Archive for June 2024

1 Kings 9-10,  Psalm 119:41-48,  Luke 2:1-20,  Ephesians 3:14-21 1 Kings 9-10: At the moment of highest success, God appears again to Solomon for the second time (9:2). And this time God’s word to Solomon is both affirming and warning (9:3-9). The continued blessing of God towards Solomon, his heirs, the temple he has built,…

1 Kings 8,  Psalm 119:33-40,  Luke 1:67-80,  Ephesians 3:1-13 1 Kings 8: Now comes the time to consecrate and celebrate. First the ark itself is brought into the temple (v. 1-11). In the ark, we are told, is nothing but the tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb (v. 9). Many sacrifices, so…

1 Kings 6-7,  Psalm 119:25-32,  Luke 1:57-66,  Ephesians 2:11-22 1 Kings 6-7: These two chapters describe the building of two houses. The first is the house of the Lord. We are given very precise dates for when the building of this house began (6:1). This is a significant moment in the life of Israel. Plus,…

1 Kings 4-5,  Psalm 119:17-24,  Luke 1:39-56,  Ephesians 2:1-10 1 Kings 4-5: The story of Solomon’s excellence continues. He is now king over all Israel, and the author tells how he administered his domain through wise delegation to various high officials and with their responsibilities appropriately defined (4:1-19). The people of God are now as…

1 Kings 2-3,  Psalm 119:9-16,  Luke 1:26-38,  Ephesians 1:15-23 1 Kings 2-3: David’s final instructions to Solomon are suitably brutal (2:5-9). How are we to think of these things? Is this a final sign of David’s less than mature spirituality, seeking vengeance with the last breath of his body? Or is it a real-politic leadership…

1 Kings 1,  Psalm 119:1-8,  Luke 1:1-25,  Ephesians 1:1-14 1 Kings 1: David is now old and advanced in years, and like many older people is finding it hard to stay warm (1:1). David’s servants come up with a novel solution: they find a young (and beautiful) woman to come and sleep with David (1:2-4)—physical…