Saturday, March 9, 2024

Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Chronicles

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi


In any attempt to read the Bible straight through, it seems I sail right along until I hit 1 Chronicles.

I mean, basically the first 9 chapters are genealogies, which is pretty dry reading, but it also is a retelling of everything that was just read in the first 7 books of the Bible, albeit from a slightly different viewpoint.  So suddenly, I bog down, lol.  It takes some pushing to get through the Chronicles.

I suddenly remembered that repetition about halfway through 1 Kings as I was working my way along looking at 'Heart/Hearts', and I wondered if I should have been also looking at the parallel passages in 1st and 2nd Chronicles as I went through the history of the United and Divided kingdom instead of just doing the books in order.  Well, too late then.

So, here we are at 1 Chronicles, looking at the verses containing 'heart/hearts' and there's going to be some overlap of what we have already talked about.   There are not many verses so I think I can make a coherent post of them all. Gonna give it a go, anyway.

First up...we have Michal's reaction to David's raucous celebration as the Ark of the Covenant is brought into Jerusalem

As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David dancing and celebrating, she despised him in her heart.  -- 1 Chron. 15:29 ('Heart' - Strong's H 3820 , Leb, which we have seen used repeatedly),  which is an almost exact quote of 2 Sam. 6:17.   Michal lost whatever respect she had for David that day.  She didn't understand his zeal for the Lord, and I honestly don't think she cared to.  But she had been through a lot herself, which I talked about in the post from 2 Samuel that mentioned this event.  Her trauma may have influenced her actions and opinions.  Michal had had very little say in what happened to her throughout her life...but ultimately her own choice to scorn her husband cost her whatever chance she had to have a significant place in history.

David wrote a psalm to commemorate the occasion, snippy wife aside; it's recorded in 1 Chron. 16: 8 - 36 and we see a reference to 'hearts'  pretty quickly there-in:

"Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice."  -- 1 Chron. 16:10 ('Hearts' -  Strong's H 3820 again)  The whole psalm is full of praise and I encourage you to give it a read.

The other verses have to do with the transfer of power from David to Solomon, and the preparation David did for the building that Solomon was to do.

Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon, "I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God." -- 1 Chron. 22:6-7.  ('Heart' - Strong's H 3824, Lebab, which we have also seen repeatedly).  But, David is told through the prophets that he has too much violence in his history and that his son Solomon would be the one to build the house. So David assembled the resources and the craftsmen, and instructed the leaders of the people to support Solomon in his building.

"Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God.  Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God , so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD." -- 1 Chron. 22:19 ('Heart' - Strong's H 3824 again).

That just struck me as I was typing it...I had kinda read it as 'set your heart and soul to building the temple' but that's not what it says.  It says to set the heart and soul to seeking God.  Because, apparently, seeking God will result in the leaders having the wisdom to build, the favor of the people, the ability, etc. to actually do the work.  Don't start by building...start by seeking.  THEN start building.

We read virtually the same account later in the book; David calls an assembly of all the officials of Israel.

King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people.  I had it in my heart to build a house as a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, 'You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood."   - 1 Chron. 28:2-3  ('Heart is Strong's H 3824 again).

David went on to relate that God had chosen Solomon to be king after him, and that Solomon would build the house for the Ark.  He charged the Israelites to be careful to follow all the commands the Lord had given them.  Then he turned to Solomon

"And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.  If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." -- 1 Chron. 28:9. ('Heart' is Strong's H 3820)

Whoa.  Lookit that right there.  'The LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.'.

Read that again.  And maybe again.  We can fool others...we can even fool ourselves...but there's no fooling God.  He knows EXACTLY what our motives truly are.  "God knows my heart" is frequently a justification that someone will give to excuse behavior that may not exactly match up to the standard Jesus set for us...but the truth is, God DOES know the heart and he knows, better than that individual might, what's really going on.  It's time for the people of God to be honest with ourselves and own our actions and attitudes that are based in self-deception.  

David concluded his transfer of the kingship to Solomon with a prayer, and he reiterates that point again in that prayer:

"I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity.  All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent.  And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.  O LORD, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep this desire in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you."  -- 1 Chron. 29: 17-18 ('Heart/ Hearts - Strong's H 3824)

God tests the heart; integrity (no deception of others or one's self) pleases him. So David's prayer is that the people would always have hearts loyal to God.  Because a heart that's loyal will be a heart that does the right things.

