Day 37 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Isaiah 40

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) 

God’s People Comforted

1 “Comfort, comfort My people,”

says your God.

2 “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and announce to her

that her time of forced labor is over,

her iniquity has been pardoned,

and she has received from the Lord’s hand

double for all her sins.”

3 A voice of one crying out:

Prepare the way of the Lord in the wilderness;

make a straight highway for our God in the desert.

4 Every valley will be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill will be leveled;

the uneven ground will become smooth

and the rough places, a plain.

5 And the glory of the Lord will appear,

and all humanity together will see it,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

6 A voice was saying, “Cry out!”

Another said, “What should I cry out?”

“All humanity is grass,

and all its goodness is like the flower of the field.

7 The grass withers, the flowers fade

when the breath of the Lord blows on them;

indeed, the people are grass.

8 The grass withers, the flowers fade,

but the word of our God remains forever.”

9 Zion, herald of good news,

go up on a high mountain.

Jerusalem, herald of good news,

raise your voice loudly.

Raise it, do not be afraid!

Say to the cities of Judah,

“Here is your God!”

10 See, the Lord God comes with strength,

and His power establishes His rule.

His reward is with Him,

and His gifts accompany Him.

11 He protects His flock like a shepherd;

He gathers the lambs in His arms

and carries them in the fold of His garment.

He gently leads those that are nursing.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand

or marked off the heavens with the span of his hand?

Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measure

or weighed the mountains in a balance

and the hills in the scales?

13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,

or who gave Him His counsel?

14 Who did He consult with?

Who gave Him understanding

and taught Him the paths of justice?

Who taught Him knowledge

and showed Him the way of understanding?

15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;

they are considered as a speck of dust in the scales;

He lifts up the islands like fine dust.

16 Lebanon is not enough for fuel,

or its animals enough for a burnt offering.

17 All the nations are as nothing before Him;

they are considered by Him

as nothingness and emptiness.

18 Who will you compare God with?

What likeness will you compare Him to?

19 To an idol?—something that a smelter casts,

and a metalworker plates with gold

and makes silver welds for it?

20 To one who shapes a pedestal,

choosing wood that does not rot?

He looks for a skilled craftsman

to set up an idol that will not fall over.

21 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Has it not been declared to you

from the beginning?

Have you not considered

the foundations of the earth?

22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;

its inhabitants are like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth

and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

23 He reduces princes to nothing

and makes judges of the earth irrational.

24 They are barely planted, barely sown,

their stem hardly takes root in the ground

when He blows on them and they wither,

and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.

25 “Who will you compare Me to,

or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.

26 Look up and see:

who created these?

He brings out the starry host by number;

He calls all of them by name.

Because of His great power and strength,

not one of them is missing.

27 Jacob, why do you say,

and Israel, why do you assert:

“My way is hidden from the Lord,

and my claim is ignored by my God”?

28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

Yahweh is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the whole earth.

He never grows faint or weary;

there is no limit to His understanding.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and strengthens the powerless.

30 Youths may faint and grow weary,

and young men stumble and fall,

31 but those who trust in the Lord

will renew their strength;

they will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary;

they will walk and not faint.

Note: Read Isaiah 43 for extra credit. :)

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Todays reading finds us in the presence of our Messiah, pondering His, height, depth and majesty.  Marveling at His creation, and the way that every thing is in sink.  We hear the voice of one crying in the wilderness, and are reminded that when we put our trust in the Lord, He will renew our strength.  

Discussion Topic:  Can you identify some different aspects of apologetics within this prophesy?  Do you see any keys to evangelism hidden within this text?

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father in heaven, I bow in awe of Your Wonders.  You are the God of creation, and yet desire to be called Abba, Daddy.  Thank You for the gift of your Son, and the daily reminders You give us to explore.  Your love is unending, Your grace free.  Give us the boldness to be the voice of one crying out in the digital wilderness, or the dark street corners.  For Your return is promised, Your arrival soon.  Be with us as we share Your love.  In Jesus, for Jesus and because of Jesus.  Amen

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - 

Day 36 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Isaiah 11

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Reign of the Davidic King

1 Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

3 His delight will be in the fear of the Lord.  He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, He will not execute justice by what He hears with His ears,

4 but He will judge the poor righteously and execute justice for the oppressed of the land.  He will strike the land with discipline from His mouth,

and He will kill the wicked with a command from His lips.

5 Righteousness will be a belt around His loins; faithfulness will be a belt around His waist.  6 The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat.  The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together, and a child will lead them.

7 The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will lie down together,

and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den.

9 None will harm or destroy another on My entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water.

Israel Regathered

10 On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples.  The nations will seek Him,  and His resting place will be glorious.

