Thrive: Deeper

Love is the greatest gift of all. After Paul has said that the Corinthian church should eagerly desire the greater gifts, he then tells them what the greatest gift of all is. LOVE Paul says that Love should be the priority over ALL other aspects of life in the Spirit. BUT still the greatest of these is LOVE. So whilst the church had struggles around many issues internally – worship, prophecy, tongues, the highest priority for Paul was that they pursued LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER – above all these things. Jesus placed “love your neighbor as yourself” second only to :”love the Lord your God” The command to love one another is the 2nd most important law in scripture.

1 Corinthians 8-12 We cover an enormous amount of territory through these chapters as Paul unpacks so many of the issues facing the early Corinthian church, but with very relevant lessons for us today! • Eating food sacrificed for other gods. • Freedom and Rights - Christian freedom grows as Christian understanding grows • Old Testament Lessons – Idolatry • Honoring Others in Worship • The Lords Supper • Spiritual Gifts in Worship • Unity and Diversity We need to restrain our freedoms if it will harm others. Knowledge should not overshadow love for brothers and sisters in the Lord. The good of others should always take priority over our own rights!

1 Corinthians 1 – 7 Corinth was a vey strategic city – center for trade as a port city. Paul spent 18 months living in Corinth as a missionary, getting to know people (networking), and so many people came to know Jesus and hear about Jesus. They formed a church community. You can read more about this initial ministry of Paul’s to Corinth in Acts 18. Paul moved on of course to start churches in other cities – he planted churches all over the Mediterranean world - and just a few years after moving on from Corinth, Paul starts to hear reports about some of the challenges within the relatively new church including a letter from the Corinthian Church asking questions about issues and division within the church. Paul responds to each of these issues with a reflection on the Gospel message of Jesus. Drawing comparison between what they say they believe and how they actually live.

Judah has reached the end of the road. The final 4 kings turned away from the exclusive worship of God that Josiah had practiced. In a series of attacks, Jerusalem is captured and totally destroyed and the people taken into captivity in Babylon. God’s Prophets in the last days of the Southern Kingdom – Judah. Habakkuk – prophesied the Babylonian invasion soon after Josiah’s death as judgement from God on his sinful people. Daniel – Taken captive to Babylon during the reign of Jehoiakim. Lived most of his adult life in Babylon. Ezekiel – Taken captive to Babylon during Jehoiachin’s reign. His prophecy directed mainly at the people in exile. Jeremiah – Lived in Jerusalem during the destruction and then was taken with the final refugees to Egypt. Prophesied against the sins of the last 4 kings of Judah and the people. City completely destroyed. Only the poorest left to look after the land. One of which was Jeremiah. After the Babylonian appointed ‘governor’ Gedaliah is assassinated, everyone flees to Egypt in a seeming reversal of the Exodus. Jehoiachin (from the true Messianic line) was released by Babylonian King Evil-Merodach (Awil-Marduk) son of Nebuchadnezzar and allowed to live freely in Babylon and appears to have been treated as an important person by the king.

Hezekiah When there was finally a Godly King in Judah – Hezekiah – they find themselves facing the greatest threat the nation had ever known – the attack of Assyria. Without adequate resources to defend Jerusalem, Hezekiah casts himself in faith upon the Lord and receives not only the promise of victory through God’s prophet Isaiah, but also experiences God’s victory through the Lord’s intervention. Manasseh Worst King ever to rule in Judah. Longest reigning Judean King - 55 years. He adopted a pro-Assyrian policy. Killed the prophet Isaiah. Rebuilt high places. Introduced pagan astral worship – popular with the Assyrians. Destruction of Jerusalem and Judah now inevitable. Josiah Good in the sight of the Lord Book of the Law found in the temple. Covenant Renewal. Notably he tore down the Golden Calves altars that Jeroboam had made. Passover was re-instated nationally – first time since the Judges had reigned. About 500 years.

Jehu – Israel (Northern Kingdom) - Anointed as King by Elisha in secret and given the task to destroy the house of Ahab. Jehu is the only king of the Northern Kingdom (Israel) to have been anointed Carried out God’s requirement and prophesy to eliminate Ahab’s complete family line including Jezebel. Jehu eliminated Baal worship from Israel, but he continued to allow the worshipping of the Golden Calves. Athaliah Usurps the Throne (Judah – Southern Kingdom). She annihilated all the royal heirs. King Jehorams daughter rescued Joash (son of Ahaziah) when he was just an infant. Athaliah overthrown after 6 years. Jehoida (High Priest) made reforms. Tore down the temple of Baal. Joash anointed king of Judah (only 7 years old) (Only survivor of the Davidic line after all his siblings are murdered by Athaliah) Reigned for 40 years. Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but the High Places were not taken down and the people continued to sacrifice on the high places. (Only one ‘high place’ where God had authorised sacrifices which was the Temple in Jerusalem). Joash recovered and restored the worship of the Lord and repaired of the Temple. Joash stayed on track with God under the supervision of the High Priest Jehoiada, but when Jehoiada died, Joash fell back into evil ways. He turned back to idolatry. Joash was assassinated when he had reigned for 40 years. King Jehoahaz (Israel) did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Continued with the sins (Idol worship) of Jeroboam. Israel accelerating it’s downhill slide to a day of reckoning. Azariah King of Judah. Did what was right in the Lords sight. (Reigned for 52 years). Still however the High Places were NOT taken down. The cost of Syncretism!

