Participants: Kelly Mowrer
Series Code: HWAL
Program Code: HWAL000571
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00:15 Hello, and welcome to His Words are Life.
00:17 I'm Kelly Mowrer and when we were last together we were 00:20 reading in 2nd Chronicles. 00:21 And the spirit of the Lord came on Azariah, and he went 00:25 to king Asa with a message from God, saying that the Lord 00:28 is with you and if you will seek him with all your heart, 00:32 He will be found of you. We're going to continue reading 00:35 in the story of Asa, but let's pray together first. 00:37 Dear God, we know that you have made that promise to each one 00:42 of us and that if we seek after You, You will be found of us; 00:46 that we must search for you with all our hearts. 00:49 Please tune our hearts to sing your praise. And be with us now 00:55 as we read your word, that we may hear it and grow form it 00:59 and become what you want us to be. We love you so much. 01:02 Thank you for loving us. Amen. We're picking up the story of 01:07 Asa in 2nd Chronicles, chapter 15, beginning with verse 8, 01:11 and this is the King James Version. 01:13 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded 01:17 the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable 01:22 idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, 01:24 and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, 01:27 and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch 01:30 of the Lord. And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin 01:34 and the strangers with them with them out of Ephraim and 01:37 Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel 01:41 in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him. 01:44 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the 3rd 01:48 month, in the 15th year of the reign of Asa. And they offered 01:53 unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought 01:56 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep. And they entered into a covenant 02:03 to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart 02:07 and with all their soul; that whosoever would not seek 02:11 the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or 02:14 great, whether man or woman 02:15 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with 02:19 shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. 02:21 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they has sworn with 02:26 all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; 02:31 and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest 02:36 round about. And also concerning Maacha the mother of Asa 02:42 the king, he removed her from being queen, because she 02:46 had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, 02:50 and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron. 02:53 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: 02:58 nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days. 03:01 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father 03:05 had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, 03:07 silver, and gold, and vessels. And there was no more war, 03:11 unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa. 03:16 Continuing with 2nd Chronicles, chapter 16. This is the 03:20 King James Version. - In the six and thirtieth year of the reign 03:25 of Asa, Baaha king of Israel came up against Judah, 03:29 and built Raman, to the intent that he might let none go out 03:34 or come in to Asa King of Judah. Then Asa brought out silver 03:38 and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord 03:41 and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria 03:45 that dwelt at Damascus, saying, There is a league between me and 03:48 thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, 03:52 I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with 03:58 Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 04:01 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains 04:05 of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, 04:10 and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali. 04:15 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off 04:18 building Ramah, and let his work cease. Then Asa the king took 04:22 all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, 04:26 and the timber thereof wherewith Baasha was building; 04:28 and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah. And at that time Hanani 04:35 the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, 04:38 Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied 04:44 on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria 04:48 escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and 04:53 the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? 04:56 Yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, he delivered them 05:00 into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro 05:04 throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the 05:09 behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 05:13 Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth 05:18 thou shalt have wars. Then Asa was wroth with the seer, 05:23 and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him 05:26 because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people 05:30 at the same time. And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, 05:34 lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. 05:38 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased 05:43 in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: 05:47 yet in his disease he sought not the Lord, but to the physicians. 05:54 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth 05:59 year of his reign. And they buried him in his own sepulchers 06:02 which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him 06:06 in the bed which was filled with sweet odors and divers 06:08 kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: 06:12 and they made a very great burning for him. 06:16 Continuing to read in 2nd Chronicles, chapter 17, 06:21 and this is the the James Version. 06:22 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened 06:28 himself against Israel. And he placed forces in all the fenced 06:32 cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, 06:35 and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 06:39 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked 06:43 in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto 06:46 Baalim; but sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked 06:50 in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel. 06:53 Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; 06:57 and all Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; 07:01 and he had riches and honour in abundance. And his heart was 07:05 lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away 07:08 the high places and the groves out of Judah. 