Tag: 2 Kings

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Where’s my bible?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Josiah was a good king.

That’s saying a lot, since his grandfather Manasseh and father Amon were kings who did what was evil, worshiped idols, and brought on Judah the certainty of God’s judgment.

Josiah ascended to the throne at the age of eight. When he was twenty-five, he initiated repair of the temple.

Guess what they found?

Hilkiah the high priest said, “I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord” (2 Kings 22:8).

I’ve always thought it amazing that they could lose their bible, which would have been the Pentetuech (the first five books of our bible). Clearly it hadn’t been read in a long, long time.

Imagine someone asking, “Where is your bible?” And you have to say, as you rummage through boxes of books, “I know it’s around here somewhere.”

In some churches I go to, most people have a bible with them. In others, hardly anyone does. I wonder why?

In some churches they project the bible passages on a screen. In others, they print out the readings in a handout. So I guess it’s not essential to have a bible with you at a worship service.

But it’s helpful. Here’s why:

You can easily read the context of a passage of scripture. Context is so important. The before and after of a verse makes a verse come to life!

  • You can underline, circle, highlight, and make a note in the margin to read later.
  • You can look at other notes, highlights, circles, or underlines you’ve made in the past.
  • You can quickly look at other verses that come to mind or are mentioned in a sermon or by a teacher. Yes, you can do this digitally, but I find it easier to do with paper pages and a thumb to keep my place.

I find it amusing to imagine a couple scrambling around, trying to find their bible so they can leave it out on the coffee table when the pastor comes to visit. Have to make a good impression, right?

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Fifteen more years

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Carl Tronders on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Kings 20.

What would you do if you knew when you would die?

When King Hezekiah gets sick, the prophet Isaiah tells him to get his affairs in order. It’s terminal. He’s going to die.

After Hezekiah prays and weeps, Isaiah comes back and says, “Good news. God is going to give you fifteen more years to live!” (2 Kings 20:6). As a sign to Hezekiah, God makes the sun’s shadow move backwards. Yes, Hezekiah, it’s for real.

How would you live if you knew you had fifteen more years ahead of you? I think that much time makes the question a little harder to answer. It’s one thing when the doctor says, “Three to six months,” or perhaps another year. Fifteen years is a long time.

Would it take you fifteen years to get through your bucket list? Or would you coast until you got to the last year to tie up loose ends?

Would you still try to take care of yourself? Or would you cancel the gym membership you don’t use and eat whatever you want? For a while – exactly fifteen years – you’re immortal.

At what point would you begin to sweat? When would you start to worry about your demise? What would you think about in year fifteen? After all, you don’t know how you’ll die, just when.

I believe it’s better not to know. The psalmist prays, “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Embrace your mortality, accept the uncertainty of life and death, and make the most of today.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Outnumbered

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Piret Ilver on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Kings 6.

It’s a terrifying moment. The armies of Syria are surrounding the Israelite city of Dothan. That’s all Elisha’s servant can see. But Elisha can see more.

“Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). After Elisha prays, “The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (2 Kings 6:16).

This is definitely one of my favorite bible verses. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or even just whelmed, I remember this verse. I remember that God is always more than anything this world has to offer. He is always more than any earthly threat. He is more.

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told his disciples to stand down. When the disciples want to fight the mob, led by Judas, Jesus tells them to stand down. “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53).

In any situation, God is always more. Stronger, faster, and smarter. More dependable, knowledgable, and creative. He’s more merciful, forgiving, and loving. He is the ultimate expression of any bodyguard, defense, or security force.

God’s forgiveness always exceeds my sin. His compassion is more than my hurt. His presence is more than all the other people around me. His love is more than any other affection given me.

He is more.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

That sounds familiar…

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Ashlyn Smith on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Kings 4 and 5.

Elisha does impressive miracles in 2 Kings.

