God is Present

1. Struggle for Succession in the World

Egypt - Ruled by pharaoh. A time of harsh living conditions for God’s People. God showed mercy on Egypt’s pharaoh initially. Pride was his downfall. God used Moses to lead and shepherd God’s people out of Egypt to the promise land. The people struggled to let go of the idols they learned about from Egypt. God helped them get to the promise land but they struggled to obey so God raised up Judges.

Assyria - A ruthless people. Jonah was asked by God to go to Ninevah to preach to them. Jonah did not want to. He did not like what they did to God’s people. Finally, he did what God asked but did it reluctantly. Some people turned to God as a result of Jonah reaching out to the people.

Babylon - King Neb led this empire. Known for his dreams which are recorded in scripture prophesying of the finite empires of the world compared to God’s eternal kingdom which does not fade. God uses a godless man to accomplish his vision for his creation. Daniel, a young jewish man in exile, is raised up in Babylon to interpret the king’s dream. He is the only one who can do it. He does not bow to empire and so is thrown into lion’s den. His friends are thrown into a furnace. In both situations, God is very present with his people and they remain untouched. God uses these events to grow unbeliever’s faith.

Persia - The king allowed God’s people to go back to their land. Rebuilding process was hard but God was with his people.

Greek - Led by Alexander the Great, Greek Empire and Culture expanded very quickly and people had to adapt. The Greek Empire began to fall apart when Alexander the Great died. During this time people began to translate the Hebrew scriptures into Greek. God’s word and presence with his people spread in a new way.

Maccabean Revolt - Occurred during the ‘silent era’ of scripture. Jewish People rebelled against the state and began their own autonomous government in which they could be free to worship the God of Abraham.

Romans - Romans were a ruthless empire. They persecuted Christians. They were known for executing people using a cross. God was present throughout this time even though there was tremendous corruption at the highest levels of church (Pharisees) and state (The Roman Empire). The Jesus movement grew so big that the Jewish Rulers felt afraid Jesus and his followers would replace their form of corrupt religion. Jesus was accused by the elites of the day, Rome did not want to crucify Jesus but they were looking at an insurrection if they didn’t do something. They crucified Jesus but he rose from the dead. He came back to be with his disciples and around 500 people total. There are many sources that verify that the resurrection was a true event, both secular and christian historians validate the event. What God showed us through the cross is that Death has no victory in life when we follow Jesus. We don’t have to be afraid. The church continued to grow in the first century but suffered continued suffering and persecution by the Romans. Most of the early followers/disciples of Jesus were martyred for their faith.

United States - An empire with a unique beginning. Born out of persecution and oppression. This country signed a Declaration of Independence and has not looked back. God gave favor to the US in many ways. The US has gone from a God fearing and honoring country founded on Biblical principles to a country that prides itself on freedom of self expression. America now imports human and sex trafficking, worships the God of technology (becoming a technocratic society), glorifies being a victim over an overcomer, misuses and misapplies language, educates students on how to be activists instead of God fearing and law abiding citizens, exalts drag queen story hour at local libraries for children to see, worships Hollywood and celebrity, replaced God with lies. God is present. There are men and women all around the country that are standing for God. Striving to walk in opposition to the American Empire Machine. We are a group of people here worshipping the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We fall short but we have Jesus as our advocate when we do fall and sin. He picks us up and teaches us by his word how to be ambassadors in such a time as this.

? - The Communist Era - China, Russia, Iran, & North Korea. Heavy taxation. Loss of appreciation of human life. Technology over-reach. AI is like the Ring in Lord of the Rings, The Golden Calf. Humanity is not equipped spiritually to contend with the dark sides and opportunities that AI presents. Kings and Rulers have never had the types of access to power they do now because of technology. Patriot Act 3.0. In spite of all this, some of the greatest revivals of Christianity are taking place in some of the most oppressed places like China and parts of Africa. God is present with his people.

2. Struggle for Succession in Israel & Judah

Saul - Anointed by God. Disobeyed God. His son Jonathan was a friend to David. Jealous of David and his success. Tried to kill David.

David - Became King. Humble shepherd. Mighty Warrior. Murder and rapist. God was present when David humbled himself and turned back to God. Sons struggled with the same sin as he did. Rebellion begins.

Solomon (Israel for 40 years) - Started well but turned from God to many foreign women. His heart was divided in many ways. Had the temple built. Wrote most of the wisdom literature in the Bible.

Zimri (Israel King for 7 days) - This was a VERY unstable time. Jezebel alluded to this King before she was murdered as a way to mock King Jehu. She was basically saying Zimri was a terrible king and so was Jehu.

Omri (Ahab’s dad) was an Evil king. He bought the hill Samaria and built a city on it. God later is present in his Judgement over Ahab & Jezebel based on their theft of an adjacent vineyard that was not theirs. All of Ahab’s sons and friends were murdered by King Jehu.

Ahab (Israel in Samaria for 22 years) - Did more evil than all those before him. He married Jezebel (Daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians) & worships Baal. He erected an alter for Baal. He made a sacred pole. Elijah was a contemporary prophet to Ahab. Ahab was condemned through a prophet for letting King Ben-hadad go. His death and his people’s death were going to be imminent. Ahab complained to Jezebel about an adjacent vineyard owned by Naboth. Ahab wanted it but Naboth would not sell it to him. Jezebel took the complaint wrote documents to the elders & nobles who lived with Naboth in his city and had them seat him at the head of the assembly with 2 scoundrels opposite him. They accused him in the presence of people saying, Naboth cursed God and the king so they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Immediately upon Naboth’s death Jezebel took possession of Naboth’s vineyard. Jezebel gave Ahab orders to go take possession of the vineyard. After Ahab did this evil thing, Elijah the prophet came and said to Ahab, “Have you killed, and also taken possession? Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.” Ahab ‘humbled himself’ and so God delayed disaster and his death until his son’s days. King Ahab was killed in battle when he went into battle trying to take over Ramoth-gilead. He was disguised in battle but hit by accident with bow & arrow shot. His blood was licked up by dogs and prostitutes washed themselves in it. After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel (Interesting that Ruth came out of Moab & she was in the line of Jesus. The Moabites were looked down on by Israel).