Friday, March 1, 2024

Blogging Bible Study - The Heart of the Matter : 2 Kings

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi


2 Kings has really only a few mentions of heart/ hearts so we'll look at all of them today...

The first mention isn't until chapter 9, so there's a fair amount of action that happens before we get to it. But in chapter 9,  Jehu was anointed to be king over the northern tribes, and he consequently took it upon himself to complete the prophesied destruction of the house of Ahab.  Ahab had died, his son Ahaziah had died, so Ahaziah's brother Joram was now king over the northern kingdom.  Jehu took a chariot to where Joram was, arriving at the same time as Jehoshaphat's grandson Ahaziah (yeah, I double checked.  Same name), who had succeeded his father Jehoram as king over the southern tribes and was technically Joram's nephew,  as his mother Athaliah was Joram's sister.  Jehu rode right up to the other two; it just so happened that they met at the field of Naboth...which Jezebel had obtained for Ahab by having Naboth killed on false accusations several years earlier.  

When Joram saw Jehu he asked, "Have you come in peace, Jehu?"

"How can there be peace," Jehu replied, "as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?"  

Joram turned about and fled, calling out to Ahaziah, "Treachery, Ahaziah!" Then Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders.  The arrow pierced his heart, and he slumped down in his chariot. - 2 Kings 9:22 -24 (Heart: Leb  Strong's H 3820, which we have seen often. In this case...the physical organ).

Jehu had Joram thrown on the field of Naboth, fulfilling a prophecy that the blood debt of Naboth would be paid on that very plot of ground.  Jehu also killed Ahaziah, Joram's kinsman and ally, which touched off a blood bath in Jerusalem instigated by Ahaziah's mother, but that story doesn't involve the word heart/hearts so...another time.

So Jehu obliterated the house of Ahab and became king over Israel.  God was pleased with what he had done and promised him that his descendants would rule over Israel for 4 generations.

Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the low of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit.  -- 2 Kings 10:31 (Heart: Lebab, Strong's H3824, which we have also seen often.)

I believe that, if Jehu had torn down those altars that Jeroboam built, God would have kept his house in power in Israel.  But...he didn't.  So his dynasty was limited to 4 generations.  Which, incidentally, was the longest time any one family line ruled in the Northern Kingdom. Treason, murder, and coups were the typical way of succession in Israel. It was a violent era.  But Jehu's line ruled through his son Jehoahaz, grandson Jehoash, great-grandson Jeroboam II and great-great-grandson Zechariah...who was the 4th generation.  None of the kings following Jehu served God, but God kept his promise to Jehu.  Zechariah ruled for 6 months...and then was assassinated.  Roughly 20 years later, after a series of coups and assassinations, the Assyrians attacked and defeated Israel, forcing the people into exile and bringing foreigners in to replace them.

Meanwhile, in the Southern Kingdom, the lineage of David continued unbroken, with a slight hiccup when Athalia seized power, but it was soon set to right and Joash was anointed king, returning rule to David's line,  There were kings who served God, and kings who didn't, and kings who started well but got sideways.  Hezekiah, who followed God,  saw God deliver them from the same Assyrians who overran Israel. But neither Hezekiah's son nor his grandson were righteous, which led the people into deep error.  Hezekiah's great-grandson, Josiah, however, had a heart for God and, in restoring the Temple, found the Book of the Law.  He had the book read and was alarmed at what he heard, for the people had not kept that law.  Huldah the prophetess, however, had a word from God; Josiah's heart had been seen.

"Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, 'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard.  'Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.' "   2 Kings 22:18-19 (Heart is  H3824 again)

Huldah assured Josiah that the calamity spoken about would not happen in his lifetime.  Josiah looked to inspire the people to forsake their false gods and had the Book of the Law read to them.

The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD -- to follow the LORD and to keep his commandments, regulations and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book.  Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. -- 2 Kings 23:3 (Heart here is H 3820...the center of the will)

After that, revival swept through the land; Josiah and the people tore down all the altars in the high places; Josiah even destroyed and defiled the altars that Jeroboam had built at Bethel, which fulfilled a prophecy made at the time it was built.  After the land was cleansed, they observed Passover.

Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did -- with all his heart and with all his soul  and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses. -- 2 Kings 23:25 (Heart:  H 3824)

However, for all that the people jumped on Josiah's bandwagon and followed him in tearing things down, it seems there was no genuine repentance happening; nowhere do we read of the people mourning as Josiah had done when the Law was read to them. It inspired them to  get religious and zealous, but not repentant.  God did not relent on the consequences of the idolatry, which they resumed immediately when Josiah died; perhaps even because Josiah died.  Three of Josiah's sons and one of his grandsons ruled over a period of about 22-23 years, but none of them actually served God or even listened seriously to the prophets.  Mattaniah, whom the Babylonians renamed Zedekiah, rebelled against Babylon and in the ensuing battle and siege the Babylonians defeated him and Judah utterly, and Judah went into captivity.

We will be revisiting this story again at least two more times, but what struck me today was the incredible religious zeal of the people in Josiah's revival.  Things actually changed for a bit; which is a sign of a real move of God BUT...there was no repentance accompanying it, so the moment things didn't go as the people expected (IE, Josiah died in battle) they completely abandoned their law-following practices and went back to what they'd been doing all along.

Because while their actions matched the king's, their hearts...did not.  

Friday, February 23, 2024

Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Kings Part 3, Solomon's Error and the Kingdom Split

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

After the glorious descriptions of life in Israel under King Solomon in 1 Kings 10...1 Kings 11 begins with  a very ominous observation.

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh's daughter -- Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, "You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods."  Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.  As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. - 1 Kings 11:1 - 4.

Now, the truth is that in that time and place it was not unusual for one king or ruler to give a daughter to another king to marry...read, add to his harem...as a sign of a treaty or alliance.  However, Solomon allowed that to become extreme.  I have always found it incredible that someone with so much wisdom could do something so...stupid...as to go so blatantly against the instructions God gave in more than one place and in more than one way.  But...his heart was led astray.  ('Heart' here, and everywhere else it appears today with two exceptions, is Strong's H 3584, Lebab)  He did not follow God, who had supernaturally spoken with him twice, who had given him wealth and riches and fame and wisdom for ruling,  with his whole heart.  

I have always thought that Solomon, after years of living with all those blessings and wisdom, kind of forgot where it came from.  We will get to the book of Ecclesiastes down the road a bit and see how Solomon's mind was working in his later years, but he had asked for wisdom to govern the people and God gave it to him.  And so, in my humble opinion, Solomon didn't really need God; he could run the country on his own.

So he did.  And he, in his human wisdom, completely forgot the basic instructions God had given them regarding living in that land.  David, in all his screw ups, never forgot that God was the one who gave victory and who guarded the land and led his people. Solomon started doing what made sense to him.  And it cost him.

The LORD became very angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD's command.   -- 1 Kings 11: 9-10.

You can read the story in 1 Kings 11...God told Solomon he would take the bulk of the kingdom away from him, but, for the sake of David, would leave a remnant following the house of David.   Jeroboam, son of Nebat, from the half tribe of Ephraim, was told by the prophet Abijah that God would give him ten of the tribes of Israel and make him king, since Solomon had turned after other gods:

"I will take the kingdom from his son's hands and give you ten tribes. I will give one tribe to his son so that David my servant may have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name. However,  as for you, I  will take you, and you will rule over all that your heart desires; you will be king over Israel." -- 1 Kings 11:35-37 (Heart: Strong's H5315, Nepes...which, interestingly enough, is not translated as 'heart' in other translations.  For instance, NASB skips it altogether, just  rendering 'whatever you desire'; KJV translates it as 'that thy soul desireth'.  Interestingly, this word also carries the connotation of appetite.)

Sure enough, after Solomon died, his son Rehoboam acted arrogantly towards the people and ten tribes rebelled. There was war and Jeroboam became king of the rebelling tribes.  And he, despite the promises and warnings and even seeing the consequences playing out right in front of him with Solomon and Rehoboam, immediately built an alter in Bethel and shrines in high places so his people would NOT go down to Jerusalem to worship God, lest they get the idea that they needed to reunite with the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin.  

Jeroboam was told, through the prophet Ahijah, 

"I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right in my eyes.  You have done more evil than all who lived before you.  You have made for yourself other gods, idols made of metal; you have provoked me to anger and thrust be behind your back." - 1 Kings 14:8 - 9

After Jeroboam died, he was succeeded by his son Nadab, who was assassinated after just 2 years by Baasha, of the tribe of Issachar.  Baasha's first action was to slaughter the entire family belonging to Jeroboam (1 Kings 15:29) and the dynasty that could have been was completely annihilated. 

Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Rehoboam died and was succeeded by his son, Abijah.

He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully committed to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.  (1 Kings 15:3)

Abijah only reigned 3 years, and then he died, and he was succeeded by his son, Asa.  Asa was king for 41 yeas, so he must have been pretty young when he took the throne.  Asa, however, was different than his dad and granddad:

Although he did not remove the high places, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. -- 1 Kings 15:14

 In the Northern Kingdom of Israel, Baasha died and his son Elah succeeded him, and was assassinated after two years by Zimri, one of his captains.  Zimri's tribe is not mentioned, but he reigned exactly long enough to slaughter the entire family of Baasha...one week.  The army, led by Omri, laid seige to the city so Zimri set the palace on fire and died there.  A brief power struggle ensued between Omri and Tibni, but Tibni died and Omri emerged as king, ultimately moving the capital to Samaria.  After twelve years, Omri died and was succeeded by his son Ahab...who was married to Jezebel, and had a run-in with a prophet named Elijah, who said it would not rain again until he said so.

Ultimately, the drought lasted three years and culminated with a showdown between the priests of Baal and Elijah on Mount Carmel.  The sacrifice to Baal drew nothing but flies all day, despite the frenzy of the priests, then Elijah stepped up, building the altar, arranging the butchered bull, and, unbelievably, pouring twelve large jars of precious water over the sacrifice and the altar and filling a trench he'd dug around it.

"At the time of the sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "Oh LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel,  let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again." -- 1 Kings 18:37 ('Heart' is Strong's H 3820, Leb, a form of  H3824, above)

The fire fell, the people worshiped God and then slaughtered the pagan priests.  Elijah prayed for rain, sent word to Ahab that a deluge was coming, and ran all the way back to Jezreel, beating Ahab, who presumably got bogged down in the mud.

We have more history recorded in 1 Kings, but that's the last mention of 'heart/ hearts'.

And it's interesting...the heart is the key.  A committed heart...mostly does the right things.  A heart that isn't fully committed...does the wrong things.

I imagine we will see this on repeat as we go through the rest of the History books...

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Hodge Podge for Valentine's Day

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi.

It happens, from time to time, when I read the questions for the weekly Hodge-podge meme...one jumps out and grabs me and insists on being answered.

Can you guess which one it was this week? LOL

Click the box to find all the folks participating in this week's exploration of Love...we're all answering the same questions...



1. What does love mean to you? 

Love is one of those weird ambiguous words.  The Greeks have at least four different words for love...eros, phileo, storge, agape...  each one with a different nuanced meaning.  But English has one word - love - for the whole spectrum.  We English speaking Americans love pizza, love chocolate, love our sports team, love our college, love the beach, love our cat (or dog), love our spouse, love our kids, love our parents, love our friends...the list goes on and on.  But, since we're talking about the day honoring St. Valentine...who, according to one tradition, was put to death for breaking the law and performing marriage ceremonies in defiance of the ban intended to keep young men eligible for military service...I believe love is the binding that keeps people connected and working towards one another's good.  It's not a feeling...it's an emotion beyond feeling that borders on compulsion.  One must care for the beloved or break something in one's heart.

2. Is love blind?  

No.  Infatuation is blind.  Obsession is blind.  Love sees all the flaws...and commits the heart anyway.  Love recognizes the differences and finds ways to work with and around them. 

3. How do you remember Valentine's Day as a kid? Do you have any special plans for the day this year? 

I wrote a blog post years ago about my experiences with Valentine's day as a kid...but Valentine's day falls on a Wednesday this year, and Wednesdays are Very Busy Days.  Maybe a card and a bit of chocolate?  Maybe? LOL

4 Are you a fan of the movie genre known as 'rom-com'? What's your favorite (or one of your favorites)?

Generally speaking, I love a movie that makes me laugh.  Some Rom Coms do...and some just seem kinda dumb.  But you can't go wrong with a classic like What's Up, Doc?   I think that counts as a Rom-Com, lol, although I've seen it referred to as  a 'Screwball Comedy'...

5. What's something you recently put your heart into? 

The 30- Day Shred.  Which isn't what you think it is, lol. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

In general, I think Valentine's Day is WAYYYY over hyped. As a day to remind your beloved just how important s/he is to you...great.  As a day to spend $$$$ on big-ticket gifts (a car?  A big screen TV?  Seriously???)...or as a rationalization for extorting diamonds or pearls or whatever from your sweetie...good grief no....

