Spiritual Training

Spiritual Training X2

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April 29 - Morning

"(King Ahaz of Judah) followed the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, engaging in the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree... ...Ahaz sent messengers to say to Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria,

'I am your servant and vassal. Come up and save me out of the hand of the king of Aram and of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.'

And Ahaz took the silver and gold found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace and sent it as a gift to the king of Assyria. The king of Assyria complied by attacking Damascus and capturing it. He deported its inhabitants to Kir and put
Rezin to death. Then King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned. When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it. He offered up his burnt offering and grain offering, poured out his drink offering, and splashed the blood of his fellowship offerings against the altar. As for the bronze altar that stood before the Lord, he brought it from the front of the temple—from between the new altar and the temple of the Lord—and put it on the north side of the new altar.
King Ahaz then gave these orders to Uriah the priest:
'On the large new altar, offer the morning burnt offering and the evening grain offering, the king’s burnt offering and his grain offering, and the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their grain offering and their drink offering. Splash against this altar the blood of all the burnt offerings and sacrifices. But I will use the bronze altar for seeking guidance.'
And Uriah the priest did just as King Ahaz had ordered."

- Second Kings 16:3-4;7-16

Judah's King Ahaz Brings Assyrian Forces and Influence to Jerusalem


Ahaz became king of Judah when he was twenty years old and did not do what was right. He cast idols of Baal and burned sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom on the south side of Jerusalem including sacrificing his sons in the fire. The Arameans defeated him and took many of his people to Damascus. Also, Pekah of Israel, son of Remaliah, killed 120,000 soldiers of Judah in one day. An Ephraimite warrior named Zicri killed the king’s son and 200,000 wives, sons and daughters were taken north into Israel.

A prophet named Obed confronted the army of Israel as they led the people of Judah away as slaves and warned them that they also were guilty before the Lord and should send the people from Judah back. The leaders of Israel agreed and did not want to face the wrath of God so they clothed the naked prisoners with clothes from the plunder, put the weak on donkeys and provided the prisoners with sandals, food, drink and salve before they took them back to Jericho.

Isaiah spoke to Ahaz in chapter seven of the book of Isaiah telling him to stand firm in his faith and not go to Assyria for help against Israel and Aram but Ahaz went to Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria for help around the year 733 BC. Isaiah warned Ahaz that Tiglath–pileser III would be “a razor hired from beyond the River to shave your head and the hair of your legs, and to take off your beards also.” (Isaiah 7:20)

Tiglath-pileser III did come to Jerusalem and Ahaz gave him things from the temple and from the royal palace. Ahaz shut down the temple of the Lord and removed the furnishings. Instead, Ahaz began to worship the gods of Damascus since they had helped the Arameans. But according to the word of Isaiah in chapter 7 of his book, by the time Ahaz died Israel and Aram had been completely overrun by the Assyrians and were no longer a threat to worry about.
‘Azab (Hb) – Forsake (Eng) – ‘azab is the Hebrew word that means “to leave,” “to forsake,” “to depart from,” “to neglect.” The basic meaning of ‘azab is found in Genesis 2:24 when it says, “a man shall ‘azab his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife.” In Genesis 39:15 Joseph left (‘azab) his garment when he fled from Potiphar’s wife.” In Psalm 9:10 the Lord will not ‘azab those who seek him.
In my times of need, fear, distress or disappointment I will continue to trust the Lord and wait for him.
I will not turn to unrighteous ways and unrighteous sources for strength when I am fearful.



Bible Reading Descriptions Here

Narrative

Complete Text

General Text




Personal

Right words for the right moment

Church

Electronics, sound board, mics, amps, etc.
United States Air Force
Congo



Excavation on the Ophel south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Details and photos of the silver shekel that was
given to Judas to betray Jesus according to Matthew 26:15.




