WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.680 You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a 2 00:00:03.720 --> 00:00:06.440 couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in 3 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:14.240 practical ways. Here we are, we are back. The Bible 4 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:17.079 Guys are back in the house. The Bible Guys plus 5 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:20.960 one plus one with a special guest, Wesley Woods. I'm 6 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:25.320 Jeff Forster. I'm half of the normal the regular normal normals. 7 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:27.800 Not that's not the correct word. Let me let me 8 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:31.480 retake restate that part of the regular Bible Guys. Chris 9 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:34.679 Arba is out today this week with us, but we 10 00:00:34.719 --> 00:00:37.039 have Wesley Woods is in the house with us, and 11 00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:39.280 so it's going to be even better, even better. Maybe 12 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:42.159 maybe we're gonna miss Chris, but we're glad that you're 13 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:47.399 here today. So, Wesley, today is Christmas Eve. Yes, for 14 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:49.799 the people who are listening in order right as we 15 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:53.520 release it, this is Christmas Eve. And not only is 16 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:58.640 it Christmas Eve, but some people say extremely important national 17 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:03.200 holidays other than Christmas Eve. So it's also National last 18 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:04.239 Minute Shopper's Day. 19 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:05.000 I can relate. 20 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:09.120 Yeah, so we need to hurry up into the podcast, right, 21 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:14.280 and National Eggnog Day? So are you an agnog glover? 22 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:17.920 When I was younger? But not really. I mean I 23 00:01:17.959 --> 00:01:18.959 could take it or leave it. 24 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.439 I despise it. I despise it. This is one of 25 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:24.159 those national holidays. 26 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:26.879 What do people put cinnamon or what do you put 27 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:27.439 on I don't know. 28 00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:31.560 I know putrescen. That's what they put on it. They 29 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:34.000 put nastiness on it, that's what they put on it. 30 00:01:34.560 --> 00:01:36.719 And then are you a last minute shopper? 31 00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:42.120 So I don't consider it last minute shopping? It is 32 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:47.159 an intentional choice to go shopping on the last day, 33 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:50.640 making rapid extractions. 34 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:53.719 From various shops. Yes, that's how I classify it. 35 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:56.719 Yeah, that makes sense. And all you're doing there is 36 00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:58.680 managing your time well up until that day. 37 00:01:58.799 --> 00:01:59.239 Yeah. 38 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:01.879 Now here's the thing. If you do go out on 39 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:05.439 Christmas Eve, there is no browsing. No, you literally know 40 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:06.400 what you're getting. 41 00:02:06.480 --> 00:02:08.919 You get in. It's kind of like mission impossible. 42 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:12.120 So you're forced not to fret and worry. You're forced 43 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:13.800 to go. That'll be nice. That's nice. 44 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:15.280 You get in the car. 45 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.479 Okay, So do you plan way ahead on your Christmas 46 00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:22.199 purchases or do you just it's so whatever catches your 47 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:23.280 fancy in the moment. 48 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:25.919 Now, I normally have an idea of what I want 49 00:02:25.960 --> 00:02:27.919 to get and then you just get in and out quick. 50 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:30.560 One day, Well, what happens if it's not there anymore? 51 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:38.039 One day, Jeff I went to Birch Run Oakland Mall, Summerset, 52 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:41.960 all before like three pm. 53 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.360 On the same day. You just get in and yeah. 54 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:47.800 For our listeners from not in this region, he's talking 55 00:02:47.840 --> 00:02:51.439 about a two and a half hour distance between between 56 00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:52.000 malls here. 57 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:52.319 Yeah. 58 00:02:52.400 --> 00:02:53.280 Yeah, wow, just. 59 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:55.439 Gun it and doing the speed limit. Yeah. 60 00:02:55.479 --> 00:02:58.319 Yeah, you get there and then you get out. 61 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:01.800 Okay, So does has a couple of questions for us 62 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:04.800 to celebrate. Let's pull some questions from AI. Okay, so 63 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:07.000 these are questions AI asked, what you're going to get? 64 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:09.319 That's right. The first one is why does agnog always 65 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:11.800 look like it's a warm hug and a cup, but 66 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:14.680 after two SIPs you're questioning your own life choices. 67 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:18.719 It's overly sweet, it's thick. I don't know. 68 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:20.680 You're gonna have to answer that one for me, because 69 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:22.759 it does not look like a warm hug and a 70 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:23.240 cup to me. 71 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:23.560 Yeah. 72 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:25.120 Like I said, I could take it or leave it. 73 00:03:25.159 --> 00:03:28.120 I couldn't even remember the last time I had eggnog. 