Ethan: Welcome To Immerse: The Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day 200 and 26
Now, there was a man named Naboth from Jezreel who owned a
vineyard in Jezreel beside the Palace of King, Ahab of Samaria.
One day, Ahab said to Naboth, since your vineyard is so convenient
to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden.
I will give you a better vineyard and exchange.
Or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.
But Naboth replied, the Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance
that was passed down by my ancestors.
So Ahab went home angry and suen because of Naboth answer.
The king went to bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat.
What's the matter?
His wife, Jezebel asked him, what's made you so upset that you're not eating?
I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused.
Ahab told her.
Are you the King of Israel or not?
Jezebel demanded, get up and eat something and don't worry about it.
I'll get you Naboth Vineyard.
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent
them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived.
In her letters.
She commanded.
Call the citizens together for a time of fasting and give Naboth a place of honor.
And then see two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of
cursing God and the king, then take him out and stone him to death.
So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions.
Jezebel had written in the letters.
They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people.
Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him, and they
accused Naboth before all the people saying he cursed God and the king.
So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death.
The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel.
Naboth has been stoned to death.
When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, you know, the
vineyard Naboth wouldn't sell you.
Well, you can have it now.
He's dead.
So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it.
But the Lord said to Elijah, go down to meet King Ahab of
Israel who rules in Samaria.
He will be at Naboth S Vineyard in Jezreel, claiming it for himself.
Give him this message.
This is what the Lord says.
Wasn't it enough that you killed Naboth?
Must you rob him too?
Because you have done this.
Dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of nbo.
So my enemy, you have found me.
Ahab exclaimed to Elijah.
Yes, Elijah answered.
I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord's sight.
So now the Lord says, I will bring disaster on you and consume you.
I will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and
free alike anywhere in Israel.
I'm going to destroy your family as I did the family of Jere Beum, son
of Neba and the family of Be Sha son of a hijah for you have made me very
angry and have led Israel into sin.
And regarding Jezebel, the Lord says, dogs will eat jezebel's
body at the plot of land.
In Jezreel.
The members of Ahab's family who die in the city will be eaten by
dogs and those who die in the field.
Will be eaten by vultures, no one else.
So completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord's sight as Ahab did
under the influence of his wife Jezebel.
His worst outrage was worshiping idols just as the Amorites had done.
The people whom the Lord had driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites.
But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing dressed in burlap and fasted.
He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning.
Then another message from the Lord came to Elijah.
Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me?
Because he has done this.
I will not do what I promised during his lifetime.
It will happen to his sons.
I will destroy his dynasty
For three years.
There was no war between Aram and Israel.
Then during the third year, king Jehoshaphat of Judah went
to visit King Ahab of Israel.
During the visit, the King of Israel said to his officials, do you realize
that the town of Ramh, Gilead belongs to us and yet we've done nothing to
recapture it from the King of Aram?
Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, will you join me in
battle to recover Ray Gilead?
Jehoshaphat replied to the King of Israel.
Why?
Of course you and I are as one.
My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.
Then Jehoshaphat added.
But first let's find out what the Lord says.
So the King of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and
asked them, should I go to war against Ramah, Gilead, or should I hold back?
They all replied, yes, go right ahead.
The Lord will give the king victory.
But Jehoshaphat asked, is there not also a prophet of the Lord?
Here, we should ask him the same question.
The King of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat.
There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him.
He never prophesied anything but trouble for me.
His name is McKay, son of Ila.
Jehoshaphat replied, that's not the way a king should talk.
Let's hear what he has to say.
So the King of Israel called one of his officials and said, quick bring
McKay son of mla, king Ahab of Israel.
And King Jehoshaphat of Judah dressed in their royal robes.
We're sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria.
All of Ahab's prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
One of them Zakiah, son of Ana, made some iron horns and proclaimed this is
what the Lord says with these horns, you will gore the Ians to death.
All the other prophets agreed yes, they said Go up to Ramh,
Gilead and be victorious.
For the Lord will give the king victory.
Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get McKay said to him, look, all the prophets
are promising victory for the king.
Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.
But McKay replied, as surely as the Lord lives, I will say only
what the Lord tells me to say.
When McKay arrived before the King Ahab asked him, McKay,
should we go to war against Mout, Gilead, or should we hold back?
McKay replied sarcastically, yes, go up and be victorious.
For the Lord will give the king victory.
But the king replied sharply, how many times must I demand
that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord?
Then McKay told him in a vision, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains
like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said their master has been killed.
Send them home in peace.
Didn't I tell you, the King of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat.
He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.
Then McKay continued.
Listen to what the Lord says.
I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around
him, on his right and on his left, and the Lord said, who can entice
Ahab to go into battle against Ramh Gilead so he can be killed?
There were many suggestions, and finally a spirit approached
the Lord and said, I can do it.
How will you do this?
The Lord asked, and the spirit replied, I will go out and inspire
all of Ahab's prophets to speak lies you will succeed, said the Lord.
Go ahead and do it.
So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets.
For the Lord has pronounced your doom.
Then Zedekiah son of Ana walked up to McKay and slapped him across the
face since When did the spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?
He demanded and McKay replied, you will find out soon enough when you are
trying to hide in some secret room.
Arrest him.
The King of Israel ordered.
Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city and to my son, Joe Ash.
Give them this order from the king.
Put this man in prison and feed him nothing but bread and water until
I return safely from the battle.
But McKay replied, if you return safely, it will mean that the
Lord has not spoken through me.
Then he added to those standing around everyone, mark my words.
So King Ahab of Israel and King Jeha, Shaphat of Judah led their
armies against Ramah, Gilead.
The King of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, as we go into battle, I will disguise
myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.
So the King of Israel disguised himself and they went into battle.
Meanwhile, the King of Aram had issued these orders to his
32 chariot commanders attack.
Only the King of Israel don't bother with anyone else.
So when the Ian Chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal
robes, they went after him.
There is the King of Israel.
They shouted.
But when Jehoshaphat called out, the chariot commanders realized
he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him.
An Ian soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite
troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor.
Turn the horses and get me out of here.
Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot.
I'm badly wounded.
The battle raged all that day and the king remained propped up
in his chariot facing the Ians.
The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot,
and as evening arrived, he died.
Just as the sun was setting the cry ran through his troops.
We're done for run for your lives.
So the king died and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there.
Then his chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria and dogs came
and licked his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed.
Just as the Lord had promised the rest of the events in Ahab's reign and
everything he did, including the story of the Ivory palace and the towns he
built, are recorded in the book of the history of the Kings of Israel.
So Ahab died and his son Aah, became the next king.
This concludes today's Immer reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.