Someone to Quote

“Too many Christian young people are ill prepared to take the lead in proclaiming and defending the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout society.” - David A. Noebel, Understanding the Times

Something to Ponder

Reconciliation – Reconciliation means “to cause to conform to a standard” or “to be adjusted to a specified standard.” When a person adjusts the clock in their car to the satellite time shown on their cell phone they have reconciled the clock in the car to the time on the cell phone. If a person does not keep track of the use of their debit card they will not be reconciled with their bank statement at the end of the month. Their checking account will be out of balance. The world is out of balance with God. We are unable to reconcile ourselves with God (Romans 5:6-9). But, in this condition God came through Jesus Christ and reconciled us to himself (Romans 5:10). God reset us; he realigned us; he caused us to come into conformity with him (Romans 5:20-21; 2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Redemption – Redemption is what occurs when a slave is purchased by someone who has the intention of setting that slave free. No one can set a slave free unless they are willing to pay the debt for the price of the slave, that is, to redeem the slave. Jesus Christ purchased us from sin by paying the penalty for our sin (1 Peter 3:18; Revelation 5:11, 12; Galatians 3:13; Romans 3:22-24).

Here’s a Fact

In Judges 6:5 Gideon faced invaders riding camels. A military on camels could cover a distance 5x that of an army on foot. They could travel a steady 25 mph for up to one hour at a time and run twice as fast as the best sprinters of our day. Gideon both shocked and neutralized the Midianites when he attacked at night while the troops were asleep and not on their camels.

Proverb

"The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern."
- Proverbs 29:7

Coach’s Corner

Guilt is a weight you should avoid or deal with as soon as possible.