74 00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:30.639 I mean, well, I would like to ask Ai, when 75 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.120 was the last time you had aggnog? 76 00:03:32.280 --> 00:03:33.960 I'm going to I'm going to do it right now. 77 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.280 I'm going to ask. I'm going to ask when was 78 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:43.560 the last time He's literally typing his in you had eggnog? 79 00:03:45.599 --> 00:03:47.840 And see what response you do. 80 00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:52.520 And see what it says. Okay. I don't consume food 81 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.759 or drink, but eggnog does sound like a festive treat. 82 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:57.599 When was the last time you enjoyed some? I'm gonna 83 00:03:57.599 --> 00:03:58.759 tell him was none of your business. 84 00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:02.919 Now. If it responds back, now, I will destroy you. 85 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:08.759 Yeah. This may this may cause the universe. This may 86 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:11.520 cause the destruction of university. Here picking a fight with Ai. Now, 87 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:13.680 let's just say fair enough, let me know if you 88 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:14.759 want to talk about anything else. 89 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.120 I'm here for it. 90 00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:20.399 That okay, good, So we're gonna so AI has opinions 91 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:22.920 about agnog, but it's never had okay, because I was 92 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:26.560 a little confused about that for a minute. Okay. And 93 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:29.399 then the second question is is there a special badge 94 00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:31.399 of honor for last minute shoppers or do we just 95 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:35.040 get gold star for stress induced survival? That sounds to 96 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:36.759 me like what you're doing, but it's. 97 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:40.120 Not stressful for me. It's like completely non stressful. You 98 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:42.720 have your list, you go in, you get the item, 99 00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:43.199 get out. 100 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:43.800 Okay. 101 00:04:43.959 --> 00:04:46.360 Now it would be stressful if I didn't have an 102 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:48.560 idea and then I'm browsing. 103 00:04:48.639 --> 00:04:51.720 Okay, yeah, there's no time for that. On close it five, 104 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:52.240 do you do. 105 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:54.439 All of your Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve? 106 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:54.920 Every bit? 107 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.959 Everybody is yeah, before your mom forever, for your yeah, 108 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:02.439 for your family, for your wife, for your daughter. Okay, 109 00:05:02.839 --> 00:05:06.199 and you just ba your dad your dad okay, Okay, 110 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:09.360 when I see him after Christmas, I'll be like, I'll 111 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:12.079 be like, Okay, you know he picked that out in 112 00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:12.600 three minutes. 113 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:16.800 Here's the perfe of that though, the wrapping aspect of 114 00:05:16.839 --> 00:05:18.600 it that happens like at three am. 115 00:05:19.000 --> 00:05:22.519 Yeah, yeah, that's the worst part of it. Okay, Well, 116 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:26.000 there you go. AI had some opinions about Christmas, these 117 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:28.519 two big holidays that also go along with Christmas Eve, 118 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:32.399 National Last Minute Shopper's Day National Eggnog Day. If if 119 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:34.319 you are a last minute shopper and you stop off 120 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:36.480 for eggnog, maybe you should let us know right in 121 00:05:36.519 --> 00:05:40.480 the comments today, And that was that was something. 122 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:42.560 Yeah, I think they should mail you eggnog. 123 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:46.040 No, no, do not do it. I will pour it 124 00:05:46.040 --> 00:05:49.800 down the dream It's it's one of the most despicable things. 125 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:51.839 I think it's ever been invented. 126 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:55.240 This is almost like what Chris hate moment. It is. 127 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:57.079 Yeah, you want to know what made Jeff mad this 128 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.319 Weekgnog eggnog makes me mad this week? That's right there, 129 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:05.639 So talking about things that make people mad. God's pretty 130 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:06.759 mad at Solomon. 131 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:08.439 Yeah, he's going down the wrong path. 132 00:06:08.519 --> 00:06:11.680 See what I did there? That transition. We're trying to 133 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:14.839 do cheesy transitions. So if you're a new listener today, 134 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:16.920 that's what we've been trying to find the cheesiest transition 135 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:20.680 we could think of. Yeah, there you go. So Solomon 136 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:24.360 has dishonored God at this point with his life where 137 00:06:24.360 --> 00:06:26.639 he starts to try to blend all these religions together 138 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:29.519 rather than staying true only to God. And it's because 139 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:31.639 of the influence of his wives, the relationships he was 140 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:36.000 in caused him to go down this path. And then 141 00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:38.399 God says, listen, I'm going to take the kingdom away 142 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.000 from your family. I'll let you keep one tribe two 143 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:45.319 he keeps part of Benjamin and Judah, and the other 144 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:48.720 ten are going to leave you. And so some of 145 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:51.680 his enemies begin to rise up. We talked about that yesterday. 