7/30/2022 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27, Romans 13:1-14, Psalm 23:1-6, Proverbs 20:11

Today is the 30th day of July. Wow, one more day, we get to end a month as we start a new week tomorrow. One more day in this 7th month of the year. And so, we here are with today and tomorrow. And I’m excited to see what the scriptures bring into our lives, things for us to be edified by and uplifted by and challenged by. And so, let’s dive in. We’ve been reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Which is what we’ll do today. And picking up where we left off yesterday we’ll lead us back into the book of 2nd Chronicles. Today, chapters 26, 27 and 28.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. And we have now come to the full completion of this month, with only one day remaining. So, we look back over this month and we thank You for all that You have spoken into our lives, all that You have touched, all that You have comforted, all that You have challenged. And the way that You have led us forward, step-by-step, day-by-day. And so, come Holy Spirit and plant what we’ve read this month into the soil of our lives, that the fruit of this Spirit may burst forth in abundance, spilling out of us into the world. And we pray along with what the Apostle Paul said in the letter to the Romans. Jesus, may You be as near to us as the clothes we wear. And Holy Spirit, come, as we continue to contemplate and consider what life looks like if our posture were to live it as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You. Come, Holy Spirit, into this we pray. In the precious and mighty name of Jesus we ask. Amen.

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And that’s it for today, I’m Brian, I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here, tomorrow. 

07/31/2022 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 29:1-36, Romans 14:1-23, Psalms 24:1-10, Proverbs 20:12

Today is the 31st day of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian it is great to be here with you today as we take the next step forward together. And of course, this is the last day of the month of July, the seventh month of the year. And, so, well done. Seven months we’ve been together, and this last step will conclude this month and then we’ll just start a new month. That’s what we do, just keep going forward day by day step-by-step. But it’s good to be here with you at the end of this month of July. We are ending a month and starting a brand-new shiny sparkly week. And, so, something ends, and something begins, and we keep moving forward. This week we will read from the New International Version. We will also conclude the book of second Chronicles this week. We will also conclude Paul’s letter to the Romans this week. So, a lot of endings and a lot of new beginnings happening in the next week as we get settled into the new month of August. But here we are, last day of July. Let’s take the next step forward together. And that leads us back into second Chronicles. Today, second Chronicles chapter 29.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word and we…we are grateful. We appreciate. We sit here and appreciate that You have brought us to the final day of the seventh month of the year, that You have brought us this far. And there is plenty far to go, but You will bring us through. And, so, we are grateful in this moment of time. And as we move forward into this week and into a new month and ending books, and beginning new books, Holy Spirit come and lead us into all truth. This is a continual prayer. This is our desire. This is what we need, that You would lead and guide our steps and that You would illuminate in the Scriptures what we need to know to live this life according to Your purpose and according to Your will. Align our will with Your will so that we might be of one mind, collaborating, and putting things back together again. Come Holy Spirit we pray into all of this and we ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Hello DAB family Will Beverlin here from Strasburg Virginia. I’ve been listening for I think probably almost 10 years now. Multiple times calling in, multiple prayer requests have come in. My stepson was killed two years ago in an accident and called in for that. But there’s a gentleman on the 26th who called in about losing his friend to alcohol addiction. Well, I am in sympathy with you because I have just lost my father to the same thing just this past Sunday and he had taken several falls. He was 69 years old and for decades I had been trying to influence him to put down the alcohol and embrace his family. Last couple of years he went to a lake house he owns and isolated himself and just…where there was no accountability and essentially, he…he self-medicated himself to death, if you could put it that way. So, please prayers for the family. Going down right now to finish making the final arrangements for his final disposition if you will and from there, we’ll do memorial services and things like that for friends and family as they’re able to attend. So, please pray for the wisdom and strength of me that I can be a shining light for the gospel amongst my family and that…for traveling mercies and all the like. I thank you guys very much. I love this community. I am very faithful listening every day. So, thank you very much for everything. Goodbye.

Hi DAB family it’s Testimony in Progress in Northern Queens in the UK calling. I just…I just dropped off my stepdaughter at her friends and I just feel like I need to ask for prayers for her. Her name is Tia and she’s 22 years old and she’s suffering from fear of being on her own like, really bad. She’s always on the phone and she’s always on the FaceTime. She even sleeps with FaceTime with someone. She can’t just be on her own. And I was…and I was…probably because God’s knocking on her door now because I’ve been praying for her for years now. But she’s just…she’s just scared of being on her own. She always needs someone around. And I just think…I just think it’s really damaging her because she’s suffering now mentally and like she can’t work properly. She always has to call in sick because she’s struggling with mental health issues. And I just…I just really don’t want her to suffer like that. Can you please pray for her? Thank you.

Hello DAB family this is Jared from Ohio. I’ve been trying to figure out whether or not to call in but I mean things are going really good for me, but I’ve got some craziness going on too and I’m super excited to hear from Jonathan in Denver and don't…don’t give up because it sounds like you moving in the right direction. I’ve been praying for you for a while now even since the middle of last year. But I got a lot of transition going on in my life right now. So, if you would pray for me and my family and my church. We are looking for a new pastor because God has called our senior minister to a…to a new ministry and I know he’s going to do great things. So, but it’s a…it’s a hard transition for me. And just about 5 minutes ago there’s been an explosion on the other side of work. And, so, I wanted you guys to pray for that situation. And I don’t even know what all is going on with it but…but I know you guys are so generous in the prayers and just the ability to to love on people and to…and to share your concern and to share God’s love with people. So, I just appreciate that about this community, and I thank you so much. And Travis you’ve been on my heart too. Just I…I…I see her passion. I hear your love and wanting to do things in God’s way and I'm…and I’m praying that that you can accomplish that. So, I know I’m rambling about 5,000,000 different things but I…I appreciate this and just the opportunity to be able to call.

Hi Brian, this is Cory in Green Bay Wisconsin and I wanted to thank you for…for 10 years of your podcast, I’ve been listening to it. I started listening to it when I was living in Scottsdale about 10 years ago and I was going through a painful opiate painkiller addiction and I was brought into rehab and I came across your podcast. And after about eight or nine months I decided to become a Christian and I got baptized in Scottsdale. And I actually met you. You were out in that area about 10 years ago when I met you and your family. It was very pleasant. Now I’m living in a Green Bay and I’m having another very difficult time. I lost my job and I’m a little concerned, a little bit nervous but I feel confident every day when I…I listen to your podcast and the community of prayer that you offer for everybody. And I want to thank you and I want to ask your community to pray for me and help me get through this…this current crisis I have here. Thank you Daily.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Sunday July 31, 2022 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 29

Hezekiah Purifies the Temple(A)

29 Hezekiah(B) was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David(C) had done.

In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired(D) them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate(E) yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Our parents(F) were unfaithful;(G) they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him. They also shut the doors of the portico and put out the lamps. They did not burn incense(H) or present any burnt offerings at the sanctuary to the God of Israel. Therefore, the anger of the Lord has fallen on Judah and Jerusalem; he has made them an object of dread and horror(I) and scorn,(J) as you can see with your own eyes. This is why our fathers have fallen by the sword and why our sons and daughters and our wives are in captivity.(K) 10 Now I intend to make a covenant(L) with the Lord, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger(M) will turn away from us. 11 My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before him and serve him,(N) to minister(O) before him and to burn incense.”

12 Then these Levites(P) set to work:

from the Kohathites,

Mahath son of Amasai and Joel son of Azariah;

from the Merarites,

Kish son of Abdi and Azariah son of Jehallelel;

from the Gershonites,

Joah son of Zimmah and Eden(Q) son of Joah;

13 from the descendants of Elizaphan,(R)

Shimri and Jeiel;

from the descendants of Asaph,(S)

Zechariah and Mattaniah;

14 from the descendants of Heman,

Jehiel and Shimei;

from the descendants of Jeduthun,

Shemaiah and Uzziel.

15 When they had assembled their fellow Levites and consecrated themselves, they went in to purify(T) the temple of the Lord, as the king had ordered, following the word of the Lord. 16 The priests went into the sanctuary of the Lord to purify it. They brought out to the courtyard of the Lord’s temple everything unclean that they found in the temple of the Lord. The Levites took it and carried it out to the Kidron Valley.(U) 17 They began the consecration on the first day of the first month, and by the eighth day of the month they reached the portico of the Lord. For eight more days they consecrated the temple of the Lord itself, finishing on the sixteenth day of the first month.

18 Then they went in to King Hezekiah and reported: “We have purified the entire temple of the Lord, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the table for setting out the consecrated bread, with all its articles. 19 We have prepared and consecrated all the articles(V) that King Ahaz removed in his unfaithfulness while he was king. They are now in front of the Lord’s altar.”

20 Early the next morning King Hezekiah gathered the city officials together and went up to the temple of the Lord. 21 They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven male lambs and seven male goats(W) as a sin offering[a](X) for the kingdom, for the sanctuary and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, the descendants of Aaron, to offer these on the altar of the Lord. 22 So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests took the blood and splashed it against the altar; next they slaughtered the rams and splashed their blood against the altar; then they slaughtered the lambs and splashed their blood(Y) against the altar. 23 The goats(Z) for the sin offering were brought before the king and the assembly, and they laid their hands(AA) on them. 24 The priests then slaughtered the goats and presented their blood on the altar for a sin offering to atone(AB) for all Israel, because the king had ordered the burnt offering and the sin offering for all Israel.(AC)

25 He stationed the Levites in the temple of the Lord with cymbals, harps and lyres in the way prescribed by David(AD) and Gad(AE) the king’s seer and Nathan the prophet; this was commanded by the Lord through his prophets. 26 So the Levites stood ready with David’s instruments,(AF) and the priests with their trumpets.(AG)

27 Hezekiah gave the order to sacrifice the burnt offering on the altar. As the offering began, singing to the Lord began also, accompanied by trumpets and the instruments(AH) of David king of Israel. 28 The whole assembly bowed in worship, while the musicians played and the trumpets sounded. All this continued until the sacrifice of the burnt offering(AI) was completed.

29 When the offerings were finished, the king and everyone present with him knelt down and worshiped.(AJ) 30 King Hezekiah and his officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and bowed down and worshiped.

31 Then Hezekiah said, “You have now dedicated yourselves to the Lord. Come and bring sacrifices(AK) and thank offerings to the temple of the Lord.” So the assembly brought sacrifices and thank offerings, and all whose hearts were willing(AL) brought burnt offerings.

32 The number of burnt offerings(AM) the assembly brought was seventy bulls, a hundred rams and two hundred male lambs—all of them for burnt offerings to the Lord. 33 The animals consecrated as sacrifices amounted to six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep and goats. 34 The priests, however, were too few to skin all the burnt offerings;(AN) so their relatives the Levites helped them until the task was finished and until other priests had been consecrated,(AO) for the Levites had been more conscientious in consecrating themselves than the priests had been. 35 There were burnt offerings in abundance, together with the fat(AP) of the fellowship offerings(AQ) and the drink offerings(AR) that accompanied the burnt offerings.

