Read: 1Kings 14:1-15:24; Ats 10:1-23;Psalm133:1-3; Proverbs 17:7-8
Jeroboam and his wife had their first son who was very ill. He sent her to the prophet Ahijah but told her to disguise herself. God told Ahijah who was coming to see him and what to say to her, so he blew her disguise the minute she walked into the door. He, who was almost blind could see in the spirit better than in the natural.
Ahijah said that because Jeroboam had done more evil than all who had lived before him, God was going to bring his dynasty down and all of his male descendants would face disaster. Their son, was the only good thing that had come from Jeroboam and he would die when she entered her house.
She went home and her son died when she stepped through the door of her house. The prophet had also said that God would raise up a king over Israel who would destroy the family of Jeroboam and it would start that very day. (I wonder if that king was born that day.) The people of Israel would be punished for their idolatry.
Jeroboam ruled for twenty-two years and died. His son, Nadab became king.
Meanwhile in Judah, Rehoboam ruled for 17 years. The people of Judah were also worshipping idols. King Shishak of Egypt invaded Jerusalem and stole everything from the Temple treasury and the king’s palace.
There was constant war between Judah and Israel.
When Rehoboam died, his brother, Abijam became king. They had the same mother, Maacah who is mentioned three times. She had them set her up as the queen mother. She was a powerful influence of evil on her sons but her grandson, Asa did away with her power and had her deposed. Asa had a heart for the Lord and the kingdom flourished under his rule.
He took the gold that was left in his kingdom and made a treaty with Ben-hadad, the king of Aram. Ben-hadad broke his treaty with Israel to form one with Asa. Together they stopped the building of the fortification of Ramah. Ramah was the city and gateway from Israel to Judah. People could come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord through Ramah so it was a strategic city.
When Asa died, his son, Jehoshaphat became king.
In Acts, there was a man who was the captain of the Italian Regiment. He feared God and gave to the poor. An angel came to him one day and told him to have his servants go to Joppa and bring Peter to him.
The day the men were to find Peter, God gave Peter a vision. He saw the sky open and a large sheet let down with all sorts of animals, reptiles and birds. A voice told him to kill and eat them. These creatures were not on the Jewish kosher list and Peter protested to the Lord. God said, “Don’t call something unclean if God has made it clean.” He saw the same vision three times and as he was contemplating what it might mean, the men from Cornelius knocked on the door.
God told Peter that they were coming and that he was to welcome them as being from Him.
Cornelius and his men were the unclean animals on the sheet. God was trying to get rid of his prejudices so that he would minister the God News of Christ to these men.
Lord, help us to be accepting of all your created beings, knowing that only You know the ones you have chosen.
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