Bible Study on Acts 1, verses 1 to 5, Luke introduces his account of the early church

 

The Acts of the Apostles chronicles the history of the early Christian church. With humble origins and a congregation consisting of the lowest members of society, even slaves and outcasts, the faith would be grown by the actions of the Spirit of God working through humble, and in Paul’s case, humbled men, and women. Sadly, Christianity would eventually adopt even more oppressive measures against other religions than the heathen ever dreamed of as unsaved people creeped into congregations and installed themselves in high positions. Institutional Christianity would become a tool of the state and in some cases, the state would become a tool of Christianity. But true Christian belief would always exist alongside the errors of the state-church whether those errors were expressed in the empires and kingdoms of Europe or as the de facto state church of the United States of America. Not conforming to the established institutional church governed by the tares of power-mad and self-righteous bishops, popes, patriarchs, pastors, and other high officials the humble church, the true body of Christ, would live and struggle throughout history to serve Christ and to obey in simplicity His commands. This is the story of the beginning of that church, the true church of God without even a building set aside specifically for church services until late in the second century, without a protector among the powerful, and without human power to grow and expand, completely dependent upon the Spirit of God to add such as would be saved to it. You and I will try to understand its foundational doctrines before Greek philosophy and Roman pragmatism coupled with superficial belief created two churches, those of the tares and the wheat.

 

Luke’s gospel ends with;

 

Luke 24:50 ¶  And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51  And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52  And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53  And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

 

The Acts of the Apostles, written by Luke the physician, begins with;

Acts, chapter 1

Acts 1:1 ¶  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

 

Remember Luke’s introduction to the gospel he wrote to Theophilus?

 

Luke 1:1 ¶  Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2  Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3  It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4  That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

 

Who was Luke? He was the physician who accompanied Paul.

 

Colossians 4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

 

Luke and Lucas are the same person, being two different forms of the same name as Timotheus and Timothy.

 

Philemon 1:24  Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

 

Luke wrote in an educated style and did the work of an historian. When someone says they have studied, for instance, the American Civil War or the history of the Federal Reserve Board in our time they usually mean they’ve read other people’s opinions and accepted those opinions if they agree with them, rejecting those that don’t. But an historian regards eyewitness accounts, testimonies, and writings as paramount to getting at the truth, not just someone else’s opinion.

 

He or she collects many testimonies and sorts through them, considering what has been confirmed by other eyewitnesses. We believe that this was all done under the direction and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the wisdom given to Luke by God, to give us what God wants us to have.

 

The twin doctrines of inspiration and preservation are very important to our faith and are usually discounted by those who do not believe.

 

2Timothy 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17  That the man of God may be perfect [for perfect as complete see 2Chronicles 8:16; Colossians 4:12; & James 1:4], throughly furnished unto all good works.

 

Psalm 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.7  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

 

First, God gave wisdom and understanding to the men who wrote our Bible and then to the churches that preserved those writings down through the centuries, filtering, eliminating, and consolidating what was written. Preservation means that the action of God was not limited to the original autographs like fundamentalists and evangelicals like to believe. In fact, God did not elevate the original autographs. When the king destroyed the originals of what Jeremiah wrote we have this;

 

Jeremiah 36:32  Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

 

So, no one knows what those originals said and it’s really not important. What we have is what’s important.

 

First, the Bible is given by inspiration and just what is that? It is not word-for-word dictation.

 

Job 32:8  But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

 

What is understanding? Words linked by and are typically synonyms.

 

1Kings 4:29  And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

 

And so, inspiration is also wisdom.

 

2Peter 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

 

Often these words were written down by a third party, an amanuensis, as the giver of the words spoke them, moved by the Holy Ghost, the very mind of God.

 

2Peter 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

Now that Luke feels his understanding is perfect or complete (see Colossians 4:12 for a definition of perfect as complete) on the entire matter of what happened he writes to an acquaintance or friend named Theophilus.

 

Acts 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

 

Theophilus is a name that means, “lover of God.” While Luke was writing, perhaps, to a Roman official who was a Christian by the use of the epithet most excellent the Holy Spirit was writing to all believers. This account is for you.

A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 72, He shall judge thy people with righteousness

 

Psalm 72:1 ¶  «A Psalm for Solomon.» Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son.

 

This shows that it was written by David for his son, Solomon.

