Rio Vista Church

Search
Close this search box.
Facebook Instagram Youtube Envelope

For the week of March 22

Facebook Instagram Youtube Envelope

For the week of March 22

Search
Close this search box.
Facebook Instagram Youtube Envelope

For the week of March 22

For the week of March 22

Your study notes for this week were written by Will Buschmann, Co-Director of Student Ministries.

Welcome to week twelve of Desiring the Kingdom! We arrive at 1 Kings 13-16, where we see why 1 Kings is called the Book of Kings. Ten kings will be mentioned in some form or another. Nine of those kings are described as doing evil in the sight of the Lord, while only one is described as doing right in the eyes of the Lord. On the surface, the four chapters seem to be defined by division, chaos, power struggles, evil, and death. It may seem like the Lord has forgotten his people, but what we will see as we journey through these narratives is that is far from the truth. God is moving and working even in the good and the evil kings. We will see his faithfulness, his justice, and the surety of his Word.

Due to the nature of this week, we will not be reading every verse from every chapter, but I would encourage you to take some time and read these chapters straight through in one sitting to help in your understanding.

Prayer Initiative

Beginning on January 13th and continuing for 11 weeks, Rio Women invites you to join them for their latest prayer initiative, based on the classic book “The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life.” They meet via Zoom call on Wednesdays at noon. If you can’t attend the meeting, get the book, find a partner, and follow along. (If you have questions or need assistance, email Beth Hendrikse, our Prayer Coordinator, at bethh@riovistachurch.com.

Get the Book
STUDY QUESTIONS

Index to Days 2 through 5

Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5

Day 1

Two Prophets

1 Kings 13:1-25

A Man of God Confronts Jeroboam
13 And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the Lord to Bethel. Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make offerings. 2 And the man cried against the altar by the word of the Lord and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who make offerings on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’” 3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign that the Lord has spoken: ‘Behold, the altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.’” 4 And when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5 The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the Lord. 6 And the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before. 7 And the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me, and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 8 And the man of God said to the king, “If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you. And I will not eat bread or drink water in this place, 9 for so was it commanded me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water nor return by the way that you came.’” 10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.

The Prophet’s Disobedience
11 Now an old prophet lived in Bethel. And his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel. They also told to their father the words that he had spoken to the king. 12 And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13 And he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he mounted it. 14 And he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak. And he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” 15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16 And he said, “I may not return with you, or go in with you, neither will I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place, 17 for it was said to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall neither eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by the way that you came.’” 18 And he said to him, “I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you into your house that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19 So he went back with him and ate bread in his house and drank water.

20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back. 21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command that the Lord your God commanded you, 22 but have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your body shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” 23 And after he had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24 And as he went away a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. 25 And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown in the road and the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

Consider

This story tells of a failing prophet and a lying prophet. It leaves us longing for a better prophet. One who never fails and one who never lies. Our hearts long for Jesus, but our hearts also chase after the false prophets of our culture that lie and tempt us away from doing what is right in the eyes of the Lord.

Questions for Reflection

  • In our culture that is dominated by a constant wave of information, how do you hear from the Lord? How do you make space to hear from him?
  • Who or what are the prophets of our culture that seek to speak falsely for God? Which ones in your life are the most tempting?
  • Take a temperature check of your intake. Who do you seek to hear from and actually hear from more, our cultural prophets or God?
  • How can you seek to hear from God this week, instead of only taking in our chaotic world?

Lord, 
I praise you that you are trustworthy and honest. You never fail, you never let me down. Yet, I find myself seeking after all this world has to offer me. I take in all the information that this world has to throw at me. I forget that you are the only true prophet that this world hopes and longs for. Give me your spirit of discernment to know what to do with all the information that this world has to offer me. Give me wisdom. Let me seek you and know you as my guide.

Amen

Day 2

The Severity of Sin

1 Kings 14:1-20

14 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick. 2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise, and disguise yourself, that it not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh. Behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. 3 Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what shall happen to the child.”

4 Jeroboam’s wife did so. She arose and went to Shiloh and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. 5 And the Lord said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus shall you say to her.”

When she came, she pretended to be another woman. 6 But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with unbearable news for you. 7 Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over my people Israel 8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, and yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my eyes, 9 but you have done evil above all who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods and metal images, provoking me to anger, and have cast me behind your back, 10 therefore behold, I will bring harm upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free in Israel, and will burn up the house of Jeroboam, as a man burns up dung until it is all gone. 11 Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat, for the Lord has spoken it.”’ 12 Arise therefore, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. 13 And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the Lord, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. 14 Moreover, the Lord will raise up for himself a king over Israel who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today. And henceforth, 15 the Lord will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water, and root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the Lord to anger. 16 And he will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and made Israel to sin.”

17 Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. And as she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. 18 And all Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Ahijah the prophet.

The Death of Jeroboam
19 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 20 And the time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years. And he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.

RELATED SCRIPTURES

Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Consider

If the Old Testament is clear about anything it’s the fact that there are consequences to sin. Oftentimes, those consequences are significant and tragic. This is one of those instances. Abijah (Jeroboam’s son) lost his life to do his father’s choices and actions. Jeroboam was not just being held accountable for his sin personally, but he was being held accountable for what he had done to the nation. He was exalted to lead the nation and instead of leading them to the Lord, he led them in a way that was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Sin does not go unnoticed or unpunished by a Holy God.