146 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:55.240 But then it says here in First King's Chapter eleven, 147 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:58.759 verse twenty six says another rebel leader was Jereboam, son 148 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:02.879 of Nebat, one of Salomon's own officials. He came from 149 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:06.639 the town of Zareda in Ephraim, and his mother was Zarua, 150 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:10.199 a widow. This is a story behind his rebellion. Solomon 151 00:07:10.279 --> 00:07:12.879 was rebuilding the supporting terrocesm repairing the walls of the 152 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:16.240 city of his father, David. Jeroboam was a very capable 153 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:18.439 young man, and when Solomon saw how industrious he was, 154 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.839 he put him in charge of the labor force from 155 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.519 the tribes of Ephraim and Manassa, the descendants of Joseph. 156 00:07:24.839 --> 00:07:27.279 One day, as Jereboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet of 157 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:30.279 Hijah from Shiloh met him along the way. Ahijah was 158 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:33.399 wearing a new cloak. The two of them were alone 159 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:34.920 in a field, and a hydra took hold of the 160 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:37.639 new cloak he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. 161 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:40.600 Then he said that Jeroboam take ten of these pieces, 162 00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:42.439 for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, 163 00:07:42.800 --> 00:07:44.600 I'm about to tear the kingdom of the hand of 164 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:46.839 from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten 165 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:49.240 of the tribes to you. But I will leave him 166 00:07:49.279 --> 00:07:51.600 one tribe for the sake of my servant, David, for 167 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:54.079 the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of 168 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:56.879 all the tribes of Israel. For Solomon has abandoned me 169 00:07:56.920 --> 00:08:00.279 and worshiped Astorreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, Chimas, the 170 00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:02.600 God of Moab, and Molak, the God of the Ammonites. 171 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:05.040 He has not followed my ways and done what is 172 00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:07.720 pleasing in my sight. He has not obeyed my decrees 173 00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:10.439 and regulations as David his father did. But I will 174 00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:12.839 not take the entire kingdom of Solomon at this time, 175 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.199 for the sake of my servant, David, and the one 176 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.480 whom I chose who obeyed my commands and decrees. I 177 00:08:18.519 --> 00:08:20.360 will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his 178 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:23.079 own life, but I will take the kingdom away from 179 00:08:23.079 --> 00:08:25.399 his son and give ten of the tribes to you. 180 00:08:25.839 --> 00:08:28.079 His son will have one tribe, so the descendants of David, 181 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:30.439 my servant, will continue to reign, shining like a lamp 182 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:32.519 in Jerusalem, the city I've chosen to be the place 183 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:34.879 for my name, and I will place you on the 184 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:37.159 throne of Israel, and you will rule over all that 185 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:39.399 your heart desires. If you listen to what I tell 186 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.440 you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider 187 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:44.080 to be right, and if you obey my decrees and 188 00:08:44.120 --> 00:08:46.720 commands as my servant David did, then I will always 189 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:49.559 be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for 190 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:51.559 you as I did for David, and I will give 191 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.639 Israel to you. Because of Solomon's sin, I will punish 192 00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:58.200 the descendants of David, though not forever. Salomon tried to 193 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:01.399 kill Jereboam, but he fled to King Sheshak of Egypt 194 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:05.240 and stayed there until Solomon died. The arrest of the 195 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:07.639 events in Solomon's reigned, including all of his deeds and 196 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:09.360 his wisdom, are recorded in the Book of the Acts 197 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:13.360 of Solomon. Salomon ruled in Jerusalem over all Israel for 198 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.320 forty years, and when he died, he was buried in 199 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:18.240 the city of David, named for his father. Then his 200 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:20.120 son Raya Bauham became the next king. 201 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:24.360 Yeah, well there you go. There's some good things in there. Yes, 202 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:28.399 I like verse twenty six. Another rebel leader was Jeredbaum, 203 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:34.559 son of Nabat, one of Solomon's own officials. Oftentimes, destruction 204 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.519 will come from within, Yeah, so he was on the 205 00:09:37.559 --> 00:09:42.039 wrong path. And it wasn't some like outside invading force. 