King Ben-Hadad - King of Aram. 32 Kings were with him when he marched toward Samaria in opposition to Ahab. King Ahab (King of Israel) had success against the Arameans. God delivered Ahab & Israel and gave them victory in battle over Ben-Hadad and the Arameans because they said, “The Lord is a god of the hills but is not a god of the valleys.” (i.e. pride led to their fall). Ahab made a treaty with King Ben-hadad (what an idiot). Ahab let King Ben-Hadad go.

King Jehoshaphat - King of Judah (Contemporary of Ahab?). 35 when he began to reign as king. He reined 25 years over Judah. Israel (Ahab) wanted to partner with Judah (Jehoshaphat) to claim the territory (Ramoth-gilead) which was ‘their territory’. Jehoshaphat didn’t like getting ‘unfavorable prophets/prophesies’. He wanted the prophets to say what his itching ears were craving.

*Begs the question, How do you know if you are hearing God’s word through prophets or just somebody’s emotion/opinion on a matter?

All the prophets came together & said the same thing before the King of Israel & Judah, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

-Micaiah spoke boldly when faced with the ‘mob of the prophets’ trying to force him into speaking something not from God but from man to tickle ears. He said to a messenger, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”

Micaiah initially lies to the king (2 Kings 22:15), then he says, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd; and the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each one go home in peace.” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything favorable about me, but only disaster.”

King Ahaziah - Ahab’s son. Reigned 2 years over Israel in Samaria. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the way of his father and mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. He provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done. Tried to persuade King Jehosaphat to allow his servants to go on ships Jehosaphat made (to go get gold). Jehosaphat was not willing. Fell through lattice in his upper chamber & was injured. He consulted ‘The god of Ekron’ to see if he will recover. Elijah replied, ‘Thus says the Lord’, “You shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.” Multiple times the King sent 50 troops and a captain to Elijah and told him to come quickly and each time Elijah called down fire. The 3rd occasion Elijah went down and let the king know he would die in his bed.

Jehoram - Became king of Israel in Samaria after his brother Ahaziah died. King Ahab’s other son. He removed the pillar of Baal that his father made but clung to the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which caused Israel to commit as well.

Elijah - Won against prophets of Baal. Ran from Jezebel. Parted the Jordan River. Taken up into heaven by a chariot of fire in front of Elisha. Elisha succeeded Elijah with a double portion of his spirit.

King Mesha - Moab King who was a sheep breeder. Used to export 100,000 lambs & wool from 100k rams. King of Moab rebelled after king of Israel died. King of Israel, Judah, & Edom came together to battle against Moab because of the rebellion.

King of Aram -

Ben-hadad - King of Aram. Laid siege to Samaria. Great famine broke out as a consequence. 2 women were willing to eat their children because things got so desperate in Samaria. The king wanted to kill Elisha citing it was all his fault what was going on. When the Arameans flee, Elisha’s prediction comes true of a man getting trampled to death. Ben-hadad sent Hazael to give Elisha a gift and asked him to let the king know if he would recover from his illness. Elisha was disturbed about what was to happen. Hazael (the king’s messenger), would succeed Ben-hadad as king and would do terrible things to Israel. Elisha prophesied correctly that King Ben-hadad would die from the illness. Hazael lied to the king saying he would certainly recover.

Jehoram - Son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah began to reign. He was 32 when he became king & reigned for 8 years in Jerusalem. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. The Lord did not destroy Judah because of his servant David, since God promised to give a lamp to him & his descendants forever. Edom revolted against Judah setting up a king of their own. Libnah also revolted against Judah at the same time as Edom.

Ahaziah - Son of King Jehoram. Reigned in Judah at 22 for 1 year in Jerusalem. He walked in the way of the house of Ahab. He went to war with Ahab against King Hazael of Aram @ Ramoth-gilead, where the Arameans wounded Joram. Joram was healed of his wounds. Jehu and his men pursued Ahaziah after killing Jehu. They shot Ahaziah and he fled to Megiddo where he died.

Jehu - Son of Jehoshaphat & brother of Jehoram (King of Judah) gets anointed king over Israel by a member of the company of prophets (foretold by Elisha). He reigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years. Called to strike down the house of Ahab (of Israel). Jehu conspired against Joram. Jehu shot Joram (Ahab’s son) in the heart with a bow and arrow. Joram’s body was thrown on Naboth’s plot of land that was stolen from Jezabel. Jehu wrote letters to have Ahab’s remaining family (70 sons) be murdered. His coup was effectively carried out. He then created a deception in order to kill off any remaining worshippers of Baal. God used Jehu as his agent of justice and ‘purification’. He completely eradicated Baal from Israel’s worship. He did not however, turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat and caused Israel to sin (The golden calves). His son Jehoahaz succeeded him. With all of his boldness and zeal, Jehu did not serve God with all of his heart once he was the undisputed leader of Israel.

Jezebel -

*The Message of Kings - God is Present

3. Elijah & Elisha

4. Jehu

5. The End of the Story