Monday, February 12, 2024

Of Comfort and Sweet Memories

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

We've known it was coming for a long time.  And yet...somehow, we had grace for still more years.   

 I remember their 50th anniversary; we didn't think we would gather like that again.  But we did for the 60th.  And the 70th. And even beyond that...most of the family was able to be on hand for the 75th wedding celebration last June.   How amazing.

But time marches on, and my Father-in-law fell back in October and couldn't get back up.  He went in to rehab to try and rebuild his strength but he had problems with hemoglobin counts and other things and just couldn't get back on his feet.  Christmas was a good day, but he began a serious decline right after.  He spent about a week on hospice care and passed away on Jan. 21st at age 98; he would have been 99 in April.

With family coming in from Pennsylvania, California, Florida and Alabama, it took a minute to get everyone organized and travel plans made.  My Sweet Babboo and I drove up to my folk's farm west of Indianapolis on Wednesday, picked up the Florida kids at the Indianapolis airport Thursday evening and drove up to Elkhart; The Artist and his wife arrived at the farm a couple of hours after we left and came to Elkhart on Friday, swinging by West Lafayette and picking up a cousin from Purdue on their way up.  The Princess was on a work trip to Florida (She's a Disney travel agent,  but was learning about Universal Studios), which she cut short, flying back home on Thursday and she and her hubby and the two wee boys made the entire drive up on Friday.  By Friday evening, everyone was in town. Only one granddaughter, who was ill with the flu, was unable to attend; the memorial service was live-streamed so she could see it.

The memorial service was Saturday afternoon, in the 100 + year old Methodist church all the siblings grew up in.




He was a member of the Greatest Generation...a Purple Heart/ Bronze Star WW 2 veteran.  He taught chemistry for years at the local high school, and sang Barbershop, in both quartets and a chorus, and in the church choir, for decades; the memorial service was full of music.  We sang his favorite hymns, and listened to recordings of his barbershop quartet and also of the family, including the special music we sang at church for their 70th Anniversary (I confess to wiping a couple of tears at that point).  But my Mother-in-law was insistent that this was not to be a 'sad affair'; she wanted us to sing and remember good things.  

I was surprised to see some folks I knew; it was good to see distant cousins and old friends we had not been able to contact for a while.

Memorial services are good for that.

My sister-in-law said it well, in a meal blessing on Friday: "We gather to comfort and encourage one another, and to honor the memory of our beloved Dad."

Yes.



Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Blogging Bible Study: The Heart of the Matter - 1 Kings part 2; Solomon's Pinnacle

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi


Life is crazy, lol, and, well, likely over the next few weeks I'll be posting when I catch the chance. And I thought I'd go back to routine after Christmas ...hahahahaha.... Anyway, we're looking at the words 'Heart/ Hearts' through the Bible and we have reached 1 Kings.

The nation of Israel reached a peak of glory in the early years of Solomon that arguably has not been reached by any kingdom on earth since, allowing for the technology of the day.  One of the first things he did was to build the temple for which his father had been collecting materials.  It took seven years to complete, and chapter 8 records the consecration of the temple, in which Solomon stood before the people and made a short introductory speech, summarizing the events leading to that day, including David's heart for a house for God:

"My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.  But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart.' "  1 Kings 8:17-18; 'Heart' is Strong's H 3824, lebab,  which we have seen repeatedly as we have gone along.  

After Solomon's words to the people, he stood before the altar and prayed a prayer of praise, dedication, and supplication, in which he mentions 'heart/hearts' in his petition:

"When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel -- each one aware of the afflictions of his own heart, and spreading out his hands towards this temple -- then hear from heaven, our dwelling place.  Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men), so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our fathers."  -- 1 Kings 8:38-40; 'Heart/ hearts' is, again, Strong's H 3824.

"When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin-- and you become angry with them and give them over to the enemy, who takes them captive to his own land, far away or near; and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their conquerors and say, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly';  and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their fathers, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name; then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause." --  1 Kings 8:46-49; 'Heart'  in verse 47 is Strong's H 3820, leb,  which we have also seen used repeatedly, but 'Heart' in verse 48 is H 3824 again.  I think I have mentioned it before, but 3820 is actually a variant form of 3824, according to the Etymology listed in the link.  The usage and definitions are very, very similar; I simply am not educated enough to see what must be a fine line of distinction between them.