206 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:45.840 It was literally someone in his own camp that caused 207 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:50.279 this to kind of unfold. So I think that's very interesting. 208 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:53.159 When you're on the sin path, it's going to come 209 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:56.639 from within. It's not some exterior item that's going to 210 00:09:56.679 --> 00:09:57.200 bring you down. 211 00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:00.519 Yeah. And it wasn't that Raabaum did it or did 212 00:10:00.519 --> 00:10:04.000 anything bad. He was just working hard. As a matter 213 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:06.399 of fact, it says that Solomon recognized, man, this guy 214 00:10:06.519 --> 00:10:10.720 is a hard worker. He's very capable, he's a young leader, 215 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.879 and he was very industrious. Right, those are the words. 216 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:17.759 He's young, he's capable, he's industrious, And so Solomon put 217 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:20.440 him in charge of the entire labor force of the 218 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:25.000 tribes of Ephraim and Manassa, which are the descendants of Joseph. Right, 219 00:10:25.559 --> 00:10:30.080 so Fraim winds up being apart from Judah, Ephraim's the 220 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:33.519 most powerful and influential tribe in the Northern tribes. So 221 00:10:33.799 --> 00:10:36.000 there were twelve tribes of Israel. If you don't remember this, 222 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:41.240 let's talk about this just a second. So when Israel 223 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:44.720 gets its name from Jacob, God changed Jacob's name to Israel, right. 224 00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:48.879 And then Jacob had twelve sons, and the twelve tribes 225 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.279 of Israel are the families of the twelve sons. Now, 226 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.639 the Levites didn't have tribal land. The Leevites were set 227 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:58.600 aside to serve the temple, to serve in the synagogues, 228 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:01.919 those kinds of things, right, to serve the people on 229 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:06.080 a religious basis. And then Joseph doesn't have a tribe. Instead, 230 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:10.120 Fraim and Manassa, Joseph's sons each get a tribe, right, 231 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:12.360 And so that's how you get the twelve tribes. All 232 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:18.919 the tribes are basically cousins. Everybody's cousins, and they wind 233 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:21.720 up taking different parts of the nation of Israel. After 234 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:25.519 they crossed the Jordan with Joshua yep and they began 235 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:28.320 to what happened was Joshua kind of took a map 236 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:31.960 and he divided the nation the land based on the 237 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:34.399 size of the tribes and how powerful they were, and 238 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:37.320 they were assigned to go and defeat the enemies in 239 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.639 that area. And then they settled in those towns, in 240 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:42.519 those villages, in those fields, and they manage your own space. 241 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:45.679 So they kind of had this coalition of tribes. It 242 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:48.799 was the nation of Israel. They each had their own governors, 243 00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:51.519 they each had their own leaders. They are essentially, yeah, 244 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:54.840 that's exactly what's in the country, choosing to cooperate, right, 245 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:57.120 So they were the United States of Israel. Is kind 246 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.200 of how it would have been, right, So the states 247 00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:02.080 were sovereign, and then they had a king over them. 248 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:05.840 It's kind of so these tribes. So what happened was Manassa, 249 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:10.919 I mean sorry, Ephriam was the most powerful tribe in 250 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:14.600 the northern ten and Judah by far the largest and 251 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:18.320 most powerful tribe in the south along with Benjamin, and 252 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:21.600 Judah protects Benjamin takes care of Benjamin. So oftentimes Benjamin 253 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:24.879 and Judah are mentioned as one tribe because they shared 254 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:26.720 a border and you couldn't really separate between one and 255 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:29.759 the other, and Benjamin was so small, So that's what happens. 256 00:12:29.799 --> 00:12:32.840 So then here is this young man, he's clearly the 257 00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:39.360 elite leader of the workers of Ephraim and Manassa. Solomon goes, 258 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:42.639 I love this guy. He's great. He's such a good leader. 259 00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:46.000 And then God sends a prophet to Jereboam and says, listen, 260 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.960 God also saw in him, Hey, you could be a 261 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:52.519 good leader. And God makes a similar promise to him 262 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:55.360 that he made to David to Solomon, if you follow me, 263 00:12:55.840 --> 00:13:00.399 I'll make a great nation under you, and your family 264 00:13:00.440 --> 00:13:03.240 will be rulers forever. If you follow me. The opposite 265 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:05.320 is true too. If you disobey me, same thing's going 266 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.720 to happen to you. That is happening to you know, 267 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:08.559 Solomon today. 