Their father had given them many gifts of silver and gold and articles of value, as well as fortified cities in Judah, but he had given the kingdom to Jehoram because he was his firstborn son. – 2 Chronicles 21:3

Today's Scripture Reading (March 3, 2026): 2 Chronicles 21

An heir and a spare. The concept that, in hereditary circles, families need someone to take the mantle of leadership, and a backup just in case the unthinkable happens. In British Royalty, we don't have to go back too far to find a moment of the unthinkable. On December 11, 1936, Edward VIII abdicated after less than 11 months on the throne of the United Kingdom, and George VI, the spare, became King. Elizabeth, who became one of the longest serving monarchs, was less than a spare at the time of Uncle Ed's abdication. It seems that George VI was okay with being a spare, never really wanting to be King. But the reluctant King was one of the leaders the British Empire needed during the Second World War.

Not all spares have been comfortable with the idea. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, seems to have been one of those who were uncomfortable with the reality of living as a "spare." As a result, he disengaged himself from the working Royals and left the Empire for a greener pasture, he thought might have been available for him in the United States. Of course, as happens in Royal families, today, Harry is less than a spare in the family. The true spare at this moment in time is actually Princess Charlotte.

With the release of the "Epstein Files," a lot has been made of the troubles of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. We have seen pictures of the Prince with young girls, but we probably have no idea of Andrew's actual involvement with the "Epstein girls." I sometimes wonder how much the concept of being "the spare" had to do with some of the former Prince's later actions. Andrew was born second in the British line of succession, but his position has eroded, and today he is eighth in line for the throne. That does not excuse his actions, but it might shed light on why he made such horrible decisions rather than sticking up for the weak who were being exploited around him.

When Jehoshaphat died, he had made some good decisions regarding his heir and the spares in the family. First, he gave the "spares" gifts of silver, gold, and other valuables. These items were theirs to dispose of as they willed, but there was no more coming once this wealth was gone. But he also spread them throughout the nation and gave them ways to live substantial, important lives. To Jehoram were given the keys of the Kingdom, but his brothers held substantial positions and jobs that were relatively unconnected with the King and the other princes. And maybe that at least had the potential to keep the brothers away from trouble. At the very least, it would hopefully keep them from plotting the overthrow of the heir in favor of one of the spares.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 1

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

He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” – 1 Kings 19:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 23, 2026): 1 Kings 19

We can’t work our way into the Kingdom of God. Yet, that seems to be our preferred way of chasing after God. We do stuff, or sometimes we say stuff. God, if this is going to happen, then I will have to work to get the job done.

It doesn’t work. In fact, often a belief that we can achieve the goals of God with hard work ends with depression because we can’t get the job done. Depression is part of life, but some things can aggravate it. In this passage, two things are abundantly clear: Elijah has worked hard, and he is depressed.

There is no doubt that Elijah has been busy. Listen to his complaint. “God, the people have rejected your covenant, but I haven’t; I am still working on your plans and goals for Israel. They have torn down your altars, but I haven’t. I have just built a new one dedicated to you on Mount Carmel. They have put your prophets to death with the sword, God, I haven’t. In fact, on Mount Carmel, the reverse happened; I put the prophets of Baal to death. God, I have been busy doing your will. But now they are trying to kill me too.”

God, why won’t you honor me after all that I have done for you? I think if we are honest, we have all been there. God, why do I have to go through all of this after all I have given to you? I tithe, I make my home open to you, all I have is yours. So why do I get to go through this situation?

We have been busy. But God isn’t impressed by what we have done. First and foremost, he wants us to desire to be with him. The tragedy is that we sometimes are a lot like Elijah; we mistake the action and the busyness of our lives for the presence of God. And the result is almost always depression.

God’s prescription for Elijah and us is the same. Stop and listen to me. Recognize that you can’t work your way into my presence. And regardless of what is happening around you, know that I love you and I still hold you in my hands. God is still on the throne, and he still has a plan, even if we can’t see it.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 20

"What have I done wrong," asked Obadiah, "that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death?" – 1 Kings 18:9

Today's Scripture Reading (February 22, 2026): 1 Kings 18

Robert Leroy Parker and Harry Alonzo Longabaugh were bank robbers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. You probably have heard of them, but by different names. They earned their fame under the names of Butch Cassidy (Parker) and the Sundance Kid (Longabaugh). I have seen the 1969 movie with Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy and Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid. Admittedly, it has been years since I watched the film, and I probably need to rewatch it, but the ending shows the two criminals taking cover inside a building. They are not aware that the local "Keystone Cops" have been reinforced by the Bolivian Army. The last scene shows Cassidy and Sundance running out of the building, ready to shoot their way out of their current situation. The last scene of the movie is a freeze-frame shot of Cassidy and Sundance running into the fray. Admittedly, I thought at the time I watched the movie that the death of Cassidy and Sundance was a foregone conclusion. The bandits died in this gunfight in Bolivia. That conclusion to the lives of Butch and Sundance is almost a forgone conclusion, but we have to deal with that word "almost."

More recently, I have thought about the ending of the 1969 film. You see Butch and Sundance running, not dead. Did they die in this gunfight in San Vicente Canton, Bolivia? Maybe the best answer we can give is probably. The best evidence that Butch and Sundance died in this gunfight is that we never heard from them ever again. However, we have never been able to prove that the men who died in Bolivia were Butch and Sundance. We have conducted DNA tests on the bodies and have not yet found a positive match. Maybe Butch and Sundance died on November 7, 1908. Or, maybe, Butch and Sundance disappeared on November 7, 1908, never to be seen again. It is a mystery that we may never solve to the satisfaction of everyone interested in the life and death of these famous outlaws.

