Category: 1 Kings Devotionals

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1 Kings Devotionals

Making peace?

It’s always good to think about context as you’re reading the Bible. And that’s particularly true when it comes to verse 44.

Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. (1 Kings 22:44)

At first glance, this was a good thing.

But if you look at verse 43, right after praising Jehoshaphat for doing what was right in God’s sight, it criticizes him for not taking down the high places.

People were probably worshiping the Lord at these places, but the problem was that God had told them to worship, and more specifically, to offer their sacrifices in Jerusalem alone. (Deuteronomy 12:4-11, 13)

It’s right after this, that the writer talks about Jehoshophat making peace with the king of Israel.

He’s continuing his criticism of Jehoshophat, not praising him for it.

But why would he criticize Jehoshaphat for making peace? Isn’t peace a good thing?

Normally, yes. But the way he made peace was marrying his son to Ahab’s daughter Athaliah. (2 Chronicles 18:1)

And as we’ll find out Athaliah, like her father, did not follow God. In fact, as we’ll see in chapter 11 of 2 Kings, she almost wiped out all of David’s line.

More than that, through Ahab’s influence, Jehoshaphat ignored the prophet’s counsel, and joined Ahab in battle against Aram.

This despite the fact that Jehoshaphat was clearly bothered by Ahab’s attitude toward the prophet. (1 Kings 22:8)

All this nearly cost Jehoshaphat his life. And another prophet would sharply criticize him after Jehoshaphat returned from battle. (2 Chronicles 19:2)

Unfortunately, Jehoshaphat would twice more make the same kind of mistake. (2 Chronicles 20:35-37, 2 Kings 3).

Solomon once wrote,

The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

“Fools” in the Old Testament don’t simply mean “foolish people.” It means people who set their hearts against God.

It’s one thing to do our best to be at peace with such people. It’s another to let them influence us.

If we do that, like Jehoshaphat, we can suffer great harm.

Who are you walking with?

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1 Kings Devotionals

Vexed and sullen

And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen… (1 Kings 21:4)

Jesus told us that to enter God’s kingdom, we must become like a little child. But this is not what he meant.

Ahab was a king. God had entrusted Israel to him. And yet, Ahab acted like a spoiled brat.

Twice in five verses, it talks about Ahab going home vexed and sullen.

Once, because God rebuked him (1 Kings 20:43).

And now, because Naboth refused to sell Ahab his field. (1 Kings 21:4).

But it made me think, “Are there times I act like Ahab? Are there times I act vexed and sullen like a little child?”

God pointed out one area to me this morning. And I had to repent.

Are there times you act vexed and sullen? With your boss? With your husband or wife? With your boyfriend or girlfriend? With your friends?

Worst of all, with God?

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1 Kings Devotionals

God’s gentleness

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.

He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever…

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.

For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust. (Psalm 103: 8-9, 13-14)

God brought those verses to mind as I read 1 Kings 19 today.

Elijah was in a full-blown pity party. And God could have easily said, “You want to die? Fine! Die!”

But instead, God showed great concern for him, sending an angel to give him food and drink.

And then there was his interaction with Elijah on the mountain.

I wonder what Elijah was thinking when God told him, “Go out on the mountain and stand in my presence.”

Did he go out in trepidation, fearing God’s response? Did he expect a scathing rebuke?

If he did, God certainly gave him a lot to look at, a fierce wind, an earthquake, fire.

But when Elijah looked carefully, God wasn’t in any of those things.

Instead, when God spoke again, he spoke gently.

That said, God didn’t leave Elijah in his pity party. He called Elijah out of that pity party and back into his service.

So many Christians have this deep-seeded fear of God. They feel he’s always accusing, always angry at us for our failures.

But our Father is not that way. He doesn’t come screaming at us. He comes at us with a gentle whisper, calling us to get up and follow him once more.

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1 Kings Devotionals

A prayer to the One who is God over all

Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” (1 Kings 17:1, LSB)

Father, Ahab didn’t recognize you as the God of Israel. But it didn’t change the fact that you were still the God of Israel.

But as you showed the woman in Sidon, you are also God beyond the borders of Israel.

You are in fact, the God of all creation. By your command, the rains stopped, and by your command, they started again.

By your command, even the ravens did your bidding, feeding Elijah.

Father, like Ahab, many people in this world don’t recognize you as God.

So, Father, like Elijah, we come to you in prayer, aligning ourselves to you and your will.

Hear and answer us, so that the people in this nation, in all nations, will know that you are God.

Turn people’s hearts to you, especially those you’ve entrusted to us to care for and love, so that they too will say, “Yahweh, he is God. Yahweh, he is God.” (18:39).