After Solomon's prayer, there were sacrifices and celebrations for a full two weeks. Then

On the following day he [Solomon] sent the people away.  They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the LORD had done for his servant David and his people Israel.  -- 1 Kings 8:66; 'heart' is H 3820 again.

After the temple was completed and dedicated, God appeared to Solomon again, as he had at Gibeon (i.e., in a dream - see 1 Kings 3:5) and renewed the covenant. 

The LORD said to him: "I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever.  My eyes and heart will always be there.  As for you, if you walk before me integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' " -- 1 Kings 9:3-5 - God's heart, in verse 3, is H 3820;  Solomon's heart, in verse 4, is H 3824.  Again, same word, slightly different form.

The splendor of Solomon's court and the building program he initiated, the income he had, the reputation of his wisdom all spread to cause an African queen to undertake a visit to see for herself if what she had heard was true; she exclaimed that she hadn't heard even half of the truth. 

King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth.  The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. -- 1 Kings 10: 23-24; 'Heart' is H 3820.

Over and over again we see 'heart' referring to the seat of feeling, emotion, thought, understanding.  It is the place of pure devotion...or twisted ambition.  When the heart has been dedicated to following God, his deliverance and blessing follow.  If it is turned away from God...to anything else...not so good things follow. But God sees the heart.  He knows what's REALLY there.  We might be able to fool other people, we may even deceive ourselves, but God sees the truth.  The REAL truth.  A heart that messes up and repents is always accepted. 

A heart that is determined to serve oneself...well, that's the next installment.

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Completed the challenge....

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi


The last two years, our youth pastor has kind of low-key challenged the kids to start off the year by doing the 30-Day Shred. No, it's not a diet plan...it's a plan to read the ENTIRE BIBLE in 30 days.

This year, I happened to remember that on January 1.  So I decided I'd give it a go and downloaded the guide.  And I also gave myself a slightly different goal...read the entire Bible in January, which gave me an extra day,  lol.

We had a major conference at church in the middle of the month, too, so that kind of blocked out 3 whole days.  And when you're reading 42 chapters a day, missing several days like that throws a real wrench in the works. 

Fortunately, one of my talents is that I am a fast reader, so I had that going for me.  And I started off by doing 50 chapters a day instead of 42, just to get a bit of a running start to carry me through the conference days.

Then I got involved in a sewing project and completely missed reading the day before the conference.  Never even thought of it.  So I was a bit behind, despite having read extra earlier, when the conference actually started.

I was reading mostly from my NIV 84 study Bible; it's very familiar, which made it easy to push my reading pace; I was mostly reading words I can almost quote.

But I did have some doctors appointments this month, so whilst I was waiting at the Dr I opened up the Blue Letter Bible app on my phone and read from the NLT, just to see how that translation went.  I was in Ezekiel for part of that reading...and the NLT puts the measurements in feet and inches instead of cubits, which I really appreciated.

Finished Revelation 22 about an hour ago.

It was an interesting exercise.  The idea is to just get the 50,000 foot view, not to do in-depth study.  I kept wanting to stop and dig and...couldn't.  Nope.  Keep reading.

I was surprised at the relentless bombardment of judgement in the prophets as I read through.  It has never really struck me that way before, studying through them at a slower pace.  But pushing through 60 chapters or more a day (I was trying to catch up after the conference) it really hammered in.  I would get mixed up...was the particular judgement against Israel or Judah?  Or was it Egypt, Syria, Damascus, Edom, Babylon....?  There was the occasional relief of 'I will preserve a remnant' and 'I will give you a heart of flesh instead of your heart of stone' type verses, but mostly what I saw is...God is serious about consequences.  

Part of me thinks it would be easier for someone who is well acquainted with the scripture to finish, since that person would be covering familiar territory, but, on the other hand, speed reading through the Bible in a month does kinda take the intimidation factor out of it.  

And I think I want to get a NLT to read and compare, lol.  A new Bible to ponder and mark up always peels back layers of assumptions, especially if it's a translation I haven't read much.

I don't know if I will do it again next year.  Right now...I kinda think it's a one and done.  I prefer a slower pace, as y'all know from the slow plodding study of 'heart/hearts', lol.

But it was a good challenge and I'm glad I did it.