So the service of the temple of the Lord was reestablished. 36 Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced at what God had brought about for his people, because it was done so quickly.(AS)

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:21 Or purification offering; also in verses 23 and 24

Cross references:

  1. 2 Chronicles 29:1 : 29:1-2pp — 2Ki 18:2-3
  2. 2 Chronicles 29:1 : S 1Ch 3:13
  3. 2 Chronicles 29:2 : 2Ch 34:2
  4. 2 Chronicles 29:3 : 2Ki 18:16
  5. 2 Chronicles 29:5 : S Lev 11:44; Ne 13:9
  6. 2 Chronicles 29:6 : Ezr 9:7; Ps 106:6-47; Jer 2:27; 18:17; Eze 23:35; Da 9:5-6
  7. 2 Chronicles 29:6 : S 1Ch 5:25
  8. 2 Chronicles 29:7 : S Ex 30:7
  9. 2 Chronicles 29:8 : S Dt 28:25
  10. 2 Chronicles 29:8 : S Lev 26:32; Jer 18:16; 19:8; 25:9, 18
  11. 2 Chronicles 29:9 : 2Ch 28:5-8, 17
  12. 2 Chronicles 29:10 : S 2Ki 11:17; S 2Ch 23:16
  13. 2 Chronicles 29:10 : S Nu 25:4; 2Ch 30:8; Ezr 10:14
  14. 2 Chronicles 29:11 : S Nu 3:6; 8:6, 14
  15. 2 Chronicles 29:11 : S 1Ch 15:2
  16. 2 Chronicles 29:12 : S Nu 3:17-20
  17. 2 Chronicles 29:12 : 2Ch 31:15
  18. 2 Chronicles 29:13 : S Ex 6:22
  19. 2 Chronicles 29:13 : S 1Ch 6:39
  20. 2 Chronicles 29:15 : S 1Ch 23:28; S Isa 1:25
  21. 2 Chronicles 29:16 : S 2Sa 15:23
  22. 2 Chronicles 29:19 : 2Ch 28:24
  23. 2 Chronicles 29:21 : Ezr 6:17; 8:35
  24. 2 Chronicles 29:21 : S Lev 4:13-14
  25. 2 Chronicles 29:22 : S Lev 4:18; Nu 18:17
  26. 2 Chronicles 29:23 : S Lev 16:5
  27. 2 Chronicles 29:23 : Lev 4:15
  28. 2 Chronicles 29:24 : S Ex 29:36; Lev 4:26
  29. 2 Chronicles 29:24 : 1Ch 11:1; Ezr 8:35
  30. 2 Chronicles 29:25 : S 1Ch 25:6; 28:19
  31. 2 Chronicles 29:25 : S 1Sa 22:5
  32. 2 Chronicles 29:26 : S 1Ch 15:16
  33. 2 Chronicles 29:26 : S 1Ch 15:24
  34. 2 Chronicles 29:27 : S 1Sa 16:16
  35. 2 Chronicles 29:28 : S 2Ch 2:4
  36. 2 Chronicles 29:29 : S 2Ch 20:18
  37. 2 Chronicles 29:31 : Heb 13:15-16
  38. 2 Chronicles 29:31 : S Ex 25:2; 35:22
  39. 2 Chronicles 29:32 : Lev 1:1-17
  40. 2 Chronicles 29:34 : Eze 44:11
  41. 2 Chronicles 29:34 : 2Ch 30:3, 15
  42. 2 Chronicles 29:35 : S Ge 4:4; S Ex 29:13
  43. 2 Chronicles 29:35 : Lev 7:11-21
  44. 2 Chronicles 29:35 : S Ge 35:14
  45. 2 Chronicles 29:36 : 2Ch 35:8
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

14 Accept the one whose faith is weak,(A) without quarreling over disputable matters. One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables.(B) The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt(C) the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge(D) the one who does, for God has accepted them. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?(E) To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

One person considers one day more sacred than another;(F) another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God;(G) and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives for ourselves alone,(H) and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.(I) For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life(J) so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.(K)

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt?(L) For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.(M) 11 It is written:

“‘As surely as I live,’(N) says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b](O)

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.(P)

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment(Q) on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.(R) 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself.(S) But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean.(T) 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.(U) Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died.(V) 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil.(W) 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,(X) but of righteousness, peace(Y) and joy in the Holy Spirit,(Z) 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.(AA)

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace(AB) and to mutual edification.(AC) 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.(AD) All food is clean,(AE) but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.(AF) 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.(AG)

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn(AH) himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts(AI) is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.[c]

Footnotes:

  1. Romans 14:10 The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in verses 13, 15 and 21.
  2. Romans 14:11 Isaiah 45:23
  3. Romans 14:23 Some manuscripts place 16:25-27 here; others after 15:33.
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Psalm 24

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

The earth is the Lord’s,(A) and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;(B)
for he founded it on the seas
and established it on the waters.(C)

Who may ascend the mountain(D) of the Lord?
Who may stand in his holy place?(E)
The one who has clean hands(F) and a pure heart,(G)
who does not trust in an idol(H)
or swear by a false god.[a]

They will receive blessing(I) from the Lord
and vindication(J) from God their Savior.
Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek your face,(K) God of Jacob.[b][c]

Lift up your heads, you gates;(L)
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King(M) of glory(N) may come in.(O)
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,(P)
the Lord mighty in battle.(Q)
Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is he, this King of glory?
The Lord Almighty(R)
he is the King of glory.

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 24:4 Or swear falsely
  2. Psalm 24:6 Two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts face, Jacob
  3. Psalm 24:6 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 10.
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 20:12

12 Ears that hear and eyes that see—
the Lord has made them both.(A)

Cross references:

  1. Proverbs 20:12 : S Ps 94:9
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Saturday July 30, 2022 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 26-28

King Uzziah of Judah

(2 Kings 14.21,22; 15.1-7)

26 1-3 After the death of King Amaziah, the people of Judah crowned his son Uzziah[a] king, even though he was only 16 at the time. Uzziah ruled 52 years from Jerusalem, the hometown of his mother Jecoliah. During his rule, he recaptured and rebuilt the town of Elath.

He obeyed the Lord by doing right, as his father Amaziah had done. Zechariah was Uzziah's advisor and taught him to obey God. And so, as long as Zechariah was alive, Uzziah was faithful to God, and God made him successful.

While Uzziah was king, he started a war against the Philistines. He smashed the walls of the cities of Gath, Jabneh, and Ashdod, then rebuilt towns around Ashdod and in other parts of Philistia. God helped him defeat the Philistines, the Arabs living in Gur-Baal, and the Meunites. Even the Ammonites paid taxes to Uzziah. He became very powerful, and people who lived as far away as Egypt heard about him.

In Jerusalem, Uzziah built fortified towers at the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate, and the place where the city wall turned inward.[b] 10 He also built defense towers out in the desert.

He owned such a large herd of livestock in the western foothills and in the flatlands, that he had cisterns dug there to catch the rainwater. He loved farming, so he had crops and vineyards planted in the hill country wherever there was fertile soil, and he hired farmers to take care of them.

11 Uzziah's army was always ready for battle. Jeiel and Maaseiah were the officers who kept track of the number of soldiers, and these two men were under the command of Hananiah, one of Uzziah's officials. 12-13 There were 307,500 trained soldiers, all under the command of 2,600 clan leaders. These powerful troops protected the king against any enemy. 14 Uzziah supplied his army with shields, spears, helmets, armor, bows, and stones used for slinging. 15 Some of his skilled workers invented machines that could shoot arrows and sling large stones. Uzziah set these up in Jerusalem at his defense towers and at the corners of the city wall.

God helped Uzziah become more and more powerful, and he was famous all over the world.

Uzziah Becomes Too Proud

16 Uzziah became proud of his power, and this led to his downfall.

One day, Uzziah disobeyed the Lord his God by going into the temple and burning incense as an offering to him.[c] 17 Azariah the priest and 80 other brave priests followed Uzziah into the temple 18 (A) and said, “Your Majesty, this isn't right! You are not allowed to burn incense to the Lord. That must be done only by priests who are descendants of Aaron. You will have to leave! You have sinned against the Lord, and so he will no longer bless you.”

19 Uzziah, who was standing next to the incense altar at the time, was holding the incense burner, ready to offer incense to the Lord. He became very angry when he heard Azariah's warning, and leprosy[d] suddenly appeared on his forehead! 20 Azariah and the other priests saw it and immediately told him to leave the temple. Uzziah realized that the Lord had punished him, so he hurried to get outside.

21 Uzziah had leprosy the rest of his life. He was no longer allowed in the temple or in his own palace. That's why his son Jotham lived there and ruled in his place.

22 Everything else Uzziah did while he was king is in the records written by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. 23 (B) Since Uzziah had leprosy, he could not be buried in the royal tombs. Instead, he was buried in a nearby cemetery that the kings owned. His son Jotham then became king.

King Jotham of Judah

(2 Kings 15.32-38)

27 Jotham was 25 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 16 years. Jerushah his mother was the daughter of Zadok.

Jotham obeyed the Lord and did right. He followed the example of his father Uzziah, except he never burned incense in the temple as his father had done. But the people of Judah kept sinning against the Lord.

Jotham rebuilt the Upper Gate of the temple and did a lot of work to repair the wall near Mount Ophel. He built towns in the mountains of Judah and built fortresses and defense towers in the forests.

During his rule he attacked and defeated the Ammonites. Then every year for the next three years, he forced them to pay 3.4 tons of silver, 1,000 tons of wheat, and 1,000 tons of barley.

Jotham remained faithful to the Lord his God and became a very powerful king.

Everything else Jotham did while he was king, including the wars he fought, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel and Judah. After he had ruled Judah 16 years, he died at the age of 41. He was buried in Jerusalem, and his son Ahaz became king.

King Ahaz of Judah

(2 Kings 16.1-4)

28 Ahaz was 20 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 16 years.

Ahaz was nothing like his ancestor David. Ahaz disobeyed the Lord and was as sinful as the kings of Israel. He made idols of the god Baal, and he offered sacrifices in Hinnom Valley. Worst of all, Ahaz sacrificed his own sons, which was a disgusting custom of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel. Ahaz offered sacrifices at the local shrines,[e] as well as on every hill and in the shade of large trees.

Syria and Israel Attack Judah

(2 Kings 16.5,6)

5-6 (C) Ahaz and the people of Judah sinned and turned away from the Lord, the God their ancestors had worshiped. So the Lord punished them by letting their enemies defeat them.

The king of Syria attacked Judah and took many of its people to Damascus as prisoners. King Pekah[f] of Israel later defeated Judah and killed 120,000 of its bravest soldiers in one day. During that battle, an Israelite soldier named Zichri killed three men from Judah: Maaseiah the king's son; Azrikam, the official in charge of the palace; and Elkanah, the king's second in command. The Israelite troops captured 200,000 women and children and took them back to their capital city of Samaria, along with a large amount of their possessions. They did these things even though the people of Judah were their own relatives.

