Reading in Kings This Week #2 (1 Kings 12-22)

This week we continue the story of Israel, its leaders and prophets in the books of Kings accompanied by 1 & 2 Kings The College Press NIV Commentary by Jesse C. Long. Kings tells the story of how the Davidic Covenant works out in the history of Israel. Each king is compared to David and fails.  I am posting quotes from the book on my Facebook page on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (NT is Mon-Wed-Fri) and we can discuss comments and questions about the passage there. As usual, quotes from the commentary are in blue below…

The rest of the books of the Kings describe the division of the kingdom into the two nations of Israel and Judah after Solomon and then their slide into rebellion against God, destruction and exile. This begins with Jereboam's rebellion. Instead of trusting that God has placed him over Israel, because of insecurity, he sets up an alternative way to worship YHWH. He borrows from Aaron's rebellion and sets up golden calves to represent YHWH and creates his own priesthood. This quickly degenerates into full-blown idolatry. God sends prophets to warn him that he is headed the wrong way and needs to return to God. If does not his idolatrous places of worship will be destroyed and he and his dynasty will be removed. Jereboam refuses to return to God and suffers God's judgment in his family and on the nation.

Yahweh breaks up the nation he had established not with superior military forces led by a worthy insurgent. He breaks up the kingdom with the same foolish spirit that led Israel to this point in the first place. Solomon’s self-indulgent folly resurfaces in his son and shatters the impressive empire he had built. 1 Kings 12.1-15, 162

Jeroboam misrepresents Yahweh by overlooking his transcendence—Yahweh is not accessible through physical means. In this way, the king’s idolatrous cult exposes his desire to manipulate both the people of Israel and the God who had made him their king. Jeroboam breaks the first two commandments of the Law and substitutes man-made images for Yahweh, the true God of Israel who brought them out of Egypt (Exod 20:2–4). 1 Kings 12.28-30, 167

The storyteller has crafted a literary work of art, which establishes a framework for reading the story of Israel’s kings and the kings of Judah who follow the same path (see 2 Kgs 17:19). Jeroboam is portrayed as the one responsible for Israel’s ultimate demise. Lacking faith in Yahweh, Jeroboam in his insecurity consciously set out on a course away from the Law of Moses. 1 Kings 13.33-34, 174

Jeroboam has taken another way since meeting Ahijah on the road (derek, 11:29–39). In view of the king’s apostasy, the deception must represent a damaged relationship with Ahijah and with the God who had made him king. 1 Kings 14.1-3, 179

The next section of the story involves the kingship of Reheboam, Abijah and Asa in Judah, and Jereboam, Nadab and Baasha in the Northern kingdom of Israel. The author alternates between the kingdoms to show that, in his mind, they are still one nation in God's eyes. This is a period of warfare between the two nations. The major sin, that all the kings seem to commit, is to rely on other nations as powerful allies (Egypt, Syria) rather than God. This brings on judgment, as these "allies" exact tribute and turn on both Israel and Judah. Even the good king (Asa) becomes unfaithful at the end of his reign. The kings choose the wrong way and bring God's judgment on themselves.

Yahweh drove out the Canaanites because of their “detestable practices,” their wickedness (see, e.g., Deut 7:25–26; 12:29–31; 18:9–13; cf. 2 Kgs 16:3; 21:2, 11). When the people of Judah and Israel become like the nations, they will also be dispossessed from the land. 1 Kings 14.22-24, 186

Shishak’s invasion was judgment from Yahweh. In Kings, the loss of temple treasures, whether by invasion, tribute, or to secure the services of a foreign monarch, is a negative event that foreshadows the destruction of Jerusalem and the house that Solomon built for Yahweh. 1 Kings 14.25-28, 187

Asa is a good king, a reformer, who was not able to remain faithful. In the larger story, even reform will not be enough to save the lamp that Yahweh left in Jerusalem for David. 1 Kings 15.16-24, 192–193

Chapter 16 records the rebellions and coups that lead to Omri's dynasty coming into power. The phrase "he led Israel to sin as Jereboam" is repeated several times. The first two dynasties last only two generations and then every male relative of that dynasty is wiped out. They chose to live apart from God's protection and suffered the consequences. The chapter ends with new level of depravity as Omri marries his son Ahab to the Sidonian princess Jezebel, who will introduce state-sanctioned Baal worship into Israel.

