The Bible in 90 Days #22-28

Day 22 – Today’s reading covered A LOT of material.  Two of the things that particularly stuck out to me were David’s reaction to his friend Jonathan’s death, and the story of David and Bathsheba.

When Jonathan died, David mourned.  Jonathan was such a good friend to him – a friend who stuck closer than a brother.  Having recently lost my best friend, this part just really touched my heart, as I could so relate to David’s feelings of loss.

The David and Bathsheba account really struck me in that it just got me to thinking how much better the world would be if we could learn from the mistakes of others.  Sure, David lived several thousand years ago, but the temptations he faced are still very real today.  How many times do we say to our kids things like “if only you could learn from my mistakes”.  That’s how I feel about David (and many other accounts in the Bible) – if we could learn from their mistakes, we’d certainly make less mistakes and the world would be a much better place to live.

Day 23 – Every time I read this portion of the Scriptures, I can’t help but wondering if things would have played out differently if David had been a more “hands-on” father. It seems to me as though he just stood back and really had no idea what was going on; and, as a result, his children were self-destructing.  Up until the last portion of today’s reading, where David’s Song of Praise is recorded, it’s pretty much a depressing read. 

Day 24 – David dies and Solomon becomes king.  The account of the building of the temple and the king’s palace is amazing to me. My homeschool mom mind is imagining what a field trip to these places would be like.  I’m picturing a lot of open mouths and pictures with lots of glare.  Wow – both structures must have been simply amazing. 

I love the account of Solomon’s dream, and his asking God to bless him with wisdom.  I see a lesson in there for me.

But probably the passage that struck me the most in today’s reading was David’s Charge to Solomon at the beginning of chapter 2 of I Kings, where he says:

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the Lord may keep his promise to me . . .”

Day 25 – Lots of information about the kings of Judah and Israel.  It’s disheartening to read of the ones who “continued to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, following in the way of their fathers” (my words).  But, it’s encouraging to read of the ones who followed God and His ways.

Day 26 – Today covered the account of Elijah, which I always find amazing.  I remember teaching my Jr. High Sunday School class about Elijah and thinking how awesome it must have been to have lived during that time and have seen the miracles that God performed through and with Elijah.  Can’t you just imagine the looks on the peoples’ faces when Elijah called down fire on the altar and it came immediately and burned up everything (including water?!)  This after the prophets of Baal called out to their god for hours on end.  I think I’d have had to stifle a chuckle.  Just sayin . . .

Day 27 & Day 28 – I’m glad that I & II Chronicles will be a repeat of some of this material because I know there’s a lot about the various kings that I’ve missed while reading through it the first time.  In my mind, I’m picturing a laminated chart (I think I had purchased it for my 4th, 5th, and 6th grade S.S. class at one time) with a list of all the various kings of Israel and Judah with dates – set up similar to a timeline, but running top to bottom.  Hmmm . . . I need to see if I can get my hands on one of them to cross-reference while reading through Chronicles in the days ahead. 

I’m also thinking that I need to try to read through the Bible chronologically again.  We recently studied Jeremiah in our adult S.S. class at church, and it’s funny to me that the book of Jeremiah is so far after II Kings in the Bible – it’s hard to tie them in as you’re reading straight through.  Anyone else confused by this?  I didn’t realize I was a timeline-kind-of-girl; but I guess I am. :)

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