Oded the Prophet Condemns Israel

Oded lived in Samaria and was one of the Lord's prophets. He met Israel's army on their way back from Judah and said to them:

The Lord God of your ancestors let you defeat Judah's army only because he was angry with them. But you should not have been so cruel! 10 If you make slaves of the people of Judah and Jerusalem, you will be as guilty as they are of sinning against the Lord.

11 Send these prisoners back home—they are your own relatives. If you don't, the Lord will punish you in his anger.

12 About the same time, four of Israel's leaders arrived. They were Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai. They agreed with Oded that the Israelite troops were wrong, 13 and they said:

If you bring these prisoners into Samaria, that will be one more thing we've done to sin against the Lord. And he is already angry enough with us.

14 So in front of the leaders and the crowd, the troops handed over their prisoners and the property they had taken from Judah. 15 The four leaders took some of the stolen clothes and gave them to the prisoners who needed something to wear. They later gave them all a new change of clothes and shoes, then fixed them something to eat and drink, and cleaned their wounds with olive oil. They gave donkeys to those who were too weak to walk, and led all of them back to Jericho, the city known for its palm trees. The leaders then returned to Samaria.

Ahaz Asks the King of Assyria for Help

(2 Kings 16.7-9)

16-18 Some time later, the Edomites attacked the eastern part of Judah again and carried away prisoners. And at the same time, the Philistines raided towns in the western foothills and in the Southern Desert. They conquered the towns of Beth-Shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco, Timnah, and Gimzo, including the villages around them. Then some of the Philistines went to live in these places.

Ahaz sent a message to King Tiglath Pileser of Assyria and begged for help. 19 But God was punishing Judah with these disasters, because Ahaz had disobeyed him and refused to stop Judah from sinning. 20 So Tiglath Pileser came to Judah, but instead of helping, he made things worse. 21 Ahaz gave him gifts from the Lord's temple and the king's palace, as well as from the homes of Israel's other leaders. The Assyrian king still refused to help Ahaz.

The Final Sin of Ahaz and His Death

22 Even after all these terrible things happened to Ahaz, he sinned against the Lord even worse than before. 23 He said to himself, “The Syrian gods must have helped their kings defeat me. Maybe if I offer sacrifices to those gods, they will help me.” That was the sin that finally led to the downfall of Ahaz, as well as to the destruction of Judah.

24 Ahaz collected all the furnishings of the temple and smashed them to pieces. Then he locked the doors to the temple and set up altars to foreign gods on every street corner in Jerusalem. 25 In every city and town in Judah he built local shrines[g] to worship foreign gods. All of this made the Lord God of his ancestors very angry.

26 Everything else Ahaz did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 27 (D) Ahaz died and was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs. His son Hezekiah then became king.

Footnotes:

  1. 26.1-3 Uzziah: In the parallel passages in 2 Kings, he is called “Azariah” (see also 1 Chronicles 3.10-15). He is also called “Uzziah” in 2 Kings 15.13; Isaiah 1.1; Hosea 1.1; and Amos 1.1. One of these names was probably his birth name, while the other was his name after he became king.
  2. 26.9 the place where the city wall turned inward: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  3. 26.16 going into the temple and burning incense as an offering to him: This was to be done only by priests (see Exodus 30.1-10; Numbers 16.39,40).
  4. 26.19 leprosy: The word translated “leprosy” was used for many different kinds of skin diseases.
  5. 28.4 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
  6. 28.5,6 Pekah: Hebrew “Pekah son of Remaliah.”
  7. 28.25 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Romans 13

Obey Rulers

13 (A) Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. After all, they are God's servants, and it is their duty to help you.

If you do something wrong, you ought to be afraid, because these rulers have the right to punish you. They are God's servants who punish criminals to show how angry God is. But you should obey the rulers because you know it is the right thing to do, and not just because of God's anger.

(B) You must also pay your taxes. The authorities are God's servants, and it is their duty to take care of these matters. Pay all that you owe, whether it is taxes and fees or respect and honor.

Love

Let love be your only debt! If you love others, you have done all that the Law demands. (C) In the Law there are many commands, such as, “Be faithful in marriage. Do not murder. Do not steal. Do not want what belongs to others.” But all of these are summed up in the command that says, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 10 No one who loves others will harm them. So love is all that the Law demands.

The Day When Christ Returns

11 You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly. It is time to wake up. You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord. 12 Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light. 13 So behave properly, as people do in the day. Don't go to wild parties or get drunk or be vulgar or indecent. Don't quarrel or be jealous. 14 Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 23

(A psalm by David.)

The Good Shepherd

You, Lord, are my shepherd.
I will never be in need.
(A) You let me rest in fields
of green grass.
You lead me to streams
of peaceful water,
and you refresh my life.

You are true to your name,
and you lead me
along the right paths.
I may walk through valleys
as dark as death,
but I won't be afraid.
You are with me,
and your shepherd's rod[a]
makes me feel safe.

You treat me to a feast,
while my enemies watch.
You honor me as your guest,
and you fill my cup
until it overflows.
Your kindness and love
will always be with me
each day of my life,
and I will live forever
in your house, Lord.

Footnotes:

  1. 23.4 shepherd's rod: The Hebrew text mentions two objects carried by the shepherd: a club to defend against wild animals and a long pole to guide and control the sheep.

Cross references:

  1. 23.2 : Rev 7.17.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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Proverbs 20:11

11 The good or bad
that children do
shows what they are like.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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07/29/2022 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 24:1-25:28, Romans 12:1-21, Psalms 22:19-31, Proverbs 20:8-10

Today is the 29th day of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I am Brian and it is wonderful to gather, come around the Global Campfire together, take the next step forward together and just be together as we move forward through this year. So, we have come together to take the next step forward in the Scriptures, and that next step forward is, of course, the next one after where we left off. And,so, we will go back into the book of second Chronicles and today read chapters 24 and 25.

Commentary:

Okay. What is the most sensible way to serve God? That is kind of an undercurrent question that sort of flows through my life. Like am I doing it right? How do you know if you’re doing it right? Where do you aim? How does this work. What is the most sensible way to do this? Paul takes a stab at actually answering that and going back to Romans 12 and really spending some time with it ourselves will be really really helpful because it’s kind of laid out. Paul says, “to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing, that’s the most sensible way to serve God.” And, so, for starters what does that even look like. From the perspective of Paul’s readers sacrifice is not an unusual concept. They’re very very familiar with animal sacrifice. And, so, understanding what a sacrifice is and what happens with a sacrifice is pretty clear to them. What Paul is suggesting is that they look at themselves that way, as a sacrifice, but as a living one. And, so, to practically look at this we understand that a sacrifice dies and yet a living sacrifice lives sacrificially. According to Paul this posture is the most sensible way to serve God. And, so, we shouldn’t blow by it. But Paul has a bunch of other things to say in the 12th chapter of Romans about what this looks like. For example, “don’t think you’re better than you really are" or “use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God is giving you” or “if you have gifting’s use them” or “in sincerity love one another.” Like, don’t fake love each other. Be sincere in your love for others. “Hate what is evil. Hold on to what is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters, and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. Take care of God’s needy people and welcome strangers into your home. Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. When others are happy be happy. When they’re sad, be sad with them. Be friendly, be hospitable with everyone. Don’t be proud and feel that you know more than others. Be friends with ordinary people. Try to earn the respect of others and do your best to live at peace with everybody. Don’t try to get even. Let God take care that. Revenge is the Lords. Don’t let evil defeat you but defeat evil with good.” These are all characteristics or postures of what it looks like to obey and be a living sacrifice before the Lord, and it’s worth kind of winding back and listening to this again or opening up the Bible and going to the 12th chapter of Romans, and just really pondering. Because we ponder some of these things and say, okay I feel as if I’m doing that with all of my heart, but this other thing is a real stronghold that gets me into trouble all of the time. Hind of moving through some of these characteristics allows us to see where there is work to be done and allows us to invite the Holy Spirit into that work as we live our lives as a living sacrifice. And, so, let’s spend some time here today contemplating meditating upon seeing how we may excel in one area, but really, really need to work on some other areas that are hurting people, or that we’re carrying around bitterness and won’t release people. And, so, we’re in bondage as well. There’s so much for us to think about today and as each one of us thinks about it it’s going to materialize in our lives different. Differently because we have different stories and different relationships, different occupations, different everything. But it will mean something to each one of us as we invite the Holy Spirit to give us clarity on what it looks like to live our lives as a living sacrifice.

Prayer:

Holy Spirit, we invite You into that. We need You here. We need You now. As we are contemplating these things reveal to us the places where we can be encouraged and need encouragement, reveal to us the places in which we need to focus and allow repentance to change us. Holy Spirit come into this, all of it. Transform us. Lead us into all truth. Lead us deeper into Jesus. And we pray this in His precious and holy name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com, that is home, home base, home of the Global Campfire. That’s where you can find out what’s going on around here. The Daily Audio Bible app can do that as well. So, whatever app store works with the your special device just search for Daily Audio Bible and you can download the app from there. It’s free and it’s a fantastic way to take the journey. And, so, check that out.

Check out the Prayer Wall in the Community section. Be aware of that. Actually just check out the community section because there are links there to get connected on social media and the different channels that we are connected to. And, so, yeah, that’s the prayer wall and social media. These are different ways to connect.

If you want to partner with the daily audio you can do that at dailyaudiobible.com as well. Thank you, thank you for your partnership as he navigates the summertime. There is a link on the homepage of the website at dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as, always if you have a prayer request or encouragement, you can hit the Hotline button in the app or there are a number of numbers that you can use depending on where you are. In the Americas 877-942-4253 is the number to call. In the UK or Europe 44-20-3608-8078 is the number to dial. And if you are in Australia or that part of the world 61-38820-5459 is the number to call.

And that is it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

[singing starts] Happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday to ya. Happy birthday. Happy birthday to ya [inging stops]. Happy birthday Ezekiel. Oh my gosh brother. Dude you’re a decade. You’re getting old man. But with age comes wisdom. Man, you know what, I got a quick story to share with you Ezekiel. 10 years ago, your father was in the parking lot of the hospital asking us to pray because Jill was having some complications with your birth. And I remember falling to my knees and asking God to bless this birth but not only the birth to bless your life. May you always follow the Lord’s path Ezekiel. May you never stray from it. May all your days be blessed. And may you always stay in God’s word brother. Man, you encourage me so much. You have no idea. You’re little short 10 years on this earth has made such an impact on so many people brother. I said I wasn’t going to cry but you already know I’m a crier. Oh try it it’s detoxing. Anyway, brother I love you. Ezekiel you’re like my little nephew. I’ve been rolling with your dad for a long time and brother you just keep on rolling man. Keep doing what you’re doing. Happy birthday. Happy birthday.