In Kings, Yahweh’s sovereign will is accomplished in spite of human weaknesses/sins and sometimes through them...Yahweh often uses the wicked to punish the wicked, as the accounts of Jeroboam, Baasha, and Zimri bear out (also Assyria and Babylon against Israel and Judah). Baasha is punished, in part, for his role in destroying the house of Jeroboam. 1 Kings 16, 196

When the narrator in the next paragraph says that Ahab’s evil exceeds all who reigned before him, the reader can anticipate the dynasty’s ultimate downfall. Elijah will announce a similar judgment on the house of Omri (21:17–24). 1 Kings 16.21-28, 200

Chapter 17 introduces Elijah into the story as he prophecies to Ahab that there will be no rain. Ahab has brought Baal into Israel. Baal is the Canaanite storm God who provides rain and productivity to the land. YHWH shows that he controls the rain and is able to sustain Elijah, his prophets and the widow of Zaraphath. YHWH is even able to do this in Sidon, the home area of Baal. Even more, YHWH has control over life and death as he empowers Elijah to raise the widow's dead son. In chapter 18 the battle reaches its climax as YHWH, through Elijah, challenges Baal to answer by fire and show who is the real God of lighting and thunder. YHWH dramatically shows who is the real God and who really can sustain the nation and its people.

The real struggle in 1 Kings 17–19 is Yahweh versus death. In this scene, Yahweh demonstrates his power over death. In chapter 18, Yahweh battles Baal, a god in Canaanite mythology who seasonally is defeated by death (Mot) as drought overcomes the land. Yahweh defeats both Baal and Mot (drought) and triumphs, demonstrating that he even has power over death. 1 Kings 17, 209

The trappings of (Elijah's) miracle are also somewhat different from the miracles of Jesus that were actualized more by his spoken word (however, cf. Mark 7:33; 8:23; John 9:6). Perhaps this reflects the world of ninth-century-B.C. Palestine, a world of “witch doctors” and shamans. Yahweh is working through a prophet who mirrors cultural norms and expectations, yet Elijah is no magician. He is able by divine power to bring the dead to life. 1 Kings 17.21-23, 208

In designing this duel, Elijah displays the immense faith that characterizes this important man of God. The prophet is confident that the true God of Israel will be able to consume the sacrifice and overcome his chief rival. Elijah has also chosen to battle Baal on his terms, allowing him to use his most effective weapon, lightning. 1 Kings 18.20-24, 215

Elijah's greatest triumph quickly turns into fearful action as Elijah flees into the desert from Jezebel. Things don't go the way he expects and he thinks he is the only one who is faithful. Nevertheless, God sustains him, ministers his presence as a "whisper" and commissions him to further service. Interestingly Elijah seems to not fulfill everything God tells him to do. Elisha will continue this important work. Elijah was never really alone and, perhaps, he was never as indispensable to God's work as he thought.

Through his voice of thunder, the people learn that “Yahweh—he is God!” But Elijah also learns something about God. He learns that God does not always thunder. More often, he works as a calm, quiet voice, in the lives of men and women, who, like the seven thousand, are just faithful! 1 Kings 19.21, 227

Elijah appears to be too concerned with his own position. In fact, the prophet’s retreat to Horeb should not be explained as simply an onset of depression at the strain of the great contest and his disappointment at the turn of events. His words and actions belie someone who sees himself as too much at the center of Yahweh’s work in Israel. Remarkably, as with Moses, Yahweh listens to the voice of the prophet and honors him before the people. Nevertheless, as Elijah cowers in a cave on Horeb in retreat, Yahweh reprimands the prophet. He commissions Elijah once more, but also subtly puts him in his place. 1 Kings 19.15-18, 223–224

Prophetic narratives like this one indicate that the prophet of Yahweh is not simply a megaphone or a sound system for God. While often called on to relay the very word of Yahweh, the prophet is more than a messenger. He is Yahweh’s representative, the one who speaks for Yahweh, yet who also embodies and enacts Yahweh’s word in the world...God’s presence is always mediated by human will...The story of Elijah on Mount Carmel and its surrounding scenes are framed to reinforce this important biblical principle—the man of God must submit to the will of Yahweh! 1 Kings 18-19, 229

The story of the wars of Ahab with Aram are told with many allusions to the conquering of Canaan. The amazing thing in the story is that God continues to work with idolatrous Ahab and gives him the opportunity to retake the land from Aram. Just like in the time of Joshua and the Judges, God shows that he is powerful enough and willing to lead them to victory. However, Ahab, much like Israel in the time of the Judges, fails to trust God for victory and squanders the victories he gets for his own greed and power. Nevertheless, God is still willing to allow him to repent. As in the early part of Samuel, even when Ahab fails to trust God, God wins battles to show the rest of the world who He is.

