After this, the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. – 2 Chronicles 20:1

Today's Scripture Reading (March 2, 2026): 2 Chronicles 20

Maybe one of the saddest songs ever written was Simon and Garfunkel's "I Am a Rock." The song was written by Paul Simon very early in his career. In the United Kingdom, the song was released three times in one year. Simon's singing partner Art Garfunkel has called the song one of the most neurotic songs Simon ever wrote. The lyrics of the song describe the dangers of friendship and assert that if you have never loved, you would never have cried. Amazingly, and maybe this is a significant comment on our society, the song strikes a chord with the listener. One of our deepest needs is for a friend who will stand by us through all of the circumstances of life.

Several years ago, a friend told me a story of a night he had experienced in his youth. He thought everything was going well in his life until the night he found himself stranded with a car that wouldn't run and realized that, at two in the morning, he had no one to call. He knew he had a lot of friends, but no one close enough to wake up and ask for help in the wee hours of the morning. He had no money or credit cards, and no real options. That night, my friend discovered that two a.m. friends are rare; very rare.

During the reign of David, Israel's king had subdued the nations of Edom and Moab. Both bordered Israel and effectively became its satellites. But being a satellite of Israel was very different from being friends with David's nation. They found themselves in a position of friendship with Israel only because of Israel's military power. When the nation of Israel was divided into two, Edom became attached to the Southern nation of Judah, and Moab to the Northern kingdom of Israel.

This incident takes place after the death of King Ahab of Israel. Judah found themselves in a two a.m. phase of their history. It would be a time when they would need all of the friends that they could find. But Moab would not prove to be one of those friends. Instead, they took advantage of the confusion in Israel and Judah to cut ties with the nations. It was a time when a decline of Israel's power had begun.

In the Simon song, the singer sings that he touches no one and no one touches him. It is a sentiment that never really works. A truly successful person is never an island. Maybe our success can really be defined by the number of friends who will answer our calls, even at two in the morning when things are not going very well.    

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 21

Now let the fear of the LORD be on you. Judge carefully, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.” – 2 Chronicles 19:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (March 1, 2026): 2 Chronicles 19

I live in an age when higher court judges seem unnecessary. This lack of importance is not because the issues are unimportant, but because we can predict the court’s action with uncanny accuracy. Judges, who are supposed to be impartial, rule in accordance with political expectations far too often. It is no longer a question of reading the law and acting on what it says; the task now seems to include writing a commentary on whether the law is right or wrong, a task that is not part of the court’s mandate.

However, is it possible that the problem is us? We seem to want to make faith the basis for the law of the land. In a society that rails against censorship, we celebrate the restriction of places where the Ten Commandments can be displayed. What is it that is so offensive in the Big Ten? Maybe it is that we have forgotten there should be a line between faith and the law. The first four commandments are a matter of faith, and while I think they are beneficial, I think they are matters of faith. Even so, the commandment against allowing dirt to fall on the name of God, or to take the name of God in vain, could be associated with an understanding in society that it is not beneficial to dance on the nation’s flag. And the next commandment, again not enforceable, is simply take a day off because you are healthier if you do. Number five is also unenforceable, but still a good idea in most circumstances. It says we should honor our parents and those who have gone before us. Maybe we should realize that the law has a job, but so do the spiritual institutions in our society, which teach us to do the right things that go beyond the letter of the law.

However, there is no doubt that society cannot exist if the law does not restrict murder, theft, and dishonesty in certain situations. Such rules must be enforced if society is to exist. But things like mercy and compassion are also needed in society. The idea of not committing adultery or coveting what belongs to someone else is simply a teaching about trust while living in society. All in all, at least 80% of the Big Ten are simply good ideas to follow to strengthen our communities, whether or not they are enforceable as laws.