Good morning everybody this is Joyfully Joe. It’s July 25th and I was just listening to my Daily Audio Bible. As a matter of fact, I listened to your exposition Brian I don’t know about four or five times. It was so beautiful to me, such a comfort. I love that passage of scripture. And right now in my life I am just seeking to praise God for his word, seeking to pour into myself God word because I’m in a really hard spot with my mom. I know I’ve told you guys this before. I hope you’re praying for me because I need it. She says…in her dementia she says really mean things to me. And I’m not crying about that because I’m on that road of forgiveness. And Hallelujah Jeremy, I’m just praising God for your good road that you went on. And but anyways this is my life right now. I love the way this psalm ends. Everything about it that you read and exposed Brian just hit my heart so beautifully and I thank you for it. Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you because you are my mighty rock and my protector. So beautiful. And I just pray DABbers that…or I ask you to pray for me that my words would be pleasing and kind to my mother regardless. In Jesus…

Hello Daily Audio Bible I’m just asking…I’m reaching out for some prayer regarding my child __.  Apparently, my child’s mother boyfriend who is raising my daughters and will not me see them and it’s just causing it's…it's…it’s causing lots of stress and pain and I chose to want to have the right attitude towards this young man who is…who is being the father for my kids. Just something I can’t do anything about at that moment. It’s in the courts but I need…need God to give me peace, to give me the right heart as I’m going towards anger and bitterness and that doesn’t help anything. So, I just pray that God will give me peace in the midst of this and also my relationship with my father. Sometimes I blame my father for a lot of things in my life and I just wanna have a good attitude and a good relationship with my father. I’m trying to move on in God’s will and this thing is like a dark cloud over my life and I just want peace. I want peace. Thank you, community. Thank you for your prayers.

Hi DABbers. So, this is __ from Ohio currently and a lady just called in and I was so encouraged. I’m so sorry I did not get your name, but you were talking about your three boys. And you said that God said, what if you just acted like your day was perfect, that your life was perfect? How would you act? In when she said that my spirit leapt. I am not kidding. I was like wow! And, you know, that’s called joy. Is that a revelation? It is for me. Wow! So, I just thank you for that dear sister. And wow has my whole perspective just shifted. Wow! I am full of joy. Things…things are perfect in the Lord. So, we just thank you God in Yeshua’s name. And then right after that…and man I didn’t get your name either. So sorry. But a man called and he’s singing I exalt thee. And I was like wow, I just feel so full of the spirit right now. That’s so awesome. And, so, I just want to say hi. I’m so encouraged. You know I don’t know if I can do any more encouraging but that really encouraged me those back-to-back messages. So, have a great day DABbers and be strong and encouraged in the Lord. Yeah…in Yeshua’s name. Amen.

This is Jersey Jane for Jesus. I was listening to the July 26th and heard Nate…I believe his name is Nate…call in for the first time. He’s fairly new to listening as I am. I only started in January. He was asking for prayer for his boss who fell off a roof and was in critical condition with broken ribs, spinal cord injury, other injuries. And Nate, I lift your boss and his family into the arms of Jesus, that Jesus blood will cover your boss and his family, will help to heal him, will give him the opportunity to have great faith and love. I just feel very badly for him because one moment he was well and working and the next, that split second where we can collapse. But our faith gets us through. Jesus is there. Hold onto His hand and His love. Have your faith. And Nate, I lift you up for asking for prayer for Him. And for all the DABbers, all of all of whom are there for other people, people they don’t know…

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Friday July 29, 2022 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 24-25

King Joash of Judah

(2 Kings 12.1-16)

24 Joash was only 7 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled 40 years from Jerusalem. His mother Zibiah was from the town of Beersheba.

While Jehoiada the priest was alive, Joash obeyed the Lord by doing right. Jehoiada even chose two women for Joash to marry so he could have a family.

Some time later, Joash decided it was time to repair the temple. He called together the priests and Levites and said, “Go everywhere in Judah and collect the annual tax from the people. I want this done at once—we need that money to repair the temple.”

But the Levites were in no hurry to follow the king's orders. (A) So he sent for Jehoiada the high priest and asked, “Why didn't you send the Levites to collect the taxes? The Lord's servant Moses and the people agreed long ago that this tax would be collected and used to pay for the upkeep of the sacred tent. And now we need it to repair the temple because the sons of that evil woman Athaliah came in and wrecked it. They even used some of the sacred objects to worship the god Baal.”

Joash gave orders for a wooden box to be made and had it placed outside, near the gate of the temple. He then sent letters everywhere in Judah and Jerusalem, asking everyone to bring their taxes to the temple, just as Moses had required their ancestors to do.

10 The people and their leaders agreed, and they brought their money to Jerusalem and placed it in the box. 11 Each day, after the Levites took the box into the temple, the king's secretary and the high priest's assistant would dump out the money and count it. Then the empty box would be taken back outside.

This happened day after day, and soon a large amount of money was collected. 12 Joash and Jehoiada turned the money over to the men who were supervising the repairs to the temple. They used the money to hire stonecutters, carpenters, and experts in working with iron and bronze.

13 These workers went right to work repairing the temple, and when they were finished, it looked as good as new. 14 They did not use all the tax money for the repairs, so the rest of it was handed over to Joash and Jehoiada, who then used it to make dishes and other gold and silver objects for the temple.

Sacrifices to please the Lord[a] were offered regularly in the temple for as long as Jehoiada lived. 15 He died at the ripe old age of 130 years, 16 and he was buried in the royal tombs in Jerusalem, because he had done so much good for the people of Israel, for God, and for the temple.

Joash Turns Away from the Lord

17 After the death of Jehoiada the priest, the leaders of Judah went to Joash and talked him into doing what they wanted. 18 The people of Judah soon stopped worshiping in the temple of the Lord God and started worshiping idols and the symbols of the goddess Asherah. These sinful things made the Lord God angry with the people of Judah and Jerusalem, 19 but he still sent prophets who warned them to turn back to him. The people refused to listen.

20 (B) God's Spirit spoke to Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest, and Zechariah told everyone that God was saying: “Why are you disobeying me and my laws? This will only bring punishment! You have deserted me, so now I will desert you.”

21-22 King Joash forgot that Zechariah's father had always been a loyal friend. So when the people of Judah plotted to kill Zechariah, Joash joined them and gave orders for them to stone him to death in the courtyard of the temple. As Zechariah was dying, he said, “I pray that the Lord will see this and punish all of you.”

Joash Is Killed

23 In the spring of the following year, the Syrian army invaded Judah and Jerusalem, killing all of the nation's leaders. They collected everything of value that belonged to the people and took it back to their king in Damascus. 24 The Syrian army was very small, but the Lord let them defeat Judah's large army, because he was punishing Joash and the people of Judah for turning away from him.

25-26 Joash was severely wounded during the battle, and as soon as the Syrians left Judah, two of his officials, Zabad and Jehozabad,[b] decided to revenge the death of Zechariah. They plotted and killed Joash while he was in bed, recovering from his wounds. Joash was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs. 27 The History of the Kings also tells more about the sons of Joash, what the prophets said about him, and how he repaired the temple. Amaziah son of Joash became king after his father's death.

King Amaziah of Judah

(2 Kings 14.1-6)

25 Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king, and he ruled 29 years from Jerusalem, the hometown of his mother Jehoaddin.[c]

Even though Amaziah obeyed the Lord by doing right, he refused to be completely faithful. For example, as soon as he had control of Judah, he arrested and killed the officers who had murdered his father. (C) But the children of those officers were not killed; the Lord had commanded in the Law of Moses that only the people who sinned were to be punished.[d]

Edom Is Defeated

(2 Kings 14.7)

Amaziah sent a message to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin and called together all the men who were 20 years old and older. Three hundred thousand men went to Jerusalem, all of them ready for battle and able to fight with spears and shields. Amaziah grouped these soldiers according to their clans and put them under the command of his army officers. Amaziah also paid about 3.4 tons of silver to hire 100,000 soldiers from Israel.

One of God's prophets said, “Your Majesty, don't let these Israelite soldiers march into battle with you. The Lord has refused to help anyone from the northern kingdom of Israel, and so he will let your enemies defeat you, even if you fight hard. He is the one who brings both victory and defeat.”

Amaziah replied, “What am I supposed to do about all the silver I paid those troops?”

“The Lord will give you back even more than you paid,” the prophet answered.

10 Amaziah ordered the troops from Israel to go home, but when they left, they were furious with the people of Judah.

11 After Amaziah got his courage back, he led his troops to Salt Valley, where he killed 10,000 Edomite soldiers in battle. 12 He captured 10,000 more soldiers and dragged them to the top of a high cliff. Then he pushed them over the side, and they all were killed on the rocks below.

13 Meanwhile, the Israelite troops that Amaziah had sent home, raided the towns in Judah between Samaria and Beth-Horon. They killed 3,000 people and carried off their possessions.

14 After Amaziah had defeated the Edomite army, he returned to Jerusalem. He took with him the idols of the Edomite gods and set them up. Then he bowed down and offered them sacrifices. 15 This made the Lord very angry, and he sent a prophet to ask Amaziah, “Why would you worship these foreign gods that couldn't even save their own people from your attack?”

16 But before the prophet finished speaking, Amaziah interrupted and said, “You're not one of my advisors! Don't say another word, or I'll have you killed.”

The prophet stopped. But then he added, “First you sinned and now you've ignored my warning. It's clear that God has decided to punish you!”

Israel Defeats Judah

(2 Kings 14.8-14)

17 King Amaziah of Judah talked with his officials, then sent a message to King Jehoash[e] of Israel: “Come out and face me in battle!”

18 Jehoash sent back a reply that said:

Once upon a time, a small thornbush in Lebanon arranged the marriage between his son and the daughter of a large cedar tree. But a wild animal came along and trampled the small bush.

19 Amaziah, you think you're so powerful because you defeated Edom. But stay at home and do your celebrating. If you cause any trouble, both you and your kingdom of Judah will be destroyed.

20 God made Amaziah stubborn because he was planning to punish him for worshiping the Edomite gods. Amaziah refused to listen to Jehoash's warning, 21 so Jehoash led his army to the town of Beth-Shemesh in Judah to attack Amaziah and his troops. 22 During the battle, Judah's army was crushed. Every soldier from Judah ran back home, 23 and Jehoash captured Amaziah.

Jehoash took Amaziah with him when he went to attack Jerusalem. Jehoash broke down the city wall from Ephraim Gate to Corner Gate, a section nearly 200 meters long. 24 He carried away the gold, the silver, and all the valuable furnishings from God's temple where the descendants of Obed-Edom stood guard. He robbed the king's treasury, took hostages, then returned to Samaria.

Amaziah Is Killed

(2 Kings 14.15-20)

25 Amaziah lived 15 years after Jehoash died. 26 Everything else Amaziah did while he was king is written in The History of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

27 As soon as Amaziah started disobeying the Lord, some people in Jerusalem plotted against Amaziah. He was able to escape to the town of Lachish, but another group of people caught him and killed him there. 28 His body was taken to Jerusalem on horseback and buried beside his ancestors.

Footnotes:

  1. 24.14 Sacrifices to please the Lord: See the note at 1.6.
  2. 24.25,26 Zabad and Jehozabad: Hebrew “Zabad son of Shimeath from Ammon and Jehozabad son of Shimrith from Moab.”
  3. 25.1 Jehoaddin: The Hebrew text has “Jehoaddan,” another spelling of the name.
  4. 25.4 the Lord had commanded … punished: See Deuteronomy 24.16.
  5. 25.17 King Jehoash: The Hebrew text has “King Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu”; Jehoash is another spelling for the name Joash.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Romans 12

Christ Brings New Life

12 Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.

