyes to the things of you. Open our spiritual ears that we may hear your voice. And open our hearts to the lost, and to the needs of our Christian church family here and abroad. Lord, it seems that things are not so very different now then they were in the days of 2 Kings. So may we joyfully share your truth as you spoke through the prophets of old; and may we ever share that your long foretold Son is here, and indeed: He is knocking at the door... Our Redeemer lives! In Jesus’ Name, Amen. This weeks devotion was prepared by Stu & Gini Schell
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Heart Prep:
As a father, this week’s study truly breaks my heart. I can only imagine what it would be like to have my children repeatedly run to a “parent” who is persuasive, then abusive and ultimately unforgiving. And again, I can only imagine, enveloped in his anger, the broken heart of our Heavenly Father. And yet, through it all, we will see Father God’s amazing love and grace, and His overwhelming desire to be reconciled with His children – and the prophecy of the coming of His Son who will ultimately make that possible in a way never imagined, yet long foretold... This Week’s Study:
What to Expect:
Some Things to Look For:
My Personal Insight: Many of these passages remind me of the Book of Proverbs, and subsequently the Book of Ecclesiastes. Looking back on my own life, there are countless times where I could I say, “If I had only listened, or ‘if I had only done (or not done) such and such,” etc. But I can also say how God has called me out of the darkness and into His wonderful light. I can say this to myself and to the reader, but I can also say it to those around me who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This week’s passages attest to the persistence of our Creator to draw us all back unto Himself – for it is only in the knowing that we can ever truly find fulfillment. I am so thankful for our church and for His Word; whereas I can grow in that knowing of Him, and finally begin to comprehend what “abundant life” really looks like. Prayer: O Lord of Hosts, we are so thankful that even in all of our pitfalls, temptations, trials and the like, You are always there with Your outstretched arm, ready to pick us back up again. May we ever share Your perfect example of a loving Father with a lost and dying world. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. This week’s devotion was prepared by Stu Schell (aka Studog) Heart Preparation:
It’s easy to find yourself in judgment of the people when we read in a lot of places in the Bible. The scripture this week is definitely one of those places. But I think it is important to look at the sins the people of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms were committing in this time and compare them to our own. We should keep an open mind, as well as an open heart to hear what God has to tell us in 2025 through these scriptures. Reading Plan:
What to Expect: This week as we read further down the timeline of the history of God’s people, there will be some incredibly heartbreaking and dark passages. But the good news is that sprinkled into all of the disobedience and impending judgement are some of the most uplifting promises in all of Gods word. Pay close attention to the sins that Gods own people are committing against him. And the warnings of the prophets, who were Gods attempt to turn the hearts of the people back to him. What to look for: Isaiah 9 Gives us Gods promise to his people that although they are in the midst of dark times, He would send a light. We of course know that this message of hope was later fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. Micah begins with a warning to the people of Samaria, and Jerusalem of the impending judgment God will bring upon them because their sin has become an incurable wound. Micah then prophecies against false prophets and teachers. Warning them that one day they will be disgraced. In chapter 4 Micah describes the peace and security that will exist on The Lord’s mountain that he will establish. And in chapter 5, prophesies about the coming ruler that will rise from Bethlehem, roughly 700 years before the birth of Jesus. The book of Micah ends with the promise that Isreal would rise again. Ahaz becomes King of Judah and does nothing but Evil. Going as far as sacrificing his own sons in the fire. As a result of this Sin and evil, The Lord hands him over to the Arameans who take prisoners to Damascus. Ahaz is also routed by Isreal who takes 200,000 wives, sons, and daughter’s captive to Samaria. However, the prophet Oded intercedes for them, and the leaders of Isreal show them kindness. The captives are fed, clothed, and sent back to Jericho. Look for all of the ways Ahaz so blatantly sins against the Lord, and the impact of this on the people of Judah. 2Kings 17 tells of the fall of the Northern Kingdom to the Assyrians led by King Shalmaneser. After exiling the Israelites, Shalmaneser brings in people from Babylon and other captured towns, and places them in Samaria. Eventually, one of the exiled priests is sent back to Samaria to teach the new inhabitants (later known as Samaritans) how to worship the Lord. But all this manages to accomplish is creating a people that worship the Lord, alongside their other worthless gods. In Isaiah 13-23 Isaiah prophecies against Babylon, Moab, Damascus, Cush, Egypt, Edom, Arabia, Jerusalem, and Tyre. Chapter 24 warns of the devastation whole Earth when God judges it for its sin. And in chapters 25-27, Isaiah praises the Lord, and tells of the future deliverance of Isreal. 2King1- Hezekiah becomes king of Judah replacing Ahaz, and does right in the eyes of the Lord. He removes the high places, smashes the sacred stones, and cuts down the asherah poles. He even smashes Moses’ bronze snake because the people had been worshipping it. Hezekiah held fast to the lord and was successful in all he did. He rebelled against Assyria and did not serve them. Hezekiah re-opens and makes repairs to the temple, restores the Passover celebration, and leads the people in a spiritual renewal. Personal Insight: 2 Kings 17 gives us an account of the fall of Isreal to the Assyrians, and thus marks the end of history for the Northern Kingdom. God was casting out the Northern Kingdom for the very same sins that provoked him to cast out the Canaanite nations from the days of Joshua. Reading this chapter leads me to compare the sin and rebellion of Isreal to the sin and rebellion of our society. And I start to wonder, how long will God be patient with us? But that “promised ruler from Bethlehem” in Micah 5, and that child that was to be called “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace” in Isaiah 9:6 was and is