Welcome to the Daily Orthodox Scriptures. I'm Father Alexis and we are reading through the scriptures each day of the year using the Orthodox Study Bible. Our readings today will be from Third Kingdoms, chapters 14 through 16. Psalm 103 verses 19 through 35, Proverbs chapter 22 verses 11 through 15, and Luke chapter 22 verses 24 through 46. Okay, so now we have two kings. Rehoboam and Jeroboam.
Rehoboam is the son of Solomon, and he's ruling over Judah, the southern kingdom. Jeroboam is ruling over Israel, the northern kingdom. We are going to start hearing parallel stories now, what's going on and who's ruling in the north, and then the same thing about the south. We'll be learning about a succession of kings today. Let's begin. Third Kingdoms, chapters 14 through 16. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, reigned over Judah, and he was 41 years old when he became king.
He reigned 17 years in Jerusalem, the city the Lord chose out of all the tribes of Israel to place his name. His mother's name was Nama, the Ammonite woman. Now Rehoboam did evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoked him in all the things which their fathers did in the sins they committed. For they built high places for themselves, sacred pillars and groves on every high hill and under every shady tree.
So there was a conspiracy in the land, and they did all the detestable things of the nations the Lord removed from before the children of Israel. In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. He took all the treasures of the Lord's house. the treasures of the king's house, and the gold spears David received from the hand of the servants of Hadadezer king of Syria, who brought them to Jerusalem, he took away all the gold weapons.
Then King Rehoboam made bronze weapons in their place and committed them to the hands of the captains of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king's house. For whenever the king entered the house of the Lord, the guards carried them, then brought them back into the guard room. Now the rest of the words of Rehoboam and everything he did, is it not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.
So Rehoboam rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. Then Abijam, his son, reigned in his place. In the 18th year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam, the son of Rehoboam, became king over Judah. He reigned for six years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Makkah, the daughter of Abishalom.
Now he walked in all the sins his father did before him, and his heart was not perfect toward the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. Nevertheless, for David's sake, the Lord gave him a remnant so as to establish his sons after him and to establish Jerusalem. For David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn aside from anything he commanded him all the days of his life.
Now the rest of the words of Abijam and all he did Are these not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. Then Abijam rested with his fathers in the 24th year of Jeroboam, and he was buried in the city of David. Then Asa, his son, reigned in his place. In the 24th year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa became king over Judah. He reigned 41 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Anna, the daughter of Abishalom.
Asa did what was right before the Lord, as did his father David. He removed the cultic rituals from the land and eliminated all the practices his fathers had done. He also removed Anna, his mother, from being a leader because she conducted assemblies in her grove. Asa cut down her sacred grove and burned it by the brook Kidron, but he did not remove the high places. Nevertheless, Asa's heart was perfect with the Lord all his days.
he brought into the house of the Lord the pillars his father had dedicated, and his own pillars of silver and gold and his vessels. Now there was war between Asa and Basha, king of Israel, all their days. Basha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah. So Asa king of Judah could not go out or come in. Then Asa took all the silver and gold found in the treasuries of the king's house and delivered them into the hands of his servants.
Asa then sent them to the son of Hadad, the son of Habrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, Let there be a covenant between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold. Come and break your treaty with Basha, king of Israel, that he might withdraw from me. So the son of Hadad heeded King Asa,
He sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel, Beth Maka, and all Chinnereth with all the land of Naphtali. Now when Basha heard it, he stopped building Rama and returned to Tirzah. Then King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah to Anakim. They took away the stones and timber of Rama, which Basha used for building, and with them King Asa built upon every hill of Benjamin and also a watchtower.
The rest of the words of Asa, all his might and everything he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age, his feet were diseased. Asa then rested with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father. Then Jehoshaphat, his son, reigned in his place. Now Nadab, the son of Jeroboam, became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel for two years.
He did evil before the Lord and walked in the way of his father and in the sins by which he caused Israel to sin. Then Basha the son of Ahijah conspired against the house of Bilan and killed him at Gibethon in the land of the foreigners, while Nadab and all Israel laid siege to Gibethon. Basha killed him in the third year of Asa, the son of Abijam king of Judah, and reigned in his place.
