Scary Bible Stories — 2 Kings 6:8-19

English: Elisha at Dothan; as in 2 Kings 6:8-18 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scary Bible Stories – 2 Kings 6:8-19

See Num. 22:31; 2 Sam 24:16; Daniel 3:25; Deut. 32:20; Psalm 18:5-6

B-L-I-N-D

Betrayal v. 10 The king of Samaria was warned.

Loyalty v. 11 Who did it? Who was the snitch?

Identification through investigation v. 12 Elisha, the man who.  The man they fingered was the man who – the man who made an ax head float, the man who fed a multitude, the man who turned poison stew into edible soup, the man who saw his master leave, the man who could call down fire from heaven if he so chose.

Night v. 14 A night ambush was held. Ever notice all the mischief that is worked at night?

Divine Deliverance v. 16-17 The chariots of fire stood at hand to deliver God’s children.  They were always there. Like the servant we just need our eyes opened to see the God’s chariots of fire surrounding us.

 

Exemplary story:  One of my former students, Gloria, says something told her to drag in the trash toter before she left for work.  She was ready to leave for work, and her daughter was leaving for a very important test.  When she retrieved the trash toter, she discovered that her daughter had a flat.  What a disaster would have ensued, if she had resisted the still small voice.  God’s angels were watching over her, and I remarked that it was her obedience that made the difference.

Note: There are numerous scary Bible stories.  In many we can find inspiration to live a better, higher life for God.

Studies in Daniel – Chapter 8

Prophet Daniel in Augsburg Cathedral (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lesson 8

Daniel 8:20-26

See also: Ps 24:7-8; 2 Kings 18:20; Mk 13:14; Isaiah 2:19-21; 2 Thess: 2:3

G-O-A-T

Greece v. 21 Alexander the great conquered the remaining Persian empire.

Obstruction of Nations v. 22 For decades the two-horned Media-Persia had struggled to maintain power.  Then the single-horned power of Alexander the Great overcame this world order.

Ascent. V. 24 Alexander the Great conquered and succumbed.  Then his generals took over. Following them were the Caesars.  For Palestine this meant the rule under Seleucid or Ptolemy.  Eventually Antiochus Epiphanes was to conquer.

Trampling of the Holy   Place v. 24 When the Antiochus took out his wrath on the Jews he slaughtered a pig in the temple and set up an idolatrous image.

Exemplary story: A child and her grandfather took a ride in a helium filled balloon.  The ride was thrilling for the little girl who had never seen her village from the air.  When the basket scraped the treetop during the descent, the occupants were sent swinging in the breeze.  Later the child was asked it she was scared.  She said, “No, grandpa was beside me all the time.”

Historical note: Alexander the Great was the conqueror of the ancient world.  Symbolically he was a single horn broken away.  He was succeeded by his four generals who divided the ancient world as follows: Western provinces like Pergamon were ruled by Cassander;  Macedonia was ruled by Antigone; Syria was ruled by Seleucus; Egypt was ruled by  Ptolemy.  Antiochus Epiphanes (175-164 BC) desecrated the temple.  However, the loyal Jews fought back, and Judas Maccabaeus led the movement that restored the temple worship after a revolt in 167 BC.

Studies in Daniel – Chapter 2

The prophet Daniel (Photo credit: Lawrence OP)

Daniel 2:25-30, 44-45

See also Mat 1:20; Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:1-2; Rev. 21:1-2; Prov. 16:33; Ps. 139:2;  2 Kings 19:27

DREAM

Divulgence in a dream – Though the message was gone like a fog, it was sent from God.

Rampage – The king asks, “If you cannot interpret the dream, what good are you?”

Entreaty – Daniel made prayer a priority and enlisted the prayers of others.

Answer – Brain wave theorists say the delta brain waves put us in touch with a deep and common thought pattern.  Daniel had a vision of the dream God sent.

Meaning – As Daniel relates the dream it gives reassurance for now to the king and for us             later.  The stone is the stone of stumbling that grows to into the church.

Exemplary story:  There is a passage in the writings of the poet Carlyle that I treasure.  It tells of a man who dreamed he walked in a field of flowers.  When he awakes he finds a lily upon his breast.