Jehoshaphat appoints judges and admonishes them to render judgments not as they think, but as is right according to the law. If something makes that not possible, the judges need to address those circumstances. Because, in the end, this was between the judge and God. And if the judge couldn’t be impartial, then they were unnecessary and would harm society rather than be a source of healing and health.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 20

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD." – 2 Chronicles 18:4

Today's Scripture Reading (February 28, 2026): 2 Chronicles 18

I admit that I struggle with contemporary politics. One of my problems is that decisions are too often drawn along political party lines rather than based on what works for certain areas or on a politician's well-considered beliefs. More and more votes come down to party lines, and in some nations, like Canada and Britain, that vote is almost mandated. Beyond that, a politician's vote is often dependent on which party proposed the course of action, not on whether it is prudent or would benefit the people of the nation. And so, we often find ourselves in ridiculous circumstances where the political right proposes a move opposed by the political left simply because of who authored the motion. And when power switches, we often must endure the ridiculous situation where the left presents the same action they had opposed not that long ago, but now the right opposes it, even though they suggested the course of action in the first place. Politics is no longer the place where prudent motions become law, but is now a place where we support whatever wild ideas are presented, as long as the idea comes from people who wear the same political label that we wear or with which we identify.

Which brings us to the situation between Jehoshaphat and Ahab. The two nations, Judah and Israel, are considering an alliance so that Israel, the Kingdom under the leadership of Ahab, can regain territory previously lost to Ben-Hadad, the King of Aram-Damascus, located in present-day Syria. The territory had been promised to Israel in exchange for leniency following the defeat of Aram, but it had apparently never been returned. Jehoshaphat of Judah is willing to make an alliance and go to war for the Israelite territory, but first, he wants to ensure that God wills such an alliance. And so, Jehoshaphat makes what is really a bold request: "Let's ask God whether this is a good alliance before we put our plans into action." The problem is that Ahab has a difficult relationship with the prophets of God. Under Ahab's persecution, most had left the nation or at least had been driven deep underground. Ahab had raised up a company of Prophets who would agree with the King in all circumstances, not because they had inquired of God but because they had been trained never to contradict the King.

But Jehoshaphat is asking for a real inquiry, one that can be trusted, and there aren't many of those men still in Israel. There was one, but Ahab dislikes him because he feels that he is a contrarian who stands against whatever it might be that Ahab wants to do. His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah, and on this day, it is this contrarian for whom Ahab reluctantly sends.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 19

See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised. – Obadiah 1:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 27, 2026): Obadiah 1

A Canadian general has suggested that his nation might need to arm itself with nuclear weapons. Unlike many non-nuclear nations, Canada possesses all of the technology and infrastructure to create whatever weapons it decides that it wants. However, it has remained a non-nuclear power because of safety guarantees from the United States.

But times, they are a-changing. I actually suggested that Canada might want to go nuclear a few years ago. At the time, my suggestion was roundly dismissed, mostly by some of my American friends. I do have a friend who believes that Canada possesses nuclear weapons about which no one knows, and has possessed these weapons for decades. But somehow that doesn’t seem likely.

There is a contemporary cautionary tale on the subject. It is Ukraine. There was a time when Ukraine was the third strongest nuclear nation, behind only the United States and the Soviet Union. At the time, both superpowers assured Ukrainians that they would protect the nation during a time of conflict. Promises have expiration dates, and apparently, the promise to Ukraine has ended because both Russia and the United States have broken it. If Ukraine were still a nuclear power, I suspect that the Russo-Ukrainian war might never have happened. I actually am on the side of nuclear disarmament. I don’t really want Canada to become a nuclear power, and I think that the Ukrainian decision to disarm was the right one. But I do understand why the decision is hard. In a world where might makes right, which we are currently re-entering, being strong in some way is important if a nation is to survive.

The ancient world was filled with small nations that either disappeared because they could not stand up to the bullies on the world stage, paid tribute to the stronger nations, or found one way in which their strength would help them survive in a competitive world of war.

