Nathan Whitley's Blog, page 15

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 15-17

Some have said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. When it comes to the church and the world, however, that couldnt be farther from the truth. Thats what Ahaz attempted to do while king of Judah, and it didnt end well.

Ahazs father, Jotham, was a good king. Ahazs son, Hezekiah, was an even greater king. The kingdom of Judah reached a new low with the reign of Ahaz. Scripture records, Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike...

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 16-18

Some have said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. When it comes to the church and the world, however, that couldnt be farther from the truth. Thats what Ahaz attempted to do while king of Judah, and it didnt end well.

Ahazs father, Jotham, was a good king. Ahazs son, Hezekiah, was an even greater king. The kingdom of Judah reached a new low with the reign of Ahaz. Scripture records, Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike...

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 12-14

After king Ahaziahs death, his mother, Athaliah, began killing all of the royal seed (2 Kings 11:1). Athaliah crowned herself queen, and seized the throne in Judah and reigned for six years. Ahaziahs sister, Jehosheba, took his last remaining son, Joash, and hid him in the house of the Lord for six years (2 Kings 11:2-3).

Jehoiada the priest, and the husband of Jehosheba, staged a revolt against the self-proclaimed queen, and had her killed. It was then that Joash became king of Judah at a...

The Young Christian’s Progress

On Monday mornings this year at Apostolic Christian School Ive taught through John Bunyans The Pilgrims Progress. Bunyans allegory for the Christian life has served as a guide for many generations. I highly recommend everyone to read Bunyans most popular book. I thought it appropriate to use his allegory as a lesson for young people, especially young Christians.

Christian: A Man with a Burden and a Book

Mr. Bunyan begins his story by introducing the main character, a man named Christian....

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 9-11

Jehu is an interesting figure in the Bible. He ruled as Israels king for 28 years. He is most known for how he became king. When Elijah was in the cave fretting over Jezebels letter, the Lord told him that Jehu son of Nimshi would be anointed king of Israel and that he would be an avenger of blood (1 Kings 19:16-17; 2 Kings 9:36-37;10:10). Once Jehu was anointed to become Israels next king, it didnt take him long to begin executing the Lords vengeance on Ahab and Jezebel.

As I read Jehus...

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 6-8

The sons of the prophets were staying with Elisha, learning and desiring the instruction of the man of God. The school of the prophets

was growing. One of the young prophets went to Elisha and said, See the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get a there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there. They were growing in number, but the place where they stayed was getting smaller. So this student along with the others...

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 4-5

Elisha had come back to Gilgal and it was here that he was teaching the sons of the prophets. Gilgal was east of Jericho close to the Jordan River. Gilgal was a memorable place in the history of Israel. It was here Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground and set up the 12 stones. Here at Gilgal was the place where Israel circumcised the young men who had been born in Egypt and the wilderness. It was at Gilgal that the manna stopped and Israel first ate of the corn of the land. But it...

What Remains

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord (1 Kings 8:910).

The building of the Temple was Solomons first major task as Israels king. Nothing compared with the splendor and beauty of the Temple. Towards the completion of the Temple,...

Daily Readings in the Bible 2 Kings 1-3

The Lord chose Elisha to be Elijahs predecessor (1 Kings 20:16, 20-21). Elisha, as an act of servitude, poured water on the hands of Elijah (2 Kings 3:11). Elisha wanted to be just like Elijah. In fact, as the day of Elijahs departure grew closer, Elisha was right next to him. Also following Elijah on his path to takeoff, were fifty other prophets. Elijah had quite a following. But it was Elisha who would succeed the great man of God.

Since Elisha persistently kept up with Elijah from Gilgal...

Lonely Prophets, Dirty Birds, and Hopeless Widows

First Kings chapters 11-16 are some of the bleakest chapters in all of Scripture. Solomon, the worlds wisest man, becomes the worlds greatest fool. Rehoboam splits the kingdom of Israel through sheer youthful stubbornness. Jeroboam becomes king over ten tribes of Israel and yokes the people of Israel to bull worship. Israels next kings werent much better. Omri is labeled the crown prince of evil. His awfulness is only surpassed by his son, Ahab, who marries a jezebel, orders the rebuilding of...