2 Kings 2 - 2 Kings 8 As we head into 2 Kings, we see Jehoshaphat become King of Judah (the southern Kingdom) and the writer states he ‘did what was right in the eyes of the Lord’ We’ll here more about Jehoshaphat as we move forward, but we can find out some key aspects to Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 17-20. • Jehoshaphat was a King with a passionate personal commitment to God. • Jehoshaphat was committed to the centrality of the word of God in such a way that he ordered his reign as King around Gods word. • He was determined to trust the Lord – not man! As we move into 2 Kings, we see that it was time, within God’s sovereign purposes, for Elisha to succeed Elijah. This transition takes place in a supernatural way. We then hear of a number of miracles performed by Elisha as he obeys the Lord, and we are introduced to Naaman whose disease is healed. Again, as we look at these stories, we see the faithfulness of God and his willingness to come to the aid of His people when they turn to him . . . even just a little! There is some much to give us encouragement and hope here.

1 Kings 16 leading into 17 – we see the House of Omri take reign of Israel (the northern Kingdom) and his son Ahab. During Ahab’s 22 year reign he consolidated his fathers achievements and expanded Israel’s influence. Secular historians would tend to speak highly of the accomplishments of Ahab. But the Bible has a different perspective. It was the worst of times for the northern Kingdom – Israel. Ahab did more evil than any before him. Ahab was a polytheist – claiming to follow the Lord, but also serving Baal. Israel was now in a place where worshipping many gods was the norm. The most powerful influence in his life was his wife Jezebel. Under Ahab and Jezebel, Baal worship became the state religion of Israel. Then enters Elijah. From this point forward until well into 2 Kings, the central focus of the writer of Kings is not on the Kings, or armies, or an organised rebellion to oppose an evil King, but 2 men armed the Word of God. Elijah lived his life under the authority of Gods word in total dependence on God. God was demonstrating to Elijah that HE was the God of all – including nature – not Baal and he would provide all that Elijah needed to survive. This was crucial preparation for what we see happen at Mount Carmel. We then meet Obadiah – ‘Keeper of Ahab’s Palace’. Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord BUT, was balancing loyalties. Then we see the powerful story of Elijah on Mount Carmel. Elijah’s prayer to God was simple compared to the elaborate rituals of the Baal prophets. “ . . . so these people will know that you, oh Lord, are God.” God answered instantly . . . the people cried out The Lord he is God! But then we see that Elijah is on the run again. He flees into Judah (Beer-sheba). Elijah is led by the Lord to Mount Horeb – also known as Mount Sinai where God had revealed himself to Moses. Elijah too will hear from God.

In this episode of Thrive Deeper we continue our study through the Kings of Israel and Judah. We find the story of Asa in 1 Kings 15, starting in verse 9. We can also find more detail around his reign in 2 Chronicles 14. According to these accounts, the land of Judah experiences peace for 10 years under the reign of Asa. During this time, Asa eradicates anything pagan or idolatrous in the land and they rebuild Judah. Even when an army led by a man named Zerah tries to wage war against him (because of the city’s prosperity, and because Asa calls upon the Lord for help) they win against the Ethiopian army. Asa continues to produce religious reforms, by destroying idols, repairing the altar to God, and removing his evil grandmother from her position of influence over the land. Nevertheless, Asa runs out of steam toward the end of his reign and begins to fall away from the path of righteousness. He stops relying on God and tries to solve the challenges he faces in his own way. Sadly, having started so well, Asa doesn’t turn back to God even when his life depended on it. There is much to learn from King Asa about the legacy we leave from our lives for the future generations.

Books of 1 and 2 Kings are shaped around 4 significant events: 967BC David's son Solomon united Israel and began to build the temple 931BC nation split in two. 10 nations formed a new kingdom of Israel under Jeroboam (considered a rebel), and Judah was the other kingdom under the Davidic King Rehoboam. 722 The nation of Israel (10 northern tribes) were attacked and destroyed by the Assyrians and vanish as a nation at that stage in history. The nation of Judah continued until about 587 BC until it was destroyed by the Babylonians and the people were taken in captivity. So these books written from captivity in Babylon to warn the people against repeating the same sins again. As we enter Chapter 11 of Kings, we are at the end of Solomon’s life and reign. As king he had sown seeds of self-indulgence and so Solomon ends his life in spiritual rebellion, under the judgement of God, with his kingdom beginning to unravel. His failure will haunt the nation for the rest of it’s history. We look at the first 2 Kings – Rehoboam Southern tribes – Judah) and Jeroboam Northern tribes – Israel. Rehoboam did not listen to the people or to God. This was the essence of his foolishness. Rehoboam ended his rule after 17 years leaving a legacy of conflict and decline. Jeroboam established his authority as King of the Northern Tribes (Israel). Jeroboam had an amazing promise from God, and it was fulfilled in him being appointed King of Israel. This was by God’s grace not through any political manoeuvrings. Jeroboam would rather trust his own instincts than the word of God, even though he had witnessed the power of God with his own eyes! Jeroboam reigned for 22 years.