268 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:11.679 Yeah, there's one little point in here that I kind 269 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:14.559 of find humor in the Bible, and the fact that 270 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:17.799 it's very subtle, and we may have just if you're 271 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.080 reading the Bible, you may have just glanced over it. 272 00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:25.679 But it says and Ahdra was wearing a new cloak. 273 00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:27.399 The two of them were alone in to fill and 274 00:13:27.399 --> 00:13:30.960 Ahijah took hold of the new cloak he was wearing 275 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:34.120 and tore it into twelve pieces. Now, if I'm going 276 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:36.120 to meet someone and I got a new leather coat, 277 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:38.320 yeah yeah, I don't know if I'm going to rip 278 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:39.399 that not that one. 279 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:41.559 Yeah, I'll rip up the old one that I'm not 280 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.799 using But I just thought that was funny. 281 00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:44.000 Yeah. 282 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.519 I wonder if the Lord told him, hey, uh, did 283 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:48.600 you say ahija a hija aja? 284 00:13:48.600 --> 00:13:50.279 I think I might have said he ahja. 285 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:52.120 Yeah. He said, hey, I want you to run down 286 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:57.080 to run down to Macy's, find yourself a nice new coat. Yeah, 287 00:13:57.320 --> 00:13:59.799 I want you to have you got an important meeting. Yeah, 288 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.200 And he goes, oh, okay, he runs down to Macy's 289 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:03.879 and gets yourself a new coat. He goes over to 290 00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:05.600 Jereboam and they go says okay, here's all you know, 291 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:06.879 and tear it in twelve pieces. 292 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:12.799 Yeah, come on, man, we see that happen often in 293 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.519 the label. Well, it's almost as if God is testing 294 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:19.320 us with things. Yeah, you know what's more important me 295 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:21.519 what I told you to do or is it the thing? 296 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:21.919 Yeah? 297 00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:24.080 So I just thought that was very interesting. 298 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.840 And so this this single garment that you know kind 299 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:29.240 of is supposed to represent all of israel tribes. Yeah, 300 00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:30.960 and then he said tear it in twelve pieces, and 301 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:34.240 then ten of them are going to go with you, Jereboam. 302 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:38.360 So that'd be an uncomfortable moment, quite honestly, because there 303 00:14:38.440 --> 00:14:43.360 is no real indication until afterwards there's no real indication 304 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:48.120 that the people hated Solomon. Yeah, right, Israel prospered, Everything 305 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:51.240 was great. Solomon worked them hard and they were ready 306 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:53.559 for a little bit of a break, Yeah, certainly, But 307 00:14:54.519 --> 00:14:58.039 and they drove. You know, he was a real driven leader, 308 00:14:58.360 --> 00:15:00.559 and so I think the people were getting fatigue. But 309 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:03.919 there wasn't like this animosity. You know, David had almost 310 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:07.320 perpetual danger even from within, right, because he was a 311 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:09.360 warmongering kind of a guy, and he had a lot 312 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:12.759 of fighter warriors around him all the time. But Solomon 313 00:15:12.919 --> 00:15:15.399 was more clever and more diplomatic, and it seemed like 314 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.399 things were far more peaceful. So it must have been 315 00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:22.879 weird to Jereboam to suddenly find out. We don't have 316 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:25.840 any indication that he had aspirations to take the kingdom 317 00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:27.519 or to be the king. 318 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:28.360 Right. 319 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:31.840 Everybody knew that Solomon was chosen and that God had 320 00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:35.679 promised David that his kingdom would reign forever, right, all 321 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:38.200 these things, and so I think that this must have 322 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:40.759 been a really weird thing for him to hear it. 323 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:44.080 Maybe similar to David when David was anointed, you know, 324 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:46.759 David just a boy following his sheep, taking care of 325 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:50.159 his dad's business, the youngest of all the sons and 326 00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:52.840 his family, and Samuel comes annoys him, says, you're gonna 327 00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.480 be the next king. It must have been weird for 328 00:15:54.559 --> 00:15:57.919 David because David's like, we already have a king. How's 329 00:15:57.960 --> 00:15:58.639 this going to work? 330 00:15:58.759 --> 00:15:58.919 Right? 331 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.759 And all of Israel knew the stories. They would rehearse 332 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:05.080 all the stories of David. All the children would have 333 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:07.759 grown up knowing the stories. And so here's David anointed 334 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:14.639 king and running from Saul for you know, decades, decades. 