Obadiah says that Edom would be made a small nation. The reality was that Edom always had been a small nation. But if Edom had a strength, it was its location. It was a nation that was literally built into the rocks. It wasn’t a strong nation militarily, but it was a difficult nation to attack, even if you were among the stronger bullies on the scene. Obadiah prophesied that the time would come when the rocks would not help the Edomites—a time when even Edom would be defeated, and its people despised.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 18

The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” – 1 Kings 22:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 26, 2026): 1 Kings 22

There seem to be a few unbreakable laws whenever a lawyer appears in a court of law. One of those rules is “never ask a question for which you don’t know the answer.” Okay, while that advice has been raised to the status of a cross-examination commandment, not everybody agrees. And part of the reason is that following that advice would require spending countless hours taking depositions, which is expensive. Still, others would disagree with that position. It only makes sense not to ask a question to which you don’t have an answer because the answer could derail your description of the crime.

So, some lawyers follow the advice and never ask those unknown questions. But sometimes even that caution doesn’t help. What happens if you have been lied to? A single lie can take a court case in an entirely different direction.

Ahab wants to attack the King of Syria. The problem or offense is that, following the conflict between Israel and Syria, Syria promised to hand over certain cities to Israel in exchange for leniency following the war. Either Ramoth-Gilead was not included on the list, or Syria reneged on the deal and refused to return the city to Israel.

King Ahab is correct; Ramoth-Gilead belonged to Israel. However, it was part of the Transjordan area, meaning the city was built on the east side of the Jordan River. Originally, the city had existed within the boundaries of the Tribe of Gad. Ahab seemed determined to regain the city and this area in Transjordan as his territory, but he needed help.

Enter King Jehoshaphat from the Kingdom of Judah. Would Jehoshaphat help Israel to regain the territory? Jehoshaphat says yes to Ahab’s request, but only if it is what God wants them to do. It was not the response Ahab wanted. The only honest prophet in Israel was Micaiah, but Ahab also complained that Micaiah never prophesied in his favor. But Jehoshaphat was insistent; his help was dependent on what God wanted him to do.

Micaiah is brought before the two kings and prophesies the same thing that Ahab’s false prophets had already said before the Kings. But Ahab seems to know that what has already been prophesied is false. He already seems to know the answer to his own question and tells Macaiah to tell the truth. Ahab may not obey the prophecies of the prophet of Israel, but he knew the truth behind that prophecy.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Obadiah 1

He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, 'Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'" – 1 Kings 21:6

Today's Scripture Reading (February 25, 2026): 1 Kings 21

Every time I read this story, I think to myself that King Ahab is really just a child who never grew up. King Ahab's response to the rejection he suffered over a vineyard is, "If I can't have it my way, I am going to take my toys and go home. I am not going to work through my disagreements. I want everything the way that I want it, or I am not going to play the game."

Here is the reality. Ahab's life is a mess. The story of Ahab is really the story of a King whose life is a mess and God's attempts to get his attention. At no point does God give up on Ahab, and I don't know why, because if I were God, I would have given up on him a long time ago.

Ahab's problem with God begins with his marriage. Have you ever heard the phrase "unequally yoked?" Biblically, it is actually a business term. The phrase means don't go into business with someone who isn't a believer, because their goals won't be your goals. But in my grandparents' or great-grandparents' generation, it began to be used to describe marriages in which only one partner believed in God. The central concept was don't marry, don't even date, someone who is not on the same spiritual path as you are, because while you might think that you can fix them, what is more likely is that they will drag you down spiritually to where they are. Here is the rule: you can fix a dog, but you can't fix your spouse. Okay, maybe that belongs in a different post.

Ahab was unequally yoked. He had married a woman named Jezebel, who was the daughter of the King of Sidon. And Jezebel brought all of her gods and her beliefs into the marriage. Ahab loved Jezebel and began to love and worship her gods.

