Bible Connect

� Reading 2 - 1 Kings 13-14; 2 Chron 12

13 - 1 Kings 13 records God’s effort to stop the wildfire of sin Jeroboam kindled. The young prophet calls the name of the king who will do this 300 years ahead of time (see 2 Kings 23:15-20 for fulfillment). The rest of the chapter is sad and sobering. We wonder why this older prophet (verse 11) is still in the north, and why God didn’t use him to curse the altar? Beyond that we wonder why the young man is punished when the lying older prophet is not but it is not for us to judge God’s ways. God used the young man as an object lesson for all to see how serious disobedience to Him really was (verse 25). Sadly Jeroboam did not listen or learn from it (verses 33-34).

14 and 12 - 1 Kings 14 and 2 Chronicles 12 are relatively straightforward here. Ahijah’s message flatly rebukes Jeroboam’s wife, saying of her husband that God exalted him (verses 7-8), Jeroboam failed God (verse 9), so the House of Jeroboam will be cut off (verses 10-11), the child will die (verses 12-13), and Israel will be scattered (verses 15-16). Apparently, Jeroboam’s wife didn’t believe the prophet (verses 17). The scene then switches to the south and Rehoboam, finding him in disobedience to God as well (verses 21-31). As a result God no longer protects Jerusalem and it is sacked. The parallel account in 2 Chronicles 12:1-12 helps here. Note the failure of Rehoboam (verse 14). He didn’t want to do right, and so didn’t get his heart ready to seek for God.

Psalm 47

This psalm is a hymn of praise, and has a coronation feel to it. Its theme is God reigns supreme over all peo- ples, and calls all nations to recognize Him as King and worship Him (verse 1). Even as all people worship God the Israelites are set forth as God’s people (verses 3-4, 9). The psalm says God loves His people (verse 4) and desires all people to be His people (verse 9), two marvelous notes that we don’t always associate with the Old Testament.

2 - Titus’ work will mainly consist of teaching “sound doctrine” (verse 1). The emphasis on teaching is made clear when we see how many times it is mentioned: “teach” or “speak” in 2:1, “teachers of good things” in 2:3; “train” in 2:4, “urge” or “exhort” in 2:6, 15, “show yourself” in and “your teaching” in 2:7, “teaching us” or “training us” (2:12), and “rebuke” (2:15). The center of all of this teaching is God’s grace (verses 11-12) which changes our roles in society and what we do even as we grow older.