07:10 Also in the 3rd year of his reign he sent to his princes, 07:14 even to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to 07:19 Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 07:24 And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, 07:28 and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Semiramoth, and Jehonathan, and 07:35 Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites: 07:40 and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. 07:43 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the 07:47 Lord with them, and went about Judah and taught the people. 07:52 And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the 07:56 lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war 08:00 against Jehoshaphat. Also some of the Philistines brought 08:04 Jehoshaphat presents and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought 08:09 him flocks, 7,700 rams, and 7,700 he goats. 08:15 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built 08:20 in Judah castles, and cities of store. And he had much business 08:26 in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour 08:30 were in Jerusalem. And these are the numbers of them 08:34 according to the hose of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains 08:38 of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him might men of valour 08:42 300,000. And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and 08:48 with him two hundred and fourscore thousand. 08:50 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly 08:56 offered himself unto the Lord; and with him 200,000 mighty men 09:00 of valour. And of Benjamin, Eliada, a mighty man of valour, 09:05 and with him armed men with bow and shield 200,000. 09:09 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and 09:14 fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. 09:17 These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the 09:22 fenced cities throughout all Judah. 09:25 Continuing with 2nd Chronicles, chapter 18, this is the 09:29 King James Version. Now Jehoshaphat had riches 09:34 and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab. 09:39 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. 09:44 And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for 09:48 the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up 09:50 with him to Ramothgilead. And Ahab the king of Israel said 09:54 unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me 09:58 to Ramothgilead? 10:00 And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy 10:03 people; and we will be with thee in the war. And Jehoshaphat said 10:09 unto the king of Israel, Inquire I pray thee, at the word of the 10:14 Lord Today. Therefore the king of Israel gathered together 10:18 of prophets 400 men, and said unto them, Shall we go to 10:22 Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, 10:27 Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand. 10:31 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord 10:37 besides, that we might inquire of him? And the king of Israel 10:43 said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may 10:47 inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied 10:51 good unto me, but always evil: the same is Michaiah the son 10:55 of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 11:00 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, 11:03 and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. And the king 11:09 of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them 11:12 on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void 11:15 place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; 11:17 and all the prophets prophesied before them. And Zedekiah 11:22 the son of Chenanah had made him horns of iron, and said, 11:27 Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they 11:31 be consumed. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, 11:35 Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall 11:39 deliver it into the hand of the king. And the messenger that 11:42 went to call Michaiah spake to him saying, Behold, the words 11:46 of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; 11:50 let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, 11:54 and speak thou good. And Michaiah said, As the Lord 11:59 liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. 12:04 And when he was come to the king the king said unto him, Micaiah, 12:08 shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? 12:12 And he said, God ye up, and prosper, and they shall be 12:17 delivered into your hand. And the king said to him, 12:21 how many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but 12:24 the truth to me in the name of the Lord? Then he said, 12:28 I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, 12:32 as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have 12:36 no master; let them return therefore every man 12:39 to his house in peace. And the king of Israel said to 12:43 Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good 12:47 unto me, but evil? Again he said, Therefore hear the word 12:52 of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all 12:56 the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 13:00 And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, 13:03 that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake 13:07 saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner 13:11 Then there came out a spirit, that stood before the Lord, 13:14 and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said, Wherewith? 13:19 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth 13:24 of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice 13:28 them and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. 13:32 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the 13:37 mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil 13:40 against thee. Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, 13:45 and smote Micaiah upon the cheek and said, Which way went the 13:48 spirit o f the Lord from me? to speak unto thee? And Micaiah 13:52 said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into 13:55 an inner chamber to hide thyself Then the king of Israel said, 14:00 Take ye Michaiahk, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the 14:03 city and to Joash the king's son and say, Thus saith the king, 14:06 put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread 14:09 affliction, and with water of affliction until I return 14:13 in peace. And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, 14:17 then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, 14:22 all ye people. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king 14:26 of Judah went up to Ramothgilead and the king of Israel said unto 14:30 Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and will go to the battle 14:33 but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised 14:37 himself and they went to battle. |
Revised 2014-12-17