Jul 9, 2022
2KINGS 7-8:
Yesterday we heard two more chapters containing
fascinating miracles performed by Elisha. The story about Gehazi
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 7:32 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 GNT He had hardly finished saying this, when the king arrived and said, “It's the Lord who has brought this trouble on us! Why should I wait any longer for him to do something?”
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.
GNT Translation
notes:
John
12:4 One of Jesus' disciples, Judas[— who was from the village of
Carioth, and//Iscariot—] the one who was going to betray him—said,
He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he
was a thief.
6 He
carried the [disciples’] money bag and would help himself from
it.
24 I am telling you the truth: a grain of wheat
remains no more than a single grain unless it [falls//is dropped]
into the ground and dies. If it does die, then it produces many
grains.
25
Those who love their [life in this world//own life] will lose it;
those who [think nothing of (NLT)//hate] their [0//own] life in
this world will keep it for life eternal.