2 Chronicles 2 - 18: Don't forget the foreigner

- Don't forget the foreigner:  Solomon seemed to have a vision for the Kingdom of God when he prayed at the temple dedication. After he prayed for the people of Israel, he said this: "Don't forget the foreigner....so that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like (2 Chronicles 6:32-33).

- Fire & clouds:  After the prayers of dedication, God sent a lightning bolt down to the altar. Then a cloud of his glory filled the temple. Sounds like God was happy.
- Solomon's throne:  What an amazing visual. Solomon's throne was ivory covered in gold. It had 6 steps leading up to it, and 12 gold lions lining the steps.
- Wild child:  Solomon loved God, but his son Rehoboam did not. 2 Chronicles 12:14 said this: "God was not important to him." Simple, but clear. I hope this will never be said about me.
- Shout it out:  Although the people strayed repeatedly, they did repent at times. In 2 Chron 15:14, the people repented and returned to God. They "shouted out" their promise to God with blasts from trumpets and rams' horns."
- Totally devoted:  God is "constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him" (2 Chron 16:9). He censured King Asa for going to a foreign king (King of Aram) for help. "You were foolish to go for human help when you could've had God's help." How often this describes me! Not only did Asa go to a foreign king, he took silver and gold from the temple treasuries and gave it to the King of Aram to buy his favor. How sad.

Elena's verse of the day:  "The Lord is good and his love never ends" (2 Chronicles 5:13 & 7:3).

Joshua 9 - 21: Woodcutters & water carriers, giant hailstones, and happily ever after

- Woodcutters & water carriers:  Joshua and the people of Israel were outwitted by some locals in hobo outfits. They were tricked into signing a covenant. When the ruse was discovered, Joshua sentenced the tricksters to work as woodcutters and water carriers. Interesting story, that.

- Chapters and chapters of Joshua's conquests. One key battle included a day the sun stood still, along with God flinging giant hailstones from the sky. The Israelites won.
- Balaam, the old sorcerer with the talking donkey, was finally killed by Israel in battle. Notice his name, an homage to the pagan god Baal (Joshua 3:15-22).
- Happily ever after (at least for a while):  "God gave Israel the entire land that he had solemnly vowed to give to their ancestors. They took possession of it and made themselves at home in it....everything came out right" (Joshua 21:43-45). Lord, I want that for my life. Please make everything come out right.

Elena's verse of the day:  "When the priest, Joshua, and leaders of the families met to divide up the land, the Lord showed them how to do it" (Joshua 14:5).

Numbers 26 - Deuteronomy 1: Women's rights, revenge, & idol destruction

- Women's rights:  Women were pretty much treated like property in Old Testament times, so I loved the fact that God granted women the right to inherit sections of the Promised Land, even though their father was dead (Numbers 27).

- Balaam was not a good guy: The Israelites exacted revenge on Midian for the whole Baal/orgy event we read about in yesterday's reading. Phinehas (the same priest who speared the Israelite who flaunted the Midianite woman and defiantly took her into his tent in front of everyone) was the priest of the 12,000-strong army which marched on Midian and killed every man, including Balaam (this blows my theory in yesterday's post that Balaam was a godly man because he blessed Israel instead of cursing them. In fact, Numbers 31:13-18 reports that the Baal orgy at Peor was under Balaam's direction, and the women were seducing the people of Israel away from God).
- Why so much killing? Numbers 32 explains that God is cleaning his enemies out of the land via the Israelites. As they advanced into the Promised Land, they were to destroy the idols, level the worship mounds, and divide up the land for the Israelite clans.
- Sermon on the plains of Moab:  Deuteronomy is a sermon by Moses to review God's plan for Israel. Can't wait to read more!

Elena's verse of the day: "The Lord has taken care of us the whole time....in the desert, just as you might carry one of your children" (Deuteronomy 1:31).