The selective retelling of Ahab’s reign in Kings calls attention to his relationship with Yahweh. The stories that are recorded characterize him as weak in order to say something ultimately about him spiritually...and indicate that Ahab had opportunity to restore the fortunes of Israel, with Yahweh fighting his battles. Ironically, his choice to covenant with a king that had been devoted (ḥāram) to Yahweh in the end leads to his downfall. 1 Kings 20, 247

The land of Canaan was given to Israel as an inheritance from Yahweh. Israel possesses the land at his pleasure, so is constrained to abide by his will. In fact, Israel metaphorically represents Yahweh’s vineyard, for which he labored. When Ahab takes the inheritance of Naboth to turn it into a vegetable garden, he undermines this reality. But his actions symbolize even more. In the larger narrative, the king of Israel takes from Yahweh the vineyard that had been entrusted to him for safekeeping and turns it into an idolatrous land. 1 Kings 21.1-7, 249–250

The prophet’s word is the word of Yahweh, which comes to pass. With the rhetorical question at the end of the story, Elijah is subtly reprimanded, and continues to learn more about Yahweh. Having already seen that Yahweh does not always thunder, he now knows that the awesome fire of Yahweh may be turned aside, if only for a time, by his incomparable grace. 1 Kings 21.27-29, 259

Chapter 22 recounts God's judgment of Ahab. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah joins Ahab in an attempt to retake the city of Ramoth Gilead. Ahab gathers a group of generic prophets give an ambiguous prophecy of success. Jehoshaphat insists on a real prophet of YHWH who confirms Elijah's word from God that Ahab will be destroyed. Ahab tries to thwart God's sentence by disguising himself but is killed by a random arrow. Ahab dies as Saul died, a man with great potential, but one who compromised with evil and idolatry and brought his family and nation down with him.

While the text infers that it is not always easy to determine a true prophet from a false one (with lying spirits and true prophets who lie, etc.), the bottom line is, “Does the prophet’s word come to pass?” If so, Yahweh has upheld the prophet’s word; he speaks for God! 1 Kings 22.24-28, 268

However one wishes to characterize Ahab, his controlling nature in chapter 22 suggests more than characterization. It also reflects his worldview and the depths to which idolatry permeates his reign. The sin of idolatry is not just the sin of worshiping other deities. At its core, it is the sin of trying to control one’s own life and world, a man becoming his own god. For the people of Israel, this meant trying to control Yahweh for their own benefit and purposes. 1 Kings 22.1-40, 274

1 Kings ends with a comparison of Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah, Ahab's son. Jehoshaphat is a good king who allied with evil which destroyed his present blessing and would lead to a far future disaster for the nation. Ahaziah was an active idolater which would lead to the total destruction of his family and the near future annihilation of his nation. The original exilic readers would have got the point of the story and understood why they were in exile.

Jehoshaphat foreshadows Josiah, the faithful reformer who most closely mirrors David, yet who is also unable to alter Judah’s course. 1 Kings 22.41-50, 276

Paul and the Faithfulness of God Chapter 10, Part 4

We continue in chapter 10 of Book Two and Part III of Paul and the Faithfulness of God, vol. 4, Christian Origins and the Question of God, by N. T. Wright. In this section he is continuing the big point of chapter 10 that Paul has redefined the idea of election around the actions of Jesus and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Again, this is a very brief summary of this very important book.  Previous posts on this chapter are here, here, and here. I welcome comments and discussion on my Facebook page. I am using the Logos version of the book.

Wright continues on to Romans 8.31-39 to show from 3 Old Testament passages the covenant truth of "Jesus the Messiah through Whom God’s Love Holds His People Secure." Again the point is that Jesus the Messiah has fulfilled the purpose of the election of Israel and brings His people through suffering to realize the promise of worldwide salvation and restoration of all the world. The church has not replaced Israel, but Gentiles have entered into the Abrahamic promise because of the faithfulness of Israel's Messiah. This was enacted in the story of Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac and this completes the stories of God being with His people in Psalms and the mission of Isaiah's servant of the LORD. Through Jesus, the Gentiles enter the covenant people.

The interpretation of these three primary biblical passages [Genesis 22, Isaiah 50 and Psalm 44] (Law, prophets and writings) goes again to the very heart of Paul’s reworking of election around Jesus the Messiah. We cannot stress too strongly that this is not a ‘transfer’ of ‘election’ from the community of ethnic Israel to someone else (e.g. a gentile ‘church’). It is the focus of election on Jesus precisely as Israel’s Messiah...Jesus is the Messiah; therefore all the Jewish traditions of ‘election’ must be refocused on him, reworked through him. 902

It is striking that here in (Romans) 8 it is of course the covenant God himself who ‘does not spare his only son’. Instead of Abraham, God; instead of Isaac, Jesus; and, instead of a death averted, a death embraced. 905

It should be clear that Paul has consciously redrawn his picture of God’s elect around Jesus of Nazareth, and that he has done so on the basis of his resurrection from the dead, which marked him out as Messiah. This in turn has enabled him to understand the crucifixion of Jesus as the event which, however paradoxically or unexpectedly, has actually accomplished the goal for which Israel had been chosen in the first place, namely that of dealing with the large-scale problem of evil. 907

Wright now concludes this long section on Jesus the Messiah as the focus of election and Paul's reworking of this doctrine in light of the cross and resurrection. Jesus becomes the embodiment of Israel, fulfilling the purposes of temple, torah and covenant and making election available to all humanity, reversing the Adamic curse and bringing in God's kingdom.

