Commuter Bible

After John baptizes Him, Jesus enters the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted by Satan. Where Israel failed to follow the God in the wilderness and where Adam failed against the devil’s lies, Jesus succeeds. Christ begins His teaching ministry in the synagogues with a notably unpopular start in His hometown. Rather than playing to the crowd, he points out that the prophets Elijah and Elisha were not welcomes by Israel, but their miracles were performed on Gentiles. The townspeople bum-rush Jesus, but He slips through the crowd and continues to teach and heal elsewhere.

The gospel according to Luke is the longest book in the New Testament, and according to his own prelude, it’s an orderly collection of eye-witness accounts from the life and ministry of Jesus. He begins by recounting the events surrounding the birth of John the Baptist who would prepare the way for the coming Son of David. While John’s conception and birth are miraculous and recall the promises made to Abraham and Sarah, the birth of Jesus is greater still. His humble birth is cause for celebration and continued awe & wonder. Later, John baptizes Jesus as He begins His earthly ministry.

Our episode begins with the account of King Josiah, who took the throne at the mere age of eight. Almost by happenstance, the king’s servant stumbles across the book of the Law which had become so forgotten and neglected that they weren’t quite sure what they were looking at. When Josiah realizes that they have discovered the God’s Law, he cleans house both figuratively and literally. The Lord’s temple was full of idolatrous objects and practices, but while the Lord honors and acknowledges Josiah’s zeal and humility, it will not stop Him from sending Judah into exile in Babylon.

The kingdom of Israel is no longer; only Judah remains. In our last episode, after Israel had spiraled madly away from the Lord for decades, the Lord allowed the king of Assyria to conquer Israel and deport it’s people to foreign lands. In his quest to conquer nation after nation, Sennacherib sets his sights on Judah, and sends messengers to demand submission and announce their impending doom. King Hezekiah turns to the Lord in his time of trouble, and speaks through the prophet Isaiah to bring good news to the king.

The kings of Israel have fallen so far from the way of life that the Lord had called them to follow, that by this point they are completely unrecognizable from the nations around them. In fact, by the end of today’s reading, their resemblance to surrounding nations is one of the many indictments marked against them. As we read, notice that as the kings move further away from the Lord and his statutes, the more violent, unpredictable, and selfish they become. And if you’re curious about anything else they did, good luck finding the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

Jehu is now king in Israel and is on a mission to destroy everyone from Ahab’s lineage and company, according to the Lord’s decree. Moreover, Jehu gathers the priests and servants of Baal and tells them that he has a “special sacrifice” for the god they serve. Later, we’ll listen to the account of King Joash, the infant heir to the throne who was rescued from a royal slaughter and raised in the temple of God. With guidance from Jehoiada the priest, Joash is inaugurated as a child king over Israel, and works to rebuild the temple.

On today’s episode, things escalate quickly. First, the Arameans try to capture Elisha but he diffuses them with hospitality. Later, the Arameans lay siege to Israel, surrounding Samaria in order to cause a famine, and the people take desperate measures. Elisha prophesies that Hazael, a servant of the king of Aram, will rise to power. He also sends a prophet to anoint Jehu, one of Israel’s military commanders, to become king over Israel. Jehu quickly sets his hands to overturn the standing king and avenge the blood of Naboth the Jezreelite.

We continue in our timeline of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah today. Remember that King Ahab has died, but Elijah is still alive. Ahab’s son Ahaziah is now on the throne, but he won’t outlive the Lord’s prophecy against Ahab which says family line would come to an end in the next generation. Jehoshaphat continues to reign in Judah and partner with the kings of Israel, pointed each king to consult the Lord through his prophets. And speaking of prophets, in today’s episode Elijah passes his mantle to Elisha who the Lord uses mightily in Israel.

Today we’ll read the account of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. The Lord commands Jonah to go to Ninevah and warn them of their impending destruction. Jonah turns to go in the completely opposite direction, later saying that he didn’t want to go because Jonah knew the Lord would have compassion on those whom Israel saw as adversaries. As you hear this account, remember that Jonah is most likely the one recording what happened, revealing that he was eventually aware of his sinful heart toward those living in ignorance of the Lord’s ways.

Today’s episode is one of many prophets, some of whom remain unnamed. King Ahab of Israel goes to battle with Ben-Hadad of Aram. The Lord sends a prophet to alert Ahab that the Lord will win the battle for Israel so that Ahab will know that He alone is God over the earth. When Ahab spares Ben-Hadad instead of destroying him, the Lord sends a prophet to pronounce judgment. The prophet Elijah pronounces judgment upon Ahab after the king claim’s a murdered man’s vineyard, slaughtered by the schemes of Ahab’s wife Jezebel. Later, the prophet Micaiah shares a vision of the Lord’s throne room where God permits a lying spirit to bring about Ahab’s demise.