Weekly Guide：2024-2025 Week 38

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Weekly Guide：2024-2025 Week 38

September 22, 2024

Week 38 Day 1: King Jehoshaphat's Reign ⇧ ⇩

Question

What did Jehoshaphat do in the third year of his reign?

Scripture Reading

Meditation: God’s Story

Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel.
In the third year of his reign he sent his officials taking with them the Book of the Law of the Lord to teach people in the towns of Judah.
The fear of the Lord fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat but paid tributes.
Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab king of Israel by marriage.
Ahab urged Jehoshaphat to attack Ramoth Gilead together. Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel to first seek the counsel of the Lord through the prophets.
The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah asked him to speak favorably. But Micaiah spoke only the word of the Lord to warn Ahab.
Ahab put Micaiah in prison and made him suffer.
The king of Israel entered the battle in disguise but was shot dead by a random arrow.

Meditation: My Story

Integrity - In what stage of Jehoshaphat’s life did he ally with Ahab? What can I learn from that? How should I treat the wealth God has given me?
Fidelity - Jehoshaphat prepared himself against Israel and obeyed God, followed His law. What can I learn from Jehoshaphat of the relationship between my own responsibilities and God’s work?
Fidelity - Jehoshaphat motivated many of his officials to teach people with the Book of the Law of the Lord. How may I co-work by my fellow Christians to encourage all people to read Bible and to grow spiritually?

Prayer

Notes and Responses

Week 38 Day 2: Jehoshaphat's new Policy ⇧ ⇩

Question

What new policies did Jehoshaphat put in place in Judah?

Scripture Reading

Meditation: God’s Story

Jehoshaphat returned safely to Jerusalem. Jehu the seer son of Hanani exhorted Jehoshaphat that he should not have helped the wicked.
Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and he went out again among the people and turned them back to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
In Jerusalem, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites, priests and heads of Israelite families to administer the law of the Lord and to settle disputes.
The Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. Jehoshaphat stood up at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and prayed.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel son of Zechariah and told them “not to be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle is not yours but God’s.
Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
The fear of God came on all the surrounding kingdoms when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel.
Jehoshaphat reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people still had not set their hearts on the God of their ancestors.
Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, whose ways were wicked. The Lord would destroy their ships.

Meditation: My Story

Identity - Read again Jehoshaphat’s prayer when he faced the enemies. What can I learn from that?
Fidelity - Jehoshaphat’s reform of his governance was to follow God’s standard. How does this inspire me? What attitude and knowledge should I have on the politics and laws of the world?

Prayer

Notes and Responses

Week 38 Day 3: Bad king Jehoram ⇧ ⇩

Question

What disasters did Jehoram bring to Judah during the eight years of his reign?

Scripture Reading

Meditation: God’s Story

Jehoram succeeded Jehoshaphat as king. When Jehoram established himself firmly over his father’s kingdom, he put all his brothers to the sword along with some of the officials of Israel. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and did evil in the eyes of the Lord.
In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his ancestors.
He had also built high places on the hills of Judah and had caused the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves and had led Judah astray.
Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet to warn him of the Lord’s judgment.
The Philistines and of the Arabs who lived near the Cushites became hostile against Jehoram. His bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great pain.
Ahaziah, Jehoram’s youngest son, succeeded him as king and reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother encouraged him to act wickedly.
Ahaziah went visit Jehoram and was killed by Jehu.
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, hid Joash son of Ahaziah at the temple of God for six years.

Meditation: My Story

Identity - Although Jehoram’s grew up in the house of Jehoshaphat, his father, who did right in the eyes of the Lord but Jehoram did evil in the eyes of the Lord. Do our children who grew up in Christian families truly know and seek God?

Prayer

Notes and Responses

Week 38 Day 4: Reign of Joash ⇧ ⇩

Question

Why did Joash behave differently before and after Jehoiada’s death?

Scripture Reading

Meditation: God’s Story

Jehoiada showed his strength. He made a covenant with the heads of Israelite families from all the towns and made Joash king.
Athaliah was slain at the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds.
Jehoiada then made a covenant that he, the people and the king would be the Lord’s people.
Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years of Jehoiada the priest.
Joash decided to restore the temple of the Lord.
After the death of Jehoiada, Joash abandoned the temple of the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols.
Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest warned the people but was stoned to death by Joash’s order.
The army of Aram marched against Joash, killed all the leaders of the people. Joash was severely wounded and his officials conspired against and killed him in his bed.

Meditation: My Story

Community - Why did Joash become a different person after Jehoiada’s death? Has God sent someone faithful to mentor or guide me?
Fidelity - Jehoiada believed firmly in the Lord’s promises which gave him the strength to bring up Joash as king. How does this inspire me of my faith and servitude?

Prayer

Notes and Responses

Week 38 Day 5: Judah king Amaziah ⇧ ⇩

Question

What transpired as result of Amaziah’s not being wholehearted?

Scripture Reading

Meditation: God’s Story

Amaziah reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not wholeheartedly.
Amaziah hired a hundred thousand fighting men from Israel but was stopped by a man of God.
Amaziah led his army to the Valley of Salt, where he killed ten thousand men of Seir. He brought back the gods of the people of Seir and set them up as his own gods.
Amaziah sent challenge to Jehoash king of Israel. Judah was routed by Israel.
Some conspired against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there.
Uzziah reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God. He had leprosy on his forehead until the day he died. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

Meditation: My Story

Identity - What was Amaziah’s downfall? Where was he not wholehearted? What warning do I see in his failure?
Integrity - Uzziah’s pride came about from his successes. How may I not fall by my successes?

Prayer

Notes and Responses

Week 38 Day 6: Judah king Ahaz ⇧ ⇮

Question

What similarities and differences are there between king Jotham and Ahaz?

Scripture Reading

Meditation: God’s Story

Jotham reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but he did not enter the temple of the Lord. The people, however, continued their corrupt practices.
Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord.
The Lord his God delivered Ahaz into the hands of the king of Aram. The Arameans defeated him. He was also given into the hands of the king of Israel, who inflicted heavy casualties on him.
King Ahaz sent to the kings of Assyria for help. Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came to him, but he gave him trouble instead of help.
In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him.

Meditation: My Story

Identity - Jotham’s strength grew because he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. What attitude should I hold toward the blessings and riches of my life? Let me count my blessings.
Identity - In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the Lord. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him. Why is it that we call on God when facing difficulties, but stray away from Him in other times?