  • He brings a child back to life (2 Kings 4:32,35).
  • He feeds a whole bunch of people with just a little bit of food (4:42-44).
  • He heals a person from leprosy (2 Kings 5:1-14).

Hmm. Who does that remind me of? Jesus? Yep.

I don’t remember who pointed this out to me, but the John the Baptist – Jesus dynamic was foreshadowed by the Elijah – Elisha pairing. It’s a fascinating parallel. Not an exact parallel, but interesting. There is also a similar dynamic with Moses and Joshua (preparation followed by conquest).

Remember when Elisha prayed for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit (2:9)? Elisha does about twice as many miracles as Elijah. Double, indeed.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Death in the pot!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash

It was a Wednesday night in the late winter or early spring. Our church hosted a soup supper before the midweek Lent worship service. We typically had three or four different soups each week.

One week, as I was ladling some delicious looking vegetable soup into a bowl, Ann (the cook) said, “I don’t think it’s very good.”

I replied, “You mean like ‘death in the pot’ stew?” When she gave me a puzzled look, I told the bible story of a concoction made from wild gourds in 2 Kings 4 that prompted the response, “There is death in the pot!” (2 Kings 4:40).

Fortunately, her soup was delicious, and the “Death in the pot” soup recipe merited a place in a church cookbook published a few years later.

In the scripture, Elisha tosses some flour in the soup to make it edible. A miracle? I suppose.

I like to think of myself as a decent cook. However, I’ve prepared a few dishes that needed prophetic intervention. I didn’t even like some of them.

As a pastor, some of my congregation members would prepare some food for me when I went to visit them. Not every meal or snack was palatable. I especially remember the time one homebound member graciously shared a meals-on-wheels with me. I didn’t get a chance to see the label on the microwavable tray before she heated it up, so I really don’t know what kind of meat I ate that day. With a polite smile, I ate what I think was mashed turnips along with the mystery meat. By the grace of God, she offered me a Klondike bar for dessert (what would you do for a Klondike bar?) and all was good.

No, they didn’t teach me this at seminary. Smile, nod your head, and mumble, “Mmmm. Good.”

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Don’t make fun of the prophet

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Céline Chamiot-Poncet on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Kings 2.

The news got around quickly. Elijah had been swept up into heaven. Elisha has assumed his role as prophet.

The ridicule begins immediately. “Young boys came out from the city and ridiculed [Elisha] and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead!” (2 Kings 23).

More than just making fun of Elisha’s lack of hair, the boys rejected the prophet of God as well. Not a good move on either front. Elisha “Cursed them in the name of the Lord” (2:24). That’s kind of like a preacher yelling, “Go to hell!”

The Lord has Elisha’s back and “two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two of the boys” (2:24).

I didn’t see that coming! Neither did they. And I’m pretty sure no one made fun of Elisha after this. Don’t mess with God’s prophets.

The only other place bears are mentioned in scripture is Isaiah 59:11. “All of us growl like bears, and moan sadly like doves; we hope for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.” Someday you’ll win bible trivia night with that fact.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

I could use a double

Posted on by William Douthwaite

A “through the bible” devotion from 2 Kings 2.

Elisha has big shoes to fill. His mentor Elijah predicts a drought, and it happens! Three years later, Elijah prays and it rains. Elijah not only humiliates, but destroys all the prophets of Baal. Brings King Ahab to his knees in repentance. Fire consumes his sacrifice on Mt. Carmel. Fire consumes detachments of soldiers sent to bring him to King Ahaziah.

When it’s time for a whirlwind to take Elijah to heaven, he says to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.” (2 Kings 2:9)

It’s not that Elisha feels like half the prophet Elijah was. He’s thinking as a Hebrew man who knows the law of Moses. According to Deuteronomy 21:17, the firstborn son receives a double portion of the inheritance. This more than a teacher-student relationship. Elijah has been – and will always be – like a father to Elisha.

What a great reminder that I can never ask too much of my heavenly Father. He’s always ready to do more than I ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20)!