335 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:17.720 He's running from Saul. And I wonder if jere Bohm's like, 336 00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:21.039 oh no, yeah, I'm not even sure I want this job, right. 337 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:24.159 So it's sometimes God just chooses you to do a thing, 338 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:26.639 and you know, even when you're not looking for it. 339 00:16:26.679 --> 00:16:28.720 And jere Bohm had to have the courage to say, Okay, God, 340 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:30.919 you know I will follow you. I'll do what you 341 00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:31.440 told me to do. 342 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:34.399 But here's the interesting thing, Jeff, along the lines of 343 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:36.679 what you're talking about in verse thirty three, at the end, 344 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:41.600 you know it's talking about obedience. I think for a 345 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:45.080 lot of people it can be difficult to be obedient 346 00:16:45.559 --> 00:16:49.879 when you can't see the next steps you know oftentimes, 347 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:52.519 you know, God doesn't tell us he'll give you the 348 00:16:52.559 --> 00:16:55.480 initial command. Then we have to trust him and have 349 00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:59.120 faith that everything is going to work out. But oftentimes 350 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:02.480 we as human being things, we want the first step, 351 00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:06.160 and then we want a diagram and then GPS coordinates 352 00:17:06.359 --> 00:17:09.039 and then a line graph of how all this is 353 00:17:09.079 --> 00:17:10.960 going to pan out and work out, and how God 354 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.640 is going to do it, when he's going to do it, 355 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:14.359 where the money is going to come from, how he's 356 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:16.279 going to fix it. And God is saying, I'm not 357 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.039 giving you any of that now. I just want you 358 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:20.960 to do step one right. And it's just difficult for 359 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:21.680 a lot of people. 360 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:25.200 I've developed the habit of trying to do whatever the 361 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:27.319 next thing is God God wants me to do right, 362 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:31.319 and I don't always do it. But as your faith grows, 363 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.359 and as you grow a maturity, and as you become 364 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:35.839 more and more convinced that God keeps his promises and 365 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.039 that God causes all things to work together for good 366 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:39.640 for those who love Him and are called according to 367 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.440 His purpose Romas eight twenty eight, all those things. The 368 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:45.079 more you become convinced that God's going to follow through, 369 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.440 the less fearful you are about six steps down the road, right, 370 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:50.559 So I've tried to do that in my life. So 371 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:54.079 a number of years ago, was it twenty twenty, I 372 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.480 don't know if you heard twenty twenty was kind of 373 00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:58.200 a rough year. It's like a blur, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, 374 00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:59.039 that's a rough year. 375 00:17:59.160 --> 00:17:59.400 Yeah. 376 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:02.759 So right at the end of twenty twenty, you know, 377 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:08.039 COVID's going on, everything's shut down, what to do, And 378 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:10.720 we were on a really great role at Heritage Church 379 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:14.519 right prior to this, and so things were going great, 380 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:16.000 and all of a sudden, the whole world just kind 381 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:17.519 of collapses around us. And then at the end of 382 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:19.680 twenty twenty two, I find out I had cancer. At 383 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:22.920 the time, and I've got all these plans. You know, 384 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:24.880 I'm fairly young, especially at the time, I was still 385 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:30.799 in my forties, and I just it was I was frustrated, 386 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.039 like kind of ticked off, like, come on, man. 387 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:35.200 Out of all time, right, and. 388 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.839 I just I felt like I had more I wanted 389 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:41.640 to do, and I was frustrated with that. And I 390 00:18:41.680 --> 00:18:45.599 was kind of coming into that age where now all 391 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:49.119 these years of preparation and work, now just you're in 392 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.160 that sweet spot and leadership in your early fifties, you know, 393 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:54.440 is where you should be anyways. And so that's I 394 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:56.519 was thinking, Man, I'm coming into that season. This is 395 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:58.359 going to be such a powerful time. And then I 396 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:00.640 found out have cancer and think Boh might die, and 397 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:03.039 it wound up me. It was a bad kind of cancer. 398 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:05.960 As opposed to all those good cancers out there, This 399 00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:08.160 this was was kind of aggressive. This had a potential 400 00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:15.119 to be a really really aggressive cancer. So the uh, 401 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:17.000