DAY 256 -BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE UNITED MONARCHY

by Gillian D'achada
“THEN THE KING SAID TO HER, ‘WHAT IS TROUBLING YOU’? AND SHE AN- SWERED, “THIS WOMAN SAID TO ME, ‘GIVE YOUR SON, THAT WE MAY EAT HIM TODAY, AND WE WILL EAT MY SON TOMORROW.’ 29 SO WE BOILED MY SON, AND ATE HIM. AND I SAID TO HER ON THE NEXT DAY, ‘GIVE YOUR SON, THAT WE MAY EAT HIM’; BUT SHE HAS HIDDEN HER SON” (NKJV). 
2 KINGS 6: 28-29

Reading: 2 Kings 6:24-7:20 

Our reading for today offers a truly bizarre story of two mothers eating their own children. This is because many of the Covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28) were starting to happen to Israel. One of the worst of these was to be besieged by their enemies, starve inside their cities and be forced to eat the dead. 


The bizarre story we read of took place during the reign of Jehoram, when ben-Hadad, King of Syria, came against Israel and attacked it. The LORD was kind in this circumstance to Israel as the LORD sent the Syrians fleeing away from Israel by producing the sound of chariots, scaring them off. This event served as a warning to encourage the Israelites to turn back to the LORD, seek Him for deliverance and listen to His word through the Prophets. The word of the LORD through the prophet Elisha was proven true. 

It is amazing how patient the LORD is and slow to anger when He could have easily handed them over to their enemies. 


Prayer

Dear Father, thank You for Your patience and mercy. May we learn from the Israelites not to turn from Your commands. Thank you Lord for taking the consequences of our sins upon the cross, in the New Covenant. 

For the family

Our story for today would naturally be very disturbing for children. So, rather continue teaching them about how God communicates with us. Discuss one or more of the examples below. 

  1. God speaks through His Word 

2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scripture is “God-breathed.” His Word sometimes gives us a warning, a word of encouragement, or a lesson for life. It’s ”His-story”–written with love as God’s guide for life, “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

That means God is whispering, and sometimes shouting, all through His Word, giving us instructions and principles for life. 

  1. Through nature and creation 

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse ” Romans 1:20, NIV). Through the intricate details and magnificent beauty of all that God has made, we can “hear” His voice. How? By observing the ant’s strength to store up food all summer long, we learn about wisdom and industriousness. By studying the heavens, we understand more of God’s greatness. And through planting and growing a garden, we “hear” about miracles of death and rebirth. God designed–and spoke them all into existence. 

  1. Through Other Believers 

God may use a friend, a teacher, a parent, or a preacher to convey His message of truth to us. Their words may come as a warning, a blessing, or as a prophetic truth about our lives.Whether we choose to hear it or ignore it, depends on us. Do their words line up with Scripture? Will God confirm or affirm that truth in us? “The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere” (James 3:17, NIV). 

  1. Through Music 

One of the ways we can sense God’s presence is when we are praising and worshipping to music. That’s because the Bible says God inhabits/live in the praises of His people. 

5. Through dreams and visions
6. Directly, through His indwelling Spirit
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