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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1 Kings Devotionals

Responding to God’s discipline

When you look at Asa’s story in 1 Kings, it seems like he was a really good king.

But we do see hints that there were spiritual issues in his life, with him taking gold and silver from the Lord’s temple in order to make a treaty with Ben-Hadad.

Asa’s spiritual issues are made much more explicit in 2 Chronicles 16.

God rebuked Asa for his actions through the prophet Hanani, and Asa threw him in prison. And when Asa suffered from his illness later, we find out that he refused to seek out God for help, but only doctors.

It made me think, “Was Asa saved? Will we see him in heaven?”

I’m going to guess yes. Why? Well, the writer of Kings does say of his overall reign that he did what was right in God’s eyes and was committed to the Lord his whole life. (1 Kings 15:11, 14)

That seems strange, considering what we see in Chronicles.

But I think it’s consistent with what God said of David. He said that David “kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.” (1 Kings 14:8)

The writer of Kings echoes that thought in chapter 15, but adds a caveat: “except in the matter of Uriah the Hethite.” (1 Kings 15:5; 2 Samuel 11)

God impressed two things on my heart as I thought about David and Asa.

First, we do live by grace. And when he sees us, he sees us as righteous in his sight. Not because we are perfect. But ultimately because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.

We are clothed in his righteousness, and despite our failures, on judgment day, God can say of us, “You kept my commands, followed me with all your heart, doing only what is right in my eyes.”

That’s pretty amazing to think about.

But the other thing that God impressed on my heart is that our actions can affect the quality of our relationship with God here on earth. And one aspect of that is how we receive God’s discipline.

David responded well and maintained a strong relationship with God to the end of his life.

Asa didn’t, and his relationship with God deteriorated as a result.

How are your actions affecting the quality of your relationship with God?

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1 Kings Devotionals

Where God puts his name

Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king; he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city where the Lord had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put his name.

Rehoboam’s mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. (1 Kings 14:21)

When Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, God told him he would put his name there forever. (1 Kings 9:3)

But some time later, Solomon brought another name into the city where God had put his name: “Naamah.”

She was one of the many wives that he took who helped lead Solomon into idol worship. (1 Kings 11:1-4)

And apparently she helped lead her son Rehoboam down that same path.

The author goes out of his way twice to say name her and to give her Ammonite origins. (1 Kings 14:21, 31)

God has put his name on us. We are now his temple.

What other names, what influences, are we bringing into God’s temple?

What books do we read? What do we watch on the internet or on TV? What podcasts do we listen to? What music do we listen to?

Some things are clearly negative, and we should avoid them at all costs.

Some things are neutral and are okay in moderation.

Some things are good, strengthening our faith and drawing us nearer to God. Is that what you are bringing into God’s temple every day?

How are the things you’re bringing into your temple every day shaping your attitudes, your worldview, and your faith?

Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—dwell on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

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1 Kings Devotionals

Man of God?

I was reflecting on the phrase, “man of God” today.

Usually, in the Bible it’s used to describe a prophet. But David was called a “man of God” (Nehemiah 12:36) and so was Timothy (1 Timothy 6:11).

Interestingly, “man of God” is used of the messenger sent to Samson’s parents, and many Bible scholars believe that the messenger was actually Jesus (Judges 13:6).

But here in 1 Kings 13, God pointed out two things to me I’d never seen before.

First, the older prophet was never called a “man of God.” And looking at his actions, I think we can see why.

Second, the “man of God” in this chapter is the only one in the Bible of whom it’s said in the same breath, “who disobeyed the Lord’s command.”

And really, obedience is what marks a “man of God.” He is not his “own man.” He is “God’s man.”

A man of God lives under God’s lordship.

He trusts God, living by every word that come from God’s mouth, even the little details, something the “man of God” in this story failed to do.

A man of God is faithful with what God has entrusted to him, loving and serving the people God has put in his life.

That contrasts sharply with Jeroboam who refused to trust God and went his own way. (1 Kings 11:38; 12:26-30)

And that contrasts sharply with Rehoboam who tried to flex his power over his people. (1 Kings 12:13-14)

Now, technically speaking, the word, “man of God” could be translated “person of God.”

And all Christians, men and women, should be men and women of God, men and women living under God’s lordship, loving and serving those God has entrusted to them.

But throughout the Bible, “man of God” is always used of men: Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, and Timothy, among others.

So while I would challenge the women to be “women of God,” I challenge the men even more, “Be a man of God.”

Live under his lordship, in daily submission to him. And be faithful to what God has entrusted to you, loving and serving your wife, your children, and all others God has put into your life.

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1 Kings Devotionals

Making excuses for our disobedience

…you are to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses…

However, he must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire many horses, for the Lord has told you, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’

He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray.