Jesus Christ our Messiah. That means that if we have confessed, and repented of our sin, and have made Christ Lord of our lives, we have no fear of the coming judgment because we know that: On this mountain he will destroy The shroud that enfolds all peoples, The sheet that covers all nations; He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all the tears From all faces; He will remove the disgrace of his people From all the earth. The Lord has spoken. In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; We trusted in him and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; Let us rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:7-9 Prayer Heavenly Father, thank you for the peace, hope, and security that comes with knowing Jesus as my Savior. I look forward to the day that we will see all of your promises fulfilled. But until then, give me the wisdom, and courage to live my life in a way that is right in your eyes. Give me the strength to hold fast to your truths in a world that tries every day to tear me away. It is in Jesus name I pray -Amen This devotion was prepared by Jonathan King HEART PREPARATION:
This week, the downfall and depravity of the nation of Israel continues to spiral. It is easy to read these passages and place judgement on Israel, without looking at our own lives and seeing that we are not far from making the same mistakes. Though our idols aren’t silver and gold, they are those things that we run after, placing our hope in, and letting go of God for. Pray that God would reveal any idol in your life that you might be running after. WEEK’S READING PLAN:
WHAT TO EXPECT: In 2 Kings, the story of the divided kingdoms continues on. Israel continues to have kings who do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. Judah now has a good period, for five of the next six kings do what is right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles takes a deeper look at the kings of Judah). We are now starting to see how the prophets fit into the narrative chronologically. Jonah is one of three prophets who prophesies to a nation other than Israel or Judah. Jonah’s audience is the city of Nineveh, which is the capital of the Assyrian Empire, the world power at this moment. Jonah is sent to Nineveh to preach a message of repentance. Assyria was a threat to the nations of Israel and Judah, and yet God sends His messenger to them, that they might turn their hearts to God. Some quick facts about Jonah:
Isaiah gives prophecies to both kingdoms, but his main audience is Judah. His prophecies span the longest, from 740-681BC. As Isaiah starts out his prophesying, he gives warning of judgement on the nations of Israel and Judah. He warns Israel that they are going to be taken into exile by the Assyrian empire, and then he warns Judah that they will go into exile by Babylon. Isaiah is giving warning to both nations of the great day of the Lord, the day where God’s judgement will come upon the people because of their sin. But, throughout the book of Isaiah, there are glimpses of hope, and calls to repentance. Some quick facts about Isaiah:
Amos was written during the days of King Uzziah/Azariah, around 760BC. His prophecy is to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, warning of judgement coming upon them, as well as all the nations of the earth. Amos 2:6-7 gives the reason for the coming judgement, they have forsaken God and turned to perversion and ruin, seeking after other gods and profaning the worship of the One True God. Amos is a heavy read, full of coming judgement and destruction, but it ends with a glimmer of hope, a promise from God to not utterly destroy the house of Jacob (9:8), and that there will come a day where He will restore Israel (9:11-15). Some quick facts about Amos:
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: As you read through the accounts in 2 Kings/2 Chronicles, continue to note the differences between the kings of Judah and the kings of Israel. Also pay attention to how the people are living, for this will make the message of the prophets resonate all the more. When you read through Jonah, pay attention to Jonah’s attitude throughout the book. He goes from fleeing from God, to praying to God for mercy, to obeying God, to then being mad at God for being merciful to others. Jonah leaves us on a cliffhanger, not really giving us an end, just having God get the final word. Even in Jonah, we see the Gospel of Jesus, as Jesus Himself tells those who want a sign from Him that they will only get the sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:38-42). As you read through Isaiah, God reveals His reason for judgement. Often, the prophets are used as a defense for thinking that God is just angry all the time. Yet, when you read Isaiah, you see that God has put up with the sin of His people for centuries. And it’s not just little sins, it is idolatry, adultery, fornication, perversion, and complete rebellion. God uses the words the day of the Lord, talking about His coming judgement upon the nations. Yet, He also uses the words in the latter days, in which He is speaking of a time after the judgment, in which He will restore His people and bring them all to Him. A summary of the chapters is as follows:
As mentioned earlier, Amos is a brimstone and fire prophet, warning of the coming destruction of Israel. PERSONAL INSIGHT: What really stood out to me was specifically in the book of Jonah, how Jonah ran from God, rebelled against what He said, and received mercy for it. While Jonah was in the belly of the fish, he prays to God, who hears him and delivers him from the fish. Yet, after Jonah preaches to the city of Nineveh, his desire is that they will be consumed by God, and even gets the best viewing spot to be able to see it happen. Then, when it doesn’t happen, Jonah is irate with God. Jonah received mercy, yet is mad when other people receive mercy as well. This hit close to home, because as much as I desire the mercy of God, if I’m honest, there are a lot of times that I can silently rejoice when people get what I think they deserve, and when they don’t, it can cause me frustration. Jonah revealed in me my own bitter heart, and the need for personal repentance and forgiveness. PRAYER: God, thank You for Your mercy. Thank You for not holding my sin against me. But God, please forgive me when I feel other people don’t deserve Your mercy. The truth is, neither do I. Help me have a heart for people the way that You have a heart for people. Take this heart of bitterness and resentment, and give me Your heart, a heart of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness. This week’s devotional was prepared by Andrew Peterman |
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