Thurs.’s Devo - The God We Know

Read: 2 Kings 9:14-10:31; Acts 17:1-34; Psalm 144:1-15; Proverbs 17:27-28 Yesterday we read where the armies of Israel and Judah were fighting the king of Aram. King Joram of Israel was wounded and taken to Jezreel to recover. King Ahaziah had gone to visit him. While they were gone, a prophet came to the battle field and anointed Jehu the king of Israel. The people with Jehu agreed that he should be king. He instructed none of them to tell King Joram. *** Jehu got into a chariot and rode like a madman to Jezreel to kill King Joram. King Joram came out to meet him and when Joram realized Jehu was not coming in peace he turned to flee. Jehu shot him in the back but it went through his heart. Jehu had his body thrown into the plot that had belonged to Naboth, to avenge Naboth’s blood. *** King Ahaziah saw what was happening and he fled. Jehu ran after him and shot him in his chariot where he died and was taken to Jerusalem to be buried in the City of David. *** Jezebel made herself beautiful and sat in the window of the palace. She shouted down at Jehu and called him a murderer. Jehu shouted up asking if there was any one on his side. A couple of eunuchs stuck their heads out and Jehu told them to throw her down. They did and she died on the pavement. Jehu trampled her body under his feet. Later he told someone to go bury her and all they could find was her skull, her feet, and her hands. She had died on the plot of land she had gotten for Ahab by killing Naboth, just like Elijah had predicted. *** Ahab had 70 sons who were being brought up in Samaria. Jehu sent word to Samaria for them to crown one of the sons of Ahab and come out and find him. They were so afraid, the asked Jehu what they could do to have peace. He told them he wanted the heads of all of Ahab’s sons and they brought them to him. He had then divided and put in two baskets and placed them on the sides of the city gate. *** The next day, Jehu went out and addressed the people. He took ownership of killing Ahab’s family and explained that he was fulfilling Elijah’s words about the family of Ahab. He killed all of Ahab’s family, officials and friends. On his way to Samaria he met a few more of Ahab’s supporters and killed them also. *** Then Jehu called a meeting of all who worshiped Baal. He told them he was going to worship with them. Instead it was a plot to kill them. Once gathered, he stationed 80 of his men outside the building. The worshipers of Baal offered their sacrifices and offering inside while Jehu offered sacrifices to God outside the building. As soon as Jehu had finished he gave the command to go and kill all the worshipers of Baal. Then he had the pillar in the temple of Baal smashed and converted the building into a public toilet. *** God was pleased with what Jehu had done, and promised him that his descendants would be kings of Israel down to the fourth generation. Sadly, Jehu didn’t obey the Lord with all his heart and worshiped the golden calves that Jeroboam had set up. *** In Acts, Paul and Silas traveled to Thessalonica and found a Jewish synagogue. They preached for three Sabbath’s explaining the prophecies about Jesus. Many Jews, and Greeks became believers. But some of the Jews were jealous and made trouble for them. They grabbed Jason out of the crowd because he had housed Paul and Silas. The mob accused Jason of treason. He was let out on bond. *** That night, they took Paul and Silas to Berea. The next day they to the Jewish synagogue and taught. Many of the people there received the message of Paul and Silas and believed. But the Jews from Thessalonica found out where Paul and Silas had gone and came to stir up the people there. Paul and Silas went from there to Athens. *** In Athens, Paul was very disturbed by all the idols in the city and went to the synagogue to address it. He debated with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. Paul and Silas were taken to the city council to tell the about their new teaching. The Athenians were all about any new idea. *** Paul had seen a shrine on his way that had the inscription “To an Unknown God”. He used that as his text and said he was here to explain who that unknown God was. Then he told them about God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. He gave them the message of salvation through Christ and when they got to the part about how Jesus died and rose from the dead many of then laughed in contempt, but others wanted to hear more and became believers. *** Lord, I am amazed at how Paul never gave up preaching the truth. May we be that bold and persevering. Than you that we serve the Almighty God, our Creator and King. Thank you, that to us, you are not the Unknown God, but the God we can know and be known by.