Matthew 26:15
New International Version (NIV)
15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.
Judges 2
New International Version (NIV)
The Angel of the Lord at Bokim
The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land I swore to give to your ancestors. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall not make a covenant with the people of this land, but you shall break down their altars.’ Yet you have disobeyed me. Why have you done this? And I have also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; they will become traps for you, and their gods will become snares to you.’”
When the angel of the Lord had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud, and they called that place Bokim. There they offered sacrifices to the Lord.
Disobedience and Defeat
After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.
Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14 In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15 Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress.
16 Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.
20 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord and walk in it as their ancestors did.” 23 The Lord had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.
1 Chronicles 26
New International Version (NIV)
The Gatekeepers
26 The divisions of the gatekeepers:
From the Korahites: Meshelemiah son of Kore, one of the sons of Asaph.
Meshelemiah had sons:
Zechariah the firstborn,
Jediael the second,
Zebadiah the third,
Jathniel the fourth,
Elam the fifth,
Jehohanan the sixth
and Eliehoenai the seventh.
Obed-Edom also had sons:
Shemaiah the firstborn,
Jehozabad the second,
Joah the third,
Sakar the fourth,
Nethanel the fifth,
Ammiel the sixth,
Issachar the seventh
and Peullethai the eighth.
(For God had blessed Obed-Edom.)
Obed-Edom’s son Shemaiah also had sons, who were leaders in their father’s family because they were very capable men. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad; his relatives Elihu and Semakiah were also able men. All these were descendants of Obed-Edom; they and their sons and their relatives were capable men with the strength to do the work—descendants of Obed-Edom, 62 in all.
Meshelemiah had sons and relatives, who were able men—18 in all.
10 Hosah the Merarite had sons: Shimri the first (although he was not the firstborn, his father had appointed him the first), 11 Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third and Zechariah the fourth. The sons and relatives of Hosah were 13 in all.
12 These divisions of the gatekeepers, through their leaders, had duties for ministering in the temple of the Lord, just as their relatives had. 13 Lots were cast for each gate, according to their families, young and old alike.
14 The lot for the East Gate fell to Shelemiah. Then lots were cast for his son Zechariah, a wise counselor, and the lot for the North Gate fell to him. 15 The lot for the South Gate fell to Obed-Edom, and the lot for the storehouse fell to his sons. 16 The lots for the West Gate and the Shalleketh Gate on the upper road fell to Shuppim and Hosah.
Guard was alongside of guard:
17 There were six Levites a day on the east, four a day on the north, four a day on the south and two at a time at the storehouse. 18 As for the court to the west, there were four at the road and two at the court itself.
19 These were the divisions of the gatekeepers who were descendants of Korah and Merari.
The Treasurers and Other Officials
20 Their fellow Levites were in charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries for the dedicated things.
21 The descendants of Ladan, who were Gershonites through Ladan and who were heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite, were Jehieli, 22 the sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel. They were in charge of the treasuries of the temple of the Lord.
23 From the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites and the Uzzielites:
24 Shubael, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the official in charge of the treasuries. 25 His relatives through Eliezer: Rehabiah his son, Jeshaiah his son, Joram his son, Zikri his son and Shelomith his son. 26 Shelomith and his relatives were in charge of all the treasuries for the things dedicated by King David, by the heads of families who were the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and by the other army commanders. 27 Some of the plunder taken in battle they dedicated for the repair of the temple of the Lord. 28 And everything dedicated by Samuel the seer and by Saul son of Kish, Abner son of Ner and Joab son of Zeruiah, and all the other dedicated things were in the care of Shelomith and his relatives.
29 From the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were assigned duties away from the temple, as officials and judges over Israel.
30 From the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his relatives—seventeen hundred able men—were responsible in Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the Lord and for the king’s service. 31 As for the Hebronites, Jeriah was their chief according to the genealogical records of their families. In the fortieth year of David’s reign a search was made in the records, and capable men among the Hebronites were found at Jazer in Gilead. 32 Jeriah had twenty-seven hundred relatives, who were able men and heads of families, and King David put them in charge of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh for every matter pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.
1 Chronicles 7-8
New International Version (NIV)
Issachar
The sons of Issachar:
Tola, Puah, Jashub and Shimron—four in all.
The sons of Tola:
Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam and Samuel—heads of their families. During the reign of David, the descendants of Tola listed as fighting men in their genealogy numbered 22,600.
The son of Uzzi:
Izrahiah.
The sons of Izrahiah:
Michael, Obadiah, Joel and Ishiah. All five of them were chiefs. According to their family genealogy, they had 36,000 men ready for battle, for they had many wives and children.
The relatives who were fighting men belonging to all the clans of Issachar, as listed in their genealogy, were 87,000 in all.
Benjamin
Three sons of Benjamin:
Bela, Beker and Jediael.
The sons of Bela:
Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth and Iri, heads of families—five in all. Their genealogical record listed 22,034 fighting men.