It came to pass that when he reigned, he struck every house of Jeroboam and left no one of Jeroboam's house breathing until he utterly destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord spoken by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite. for the sins of Jeroboam that Israel sinned, and in the anger of him who provoked to anger the Lord God of Israel. Now the rest of the words of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Basha the son of Ahijah became king over Israel in Terza and reigned 24 years. Now he did evil before the Lord and walked in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and in the sins he caused Israel to commit. Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Jehu, the son of Hanani, against Basha, saying, Because I raised you from the earth and made you ruler over my people, Israel.
And you walked in the way of Jeroboam and made my people Israel sin and provoke me to anger with their follies. Surely I will take away the posterity of Basha and the posterity of his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Basha and dies in the city, and the birds of the sky shall eat whoever dies in the field.
Now the rest of the words of Basha, what he did and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Basha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. Then Elah, his son, reigned in his place in the twentieth year of King Asa. So the Lord spoke against Basha and his house by the hand of Jehu, because of all the evil he did before the Lord by provoking him to anger with the work of his hands.
in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he struck them down. Elah, the son of Basha, became king over Israel and reigned for two years in Terza. Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him, and he was in Terza drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza. steward of his house in Tirza. Then Zimri went in, struck and killed him. He then reigned in his place.
When he began to reign, as soon as he was seated on his throne, he killed all the household of Basha, according to the word the Lord spoke against Basha by Jehu the prophet. for all the sins of Basha and the sins of Elah his son, which they caused Israel to commit, and provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger with their follies. Now the rest of the words of Elah and everything he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Zimri reigned in Terza for seven days, and Israel was encamped against Gibethon, which belonged to the Philistines. Now the people encamped heard it said, Zimri conspired and killed the king. So that day in the camp, all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel. Then Omri and all Israel with him went up from Gibethon, and they besieged Terza.
When Zimri saw the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king's house and burned the king's house down upon himself and died. This he did because of the sins he committed in doing evil before the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in the sins he caused Israel to commit. Now the rest of the words of Zimri and the treason he committed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Then the people of Israel were divided. Half of the people followed Tibni, the son of Ginnath, to make him king, and half followed But the people who followed Omri prevailed over the people who followed Tibni, the son of Ginnath. So Tibni died that day as well as Joram, his son, and Omri reigned after Tibni. In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri became king over Israel and reigned twelve years.
He reigned for six years in Terza. Omri bought the hill of Samaria for two talents of silver from its owner, Shemr. Then he built on the hill and called the name of the city he built. Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill. Omri did evil before the Lord and did worse than all who were before him. For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and in the sins he committed and caused Israel to commit.
With their follies he provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger. Now the rest of the words of Omri, and everything he did, and the might he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. Then Ahab his son reigned in his place. And in the 11th year of Omri, Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign. He was 35 years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for 25 years.
The name of his mother was Azuba, daughter of Shilhi. Now he walked in the way of Asa his father, and he did not turn aside from doing what was upright before the Lord. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away. They sacrificed in the high places and burned incense. what Jehoshaphat agreed to do, and all the mighty deeds he did, and his deeds in war, behold, have not these things been written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?
and the rest of the cultic groups which remained from the days of Asa his father he removed from the land. Now there was no king or king's deputy in Syria, and King Jehoshaphat made a ship in Tarshish. to go to Ophir for the gold, but they did not go because the ship was broken to pieces in Ezion-Geber. Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will send your servants and my servants in the ship.
But Jehoshaphat was not willing. After this, Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Joram his son reigned in his place. In the second year of Jehoshaphat, Ahab the son of Omri became king of Israel. He ruled over Israel in Samaria for 22 years. Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil before the Lord. more than all who were before him. It was not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat,
But he also took as his wife Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbal, king of the Sidonians. And he went and served Baal and worshipped him. Then he set up an altar for Baal in the house of his idols which he built in Samaria, and also made a sacred grove. Ahab did yet more provocations so as to provoke the Lord and to destroy his own life. for he did more evil things than all the kings of Israel before him.