 

Prophetically we might consider that the son of David is a title for the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Matthew 1:1  The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

 

Psalm 72:2 ¶  He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 3  The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. 4  He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor. 5  They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations. 6  He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. 7  In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth. 8  He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. 9  They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. 10  The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11  Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 12  For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper. 13  He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. 14  He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight. 15  And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. 16  There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17  His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

 

It is David’s wish that his son judge the people fairly and uprightly in verse 2. See the passage in Isaiah for a prophetic reference to Christ’s reign in His millennial kingdom.

 

Isaiah 11:1 ¶  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

 

 

   

Solomon is known to be a wise and righteous judge of his people which was given to him by God along with much more, so David’s prayer is answered in the affirmative.

 

2Chronicles 1:11  And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king: 12  Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

 

In verse 3 this came to mind at first.

 

Isaiah 52:7 ¶  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

 

And this is a reference to spiritual peace commentators say. Others say the mountains and little hills are prophetically speaking, the church and its evangelists.

 

David prophesies about the blessings of Solomon’s reign as the text aligns with a prophecy about Christ’s millennial reign on earth for a thousand years.

 

Isaiah 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

Daniel 2:44  And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

 

So, while we can see here the glory of Solomon’s reign to come we can also imagine the glory of Christ’s reign on earth. This can only be understood in the scope of believing that Christ will physically and literally reign on earth. This is not a spiritual reign through the church or supposed Christian kingdoms and countries but with His presence in command.

 

Look at these four verses regarding Christ ruling the earth with a rod of iron.

 

Psalm 2:9  Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

 

Revelation 2:27  And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

 

Revelation 12:5  And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

 

Revelation 19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

 

In the contexts of both Solomon’s reign and Christ’s reign there will be showers of blessings for those people who acknowledge and accept their authority. The land will reflect the justice they manifest.

 

We then look forward to the return of Christ to rule the earth.

 

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

Titus 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

 

Lest you have trouble identifying this with Christ pay attention to verse 17.

 

17  His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

 

Psalm 72:18 ¶  Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things. 19  And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen. 20  The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

 

Let’s follow with David in praise of God. Heaven and earth will be filled with His praise.

 

Psalm 41:13  Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to everlasting. Amen, and Amen.

 

1Chronicles 29:10 ¶  Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

 

Nehemiah 9:5  Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

 

The scene in Heaven and earth.

 

Revelation 5:13  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Bible Study on Matthew 28, verses 11 to 20, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world

 

Matthew 28:11 ¶  Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. 12  And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 13  Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 14  And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 15  So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

 

In verse 27:65 Pilate suggests they have a watch so make the tomb as sure as they can. Verse 11 suggests that it was the Temple Watch as they report to the Chief Priests and yet the bribe is said to be paid to the soldiers so again we have the question of whether or not it was the Temple Guards alone or a combination of the the Guards and Roman soldiers or just Roman soldiers. However, Roman soldiers asleep at their guard duty would have required a punishment of execution. Whatever the case, the Jews believed Jesus’ body had been taken by His followers based on this lie.

 

Matthew 28:16 ¶  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17  And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

Verse 17 shows that not every one of the eleven were convinced that He had risen from the dead. Some doubted. But here was the evidence right in front of them. Jesus has risen and returned to interact with His disciples.

 

For verse 18 I want to point out two different statements that Jesus made.

 

Matthew 11:27  All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

 

Matthew 16:28  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

 

It is through the risen Jesus that man can approach God.

 

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

 

The Lord Jesus Christ, the risen Saviour of mankind, is how God achieves His ministry of reconciling mankind, whosever will, to Himself. Christ is the bridge between Heaven and Earth, Jacob’s ladder, if you will.

 

We now await His return to call us, His church, out and to rule over the kingdoms of the earth.

 

1Corinthians 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

 

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

 

But in the meantime we are given a task, an assignment. It is popularly called The Great Commission. Some hyperliteralists insist that only the chosen Apostles were called to teach all nations and this would not even include Paul, so it is a nonsensical belief that we are not all called to this task.

 

Christ references the three parts of God, popularly called the Trinity, a word not found in the Bible.  There are other references to the three parts of God. Examples within a single verse are;

 

2Corinthians 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

 

1John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

 

His disciples were commanded to teach all nations teaching them to observe all things that Christ had commanded.  For you Greekophiles we have teach and teaching from two different words in Greek so as much as many evangelicals get twisted in knots around “make disciples of” let me just say that the command to teach strongly suggests the making of a disciple. I don’t understand how you can be taught truthfully and fully the doctrines set forth in the Bible and not be wholly convinced of their truth and follow Jesus as a result.