I realize God has treated me with undeserved grace, and so I tell each of you not to think you are better than you really are. Use good sense and measure yourself by the amount of faith that God has given you. (A) A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That's how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another.

(B) God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully.

Rules for Christian Living

Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. 10 Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. 11 Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. 12 Let your hope make you glad. Be patient in time of trouble and never stop praying. 13 Take care of God's needy people and welcome strangers into your home.

14 (C) Ask God to bless everyone who mistreats you. Ask him to bless them and not to curse them. 15 (D) When others are happy, be happy with them, and when they are sad, be sad. 16 (E) Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you know more than others. Make friends with ordinary people.[a] 17 Don't mistreat someone who has mistreated you. But try to earn the respect of others, 18 and do your best to live at peace with everyone.

19 (F) Dear friends, don't try to get even. Let God take revenge. In the Scriptures the Lord says,

“I am the one to take revenge
and pay them back.”

20 (G) The Scriptures also say,

“If your enemies are hungry,
give them something to eat.
And if they are thirsty,
give them something
to drink.
This will be the same
as piling burning coals
on their heads.”

21 Don't let evil defeat you, but defeat evil with good.

Footnotes:

  1. 12.16 Make friends with ordinary people: Or “Do ordinary jobs.”
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 22:19-31

19 Don't stay far away, Lord!
My strength comes from you,
so hurry and help.
20 Rescue me from enemy swords
and save me from those dogs.
21 Don't let lions eat me.

You rescued me from the horns
of wild bulls,
22 (A) and when your people meet,
I will praise you, Lord.

23 All who worship the Lord,
now praise him!
You belong to Jacob's family
and to the people of Israel,
so fear and honor the Lord!
24 The Lord doesn't hate
or despise the helpless
in all of their troubles.
When I cried out, he listened
and did not turn away.

25 When your people meet,
you will fill my heart
with your praises, Lord,
and everyone will see me
keep my promises to you.
26 The poor will eat and be full,
and all who worship you
will be thankful
and live in hope.

27 Everyone on this earth
will remember you, Lord.
People all over the world
will turn and worship you,
28 because you are in control,
the ruler of all nations.

29 All who are rich
and have more than enough
will bow down to you, Lord.
Even those who are dying
and almost in the grave
will come and bow down.
30 In the future, everyone
will worship and learn
about you, our Lord.
31 People not yet born
will be told,
“The Lord has saved us!”

Cross references:

  1. 22.22 : He 2.12.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Proverbs 20:8-10

When rulers decide cases,
they weigh the evidence.
Can any of us really say,
“My thoughts are pure,
and my sins are gone”?

10 Two things the Lord hates
are dishonest scales
and dishonest measures.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

7/28/2022 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 21:1-23:21, Romans 11:13-36, Psalm 22:1-18, Proverbs 20:7

Today is the 28th day of July, welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian, it’s great to be here with you as we round the corner and push to conclude another one of our months together in a few days and continuing our journey, step-by-step and day-by-day. Right now, through the book of second Chronicles and the letter to the Romans. And so, let’s dive in, we’re reading from the Contemporary English Version this week, second Chronicles chapters 21, 22 and 23 today.

Commentary:

Okay, let’s look at what we’ve read from the book of Psalms today and let’s think about honesty. And we are just a couple of steps away from concluding the seventh month of the year and so, we are past the halfway point so, we can look back over this year so far. And probably as we look back, we can see some peaks and valleys right, some ups and some downs. And if we’ve been taking this journey since the beginning of the year than we can also see this thread of constancy of the Scriptures being in our lives, through it all. But that doesn’t mean everything’s been easy, it’s because we’ve been reading the Bible every day. And as we look to the Bible today, we see again what we’ve seen all. It wasn’t so easy for the people in the Bible either. And so, David, who we’ve gotten to know fairly well. We know of his life and how he came out of insecurity as a young shepherd boy and became a national hero and killed a giant and ultimately became the king of Israel, but not before he had to learn a whole lot of stuff that he probably never thought he needed to know, like how to stay alive when the king wants to assassinate you. So, David has had plenty of ups and downs in his life and we know from the Scriptures that David was a skilled musician and so, it’s not an unusual thing to think of a musician wanting to pour their heart out as a songwriter and try to find the right words that actually capture the emotion of the situation or the right metaphor that can speak pages and pages and pages of information with just a picture. And so, how’s this for a picture “my God, why have You deserted me, why are You so far away. Won’t You listen to my groans and come to my rescue? I cry out day and night but You don’t answer and I can never rest.” Yeah, so that kind of paints a picture of pretty good desperation. Does it not? And oddly enough, aren’t those words that even Jesus quoted from the cross, why you forsaken me. The interesting thing is that if that is in the Bible, because we just quoted from the Bible. If that is in the Bible, then how is it that we get pulled into pretending that these things, these emotions, these feelings, these circumstances, that they don’t exist, that they’re not real. Part of it is, certainly the cultures that we live in. We have a need to live up to the culture and the culture generally speaking, tells us to keep our best foot forward and a smile on and a happy face and fake it till you make it, and then shake and bake it. As Christian people, we also have these ideas like we’re in the world but not of the world. We’re set apart, we shouldn’t be like the world, we should be distinctly different and yet even in our subculture, the…the Christian subculture around the world, we walk in to any kind of gathering or whatever, as in overcomer, for the most part, and that is sort of the mask that we wear, even if it feels like the bottom is falling out of our lives. And then we become aware of all of the different kinds of superficial relationships that we have because like, if we’re in church and we’re doing the usual, how’s everybody, how are you, how are you? We’re expecting everybody to say good, doing great, I’m an overcomer, all that. But if somebody’s like the bottom of my life is falling out and I don’t know if I can live through this day. We often don’t know how to enter into that story, other than maybe to quote some kind of victorious verse of some sort and say some kind of victorious prayer. We do this kind of stuff all of the time. It’s just, that’s not, that’s not how the Bible does it. We don’t, hear in our faith gatherings very often “my God, why have you deserted me, why are you so far away from me, won’t you listen to my groans and come to my rescue. I’m crying out day and night, but you’re not answering and I can’t rest.” And yet, that’s just a quote from the Bible. And so, the question is, are we being honest because a lot of time, we’re trying to overcome the feeling of being down in some way or challenged in some way, by simply amping up like, the praise and that is right and good and proper and helpful. But so often, it’s like, we do that without acknowledging how things really are first and letting that place that we are actually in and that thing that we are actually struggling with to be named, and for that broken place to be the place of worship an honest place. If we think about the deepest relationships in our lives, is that not what we expect, honesty. And honesty sometimes can be difficult and cause difficult conversations to happen, but isn’t that what we’re looking for, the truth. We want to trust in the truth between us, that binds us together in relationship. So, why would we think that God wouldn’t want us to be honest? And honesty isn’t always a yelling match at the sky, just so you can get out the anger. Honesty is being where you are and pouring it out before God. Maybe music is involved, maybe poetry is involved. Maybe journaling is involved, maybe speaking aloud is involved, maybe quietly contemplating is involved, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we be honest, be honest about the things that we’re using to distract us and pull us in all kinds of other directions. Be honest about what we’re trying to get through or overcome, or move beyond. One of the most honest moments in the Bible for me, is in the book of Job. When Job, after losing it like, literally losing everyone and everything, determines that he needs to find God. And even if he finds God and God kills him, he will still trust in God. Honesty is all throughout the Bible. So, as we have these couple of days and we’re bringing another month to a close, maybe that is a place to meditate upon, as we prepare to embark on a brand-new month, and as we head deeper into the summer months here in the northern hemisphere. This is a good time to sit down, reflect, and get honest. Because honesty gives us a place to move forward from that’s true, instead of false fabrication and pretending and posing. And so, may we find some time and some space, have an honest conversation with the Lord today and in the coming days.

Prayer:

And Father, we begin that conversation here right now just talking about it, being honest about it. This can be hard to walk the narrow path that leads to life, to navigate, to know and then to deal with all of the stuff that flies at us all the time. It can very easily bring us to a place of desperation, it can very easily bring us to a place of depression, it can very easily become anxiety in our lives that is so balled up inside of us, we don’t even know how to start untangling it. We can never remember everything that the anxiety is attached to, anymore. So even to pour out our heart before You and speak honestly and truthfully about what we’re experiencing. We need Your help, even for that. We can’t even figure our own selves out and yet You know all about us. Even in desperation, David cries out from the day I was born, I have been in Your care and from the time of my birth You have been my God. Don’t stay far off when I am in trouble with no one to help me. So, we confess Lord, we don’t know ourselves as well as You know us. You know everything and we need You desperately. So, we humble ourselves before You, lowering ourselves and acknowledging Your mighty power. Holy Spirit, come into the broken places inside of us and grant us eyes to see perspective and healing balm to restore us. We ask this in Your name, Jesus. The name above every name, the only name we can flee to. We run to You. And ask for You to restore us. We ask in Your name. Amen.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Thursday July 28, 2022 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 21-23

21 Jehoshaphat died and was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem, and his son Jehoram became king.

King Jehoram of Judah

(2 Kings 8.16-24)

King Jehoshaphat had seven sons: Jehoram, Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah. Jehoshaphat gave each of them silver and gold, as well as other valuable gifts. He also put them in charge of the fortified cities in Judah, but he had chosen his oldest son Jehoram to succeed him as king.

After Jehoram had taken control of Judah, he had his brothers killed, as well as some of the nation's leaders. He was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled eight years from Jerusalem.

Jehoram married Ahab's daughter and followed the sinful example of Ahab's family and the other kings of Israel. He disobeyed the Lord by doing wrong, (A) but because the Lord had made a solemn promise to King David that someone from his family would always rule in Judah, he refused to wipe out David's descendants.

(B) While Jehoram was king, the people of Edom rebelled and chose their own king. Jehoram, his officers, and his cavalry marched to Edom, where the Edomite army surrounded them. He escaped during the night, 10 but Judah was never able to regain control of Edom. Even the town of Libnah[a] rebelled at that time.

Those things happened because Jehoram had turned away from the Lord, the God his ancestors had worshiped. 11 Jehoram even built local shrines[b] in the hills of Judah and let the people sin against the Lord by worshiping foreign gods.

12 One day, Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet that said:

I have a message for you from the Lord God your ancestor David worshiped. He knows that you have not followed the example of Jehoshaphat your father or Asa your grandfather. 13 Instead you have acted like those sinful kings of Israel and have encouraged the people of Judah to stop worshiping the Lord, just as Ahab and his descendants did. You even murdered your own brothers, who were better men than you.

14 Because you have done these terrible things, the Lord will severely punish the people in your kingdom, including your own family, and he will destroy everything you own. 15 You will be struck with a painful stomach disease and suffer until you die.

