2 Kings 7-8; 2 Chronicles 21; Matthew 6
2 Kings 7-8
Despite the northern kingdom of Israel's apostasy from God, He continued to send prophets to them, demonstrating not only His power but also the involvement of all the tribes of Israel in His covenants and promises. Thus, God miraculously frees Samaria, the capital of northern Israel, with the participation of the prophet Elisha.
We can observe something similar in Judah. Despite many of its kings and people abandoning the law and turning to idolatry, the Lord, faithful to His covenant, continued to work patiently with them. As it is said about King Jehoram: "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab, and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord." (2 Kings 8:18) "Nevertheless, for the sake of His servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever." (2 Kings 8:19).
2 Chronicles 21:12-15 mentions a letter from the prophet Elijah. This might appear after Elijah was taken up to heaven, but it likely describes an event that happened earlier, during the joint reign of Jehoram with his father, Jehoshaphat.
Matthew 6
Continuing the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of several factors essential to the true life of those who belong to the Kingdom of God. One such factor is heartfelt sincerity in the relationship with God. Jesus warns about the danger of pretentious righteousness: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full." (Matthew 6:5) and again: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full." (Matthew 6:16)
This sincerity is echoed in the Lord's Prayer, known as the "Our Father," emphasizing a heartfelt conversation between the Kingdom's citizens and God.
The second half of the chapter underscores the importance of complete dedication to God in earthly life: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)
Citizens of the Kingdom of God understand and see the reality of heaven while living on earth. This reality is so close to them that they care more about the soul than the body, trusting God with their entire lives: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
From the pastor:
Submit a question for the program “The Bible Speaks” at the following link:
http://slovo.org/pisma
Grace Songs App
Here you will find songs with chords and sheet music.
Link for Apple: Grace Songs on Apple
Link for Android: Grace Songs on Android
I would be glad if these resources would be helpful to you!
Despite the northern kingdom of Israel's apostasy from God, He continued to send prophets to them, demonstrating not only His power but also the involvement of all the tribes of Israel in His covenants and promises. Thus, God miraculously frees Samaria, the capital of northern Israel, with the participation of the prophet Elisha.
We can observe something similar in Judah. Despite many of its kings and people abandoning the law and turning to idolatry, the Lord, faithful to His covenant, continued to work patiently with them. As it is said about King Jehoram: "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter of Ahab, and he did evil in the eyes of the Lord." (2 Kings 8:18) "Nevertheless, for the sake of His servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever." (2 Kings 8:19).
2 Chronicles 21:12-15 mentions a letter from the prophet Elijah. This might appear after Elijah was taken up to heaven, but it likely describes an event that happened earlier, during the joint reign of Jehoram with his father, Jehoshaphat.
Matthew 6
Continuing the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks of several factors essential to the true life of those who belong to the Kingdom of God. One such factor is heartfelt sincerity in the relationship with God. Jesus warns about the danger of pretentious righteousness: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full." (Matthew 6:5) and again: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly, I tell you, they have received their reward in full." (Matthew 6:16)
This sincerity is echoed in the Lord's Prayer, known as the "Our Father," emphasizing a heartfelt conversation between the Kingdom's citizens and God.
The second half of the chapter underscores the importance of complete dedication to God in earthly life: "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)
Citizens of the Kingdom of God understand and see the reality of heaven while living on earth. This reality is so close to them that they care more about the soul than the body, trusting God with their entire lives: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
From the pastor:
Submit a question for the program “The Bible Speaks” at the following link:
http://slovo.org/pisma
Grace Songs App
Here you will find songs with chords and sheet music.
Link for Apple: Grace Songs on Apple
Link for Android: Grace Songs on Android
I would be glad if these resources would be helpful to you!
Posted in Reading Bible Together