Nathan Whitley's Blog, page 16

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 21-22

Ahab, apparently, had built for himself a second home in Jezreel (1 Kings 18:45-46). Jezreel is located north of Israels capital in Samaria. This geographical location is very fertile and plush. Its made up with vineyards, which produce grapes for wine production, and the rocky areas serve as winepresses. Vineyards were very precious to Israel and Scripture is replete with references to vineyards, grapes and wine.

Naboth inherited a vineyard located near Ahabs palace (1 Kings 21:1). Ahab had...

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 17-20

First Kings chapters 11-16 are some of the darkest times in Israels history. Then suddenly from the darkness there comes a blazing light. Elijah appears on the stage of Israels history like a crash of thunder, and disappears in a whirlwind. The writer of Kings doesnt give Elijah much of an introduction. Readers are left with a thousand questions. Who are Elijahs parents? What did he do for a living in Gilead? Where did he go to seminary? What is his Twitter handle? How many followers does he...

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 14-16

Israel split into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom, known as Israel, consisted of ten of the twelve tribes. The southern kingdom, known as Judah, consisted of Judah and what was left of Benjamin. Israels capital became Samaria, and Judahs capital became Jerusalem. This will be important information moving forward in our reading of the Old Testament, especially for the rest of Kings and Chronicles. Furthermore, as we will see, Israel never again enjoyed godly leadership. Judah, on the other...

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 12-13

Solomon turned his heart away from the Lord and towards a myriad of strange women and their gods (1 Kings 11:1-6). The Lord promised, due to Solomons backsliding, that He would rend the kingdom of Israel from Solomons successor. Unfortunately, thats exactly what happened. Solomons son, Rehoboam, made some unwise decisions concerning the treatment of Gods people (1 Kings 12:1-19). Ten tribes broke away from Rehoboam and followed after Jeroboam. Jeroboam was an industrious mighty man of valor....

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 10-11

Solomons wisdom and kingdom attracted many visitors. Scripture records the queen of Sheba being one of those visitors. And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions (1 Kings 10:1). It wasnt just Solomon that intrigued her, but it was also the name of the Lord she wanted to know more about.

Sheba, located in southwest Arabia, was a wealthy land known for its famous spice production. Accordingly, the queen...

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 8-9

The priests positioned the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, and upon their exit, the glory of the Lord filled the Temple (1 Kings 8:6-11). This is the moment that the Temple became the House of the Lord. It was no longer just a beautiful edifice built by the hands of men, it was now the dwelling place of the Most High God.

The Ark represented Gods power, presence, and mercy. Before Gods presence could fill the Temple, the Ark had to be in its rightful place. This same phenomenal...

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 6-7

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, Solomon had two pillars for the porch of the Temple made. These two pillars made of brass were 27 feet high, and 18 to 20 feet in circumference. The capitals atop the pillars added another seven feet to their height making them altogether 34 feet high. Those who approached the Temple would be awe-struck at the wonder of...

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Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 3-5

Solomon prayed and asked God for an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad (1 Kings 3:8). The Lord answered Solomons request because he did not ask for long life, nor for riches, nor for the life of his enemies. So in 1 Kings 3:16-27 we read the first example of Solomons great wisdom.

Scripture describes these two women as prostitutes. How tragic to be marked and described by past choices and lifestyles. Despite their backgrounds and lifestyles they...

Daily Readings in the Bible 1 Kings 1-2

Before Davids death, he proclaimed that Solomon would be Israels next king. Of course, that didnt come about without some family turmoil (1 Kings 1). David wanted to insure Israels future with Solomon at the helm. The security of the kingdom was bound up in Solomons obedience to the Law of Moses (1 Kings 2:1-4). In other words, God would bless Israel, as long as her king walked in step with God.

Countries and nations would be in a lot better shape if their leaders adhered to Gods laws....