16 The Lord later caused the Philistines and the Arabs who lived near the Ethiopians[c] to become angry with Jehoram. 17 They invaded Judah and stole the royal property from the palace, and they led Jehoram's wives and sons away as prisoners. The only one left behind was Ahaziah,[d] his youngest son.

18 After this happened, the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable stomach disease. 19 About two years later, Jehoram died in terrible pain. No bonfire was built to honor him, even though the people had done this for his ancestors.

20 Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king, and he ruled 8 years from Jerusalem. He died, and no one even felt sad. He was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal tombs.

King Ahaziah of Judah

(2 Kings 8.25-29; 9.21,27,28)

22 Earlier, when the Arabs led a raid against Judah, they killed all of Jehoram's sons, except Ahaziah, the youngest one. So the people of Jerusalem crowned him their king. He was 22[e] years old at the time, and he ruled only one year from Jerusalem.

Ahaziah's mother was Athaliah, a granddaughter of King Omri of Israel, and she encouraged her son to sin against the Lord. He followed the evil example of King Ahab and his descendants. In fact, after his father's death, Ahaziah sinned against the Lord by appointing some of Ahab's relatives to be his advisors.

Their advice led to his downfall. He listened to them and went with King Joram of Israel to attack King Hazael and the Syrian troops at Ramoth in Gilead. Joram was wounded in that battle, and he went to the town of Jezreel to recover. And Ahaziah later went there to visit him. It was during that visit that God had Ahaziah put to death.

When Ahaziah arrived at Jezreel, he and Joram went to meet with Jehu grandson of Nimshi. The Lord had already told Jehu to kill every male in Ahab's family, and while Jehu was doing that, he saw some of Judah's leaders and Ahaziah's nephews who had come with Ahaziah. Jehu killed them on the spot, then gave orders to find Ahaziah. Jehu's officers found him hiding in Samaria. They brought Ahaziah to Jehu, who immediately put him to death. They buried Ahaziah only because they respected Jehoshaphat his grandfather, who had done his best to obey the Lord.

There was no one from Ahaziah's family left to become king of Judah.

Queen Athaliah of Judah

(2 Kings 11.1-3)

10 As soon as Athaliah heard that her son King Ahaziah was dead, she decided to kill any relative who could possibly become king. She would have done just that, 11 but Jehosheba[f] rescued Joash son of Ahaziah just as the others were about to be murdered. Jehosheba, who was Jehoram's daughter and Ahaziah's half sister, was married to Jehoiada the priest. So she was able to hide her nephew Joash and his personal servant in a bedroom in the Lord's temple where he was safe from Athaliah. 12 Joash hid in the temple with them for six years while Athaliah ruled as queen of Judah.

Jehoiada Makes Joash King of Judah

(2 Kings 11.4-21)

23 After Ahaziah's son Joash had hidden in the temple for six years, Jehoiada the priest knew that something had to be done. So he made sure he had the support of several army officers. They were Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. These five men went to the towns in Judah and called together the Levites and the clan leaders. They all came to Jerusalem (C) and gathered at the temple, where they agreed to help Joash.

Jehoiada said to them:

Joash will be our next king, because long ago the Lord promised that one of David's descendants would always be king. Here is what we will do. Three groups of priests and Levites will be on guard duty on the Sabbath—one group will guard the gates of the temple, one will guard the palace, and the other will guard Foundation Gate. The rest of you will stand guard in the temple courtyards. Only the priests and Levites who are on duty will be able to enter the temple, because they will be the only ones who have gone through the ceremony to make themselves clean and acceptable. The others must stay outside in the courtyards, just as the Lord has commanded. You Levites must protect King Joash. Don't let him out of your sight! And keep your swords ready to kill anyone who comes into the temple.

The Levites and the people of Judah followed Jehoiada's orders. The guards going off duty were not allowed to go home, and so each commander had all his guards available—those going off duty as well as those coming on duty. Jehoiada went into the temple and brought out the swords and shields that had belonged to King David, and he gave them to the commanders. 10 They gave the weapons to the guards, and Jehoiada then made sure that the guards took their positions around the temple and the altar to protect the king on every side.

11 Jehoiada and his sons brought Joash outside, where they placed the crown on his head and gave him a copy of the instructions for ruling the nation. Olive oil was poured on his head to show that he was now king, and the crowd cheered and shouted, “Long live the king!”

12 As soon as Queen Athaliah heard the crowd cheering for Joash, she went to the temple. 13 There she saw Joash standing by one of the columns near the entrance, which was the usual place for the king. The commanders and the trumpet players were standing next to him, and the musicians were playing instruments and leading the people as they celebrated and blew trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes in anger and shouted, “You betrayed me, you traitors!”

14 At once, Jehoiada said to the army commanders, “Don't kill her near the Lord's temple. Take her out in front of the troops, and be sure to kill all of her followers!” 15 She tried to escape, but the commanders caught and killed her near the gate where horses are led into the palace.

16 Jehoiada asked King Joash and the people to join with him in being faithful to the Lord. They agreed, 17 then rushed to the temple of the god Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and the idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.

18 Jehoiada assigned the priests and Levites their duties at the temple, just as David had done. They were in charge of offering sacrifices to the Lord according to the Law of Moses, and they were responsible for leading the celebrations with singing. 19 Jehoiada ordered the guards at the temple gates to keep out anyone who was unclean.

20 Finally, Jehoiada called together the army commanders, the most important citizens of Judah, and the government officials. The crowd of people followed them as they led Joash from the temple, through the Upper Gate, and into the palace, where he took his place as king of Judah. 21 Everyone celebrated because Athaliah had been killed and Jerusalem was peaceful again.

Footnotes:

  1. 21.10 Even the town of Libnah: This was a town on the border between Philistia and Judah, which means that Jehoram was facing rebellion on both sides of his kingdom.
  2. 21.11 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
  3. 21.16 Ethiopians: See the note at 12.3.
  4. 21.17 Ahaziah: The Hebrew text has “Jehoahaz,” another spelling of the name.
  5. 22.2 22: One ancient translation (see also 2 Kings 8.26); Hebrew “42.”
  6. 22.11 Jehosheba: The Hebrew text has “Jehoshabeath,” another spelling of the name.

Cross references:

  1. 21.7 : 1 K 11.36.
  2. 21.8 : Gn 27.40.
  3. 23.3 : 2 S 7.12.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Romans 11:13-36

13 I am now speaking to you Gentiles, and as long as I am an apostle to you, I will take pride in my work. 14 I hope in this way to make some of my own people jealous enough to be saved. 15 When Israel rejected God,[a] the rest of the people in the world were able to turn to him. So when God makes friends with Israel, it will be like bringing the dead back to life. 16 If part of a batch of dough is made holy by being offered to God, then all of the dough is holy. If the roots of a tree are holy, the rest of the tree is holy too.

17 You Gentiles are like branches of a wild olive tree made to be part of a cultivated olive tree. You have taken the place of some branches that were cut away from it. And because of this, you enjoy the blessings that come from being part of that cultivated tree. 18 But don't think you are better than the branches that were cut away. Just remember you are not supporting the roots of this tree. Its roots are supporting you.

19 Maybe you think those branches were cut away, so you could be put in their place. 20 That's true enough. But they were cut away because they did not have faith, and you are where you are because you do have faith. So don't be proud, but be afraid. 21 If God cut away those natural branches, couldn't he do the same to you?

22 Now you see both how kind and how hard God can be. He was hard on those who fell, but he was kind to you. And he will keep on being kind to you, if you keep on trusting in his kindness. Otherwise, you will be cut away too.

23 If those other branches will start having faith, they will be made a part of that tree again. God has the power to put them back. 24 After all, it wasn't natural for branches to be cut from a wild olive tree and to be made part of a cultivated olive tree. So it is much more likely that God will join the natural branches back to the cultivated olive tree.

The People of Israel Will Be Brought Back

25 My friends, I don't want you Gentiles to be too proud of yourselves. So I will explain the mystery of what has happened to the people of Israel. Some of them have become stubborn, and they will stay like that until the complete number of you Gentiles has come in. 26 (A) In this way all of Israel will be saved, as the Scriptures say,

“From Zion someone will come
to rescue us.
Then Jacob's descendants
will stop being evil.
27 (B) This is what the Lord
has promised to do
when he forgives their sins.”

28 The people of Israel are treated as God's enemies, so the good news can come to you Gentiles. But they are still the chosen ones, and God loves them because of their famous ancestors. 29 God doesn't take back the gifts he has given or disown the people he has chosen.

30 At one time you Gentiles rejected God. But now Israel has rejected God, and you have been shown mercy. 31 And because of the mercy shown to you, they will also be shown mercy. 32 All people have disobeyed God, and that's why he treats them as prisoners. But he does this, so that he can have mercy on all of them.

33 (C) Who can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does?

34 (D) “Has anyone known
the thoughts of the Lord
or given him advice?
35 (E) Has anyone loaned
something to the Lord
that must be repaid?”

36 (F) Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen.

Footnotes:

  1. 11.15 When Israel rejected God: Or “When Israel was rejected.”
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 22:1-18

(A psalm by David for the music leader. To the tune “A Deer at Dawn.”)

Suffering and Praise

(A) My God, my God, why have you
deserted me?
Why are you so far away?
Won't you listen to my groans
and come to my rescue?
I cry out day and night,
but you don't answer,
and I can never rest.

Yet you are the holy God,
ruling from your throne
and praised by Israel.
(B) Our ancestors trusted you,
and you rescued them.
When they cried out for help,
you saved them,
and you did not let them down
when they depended on you.

But I am merely a worm,
far less than human,
and I am hated and rejected
by people everywhere.
(C) Everyone who sees me
makes fun and sneers.
They shake their heads,
(D) and say, “Trust the Lord!
If you are his favorite,
let him protect you
and keep you safe.”

You, Lord, brought me
safely through birth,
and you protected me
when I was a baby
at my mother's breast.
10 From the day I was born,
I have been in your care,
and from the time of my birth,
you have been my God.

11 Don't stay far off
when I am in trouble
with no one to help me.
12 Enemies are all around
like a herd of wild bulls.
Powerful bulls from Bashan[a]
are everywhere.
13 My enemies are like lions
roaring and attacking
with jaws open wide.

14 I have no more strength
than a few drops of water.
All my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like melted wax.
15 My strength has dried up
like a broken clay pot,
and my tongue sticks
to the roof of my mouth.
You, God, have left me
to die in the dirt.

16 Brutal enemies attack me
like a pack of dogs,
tearing at[b] my hands
and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones,
and my enemies just stare
and sneer at me.
18 (E) They took my clothes
and gambled for them.

Footnotes:

  1. 22.12 Bashan: A land east of the Jordan River, where there were pastures suitable for raising fine cattle.
  2. 22.16 tearing at: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Proverbs 20:7

Good people live right,
and God blesses the children
who follow their example.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

07/27/2022 DAB Transcript

2 Chronicles 19:1-20:37, Romans 10:14-11:12, Psalms 21:1-13, Proverbs 20:4-6

Today is the 27th day of the month of July welcome to the Daily Audio Bible I’m Brian it is wonderful to gather around the Global Campfire and take the next step forward together as we navigate and continue to move forward in the Scriptures. We are navigating the book of second Chronicles in the Old Testament and the letter to the Romans in the New. And that’s what we will obviously continue to do until we finish one of them and then we’ll move forward. But for now, this is kind of where we’re camped out. So, let’s take that next step forward. We’re reading from the Contemporary English Version this week. Second Chronicles chapters 19 and 20.

