Jul 9, 2022
2KINGS 7-8:
Yesterday we heard two more chapters containing
fascinating miracles performed by Elisha. The story about Gahazi
getting the gifts from Naaman, and the vision about the chariots of
fire both have interesting spiritual significance to
ponder.
We come back to the story from chapter 7 where the Aramean army is surrounding Samaria. The famine is severe. The king has sent an executioner to kill Elisha. And then:
2Kings 6:32 NLT Elisha was sitting in his house with the elders of Israel when the king sent a messenger to summon him. But before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “A murderer has sent a man to cut off my head. When he arrives, shut the door and keep him out. We will soon hear his master’s steps following him.”
33 While Elisha was still saying this, the messenger arrived. And the king said, “All this misery is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”
PSALM 126:
Laughter, joy, and tears are in this often
quoted psalm.
JOHN 12a:
In
yesterday's reading, Jesus worked his biggest miracle so far in the
story— the raising of Lazarus, and the Jewish leaders became even
firmer in their plans to kill Him.
NLT Translation notes:
John
12:4 But Judas [, the man from the village of Carioth// Iscariot],
the disciple who would soon betray him, said,
28
[Rather, I pray,] Father, bring glory to your
name.”
Then a voice spoke
from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and
I will do so again.”
39 But the people couldn’t
believe, for as Isaiah [reported the Lord’s words//also
said],
40 “[I have//The
Lord has] blinded their eyes
and
hardened their hearts—
so
that their eyes cannot see,
and
their hearts cannot understand,
and
they cannot turn to me
and
have me heal them.”
41
Isaiah[‘s prophecy] was referring to Jesus when he said this,
because he saw the future and spoke of the Messiah’s
glory.
42
Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the
Jewish leaders. But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the
Pharisees would expel them from the
synagogue[s].
44
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you [believe in/trust] me, you are
[not just believing in//trusting not only] me, but also God who
sent me.
47 I
will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come
to save the world [,//and] not to judge it.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.