 

While we are doing this Christ will always be with us. As I write commentaries on the Bible that are seen around the world I am counting on this promise. I can’t do it without His consent or help even as I tell people that it doesn’t matter whether they think I’m right or wrong in my interpretations but that they just go and do likewise.

 

Hebrews 13:5b  …for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

So the Gospel According to Matthew ends.

 

Bible Study on Isaiah 3, verses 1 to 15, they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not

 

Isaiah 3:1 ¶  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, 2  The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, 3  The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. 4  And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. 5  And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. 6  When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand: 7  In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people. 8  For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.

 

 

My point of view is that this passage outlines judgment in visiting a famine on Jerusalem and Judah, with forcible removal or ending the lives of the leadership, the captains, the judges, the prophets, the wise, and the old, reducing the leadership to children, and causing civil and social war and desolation.

 

As predicted;

 

Leviticus 26:26  And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

 

Suffering under Nebuchadnezzar’s assault;

 

Jeremiah 52:6  And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

 

The point is the total destruction of Judah and Jerusalem is threatened and it does come about. Read the book of the prophet, Jeremiah.

 

With the people of value in society being removed or eliminated consider a warning from Solomon;

 

Ecclesiastes 10:16 ¶  Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning!

 

Isaiah 3:9 ¶  The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. 10  Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11  Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. 12  As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. 13  The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. 14  The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. 15  What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

 

This could be paraphrased, I think, as, “their guilt flies in their face.” They openly declare their wickedness and boast in it. They don’t even make a pretense of hiding it. They are going to bring disaster and judgment on themselves because they deserve it.

 

The righteous man or woman should not lament, though, or fear because they will be justified by their works and obedience to God under the Law or, for the Christian, by their faith and by Christ’s actions. The wicked, however, will get what they deserve.

 

The leadership of Judah and Jerusalem are not just corrupt, but are weak and effeminate, naïve and immature. They cause the people to go the wrong way, leading them into idolatry and wickedness, and away from God, our Creator. But God, our Creator, stands like a prosecutor and a judge of their evil doings. He will judge the elders and the leaders because they have devoured God’s vineyard and the bounty of their thefts they have kept.

 

He will judge them for their oppressions and abuse of those without power, those on the bottom of the proverbial food chain. They oppress the people, God’s people, and He will judge them.

 

See where Israel is likened to God’s vineyard.

 

Isaiah 5:1 ¶  Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2  And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4  What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 5  And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 6  And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

 

When I read this I think of the cultural elite who have run our governmental bureaucracies, our corporations, our federal judiciary, and our universities. When we look clearly at what has been happening in America over the last century we see a likeness to ancient Israel. America is under judgment. That is clear to me.

Brief comments on 2Kings 8 & 9

 

2Kings 8:1 ¶  Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. 2  And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3  And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. 4  And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. 5  And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6  And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

You might want to go back and read 2Kings 4, starting in verse 8 about the great lady at Shunem. Elisha warns her to take her household and flee a famine that is coming. During the seven years she is away someone takes her land, perhaps the king himself. She is now returning and God works things out that Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, is asked to speak of the great things Elisha has done and as he relates how Elisha raised her son from the dead she cries out for justice. Her land is restored to her. The king even provides an officer to take on that very task. Not only does she get her land back from the king but all it produced since she left is given to her, as well. Do you see how God influenced the king’s mind by having this story related to him while she yet stood there? Did Gehazi know she would be there beforehand? These are interesting questions. Can you imagine the woman coming to Elisha who then sends her with his servant to the king telling the servant to make sure this incident comes up in conversation? Who knows how it transpired?

2Kings 8:7 ¶  And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 8  And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 9  So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? 10  And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. 11  And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. 12  And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. 13  And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. 14  So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. 15  And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

Upon Elisha’s visit to Damascus King Benhadad wants to ask him if Benhadad will recover from the illness he suffers. He sends a huge gift to Elisha by way of the captain of his army, Hazael. Elisha tells Hazael that Benhadad will certainly recover from his sickness but Elisha sees Benhadad’s death at the hands of Hazael.