The sons of Beker:
Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Beker. Their genealogical record listed the heads of families and 20,200 fighting men.
10 The son of Jediael:
Bilhan.
The sons of Bilhan:
Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Kenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish and Ahishahar. 11 All these sons of Jediael were heads of families. There were 17,200 fighting men ready to go out to war.
12 The Shuppites and Huppites were the descendants of Ir, and the Hushites the descendants of Aher.
Naphtali
13 The sons of Naphtali:
Jahziel, Guni, Jezer and Shillem—the descendants of Bilhah.
Manasseh
14 The descendants of Manasseh:
Asriel was his descendant through his Aramean concubine. She gave birth to Makir the father of Gilead. 15 Makir took a wife from among the Huppites and Shuppites. His sister’s name was Maakah.
Another descendant was named Zelophehad, who had only daughters.
16 Makir’s wife Maakah gave birth to a son and named him Peresh. His brother was named Sheresh, and his sons were Ulam and Rakem.
17 The son of Ulam:
Bedan.
These were the sons of Gilead son of Makir, the son of Manasseh. 18 His sister Hammoleketh gave birth to Ishhod, Abiezer and Mahlah.
19 The sons of Shemida were:
Ahian, Shechem, Likhi and Aniam.
Ephraim
20 The descendants of Ephraim:
Shuthelah, Bered his son,
Tahath his son, Eleadah his son,
Tahath his son,
21 Zabad his son
and Shuthelah his son.
Ezer and Elead were killed by the native-born men of Gath, when they went down to seize their livestock.
22 Their father Ephraim mourned for them many days, and his relatives came to comfort him. 23 Then he made love to his wife again, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. He named him Beriah, because there had been misfortune in his family. 24 His daughter was Sheerah, who built Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah.
25 Rephah was his son, Resheph his son,
Telah his son, Tahan his son,
26 Ladan his son, Ammihud his son,
Elishama his son,
27 Nun his son
and Joshua his son.
28 Their lands and settlements included Bethel and its surrounding villages, Naaran to the east, Gezer and its villages to the west, and Shechem and its villages all the way to Ayyah and its villages. 29 Along the borders of Manasseh were Beth Shan, Taanach, Megiddo and Dor, together with their villages. The descendants of Joseph son of Israel lived in these towns.
Asher
30 The sons of Asher:
Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi and Beriah. Their sister was Serah.
31 The sons of Beriah:
Heber and Malkiel, who was the father of Birzaith.
32 Heber was the father of Japhlet, Shomer and Hotham and of their sister Shua.
33 The sons of Japhlet:
Pasak, Bimhal and Ashvath.
These were Japhlet’s sons.
34 The sons of Shomer:
Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah and Aram.
35 The sons of his brother Helem:
Zophah, Imna, Shelesh and Amal.
36 The sons of Zophah:
Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, 37 Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran and Beera.
38 The sons of Jether:
Jephunneh, Pispah and Ara.
39 The sons of Ulla:
Arah, Hanniel and Rizia.
40 All these were descendants of Asher—heads of families, choice men, brave warriors and outstanding leaders. The number of men ready for battle, as listed in their genealogy, was 26,000.
The Genealogy of Saul the Benjamite
Benjamin was the father of Bela his firstborn,
Ashbel the second son, Aharah the third,
Nohah the fourth and Rapha the fifth.
The sons of Bela were:
Addar, Gera, Abihud, Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, Gera, Shephuphan and Huram.
These were the descendants of Ehud, who were heads of families of those living in Geba and were deported to Manahath:
Naaman, Ahijah, and Gera, who deported them and who was the father of Uzza and Ahihud.
Sons were born to Shaharaim in Moab after he had divorced his wives Hushim and Baara. By his wife Hodesh he had Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malkam, 10 Jeuz, Sakia and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of families. 11 By Hushim he had Abitub and Elpaal.
12 The sons of Elpaal:
Eber, Misham, Shemed (who built Ono and Lod with its surrounding villages), 13 and Beriah and Shema, who were heads of families of those living in Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath.
14 Ahio, Shashak, Jeremoth, 15 Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, 16 Michael, Ishpah and Joha were the sons of Beriah.
17 Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, 18 Ishmerai, Izliah and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal.
19 Jakim, Zikri, Zabdi, 20 Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, 21 Adaiah, Beraiah and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.
22 Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, 23 Abdon, Zikri, Hanan, 24 Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, 25 Iphdeiah and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.
26 Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, 27 Jaareshiah, Elijah and Zikri were the sons of Jeroham.
28 All these were heads of families, chiefs as listed in their genealogy, and they lived in Jerusalem.
29 Jeiel the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon.
His wife’s name was Maakah, 30 and his firstborn son was Abdon, followed by Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 31 Gedor, Ahio, Zeker 32 and Mikloth, who was the father of Shimeah. They too lived near their relatives in Jerusalem.
33 Ner was the father of Kish, Kish the father of Saul, and Saul the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab and Esh-Baal.
34 The son of Jonathan:
Merib-Baal, who was the father of Micah.
35 The sons of Micah:
Pithon, Melek, Tarea and Ahaz.
36 Ahaz was the father of Jehoaddah, Jehoaddah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth and Zimri, and Zimri was the father of Moza. 37 Moza was the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son and Azel his son.
38 Azel had six sons, and these were their names:
Azrikam, Bokeru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.
39 The sons of his brother Eshek:
Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second son and Eliphelet the third. 40 The sons of Ulam were brave warriors who could handle the bow. They had many sons and grandsons—150 in all.
All these were the descendants of Benjamin.


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