Commentary:

Okay. So, in the book of second Chronicles we have an interesting story about King Jehoshaphat. And certainly, Jehoshaphat is chronicled in the books of Kings. And, so, we’ve heard of him before, and even some of the stories like this one with the prophet Micaiah and all of the other prophets prophesying that King Ahab will be successful. And Micaiah has the bad news that he’s gonna die in battle. So, we have crossed that territory before but we have this other story with Jehoshaphat today that doesn’t show up in the book of Kings, and it’s an interesting one, because three nations, the Moabites, the Ammonites and Meunites from on the other side of the Jordan River, so the east side of the Jordan River. They have gathered together at the lowest point on the earth which is the Dead Sea and they’ve crossed over, and they’re at En-Gedi, which is a place and I’ve been there many times. There’s just a beautiful little tiny waterfall there but it’s such a barren desert we really are like so close to the lowest point on earth that the Dead Sea, it’s very very barren there. So, freshwater coming down from the hills from Jerusalem is not only beautiful, but certainly life-sustaining and lifesaving, especially at the time that we’re talking about before, you know, water could be pumped anywhere or anything like that. So, they’re gathering where they can have access to fresh water with the intentions then of following the Kedron Valley up to Jerusalem to attack. And that’s when Jehoshaphat finds out about it. Like they are already in his land. They are already on their way. They are a massive army, and the Israelites and King Jehoshaphat are not prepared. And, so, in some ways it’s kind of interesting to think about a figure like Israel’s first king, King Saul, because we spent so much time getting to know King Saul to think about like how he would respond to this because typically any kind of crisis that came against him or anything that was going to make him look bad he hind of freaked out in all kinds of directions. We even have to think kinda like, how would we be? Hard to put ourselves in the position of royalty with three allied nations coming against us, but we can put us ourselves in a position where unexpectedly we have opposition coming against us that we didn’t see coming. And, so, where does our heart turn in that moment. Like Jehoshaphat could’ve just tried to figure out what sort of defenses they had, tried to bring the Army is close to Jerusalem as possible so that they could at least defend the city. They could’ve sent ambassadors down to the other armies to ask, you know, what the problem is, what is going on. Or as we’ve seen in other stories, and in other cases, maybe they could of got all the gold that was in the Lord’s temple and sent it down to the Dead Sea and said just go home. This is what you were to have fought for. Here you go. Go home. Just none of that happens and Jehoshaphat was afraid, like terrified. The Bible says Jehoshaphat was afraid. That’s kind of an important point, especially as we consider our own lives because when we are in terror or we are afraid we’re not always thinking the most clear, we’re not making the wisest decisions all of the time, maybe none of the time. So, Jehoshaphat has gotten some pretty bad news that his country is being invaded. And that’s kind of a life or death piece of information. He’s been told the size of the forces that are coming against him, and he is afraid. Typically, a bad time to make wise decisions. And what Jehoshaphat does is not hide it from anybody, not try to spin it in some sort of way, not try to figure out how against all odds, they might be able to save themselves. He invites everybody to fast. And they fast before the Lord and then the king and the people come together at the Lord’s temple and the king has humbled himself, and he prays. You, Lord, are the God our ancestors worshiped and from heaven you rule every nation in the world. You are so powerful that no one could defeat you. And he continues praying and pours out before the Lord. These armies that are coming against us are people that we’ve encountered before, and we were not allowed to attack. We were not allowed to fight. They were spared and now, now that we’re in the land that you promised us they’re coming against us to take it away. Not only from us but to take it away from you, Lord. And he confesses that they’re outnumbered and then he says we won’t stand a chance when this army attacks. We don’t know what to do. We’re begging you for your help. So, here’s a king who has an invading army and he’s not blustering, he’s not posturing, he’s not spinning. He is humbling himself before God and his people confessing the truth. We don’t have any hope outside of you, which is really the ultimate lesson, right? Remember when we were learning the lesson of the wilderness. We are utterly dependent upon God, ultimately. And with all of the other judges and kings that we have met this is a rare occurrence. And how this works out is that people are praying, they have fasted, they are worshiping and the Lord speaks to someone named Jahaziel who was a Levite and he speaks up the prophetic utterance that essentially says, I hear you, you don’t have to be afraid, you don’t need to be discouraged. I will fight for you. Here are your instructions for the battle. And they’re told to march down from Jerusalem to a town called Ziz and the enemy army will be coming up from the Dead Sea in that direction. And the Lord said he would be there for them. And, so, Jehoshaphat doesn’t go like, whew…great, awesome, let’s feast, let’s dance, let’s just party now. He stays humble. He bows down with his head to the ground and everyone worships. And the ultimate outcome of the story is that the children of Israel obey the utterance from the Lord. They go to the place that they’re supposed to go. But what they find is that it’s really a good place to be a spectator. And what king Jehoshaphat ultimately does is have worshipers in front of the army leading the army. And, so, they are marching into battle while worshiping the Lord. The three enemy nations become confused. The Ammonite and Moabite armies band together and completely destroy the Edomite Army. And once that’s done then they turn on each other until everyone is wiped out. It’s an amazing story. But as we consider our own responses to bad news and the terror that arises because of the bad news we need to remember this story, a posture of humility confessing what is a reality, no matter we’re feeling. The reality is we are utterly dependent upon God. Everything that we try to do in our own strength ultimately fails. We can fake it all we want but we eventually crash. We are utterly dependent on God, which is the way we are made, which is the most healthy and safe place to be. What king Jehoshaphat and the Israelites learned was, although they had a tremendous amount of fear and terror about what was going to happen, what they feared wasn’t actually about to happen. And, so, when we find ourselves in that kind of a circumstance a lot of times we turn to anxiety. A lot of times we let our mind race. A lot of times we can’t get the sleep that we need, which just compounds the problem. What we see king Jehoshaphat and the children of Israel doing is moving to worship and utter humility, humbling themselves and not only crying out to God for him to come save them but worshiping the Lord, which is truly good advice to us the next time we face the unexpected fears that come our way.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for this story that we were able to read today about King Jehoshaphat and his posture. And we ask Holy Spirit that You let what we’ve read, and what was discussed here to become our posture. We begin to think about what directions we get pulled into when we become afraid or intimidated. And give us the insight into how that’s worked out for us and help us follow this example, to humble ourselves and worship You, knowing that we are utterly dependent upon You. We pray this in the beautiful name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.

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Community Prayer and Praise:

Hi DAB family this is Rob Still worship dude and Nashville TN. I haven’t called in a while but I listen every day and pray along with you guys and I’m so very very grateful for all of you intercessors who are praying for those who call in. Thank you guys for calling in it’s an encouragement and to hear from you. Hey, I want to lift up the sister who called herself Broken. She’s a concert organist and played piano for church worship services. I have been in that role of working with church organists. And you said you had a car accident a couple years ago and had many broken bones and problems with your wrist. And the same thing has happened to me. I’ve broken both my wrists and my arm at different times and had not such great prognosis sometimes. So, I just want to pray God healing for you and we just come against fear and the name of Jesus. And I pray for healing for the loss and the grief. And you also mentioned you have an estranged relationship with your daughter. And right now, Lord we just pray for the God of hope just to fill her and fill all who are dealing with loss of relationships, loss of health. And God you are almighty, and your essence is love. And Lord we know that you want each one of us to do well. So, we call upon the Lord and we ask for divine healing and supernatural participation in our regular everyday lives Lord. I pray that she would be blessed my brothers and sisters and especially for Broken in the name of Jesus. Be encouraged. He is the God of hope.

Hi DAB family this prayer is for Jonathan from Denver. He called in on July 23rd and there was a woman who called and just said that how important it is to listen to the prayers and that sometimes they speak directly to you. And he called in and it just spoke directly to me. So, I don’t call it often, but I wanted to call in and pray for him. So, Lord I lift up Jonathan to You right now. He said he’s feeling down and he’s not serving You Lord and I just want…just want him to feel Your love, Your grace, Your peace, Your mercy right now God. Just lift him up, strengthen him. Strengthen him so that he could do what You called him to do. Not because he has to but because he loves You so much that he wants to and he’s doing it and Your strength and not his own. And don’t let him stay in that shame or condemnation. There’s no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. So, help him to not stay in that place Lord and just lift him out of that and give him opportunities to love others and to serve You. And also, just thank You for his faithfulness in listening to the DAB and help him just to continue to do so Lord and just soak in Your word and spend time with You and grow closer to You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hey Daily Audio Bible family it’s Travis from Alberta Canada. Last summer for my internship for Bible school I was given the opportunity to pastor a church in a little town in Alberta called Nordic and it was a life changing experience. And I love that place so much and I love the church family there. And right now, they just really need your prayers. They are on a town evacuation right now because of forest fires and a lot of…a lot of…of the families that were in my church at Nordic are having to flee their homes and don’t know if they’re gonna come back to a home or not. And, so, just be praying. Be praying for them. Be praying for Nordic Alberta. And, yeah, thank you all so much. God bless you. Bye.

Hi Daily Audio Bible this is Hopeful from Ohio. I’m actually calling to share both a praise and a prayer request. Praise is I’ve just been so encouraged. I’ve only been listening for a few weeks after my coworker shared with me this ministry and I just feel so encouraged. It’s been a part of my morning routine and I just really love the community. I love getting the word spoken over me as I get ready for the morning. So, I just want to thank you for all your faithful prayer and just wanted to let you guys know that I’ve been praying with you in all these things and hurting with you. And yeah…so thank you for this ministry. I also wanted to submit a prayer request both for myself and for my husband. I just felt the Lord’s prompting and calling me to get uncomfortable. I’m very fearful by nature and have felt He wants me to take steps of bravery but haven’t done that and I don’t want to sit in fear I want to be faithful. So, I pray for that. I also pray just for my marriage. My husband has been struggling with addiction to pornography and just this past week I had to kick him out for a night and set some boundaries due to the repetitive nature of it. And I just feel very worried for my marriage. Worried for him, sad for him, sad for me. And I know there are lots of other couples probably struggling with this or even singles. And, so, I just ask that you lift him up in prayer, lift us up in prayer. We need your help. We need the Lord’s help and just a miracle to happen to help here. Thank you…

Good evening Daily Audio Bible family my name is Betty I’m calling from Hamburg NY offering a praise report I have to share. I just heard Standing on the Promises praying for my son and others. My son is Nathan and I have to share that earlier this evening I got a call from the hospital and Nathan woke up. He’s been asleep for two weeks or in a state of catatonia…whatever…for two weeks and today he woke up. And isn’t it just like God because I heard the prayer today for him. So, thank you Lord for answered prayers. It’s a step in his journey of healing period. And, so, sometimes we forget to share the praise. So, that’s what I wanted to do today. Thank you all for your prayers for my son Nathan. His journey continues. Praise the Lord.