11 On that day the Lord will extend His hand a second time to recover—from Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coasts and islands of the west—the remnant of His people who survive.

12 He will lift up a banner for the nations and gather the dispersed of Israel;

He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

13 Ephraim’s envy will cease; Judah’s harassment will end.  Ephraim will no longer be envious of Judah, and Judah will not harass Ephraim.

14 But they will swoop down on the Philistine flank to the west.  Together they will plunder the people of the east.  They will extend their power over Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be their subjects.

15 The Lord will divide the Gulf of Suez.  He will wave His hand over the Euphrates with His mighty wind and will split it into seven streams, letting people walk through on foot.

16 There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will survive from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Isaiah 11 is one of the most noticiable of the Messianic prophesies.  In it, Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will come from Jesse, and his reign will be one of Harmony and Peace.  A shoot that grows from a tree stump, and becomes greater than the original tree trunk.  Reflect on the imagery that Isaiah uses to describe Jesus throughout your day.  

Bonus reading:  A member of computer church community in G+ posted this exerpt on the same chapter, check it out here

Discussion Topic:  Todays verse of the day points us to the 7 spirits of the Lord.  With the six being Wisdom and Understanding, Counsel and Strength and Knowledge and the fear of the Lord, and the seventh being the Spirit of the Lord.  Some theologians argue 6 vs 7, what do you believe?  

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father in heaven, you rescued your people from the remnant of Jesse.  Your wisdom and understand surpass even the smartest of us, Your counsel and strength even the most dedicated.  Teach us in the knowledge of You so that we may grow in a Holy reverent fear of You.  You are our Messiah and we look to You in the midst of the storm, Your banner is Peace.  Your name is forever to be praised.  Amen! 

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - www.wallpaperhere.com

Day 35 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Isaiah 9

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Birth of the Prince of Peace

1 Nevertheless, the gloom of the distressed land will not be like that of the former times when He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. But in the future He will bring honor to the Way of the Sea, to the land east of the Jordan, and to Galilee of the nations.

2 The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

a light has dawned

on those living in the land of darkness.

3 You have enlarged the nation

and increased its joy.

The people have rejoiced before You

as they rejoice at harvest time

and as they rejoice when dividing spoils.

4 For You have shattered their oppressive yoke

and the rod on their shoulders,

the staff of their oppressor,

just as You did on the day of Midian.

5 For the trampling boot of battle

and the bloodied garments of war

will be burned as fuel for the fire.

6 For a child will be born for us,

a son will be given to us,

and the government will be on His shoulders.

He will be named

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

7 The dominion will be vast,

and its prosperity will never end.

He will reign on the throne of David

and over his kingdom,

to establish and sustain it

with justice and righteousness from now on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.

The Hand Raised against Israel

8 The Lord sent a message against Jacob;

it came against Israel.

9 All the people—

Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—will know it.

They will say with pride and arrogance:

10 “The bricks have fallen,

but we will rebuild with cut stones;

the sycamores have been cut down,

but we will replace them with cedars.”

11 The Lord has raised up Rezin’s adversaries against him

and stirred up his enemies.

12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west

have consumed Israel with open mouths.

In all this, His anger is not removed,

and His hand is still raised to strike.

13 The people did not turn to Him who struck them;

they did not seek the Lord of Hosts.

14 So the Lord cut off Israel’s head and tail,

palm branch and reed in a single day.

15 The head is the elder, the honored one;

the tail is the prophet, the lying teacher.

16 The leaders of the people mislead them,

and those they mislead are swallowed up.

17 Therefore the Lord does not rejoice

over Israel’s young men

and has no compassion

on its fatherless and widows,

for everyone is a godless evildoer,

and every mouth speaks folly.

In all this, His anger is not removed,

and His hand is still raised to strike.

18 For wickedness burns like a fire

that consumes thorns and briers

and kindles the forest thickets

so that they go up in a column of smoke.

19 The land is scorched

by the wrath of the Lord of Hosts,

and the people are like fuel for the fire.

No one has compassion on his brother.

20 They carve meat on the right,

but they are still hungry;

they have eaten on the left,

but they are still not satisfied.

Each one eats the flesh of his own arm.

21 Manasseh is with Ephraim,

and Ephraim with Manasseh;

together, both are against Judah.

In all this, His anger is not removed,

and His hand is still raised to strike.

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Todays reading is a prophesy, two in fact.  One in regaurd to Jesus, the coming Messiah, and one based on the empending doom and judgement coming to Israel.  At times prophetic scripture can be hard to wrap your head around but to slowly read it, in combination with a knowledge of other text you can see how God used prophets to warn the people, and drive the remnant to a place of repentance.  