He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself. (Deuteronomy 17:15-17)

Those were the instructions God gave the Israelites through Moses concerning their kings.

Solomon broke every single one (1 Kings 9:28; 10:14-21, 26-29; 11:1-3).

Why did Solomon break God’s instructions?

I don’t know.

Maybe it was because he thought they weren’t so important.

We can make all kinds of excuses for our disobedience to God’s Word.

We can say to ourselves, “Hey, I still love the Lord. I still worship him. Besides, everyone else lives this way.”

I’m sure that’s what Solomon thought. He continued to worship God. That wasn’t the problem.

The problem was that he “was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God (1 Kings 11:4).”

And that ultimately led him to do what was utterly evil in God’s sight (1 Kings 11:6).

It’s so easy to deceive ourselves and come up with all kinds of “good reasons” for our disobedience.

But when we do, at best, our hearts are no longer wholly God’s. At worst, we start to do things that are downright evil in his sight.

Jesus, you said that if I love you, I will obey you. I do love you. Help me throw away all my excuses for disobedience. I want my heart to be completely yours in everything.

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1 Kings Devotionals

A mind-blowing truth

But will God indeed live on earth?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,
much less this temple I have built. (1 Kings 8:27)

I was just meditating on those words this morning. The heavens cannot contain God. Yet by his grace, God chose to enter Solomon’s temple and fill it with his glory. (10-11).

Hundreds of years later, God came and actually lived on this earth as a man, dwelling among us.

Jesus himself was the temple of God on earth, and all of God’s fullness, all his glory dwelt in him. (John 1:14, 2:20; Colossians 1:19)

But now, we are God’s temple.

The heavens can’t contain God, and yet he chooses to dwell in individual human hearts, in all who put their faith in Jesus. (John 14:23; Ephesians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Because we are his temple, God has his eyes on us day and night, moment to moment, day to day, watching over us and hearing all our prayers and petitions.

And he says of us, “My name will be there.” (1 Kings 8:28-29)

Father, will you indeed live on earth?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you.

How is it that you would choose to dwell in me
Watching over me and hearing me
And calling me your own?

Your love is truly amazing.

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1 Kings Devotionals

The One who strengthens and establishes us

He set up the pillars at the portico of the sanctuary: he set up the right pillar and named it Jachin; then he set up the left pillar and named it Boaz. (1 Kings 7:21)

Let’s be honest, this section is a little dry. But God directed my eyes to a couple of footnotes concerning the names “Jachin” and “Boaz.”

The name Jachin means, “He establishes.”

Boaz means, “In Him is strength.”

I’m not sure, but I think this goes back to God’s words to David back in 2 Samuel 7:7-16.

David went through many trials in his life, and yet God strengthened him and promised to establish his descendant’s throne forever.

Ultimately, that will be fulfilled in Jesus.

Anyway, God reminded me this morning, “I am the one who establishes you. It’s in me that you’ll find your strength. So walk with me.”

That’s what the temple was all about: God’s presence with us.

So let’s walk in step with God.

If we do, no matter what trials we may go through, God will establish us.

And in him, we will find strength for each day.

The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. (1 Peter 5:10)

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1 Kings Devotionals

Solomon’s temple, Your heavenly throne room

1 Kings

Father, the temple Solomon made was incredibly beautiful. I can only imagine how the high priest felt when he entered that Most Holy Place for the first time.

But as beautiful as that temple was, it’s only a dim reflection of your true throne room in heaven.

And access to that earthly throne room was restricted to one high priest who came from one tribe, one nation.

But Jesus, you were slaughtered like a lamb on the cross.

And there, you purchased people for God by your blood. You purchased people from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

Now you have made us a kingdom. You have made us all priests to God. Priests who all have direct access to your Father in his throne room.

But not only priests. Beloved children who will reign with you someday. (Revelation 4:9-10)

And so Father, I enter your throne room.

I enter with a boldness that not even the high priest ever had.

I enter with boldness because Jesus has paid the price for my sin.

I enter with boldness because I know you have forgiven me.

I enter with boldness because I know you love me and have accepted me. (Hebrews 4:16, 10:19-22)

Walk with me, Father, moment to moment, day to day.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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1 Kings Devotionals

A receptive heart

I am just a youth with no experience in leadership…

So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. (1 Kings 3:7, 9)

Those words, “a receptive heart” really struck me this morning, mostly because the English translation I often used before translated that phrase “discerning heart.”

The word translated “receptive” is usually simply translated “hearing,” and sometimes has the idea of “obedient,” which is probably how the translators came up with “receptive.”

It did make me think of something Jesus said.

I can do nothing on my own.

I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me. (John 5:30)

As a man, Jesus had limited knowledge. In that sense, like Solomon, Jesus was as a child, totally reliant on his Father’s wisdom.