The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Wednesday July 27, 2022 (NIV)

2 Chronicles 19-20

19 Jehoshaphat returned safely to his palace in Jerusalem. But the prophet Jehu son of Hanani met him and said:

By helping that wicked Ahab, you have made friends with someone who hates the Lord. Now the Lord God is angry with you! But not everything about you is bad. You destroyed the sacred poles[a] used in worshiping the goddess Asherah—that shows you have tried to obey the Lord.

Jehoshaphat Appoints Judges To Settle Cases

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, but he often traveled through his kingdom, from Beersheba in the south to the edge of the hill country of Ephraim in the north. He talked with the people and convinced them to turn back to the Lord God and worship him, just as their ancestors had done.

He assigned judges to each of the fortified cities in Judah and told them:

Be careful when you make your decisions in court, because you are judging by the Lord's standards and not by human standards, and he will know what you decide. So do your work in honor of him and know that he won't allow you to be unfair to anyone or to take bribes.

Jehoshaphat also chose some Levites, some priests, and some of the family leaders, and he appointed them to serve as judges in Jerusalem. He told them:

Faithfully serve the Lord! 10 The people of Judah will bring you legal cases that involve every type of crime, including murder. You must settle these cases and warn the people to stop sinning against the Lord, so that he won't get angry and punish Judah. Remember, if you follow these instructions, you won't be held responsible for anything that happens.

11 Amariah the high priest will have the final say in any religious case. And Zebadiah, the leader[b] of the Judah tribe, will have the final say in all other cases. The rest of the Levites will serve as your assistants. Be brave, and I pray that the Lord will help you do right.

Moab and Ammon Are Defeated

20 Some time later, the armies of Moab and Ammon, together with the Meunites,[c] went to war against Jehoshaphat. Messengers told Jehoshaphat, “A large army from Edom[d] east of the Dead Sea has invaded our country. They have already reached En-Gedi.”[e]

Jehoshaphat was afraid, so he asked the Lord what to do. He then told the people of Judah to go without eating to show their sorrow. They immediately left for Jerusalem to ask for the Lord's help.

After everyone from Judah and Jerusalem had come together at the Lord's temple, Jehoshaphat stood in front of the new courtyard and prayed:

You, Lord, are the God our ancestors worshiped, and from heaven you rule every nation in the world. You are so powerful that no one can defeat you. (A) Our God, you forced out the nations who lived in this land before your people Israel came here, and you gave it to the descendants of your friend Abraham forever. Our ancestors lived in this land and built a temple to honor you. They believed that whenever this land is struck by war or disease or famine, your people can pray to you at the temple, and you will hear their prayer and save them.

10 (B) You can see that the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Edom are attacking us! Those are the nations you would not let our ancestors invade on their way from Egypt, so these nations were not destroyed. 11 Now they are coming to take back the land you gave us. 12 Aren't you going to punish them? We won't stand a chance when this army attacks. We don't know what to do—we are begging for your help.

13 While every man, woman, and child of Judah was standing there at the temple, 14 the Lord's Spirit suddenly spoke to Jahaziel, a Levite from the Asaph clan.[f] 15 (C) Then Jahaziel said:

Your Majesty and everyone from Judah and Jerusalem, the Lord says that you don't need to be afraid or let this powerful army discourage you. God will fight on your side! 16 So here's what you must do. Tomorrow the enemy armies will march through the desert around the town of Jeruel. March down and meet them at the town of Ziz as they come up the valley. 17 (D) You won't even have to fight. Just take your positions and watch the Lord rescue you from your enemy. Don't be afraid. Just do as you're told. And as you march out tomorrow, the Lord will be there with you.

18 Jehoshaphat bowed low to the ground and everyone worshiped the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohath and Korah clans stood up and shouted praises to the Lord God of Israel.

20 Early the next morning, as everyone got ready to leave for the desert near Tekoa, Jehoshaphat stood up and said, “Listen my friends, if we trust the Lord God and believe what these prophets have told us, the Lord will help us, and we will be successful.” 21 Then he explained his plan and appointed men to march in front of the army and praise the Lord for his holy power by singing:[g]

“Praise the Lord!
His love never ends.”

22 As soon as they began singing, the Lord confused the enemy camp, 23 so that the Ammonite and Moabite troops attacked and completely destroyed those from Edom. Then they turned against each other and fought until the entire camp was wiped out!

24 When Judah's army reached the tower that overlooked the desert, they saw that every soldier in the enemy's army was lying dead on the ground. 25 So Jehoshaphat and his troops went into the camp to carry away everything of value. They found a large herd of livestock,[h] a lot of equipment, clothes,[i] and other valuable things. It took them three days to carry it all away, and there was still some left over.

26 Then on the fourth day, everyone came together in Beracah Valley and sang praises to the Lord. That's why that place was called Praise Valley.[j]

27-28 Jehoshaphat led the crowd back to Jerusalem. And as they marched, they played harps and blew trumpets. They were very happy because the Lord had given them victory over their enemies, so when they reached the city, they went straight to the temple.

29 When the other nations heard how the Lord had fought against Judah's enemies, they were too afraid 30 to invade Judah. The Lord let Jehoshaphat's kingdom be at peace.

Jehoshaphat Dies

(1 Kings 22.41-50)

31 Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king of Judah, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 32 Jehoshaphat obeyed the Lord, just as his father Asa had done, 33 but he did not destroy the local shrines.[k] So the people still worshiped foreign gods, instead of faithfully serving the God their ancestors had worshiped.

34 Everything else Jehoshaphat did while he was king is written in the records of Jehu son of Hanani that are included in The History of the Kings of Israel.

35 While Jehoshaphat was king, he signed a peace treaty with Ahaziah the wicked king of Israel. 36 They agreed to build several seagoing ships[l] at Ezion-Geber. 37 But the prophet Eliezer[m] warned Jehoshaphat, “The Lord will destroy these ships because you have supported Ahaziah.” The ships were wrecked and never sailed.

Footnotes:

  1. 19.3 sacred poles: See the note at 14.3.
  2. 19.11 Zebadiah, the leader: Hebrew “Zebadiah son of Ishmael, who is the leader.”
  3. 20.1 Meunites: One ancient translation (see also 26.7); Hebrew “Ammonites.”
  4. 20.2 Edom: The Hebrew text has “Syria”; in Hebrew there is only one letter difference between “Edom” and “Aram,” which is the usual Hebrew name for Syria in the Bible.
  5. 20.2 En-Gedi: The Hebrew text has “Hazazon-Tamar, also known as En-Gedi,” a city on the west shore of the Dead Sea, about 40 kilometers southeast of Jerusalem.
  6. 20.14 Jahaziel, a Levite from the Asaph clan: Hebrew “Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Jeiel son of Mattaniah, who was a Levite from the Asaph clan.”
  7. 20.21 to march in front … singing: Or “to put on their sacred robes, lead the army into battle, and praise the Lord by singing.”
  8. 20.25 a large herd of livestock: One ancient translation; Hebrew “among the bodies a large herd of.”
  9. 20.25 clothes: One ancient translation; Hebrew “dead bodies.”
  10. 20.26 Beracah Valley … sang praises … Praise Valley: In Hebrew the name “Beracah” means “praise.”
  11. 20.33 local shrines: See the note at 11.15.
  12. 20.36 seagoing ships: See the note at 9.21.
  13. 20.37 Eliezer: Hebrew “Eliezer son of Dodavahu from Mareshah.”
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Romans 10:14-11:12

14 How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them? 15 (A) And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news. 16 (B) Yet not everyone has believed the message. For example, the prophet Isaiah asked, “Lord, has anyone believed what we said?”

17 No one can have faith without hearing the message about Christ. 18 (C) But am I saying that the people of Israel did not hear? No, I am not! The Scriptures say,

“The message was told
everywhere on earth.
It was announced
all over the world.”

19 (D) Did the people of Israel understand or not? Moses answered this question when he told that the Lord had said,

“I will make Israel jealous
of people
who are a nation
of nobodies.
I will make them angry
with people
who don't understand
a thing.”

20 (E) Isaiah was fearless enough to tell that the Lord had said,

“I was found by people
who were not looking
for me.
I appeared to the ones
who were not asking
about me.”

21 (F) And Isaiah said about the people of Israel,

“All day long the Lord
has reached out
to people who are stubborn
and refuse to obey.”

God Has Not Rejected His People

11 (G) Am I saying that God has turned his back on his people? Certainly not! I am one of the people of Israel, and I myself am a descendant of Abraham from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not turn his back on his chosen people. Don't you remember reading in the Scriptures how Elijah complained to God about the people of Israel? (H) He said, “Lord, they killed your prophets and destroyed your altars. I am the only one left, and now they want to kill me.”

(I) But the Lord told Elijah, “I still have 7,000 followers who have not worshiped Baal.” It is the same way now. God treated the people of Israel with undeserved grace, and so a few of them are still his followers. This happened because of God's undeserved kindness and not because of anything they have done. It could not have happened except for God's gift of undeserved grace.

This means that only a chosen few of the people of Israel found what all of them were searching for. And the rest of them were stubborn, (J) just as the Scriptures say,

“God made them so stupid
that their eyes are blind,
and their ears
are still deaf.”

(K) Then David said,

“Turn their meals
into bait for a trap,
so that they will stumble
and be given
what they deserve.
10 Blindfold their eyes!
Don't let them see.
Bend their backs
beneath a burden
that will never be lifted.”

Gentiles Will Be Saved

11 Do I mean that the people of Israel fell, never to get up again? Certainly not! Their failure made it possible for the Gentiles to be saved, and this will make the people of Israel jealous. 12 But if the rest of the world's people were helped so much by their sin and loss, they will be helped even more by their full return.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.

Psalm 21

(A psalm by David for the music leader.)

Thanking the Lord for Victory

Our Lord, your mighty power
makes the king glad,
and he celebrates victories
that you have given him.
You did what he wanted most
and never told him “No.”
You truly blessed the king,
and you placed on him
a crown of finest gold.
He asked to live a long time,
and you promised him life
that never ends.

The king is highly honored.
You have let him win victories
that have made him famous.
You have given him blessings
that will last forever,
and you have made him glad
by being so near to him.
Lord Most High,
the king trusts you,
and your kindness
keeps him from defeat.

With your mighty arm, Lord,
you will strike down all
of your hateful enemies.
They will be destroyed by fire
once you are here,
and because of your anger,
flames will swallow them.
10 You will wipe their families
from the earth,
and they will disappear.
11 All their plans to harm you
will come to nothing.
12 You will make them run away
by shooting your arrows
at their faces.

13 Show your strength, Lord,
so that we may sing
and praise your power.

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

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Proverbs 20:4-6

If you are too lazy to plow,
don't expect a harvest.
Someone's thoughts may be
as deep as the ocean,
but if you are smart,
you will discover them.

There are many who say,
“You can trust me!”
But can they be trusted?

Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society For more information about CEV, visit www.bibles.com and www.cev.bible.