REIGN OF JEHORAM

“And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD" (2 Chron. 21:6 NKJV).

Good king Jehoshaphat was succeeded by his son Jehoram. When he came to power, he killed his brothers along with others members of the royal family. His reign lasted eight years and ended when he was struck by God with a disease of the intestines (2 Chron. 21:18-19). Our verse is a summary of his reign over Judah and tells of Jehoram’s guide, girl, and guile.

Guide – “He walked in the way of the kings of Israel.” All the kings of Israel (the northern kingdom) were wicked. In spite of this Jehoram model his reign after these men. Jehoram is like many folk today whose role models are from the Hollywood crowd or some corrupt politician. Believers, however must take Christ as their pattern and model.

Girl – “He had the daughter of Ahab as a wife.” A big part of Jehoram’s problem was his wife Athaliah. She was the, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who were famous for their wickedness, ungodliness, and Baal worship. It makes a big difference whom a believer marries. If a believer marries a person of the world, it will influence their life in a most negative way. Scripture prohibits the believer from marry an unbeliever (2 Corp. 6:14). Marriage can make or break a spouse. A pretty face and pleasing personality are not God’s requirements. A believer must marry “only in the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:39).

Guile- “He did evil in the sight of the LORD.” This is the final summation of Jehoram’s life. He was a wicked man. Apart from taking an ungodly wife, v. 4 tells us that he committed one of the most atrocious, ruthless acts imaginable by executing all six of his brothers along with some of the prominent officials of the nation. If we pattern our life after the world we will live a wicked life. While the world may condone and not necessarily condemn evil, God is the final judge, and it is His view of our conduct that really matters.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“If we be ruled by sin, we shall inevitably be ruined by it!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Dispensation

In Eph. 1:10 we read, “That in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth-in Him” (NKJV).

Dispensation is the Greek word oikonomia (οἰκονομία = oy-kon-om-ee'-ah). It is made up of two words: “oikos” which means house, and “nemo” which means manage, to deal out, or to administrate. Thus oikonomia indicates the task given to responsible and faithful servants who were appointed over the economy or an area of responsibility in the household. The word stresses obligation, responsibility, and faithfulness of the servant to his master in carrying out the entrusted task.

In Classical Greek, oikonomia referred to household administration, the management of a household or of household affairs. In the Septuagint, the word means administration, office. In the NT oikonomia may be extended to include management of the property of others, thus becoming stewardship. In the present context oikonomia is used to refer to the administration or management by God of a certain period of human history which Paul designates as “the fullness of the times” when God gathers everything to Himself and sums it up in His Son, Christ Jesus.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Preceded by a messenger to prepare His way (Mal. 3:1)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 11:7-11

Bible Facts

Black holes and dark matter anticipated (Matt. 25:30; Jude 1:13; Isa. 50:3). Cosmologists now speculate that over 98% of the known universe is comprised of dark matter, with dark energy and black holes. A black hole’s gravitational field is so strong that nothing, not even light, escapes. Beyond the expanding universe there is no measured radiation and therefore only outer darkness exists. These theories paint a seemingly accurate description of what the Bible calls “outer darkness” or “blackness of darkness forever.”

Bible Quiz

In response to a lawyer’s question about “who is my neighbor,” which parable did Jesus give as an object lesson?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: Which disciple was called Didymus? Thomas (John 11:16).

That’s in the Bible

"Camel through the eye of a needle”

“And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Matt. 19:24 NKJV).

“Camel through the eye of a needle” is a description of an obvious impossibility. Wealth can be a stumbling block. The rich, with most of their basic physical needs met, often become self-reliant. The Lord Jesus used this expression to emphasize the great problem of a rich person getting saved. Note that the Lord did not say a rich man cannot be saved. He said it was simply difficult for a rich man to be saved because the rich man is generally more interested in his earthly riches than in his soul salvation.

Did You Know – Christian History

Robert Moffat was born 21 December 1795 in Scotland. He was a Scottish Congregationalist missionary to Africa, and first translator of the Bible into Setswana (a language spoken in Southern Africa).

As a child Moffat hated school and his one textbook was the Shorter Catechism. However, low pay and hard work convinced him of the value of an education. He gained every skill he could, arranging his work so that he could attend school at night to learn Latin and geometry. At twenty Robert Moffat discovered what it was to have Christ’s love. He shared his faith with all who crossed his path but was shocked to discover that most people did not care to hear. A desire stirred in him to do some great work for the Lord. He applied at a mission agency but was turned down. Yet he persisted and was finally sent to Africa.

There he learned the value of patience. The Africans believed Moffat must be an outcast to leave his own people and live among them. They held him in contempt. But he would not give up. Despite thievery and threats, despite long years without results, he kept at it. The breakthrough came when African leaders accompanied Moffat to the coast. Seeing the respect with which he was greeted, they realized he was no outcast. They saw the luxuries of civilization. “Why have you left all of this for us?” they asked. Moffat then explained the love of Christ.

In the days before modern linguistic tools, Moffat proved what a willing mind under Christ can accomplish. He learned Setswana, a difficult language and used it to translate the Bible as well as The Pilgrim’s Progress. The boy who despised education became a man who educated thousands. Because of his perseverance, hundreds of Africans submitted their lives to the Christ he honored. Robert Moffat died at Leigh, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, on 9 August 1883. A memorial monument, paid for by public subscription, was erected at his birthplace in 1885.

A Little Humor

When a traffic cop pulled over Pastor Johnson for speeding, the minister reminded the officer, “blessed are the merciful, for they shall, obtain mercy.” The cop handed the minister the ticket and quoted, “go thou and sin no more.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Christ’s cleansing power can remove the most stubborn stain of sin!”