And so he listened to his Father, with a heart seeking to do his Father’s will.

If Jesus lived that way, how much more should we?

Father, I want to please you. I want to do your will. But I am like a child. I need your wisdom to discern what is right and wrong. I need your wisdom to make right judgments, to make good decisions.

So give me a receptive heart. A heart that listens for your voice throughout the day. A heart that willingly obeys you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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1 Kings Devotionals

To be a man

Brooklyn Museum / FreeBibleimages.org

Be strong and be a man, and keep your obligation to the Lord your God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. (1 Kings 2:2-3)

David’s words have application for both men and women, but considering that in this story, one man (David) was telling another man (Solomon) to be a man, permit me to speak to the men today.

The idea of what masculinity is has gradually become more and more blurry in modern society. But in the past, people often associated masculinity with strength and courage. That was, in fact, the case in David’s day.

But masculinity goes beyond mere strength and courage.

A real man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of God. And sometimes, it takes real strength and courage to do so.

I was reading Mark 10 this past weekend, and it occurred to me that Jesus showed what it meant to be a man.

His Father had sent him to Jerusalem to die.

And though it was scary, though Jesus didn’t want to die, he set his face resolutely toward Jerusalem, even as the people who followed him were hanging back in fear. (Mark 10:32)

Jesus lived by every word that came from his Father’s mouth, no matter the cost.

He was a true man.

Men, I don’t know about you, but I want to be a man like Jesus was.

Will we live by every word that comes from our Father’s mouths, no matter what?

The good news is that we don’t have to do this in our own strength. The truth is, we can’t. So let’s remember Jesus’ words.

Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me.

I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. (John 15:4-5)

What will you do?

Our wives, our sons and daughters, our girlfriends, and this world are watching.

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1 Kings Devotionals Psalms Devotionals

Two questions

Kings & Psalms

Very short and sweet today.

Read 1 Kings 20:42-43, 21:20, 25-29. Then take a look at Psalm 141 and ask yourself these two questions.

1. Who has influence in my life?

2. How do I respond when I am rebuked?

May God speak to your heart today.

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1 Kings Devotionals

Though we may not see

1 Kings

I’ve read this story dozens, if not hundreds of times. Today I saw something new.

Here is Elijah, fresh off an incredible victory in which God answered his prayer with literal fire, and people are proclaiming, “The Lord, he is God!”

But now we see him on the run from Jezebel, afraid and discouraged.

He goes to Mount Horeb (also known as Sinai), where Moses had met with God hundreds of years before.

How does God greet him?

“What are you doing here?”

Simply put, “You’re not supposed to be here. Why are you here?”

Elijah then complains that despite all his work, he is the only one left in Israel who is faithful to God.

God then passes by three times, but as he does, his presence is not found in spectacular displays.

Elijah’s eyes are captured by the strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire because they naturally draw one’s eyes.

But God was not in any of them. In focusing on those things, he missed seeing God.

Instead, God was in place where Elijah least expected: in the silence.

Most translations say, “a still small voice.”

But the word can also be translated, “a thin silence.”

The NASB puts it, “a sound of a gentle blowing” and the CEV puts it, “a gentle breeze.”

It makes me think of Jesus’ words concerning the Holy Spirit and his work.

The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going.

So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

God then tells Elijah to get back to work. And he leaves him with these words of encouragement.

But I will leave seven thousand in Israel—every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him. (1 Kings 19:18)

Seven thousand are not a lot of people when you consider the millions living in Israel at that time. But I’m not sure that number was meant to be literal.  Seven is a number symbolizing completeness in the Bible.

And so what God was probably saying was, “I have my people here in Israel. And all that are mine will come to me.” (John 6:37)

Here in Japan, Christians pray for revival. And in so praying, many want to see a mighty work which is loud and visible. I would like to see that.

But when we don’t see it, people get discouraged. Many have dropped out of ministry because of it.

But God tells us, “My presence and my work is not always in the loud and visible. Many times, I’m working quietly where you can’t see. Your work is not in vain.

“Even in Japan, I have my people. I know those who are mine.”  (2 Timothy 2:19).

“So get back to work. I will save my people.” 

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1 Kings Devotionals

Praying for our nation

1 Kings

As I read this passage today, I thought about Japan, where I live.

Like Israel, the Japanese worship gods with no voice, gods that do not answer, gods that do not pay attention.

And so I pray for Japan, and for those I love in Japan who don’t know him. My wife’s family. My coworkers. My students.

O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Japan. That you are God of the whole earth.

Let it be clear to them that I am your servant, and that everything I do is for you.

Oh, Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.

And when they see it, may they too fall on their faces and say, “The Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God.”