The cross stands, for Paul, as the arrow which marks the central point of ‘the faithfulness of God’. It is the point from which the enthroned Messiah can look to east and west, to north and south, and like Abraham gaze upon all the lands of his inheritance...the Messiah has accomplished the purpose for which the covenant God called Israel in the first place. 911

God has also reworked election, as promised in the OT, around the Spirit. "If the election of Israel was the solemn and unbreakable divine promise to save the world through Abraham’s seed, Paul sees that promise as accomplished in the Messiah and applied through the spirit." (912) The Gospel message (summed up in Romans as "Jesus is LORD") is the message of the kingdom. That God has come to rule and set things right and calls and enables people to follow through the power of the Spirit.

(Paul's) gospel message far transcended the individualistic message of ‘how to be saved’ which the word ‘gospel’ has come to denote in much contemporary western Christian expression. It remained intensely personal in its radical application, but only because it was first cosmic and global in scope: the world had a new lord, the Jewish Messiah, raised from the dead. 916

The gift of the spirit is not a further gift, out beyond initial Christian experience or even initial Christian faith, but is rather the lifegiving energy by which someone is enabled, in the first place, to believe that the one God raised Jesus and to confess that Jesus is lord. 917

‘The gospel’, then, is the instrument through which the covenant God ‘calls’; and when Paul says ‘call’ he means an effective, powerful summons. The spirit is the driving force behind this; belief of the truth is the first consequence, as one key element in being ‘set apart’ by the spirit for the divine purposes. Ultimate glory is the goal; redefined election is the overall picture. 918

Joyce’s Airport Pictures

Joyce and I are home now. I arrived last night at 11PM and she arrived about 1AM on Saturday. We tried to coordinate our flights but she flew home to Guam on EVA air through Osaka and I flew on ANA through Tokyo, both on a United reservation. We have to make allowances when we use United miles I guess. Joyce had a long wait in the Taipei airport before she left – I departed four hours before she did, so she had some opportunity to take a tour. We are just glad that we left Friday, and not Thursday, because the airport was shut down Thursday for several hours because of flooding and a lightning strike on the radar tower.

Of course there was a “hello kitty” play area

And flower gardens

Lot’s to do and see while waiting for a flight in Taipei

A Rainy Day 5 in Taipei

On Thursday we were done with the evaluation to the college and our friends at Christ College took us on a tour of the city. It was a very wet tour as the rain was so heavy that flooding closed the international airport for several hours. We still managed to get out, see some of the sites, and eat some amazing food. Here are a few pictures of our adventures in Taipei. We started by touring the oldest tea shop in Taipei. The owner was also an amazing opera singer.

 

Our group came out with several bags of tea

We visited a traditional Chinese medicine store

We ordered some Indian food at the Joseph Bistro

It was amazingly good – that is the cook and owner on the left

Joyce enjoyed the jewelry and gift shop

We toured the Chang Kai-Shek square

And tried to stay dry

Taiwan Day 4

Day 4 was the official conclusion day to the visit to Christ’s College Taipei. Most of the day was spent writing the report along with accessing documents that would verify the school’s self study. We also had the opportunity to visit several classes in session. We ended the day by reading our final report to the assembled group of Christ’s College administration, faculty and staff (pictured above). As I shared with the group there, this is an opportunity for all of us to learn to be better educators from one another. I always learn as much from these visits as I help them learn. The rest of the team went out on the town after the exit interview, but Joyce and I decided to have a quiet dinner in the hotel.

Joyce came out to the school with us on Wednesday. Here is a picture she took of the team hard at work.

I sat in on an Intercultural Business class and a Chinese Literature class

This school was founded by missionaries to China. Many of them are buried on the school grounds. Joyce took some pictures of the grave sites. We shouldn’t forget how much many gave to get the gospel around the world.

We also enjoyed a pretty good box lunch

Taiwan Day #3

Tuesday was the first day the TRACS was on campus at Christ’s College Taipei. We spent most of the day interviewing administration, faculty, staff, alumni and students. Then we began the process of document review and tried to begin writing our reports by that evening. We enjoyed dinner in the hotel that evening. Joyce did not come to campus with us. She rode taxis, walked around and experienced the city. The headquarters for our visit was the “archive room” at Christ’s College. The school was founded in 1959 by missionary to China James Graham, so the room had documents, pictures and other historical items, which you can see the TRACS team looking at as we arrived. The welcome sign was also nice and you can see the names of all the team members.

Joyce spent some time in a nearby park. It was hot, in the upper 90’s

A couple more of Joyce’s pictures