Elisha weeps seeing ahead that Hazael will be a sore enemy of Israel who will do great harm. Hazael denies that this could possibly be but Elisha tells him that God has told Elisha that Hazael will be king over Syria. This must have been in Hazael’s mind all along as he murders his master the day after he told Benhadad that he would recover.

2Kings 8:16 ¶  And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 17  Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 19  Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children. 20  In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21  So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22  Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23  And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24  And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

Joram, called Jehoram, Ahab’s son, and Jehoram, Jehoshaphat’s son, also called Joram in the text, reign in their respective countries of Israel and Judah. Commentators point out that although they can be called by the same name they were two distinct kings and the Bible attests to that in spite of our confusion. Jehoram was married to Joram’s sister and the kings of Israel and Judah were allies in not only politics but in idolatry against God.

Edom revolted against Judah and Jehoram, called Joram, crushed their army but was not able to stop their rebellion.

Edom had been conquered by King David.

2Samuel 8:14  And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David’s servants. And the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

Esau, Jacob’s brother, is the founder of the Edomites.

Genesis 36:1  Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

Isaac predicted that Esau’s people would be under the yoke of Jacob’s people but would break that yoke at some point.

Genesis 27:40  And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

2Kings 8:25 ¶  In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26  Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel. 27  And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab. 28  And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29  And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

Now here’s an interesting situation. Wicked Ahab’s wicked son, Joram, is wounded in combat with the Syrians. Ahaziah, king of Judah, who is a close relative of King Joram of Israel, goes to Jezreel to visit his injured cousin and ally. Two wicked kings are present together and God is about to do something to settle accounts.

2Kings, chapter 9

2Kings 9:1 ¶  And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead: 2  And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; 3  Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not. 4  So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead. 5  And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain. 6  And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto

him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. 7  And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 8  For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: 9  And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah: 10  And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

Here, God, through a young prophet sent by Elisha, gives Jehu, a son of the late king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, not only the authority to take over the kingdom but his marching orders as well as to what he is to do once he assumes power. I think the orders are quite clear. Two wicked kings must pay with their lives. The house, the dynasty of Ahab, must be destroyed.

2Kings 9:11 ¶  Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication. 12  And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. 13  Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying, Jehu is king. 14  So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. 15  But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

Jehu confirms what he has been told by the prophet and his companions, soldiers of the reigning king, honor him as king based on the words of the prophet. The wicked kings of Israel and Judah are now in the crosshairs. Jehu wants secrecy until he acts upon the message he received.

2Kings 8:29  And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

1Kings 9:16 ¶  So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. 17  And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace? 18  So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but he cometh not again. 19  Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. 20  And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously. 21  And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22  And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 23  And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. 24  And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. 25  Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden upon him; 26  Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD. 27  But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and died there. 28  And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David. 29  And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

Jehu’s violent overthrow of Ahab’s dynasty represented in two wicked kings begins with his killing of those kings. He is not done yet.

Jehu recalls that the LORD God is avenging Naboth who was murdered and his land stolen by King Ahab, although we know there is a lot more to this than revenge for one man.

Read 1 Kings, chapter 21, to review the injustice done to Naboth.

As an important note these dynastic connections can be complicated.

King Omri’s daughter appears at first to be Ahab’s sister. First, understand that Ahab is the son of Omri.

1Kings 16:28  So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

Her name was Athaliah and she was Ahaziah’s mother.

2Kings 8:26  Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, also called Joram, married Ahab and Jezebel’s daughter who in Bible parlance is a daughter of Omri in her descent as son of refers to descendants elsewhere.

2Kings 8:18  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Ahaziah is Jehoram aka Joram of Judah’s son, who was Athaliah’s husband.

2Kings 8:24  And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.25  In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.

So regardless of how you sort out these complicated dynastic interbreedings you can see how complicated the lines were and God is now settling accounts on Ahab’s dynasty. I don’t want to get into the countless wranglings I’ve read on Ahab’s descendants and family connections as that would take away from the narrative.

1Kings 9:30 ¶  And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window. 31  And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his master? 32  And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. 33  And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under foot. 34  And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king’s daughter. 35  And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36  Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: 37  And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

Jezebel tries to show her defiance of Jehu and is so held in contempt servants throw her down from the window at Jehu’s command. Her body is ripped to shreds by a pack of dogs. She will have no honorable resting place for her wickedness. Even in death she will be shown contempt.