Questions for Reflection

  • Do you question God’s actions in this story?
  • Does God’s view of sin seem too severe?
  • How does God’s view of sin in the story differ from our modern, western view of sin?
  • What thoughts come to your mind about verse 13? Do you see the mercy of God in it or not?

Lord,

In this season of Lent I am reminded of my sin. I am reminded that all facets of my life are tainted by sin. Sin that I often times stupidly love. I ask for your grace and mercy in the sins of my life. I also ask that your Spirit doesn’t leave me in them, but that it helps me to defeat and kill the sin that clings so closely. Lord, let your kindness lead me to repentance.

Amen

Day 3

The Faithfulness of God In the Midst of Evil

1 Kings 14:21-31

21 Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the Lord had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. 22 And Judah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their fathers had done. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 24 and there were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.

25 In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26 He took away the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house. He took away everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made, 27 and King Rehoboam made in their place shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. 28 And as often as the king went into the house of the Lord, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. And Abijam his son reigned in his place.

RELATED SCRIPTURES

2 Samuel 7:4-17
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
 
Matthew 1:1-17
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, 7 and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph, 8 and Asaph the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, 9 and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amos,[c] and Amos the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12 And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, 15 and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.

Questions for Reflection

  • What hope can you take from these verses in your own life?
  • How do you see God moving in the midst of the chaos and evil of our current world? This past year should give you plenty to think through.
  • What areas of your life seem out of control that you need to rest in the idea that the Lord is in control even in the bleakest of situations?

Lord,
I praise you, because you reign. You reign in heaven and here on earth. Nothing happens without your being in control. Forgive me when I forget that. Forgive me when I don’t trust that you are in control of all things including every aspect of my life. You are good and your works are good. Give me rest at night when I lay down my head knowing that you never rest or leave us on our own. 

Amen

Day 4

Flawed, but Good

1 Kings 15:9-15

9 In the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah, 10 and he reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11 And Asa did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as David his father had done. 12 He put away the male cult prostitutes out of the land and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. 13 He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. And Asa cut down her image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14 But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the Lord all his days. 15 And he brought into the house of the Lord the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.

RELATED SCRIPTURES

2 Chronicles 16:7-10
7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Syria has escaped you. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Libyans a huge army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the Lord, he gave them into your hand. 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. You have done foolishly in this, for from now on you will have wars.” 10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in the stocks in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties upon some of the people at the same time.

Exodus 14:14
14 The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.

2 Chronicles 16:11-14
11 The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians. 13 And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. 14 They buried him in the tomb that he had cut for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer’s art, and they made a very great fire in his honor.

Exodus 15:26
“If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”

Questions for Reflection

  • What characteristic of Asa do you see in yourself?
  • In what situations is it easy for you to forget to turn to God? Which of his promises are easy to look over when hard times come?
  • What promise of God do you need to hold tight to right now in your life?

Lord,

You give me unlimited access to your throne, yet oftentimes in my pride I don’t seek you there. You give me promise after promise of who you are, yet I look over them for what I believe to be better. Give me the faith and the understanding that you want to hear from me as your child. That I can and I should go to you in all things. Give me your spirit of faith to cling to you and you alone. 

Amen

Day 5

The Surety of God’s Word

1 Kings 16:34

34 In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.

RELATED SCRIPTURES

Joshua 6:26
26 Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.
“At the cost of his firstborn shall he
     lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son
    shall he set up its gates.”

Isaiah 40:8
8 The grass withers, the flower fades,
    but the word of our God will stand forever.

Consider

After the Battle of Jericho in Joshua 6, Joshua speaks the word that you just read above. This word was spoken five centuries before Hiel rebuilt Jericho, but the time that has passed does not stop the efficacy or surety of Joshua’s prophetic words from coming to pass. What you expect to happen does happen. The oath that Joshua spoke comes to pass in Hiel’s life due to his actions. The writer of Kings is reminding us as the reader of the power of the Word of God spoken by the prophets. 

Today, we don’t have prophets speaking the authoritative Word of God to us, but we have something that you could argue is far greater, we have the Scriptures. We have a Bible in our language that is bound in a single book, it is on our phones, it is accessible to us almost anywhere. The efficacy and certainty of the Word of God has not dwindled in our modern times. It is powerful and transformational in our own lives if we will use it.

Questions for Reflection

  • How would you describe the Bible to a friend who is not a Christian?
  • What do you believe about the Bible’s power today?
  • Does the practical use of your Bible in your life match what you believe about the Bible?
  • What needs to be rearranged in your life, so you can be in the Bible more?

Lord,

I thank you for your Word. Your Word is powerful and true. Nothing can be trusted more than your Scriptures you have so graciously given me. Yet, I find that I don’t rely on them first oftentimes. I seek out the counsel of everyone else before I go to your Word. I have unlimited access, yet there are days when I don’t look at it at all. Forgive me and transform. Open my eyes to the beauty of your Word. Open my eyes to the power of your Word. Make me a lover of your Word and of the Scriptures you have given me. Give me your Spirit to illuminate the words on the page and screen to have transformational power in my life.

Amen

Watch for other Personal Worship pushes!

  • Friday you’ll receive Worship Prep guidance and Sunday’s songs. Take time to learn those you don’t know so that you can join in worship in full voice!

Previous
For the week of March 15
Next
Prepare for Worship (weekend of March 26)