Discussion Topic:  Do you think its easier to accept pending judgement, knowing you will one day be delivered?  How can these prophesies be applied to todays modern issues we see all around us.  

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Eternal Father, we thank you for your judgement and respect your ruling.  We are a people of unclean hearts, and speak with unclean words.  Your Son is our only hope for redemption and salvation.  We thank you for your mercy and grace, and the Eternal gift, the Prince of Peace.  Guide us in our lives as we prepare our hearts for your return. 

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Believers Journey

Day 34 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

2 Kings 2

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Elijah in the Whirlwind

1 The time had come for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal, 2 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me on to Bethel.”

But Elisha replied, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; the Lord is sending me to Jericho.”

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the Lord will take your master away from you today?”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

6 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.”

But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7 Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood facing them from a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 9 After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit.”

10 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won’t.”

11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind. 12 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” Then he never saw Elijah again. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

13 Elisha picked up the mantle that had fallen off Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the mantle Elijah had dropped and struck the waters. “Where is the Lord God of Elijah?” he asked. He struck the waters himself, and they parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.

15 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were facing him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.

16 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Since there are 50 strong men here with your servants, please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the Lord has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.”

He answered, “Don’t send them.”

17 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment, so he said, “Send them.” They sent 50 men, who looked for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to him in Jericho where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn't I tell you not to go?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Even though our lord can see that the city’s location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.”

20 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.”

After they had brought him one, 21 Elisha went out to the spring of water, threw salt in it, and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.’” 22 Therefore, the water remains healthy to this very day according to the word that Elisha spoke.

23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children. 25 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel, and then he returned to Samaria.

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  As we read this story, we transistion from the ministry of Elijah, to the ministry of Elisha.  We learn about a ministry where the younger wouldn't leave the side of the older.  We see Elijah as a strong mentor in Elisha's life, so much so that when asked, Elisha asks for a double portion of his spirit.  

Discussion Topic:  Think about your spiritual mentor, how is your relationship with your mentor?  Does your mentor benefit from your relationship as well?  Why do you think its important to have a spiritual mentor?   

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father, I give thanks to you. The Maker of Heaven and Earth.  You are the true Mentor.  Your wisdom and instruction lead and guide us through life, whether we give You credit or not.  We give You thanks today for the folks You put in our lives, and the lives you also put in our path.  Help us to point to You in all we do. In Jesus name we pray.  Amen. 

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Dwelling In The Word

Day 33 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

1 Kings 17

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Elijah Announces Famine

1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, from the Gilead settlers, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, I stand before Him, and there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!”

2 Then a revelation from the Lord came to him: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward, and hide yourself at the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan. 4 You are to drink from the wadi. I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.”

5 So he did what the Lord commanded. Elijah left and lived by the Wadi Cherith where it enters the Jordan. 6 The ravens kept bringing him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and he drank from the wadi. 7 After a while, the wadi dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

Elijah and the Widow

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” 10 So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow woman gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” 11 As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”

12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.”

13 Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, 14 for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.”

15 So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. 16 The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord He had spoken through Elijah.

The Widow’s Son Raised

17 After this, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. His illness became very severe until no breath remained in him. 18 She said to Elijah, “Man of God, what do we have in common? Have you come to remind me of my guilt and to kill my son?”

19 But Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him from her arms, brought him up to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. 20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “My Lord God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” 21 Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the Lord and said, “My Lord God, please let this boy’s life return to him!”

22 So the Lord listened to Elijah’s voice, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. Elijah said, “Look, your son is alive.”

24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know you are a man of God and the Lord’s word from your mouth is true.”

(Note: Please read chapters 18 & 19 for the full story.)

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  The land was suffering from a severe famine.  Elijah was hiding from Ahab who was bent on killing him.  The famine was so bad that even God's prophet Elijah didn't have any food to eat, but God made a way out of this seemingly impossible situation.  In blessing Elijah, God also blessed the widow and her son.  Not only did they have enough to eat, but God also brought the widow's son back to life at the pleading of Elijah.  

Discussion Topic: We see time and time again how God provides for His own and often blessing others in the process.  Thinking back over the past few weeks, can you give an example of how God's blessings not only benefited you, but those around you? 

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Lord, I thank You for all that I have in my life.  Thank You for not only blessing me, but for also blessing my family and friends who have benefited from the gifts You have poured out upon me from Your many storehouses in heaven.  Thank You for rescuing me from situations that would seem hopeless to most and I praise You for using those situations to bless others as well.  To You be all the praise and glory forever and ever.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - Elijah Meets the Widow: Pastor Of My House, Elijah Raises Widow's Son: Banah Ministries

Day 32 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

Psalm 132

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

David and Zion Chosen

A song of ascents.