So God started trying to get Ahab's attention. His first attempt was to send a prophet named Elijah into his life. Elijah literally leaps off the pages at us. His introduction to Ahab and to us is as he marches into Ahab's court and announces that there will be no rain until he (Elijah) says there will be. And then Elijah disappears. A drought grips the Middle East, and there is no rain. Ahab searches everywhere but cannot find Elijah.

Finally, three years and a little bit later, Elijah shows back up and challenges Ahab to a duel on Mount Carmel. The concept behind the approaching battle was that the prophets of Ba'al and Asherah would build an altar and ask their gods to come and consume the sacrifice. Of course, neither Ba'al nor Asherah responded to the challenge.

Then Elijah built his altar and placed his sacrifice on the altar, drowned the whole thing in water, and then prayed for God to consume the sacrifice. God did. Following this miracle, the false prophets of Ba'al and Asherah were killed atop the mountain, leaving only Ahab and Elijah. There, the two men waited until finally a small cloud, about the size of Elijah's fist, appeared on the horizon.

My grandfather used to sing a song, and at the end of one verse, he sang;

Oh Ahab, grab your parasol,

We're going to have a shower

My didn't it rain, My didn't it rain

The clouds grew dark

The storm it broke

Ol' Ahab found it was not a joke.

My didn't it rain, My didn't it rain

He brought no coat, so he got soaked.

My didn't it rain.

But Ahab still didn't get it. He went home, sulked, and told Jezebel what had happened. Jezebel put a price on Elijah's head, and Elijah got depressed and ran away. Not a great day for the prophet or the king.

Then there was the incident with Ben-Hadad, and now the incident with Naboth. And at each point, Ahab doesn't get his way, and he goes and sulks in the corner. Jezebel is left with the task of using her power to satisfy her husband's childish wants. Naboth's vineyard was just the latest proof that a child sat on the throne of Israel.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 22

He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, "This is what Ben-Hadad says: 'Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.'" – 1 Kings 20:2-3

Today's Scripture Reading (February 24, 2026): 1 Kings 20

The United States' message to the world is clear. Stephen Miller has made the government's position very clear; The enlightenment of the nations is over. Whoever has strength has the right to take whatever they want. If Russia wants Ukraine, who are we to stand in their way? If China wants Taiwan, then there is no sensible argument that would deny China what it wants. If the United States wants the oil in Venezuela, who has the authority to stand up and tell them that they can't just take what they desire? Might makes right. In history, that has always been the way it has been. For a while, maybe this world became a bit confused. We started to believe that weak nations had a right to their dreams. But that time has ended. Now, the strong can once again take whatever it is that they want. So, Greenland will eventually be American territory, and so will Canada. The Canadian question might take a little longer and start with just a couple of provinces. Currently, it looks like Alberta might be the first to fall, followed possibly by Saskatchewan, along with all the oil and minerals those two provinces contain. After that, it is hard to predict what will happen to the rest of Canada.

Just to be clear, I live in Alberta, and I am not cheering these developments. I hope something disrupts Stephen Miller's dream. But it is clear that Miller and some of his compatriots believe this is how the world should work; that "the strong rule and the weak drool," or something along those lines. And by strength, the precise meaning is military might. What gets lost in the bargain are the other strengths that these "weaker" nations might possess.

This idea about the supremacy of strong nations was definitely Ben-Hadad's point of view. He possessed the military might, and therefore, he would take from Israel whatever it was that he wanted. Ben-Hadad demanded all of the gold and silver that Israel possessed, as well as the best of the King's wives and children. I admit, from my deeply biased point of view, giving Jezebel to Ben-Hadad might have been a good thing for Ahab, but I doubt the ancient King would have agreed with me.

Ben-Hadad had the power, and he believed that meant he could take what he wanted. We know from the end of the story that there were limits even to his power; Ben-Hadad only thought the world belonged to him.

Stephen Miller might believe that the world belongs to him, but I hope he is wrong and that God still lifts up underdogs like Ukraine, Taiwan, and even Venezuela, Greenland, and Canada. Because a world ruled by military power is one I would prefer we leave behind.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 21