Week 16. April 21. The remnant remains strong.

Week 16.   I’m a few days behind in writing.  We have just finished 2 Kings and read the book of 1 Chronicles in the past week. 

I must say that the end of 2 Kings was very interesting.  And also very sad to read about how everything fell apart.  God kept telling them not to worship other gods, but they slowly drifted away… 

I had a surprise at 2 Kings 1:5 when King Hezekiah broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses had made because the Israelites had been burning incense to it.   Wow, I don’t remember ever knowing that fact before.  Amazing, isn't it, to think that they had been carrying it around for about 800 years!  (You could write an entire book about it)

Another verse that kinda stuck in my mind was 2 Kings 19:4.  “…pray for the remnant that still remains.”   It makes me think of the little pockets of common people here and there who were still faithful and who had a relationship with the living God, in the midst of a culture that had forgotten.  Life was terrible all around them, but God knew who they were, and where they were.  After reading chapter 23 of 2 Kings, I wondered how we are gradually accepting false gods and practices today in our modern culture.  And maybe we don’t even realize it.  And Chapter 25 is a very sad chapter.  Almost made me cry.  The Babylonians destroyed the beautiful temple that Solomon built.  ‘’’so Judah went into captivity, away from her land.”

But now, we get to read new books: Chronicles.  It’s a re-telling of the same history again, but written 500 years later.  It’s amazing how much some of the stories are identical down to the little details.  

Did you notice right there in the middle of all the names and names and names, there was that verse about the prayer of Jabez: (I Chronicles 4: 9,10.) 

I like reading about King David…David’s mighty warriors must have been really amazing, and I love the references to “The Three”.  Wonder what they were like.  And then David decides to bring the ark to Jerusalem…what a fascinating story…and such joy and happiness when it finally arrived.  

“For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise, he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place”. (1 Chronicles 16: 25 – 27.)

Did you notice that King David’s gold crown weighed about 75 pounds?  Wow.

I have always love architecture and design, so I really like to read the chapters that describe the temple and all the materials that were used for the building and all the craftsmen and artisans that worked on the building.  Here is a  wonderful image from the Rose Book of Solomon's temple.   It would have been breathtaking, with all the gold.  wow.  

We will keep reading till next week….Audrey