1 Lord, remember David

and all the hardships he endured,

2 and how he swore an oath to the Lord,

making a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:

3 “I will not enter my house

or get into my bed,

4 I will not allow my eyes to sleep

or my eyelids to slumber

5 until I find a place for the Lord,

a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

6 We heard of the ark in Ephrathah;

we found it in the fields of Jaar.

7 Let us go to His dwelling place;

let us worship at His footstool.

8 Rise up, Lord, come to Your resting place,

You and Your powerful ark.

9 May Your priests be clothed with righteousness,

and may Your godly people shout for joy.

10 Because of Your servant David,

do not reject Your anointed one.

11 The Lord swore an oath to David,

a promise He will not abandon:

“I will set one of your descendants

on your throne.

12 If your sons keep My covenant

and My decrees that I will teach them,

their sons will also sit on your throne forever.”

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion;

He has desired it for His home:

14 “This is My resting place forever;

I will make My home here

because I have desired it.

15 I will abundantly bless its food;

I will satisfy its needy with bread.

16 I will clothe its priests with salvation,

and its godly people will shout for joy.

17 There I will make a horn grow for David;

I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.

18 I will clothe his enemies with shame,

but the crown he wears will be glorious.”

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Todays reading comes from the back of the Psalms, whats known as the Psalms of ascent.  These Psalms were sung as the Israelite made their way to Jerusalem for the yearly festivals.  The people of Israel are constantly reminded that they will have a Son, to sit on David's throne.  That Son came, clothed in humility, born of a virgin, born into poverty.  That Son is Jesus.  King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 

Discussion Topic:  How can we better tell the world that the King has come, and is sitting on the Throne, not only of Israel, but of the Universe.  

Jointhe Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father in Heaven, thank you.  Thank you for giving us Your Son.  Christ the Messiah, to free us from our chains, to open our eyes, to heal our wounds.  You are the gift giver, and you gave us a Servant King.  We are forever grateful   Help us to keep our eyes on you and only you in this season of celebration.  In Jesus name, Amen! 

Acknowledgements: Text - BibleGateway.com, Artwork - David bringing Ark to Jerusalem: Bible Encyclopedia

Day 31 - 50 Day Journey To Christ

Daily Reading:

2 Chronicles 10

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

10 Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.² When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard about it—for he was in Egypt where he had fled from King Solomon’s presence—Jeroboam returned from Egypt. ³ So they summoned him. Then Jeroboam and all Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam: ⁴ “Your father made our yoke difficult. Therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

⁵ Rehoboam replied, “Return to me in three days.” So the people left.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon when he was alive, asking, “How do you advise me to respond to these people?”

⁷ They replied, “If you will be kind to these people and please them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

⁸ But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him, and he consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, the ones serving him. ⁹ He asked them, “What message do you advise we send back to these people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

¹⁰ Then the young men who had grown up with him told him, “This is what you should say to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you, make it lighter on us!’ This is what you should say to them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins.¹¹ Now therefore, my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.’”

¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, just as the king had ordered, saying, “Return to me on the third day.” ¹³ Then the king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the elders’ advice ¹⁴ and spoke to them according to the young men’s advice, saying, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I, with barbed whips.”

¹⁵ The king did not listen to the people because the turn of events came from God, in order that the Lord might carry out His word that He had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

¹⁶ When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered the king:

What portion do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

Israel, each man to your tent;

David, look after your own house now!

So all Israel went to their tents. ¹⁷ But as for the Israelites living in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

¹⁸ Then King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but the Israelites stoned him to death. However, King Rehoboam managed to get into his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹ Israel is in rebellion against the house of David until today.

Key:  Bold - Verse of the Day

Reflection:  Today we witness the split of Israel from Judah.  As a part of the redemptive story, it's important for us to take a minute and really reflect on this part of it.  After the passing of his father Solomon, Rehoboam was given a chance to restore relationships within the kingdom of Israel. He could have listened to the elders, or listen to his friends.  Rehoboam chose to listen to his friends, and not heed the advise of the elders.  Because of this, the kingdom of Israel became divided.  Israel to the north, Judah to the south.   

Discussion Topic:  Lets discuss an opportunity in your life when you chose to listen to the advice of friends and not your elders.  How did this effect your life, how could this same practice effect your spiritual life?

Join the Discussion on G+

Prayer:  Father in heaven, Jesus our Lord.  Thank You for Your grace and mercy.  You forgive the bad decisions I have made, You look past the bad advice I have taken.  Teach me to listen to Your voice, and to heed Your advice.  It is for Your Kingdom, with Your Power, and for Your Glory.  Amen.  

Acknowledgements:  Scripture - BibleGateway.com, Image -  Rehoboam takes counsel from his friends: Mom Sanity