In his days, Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation with Abiram, his first son, and with his youngest son, Segub, he set up its gate. according to the word of the Lord which he spoke by the hand of Joshua the son of Nun. Psalm 103 verses 19 through 35. He made the moon for seasons. The sun knows its setting. You established darkness, and it was night, wherein all the wild animals of the forest will prowl about.
The young lions roar and snatch their prey, and seek their food from God. The sun arises, and they are gathered together, and they shall be put to bed in their dens. Man shall go out to his work and to his labor until evening. O Lord, your work shall be magnified greatly. You made all things in wisdom. The earth was filled with your creation. There is this great and spacious sea. The creeping things are there without number. The living things are there, both small and great.
There the ships pass through, there is this dragon you formed to play therein. All things wait upon you, that you may give them food in due season. When you gather it to them, they shall gather it. When you open your hand, all things shall be filled with your goodness. But when you turn your face away, they shall be troubled. When you take away their breath, they shall die and return again to their dust.
You shall send forth your spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth. Let the glory of the Lord be forever. The Lord shall be glad in his works. He looks upon the earth and makes it tremble. He touches the mountains and they smoke. I will sing to the Lord all my life. I will sing to my God as long as I exist.
May my words be pleasing to him, and I shall be glad in the Lord. May sinners cease from the earth, and the lawless so as to be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Proverbs chapter 22 verses 11 through 15. Cast out a pestilent man from the assembly, and contention will go out with him. For whenever he sits in the assembly, he dishonors everyone. The Lord loves holy hearts.
and all the blameless are acceptable to him. A king governs lips, and the eyes of the Lord maintain perception, but the lawless man despises his words. A slothful man makes excuses and says, there is a line in the way and murderers in the streets. Luke, chapter 22, verses 24 through 46. Now there was also a dispute among them as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. but not so among you. On the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. For who is greater, he who sits at the table or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the one who serves.
But you are those who have continued with me in my trials, and I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one upon me. that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail. And when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren.
But he said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death. Then he said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know me. And he said to them, When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, So they said, Nothing. Then he said to them, But now he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack. And he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in me. And he was numbered with the transgressors. For the things concerning me have an end. So they said, Lord, look, here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough. Coming out, he went to the Mount of Olives, as he was accustomed, and his disciples also followed him. When he came to the place, he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation.
And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw. And he knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if it is your will, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. Then an angel appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
When he rose up from prayer and had come to his disciples, he found them sleeping from sorrow. Then he said to them, Why do you sleep? Rise and pray lest you enter into temptation. There is something profound in the thought of how Jesus knows us, how Jesus knows me, better than I know myself. Peter wasn't lying when he said he wouldn't deny Christ, that he was willing to accept prison or death for him, but Jesus knew what he was actually capable of at that time.
and that he wouldn't be able to act out the words he spoke and even believed. And the other thing was that Jesus didn't call this fall, this denial of Peter, a failure. It sounds kind of like a failure to me. But Jesus said, But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren. That's powerful. Jesus knows that Peter will deny him, but doesn't call it failure. He says, I've prayed that your faith doesn't fail.
It doesn't mean that Peter had no faith, but that he just wasn't strong enough at that moment to be as courageous as he could have been and as he eventually will be. Jesus did not give up on Peter because of his weakness, but he saw the true and courageous Peter beyond the weakness. I wonder what Jesus sees in me beyond my weakness. What he sees that I don't see and haven't realized yet in my life.
It's important that we don't judge ourselves, proclaim a verdict on ourselves at this point in our life, because like Peter, My faith is still growing. And the me I see today is the me on a journey to someone with greater faith and greater courage and greater love and greater patience. and greater compassion. We need to keep our eye on the target of where Jesus is calling us. The evil one would prefer us to keep our eyes on our supposed failures of the past. We are called to repent.
and to see our neighbor in that way as well, seeing the person that God has created them to be, not identifying them with their past shortcomings. This is the life in the kingdom we are called to. I'm Father Alexis and remember, Christ is in our midst. You can always find us at Daily Orthodox Scriptures.