Elijah had marched into the presence of King Ahab and declared that there would be a drought, then disappeared just as mysteriously. Ahab had searched for him, and no one had been able to find out where the prophet was hiding. Then Elijah appears to Obadiah and tells the King's servant to go to Ahab and say to him that Elijah has returned to speak with him. Obadiah looks at Elijah, who is essentially a fugitive on the run, and hesitates to deliver the message. After all, Elijah had already proven that he could disappear, and if he disappeared while Obadiah carried the message to Ahab, the King would take out his frustration on Obadiah.

That is a door that Obadiah would rather not open. Elijah could carry his own message. Obadiah is caught between a rock and a hard place. He supports Elijah, but would rather not be his messenger. Although, in the end, that is precisely what he will become.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 19

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. – 1 Kings 17:7

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 21, 2026): 1 Kings 17

For just over a decade, I lived in the desert. You are probably picturing sand dunes, but there were none. It was a desert, but one that humans had remade into a farming and ranching oasis. However, farmers had to spend money on expensive irrigation systems because the area was generally dry and constantly windy. It was hard to imagine a more inhospitable wilderness. There was a creek that meandered through the area, fed by water from the nearby mountains. But it was a desert just the same.

It was a desert, but that didn’t mean that there was no rain. I remember a time when the rain fell almost constantly for more than a month, and what I discovered was that because it was a desert, the land didn’t seem to know how to handle the increased water. Water seemed to just sit on top of the ground, flooding everywhere. Farmers and ranchers who had depended on irrigation systems to water their crops discovered that the only way to get around their farms and ranches was to have a canoe ready to make the trip. However, when the rain stopped, it was amazing how quickly the flooded ground returned to its desert-like state.

Elijah is told to go and stay by a brook. A raven would bring him bread and meat so that he could eat, and the brook would provide the prophet with the water he needed to drink. But it was a time of severe drought in Israel, and so, eventually, even the brook dried up. And God tells Elijah it is time to move on to the next stage. Elijah accepts the change with amazing grace. The truth is that Elijah never placed his trust in the brook for its water or in the birds that would bring him what he needed to eat. His trust was in God. God was trusted for the first stage, and he could be trusted for the next stage as well. I wonder if I would be as trusting, or if I would be tempted to complain that God had promised me the brook for water, and now even the brook was gone. Sometimes, maybe it takes more trust in God as you sit beside the drying brook than it does to stand and challenge the followers of Baal on the top of Mount Carmel.

Baptist pastor F. B. Meyer (1847-1929) comments on several types of drying brooks that we still sit beside today. There is a brook of decreasing popularity as we grow older and pass the torch to the next generation. There are also the drying brooks of declining health, of dwindling money, and of fewer friendships. We all suffer from these drying brooks, and each one demands that we acknowledge whether our trust is in the brook or in the God who gave us the brook in the first place.

Back in my personal desert, I remember a Sunday evening prayer service where the town came together to pray for rain. It was a gorgeous evening; the sun was shining, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. But one friend walked to the prayer service, swinging an umbrella. I smiled at her, and she asked me where mine was. After all, we were praying for rain from the author of the rain and the sun, and even the drying brook. And He was willing to bring the needed rain, as long as we continued to trust in him. 

 Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 18

Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. – 2 Chronicles 17:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 20, 2026): 2 Chronicles 17

Currently, forty nations are at war worldwide. That number does not include any countries other than Ukraine and Russia involved in the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and does not include the United States, which currently seems to be on the verge of a civil war. In the past 3,421 years, there have been only 268 years of global peace. That would mean there are about eight years of peace in every century. Maybe more importantly, since the end of World War II, there have been only twenty-six days of global peace. The most extended period of peace in the last 3500 years is 10 years, from 1816 to 1826, known as the Pax Britannica. But even during that time, there were conflicts in the world, including the First Seminole War, when the U.S. forces fought against the Seminole tribe of Florida between 1816 and 1818, and the Arikara War near the Missouri River between the Arikara and U.S. forces, which marked early plains Indian resistance in the United States. 

Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa, and he came to the throne of Judah after the death of his father, Asa, at the age of thirty-five. Asa was considered to be a peaceful King, but Jehoshaphat was a strong King. And the first thing he did was prepare Judah to defend itself from the threat from the northern Kingdom of Israel. Jehoshaphat was a good king, in part because he seemed to recognize that the threat from Israel was not just a military one, although that may have been the threat easiest to defend against. The danger was also political: the Judeans might have been tempted to emulate the Kings of Israel, whom the Bible declares were all bad kings. Israel and its false worship practices also remained a spiritual threat. In each of these areas, Jehoshaphat guarded his nation against decline, just as David had, especially in the beginning days of David’s reign.  

David Guzik makes this observation about the author of Chronicles.

In his presentation of the history of the kings of Judah, the Chronicler constantly brings the contrast and the challenge before the readers of his day and ours: “Your destiny, as an individual and as a nation, can either be like that of Judah or Israel. You should follow the example of those who walked…not according to the acts of Israel” (David Guzik, based on 1 Chronicles 17:1-4).

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 17

Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Maim and all the store cities of Naphtali. – 2 Chronicles 16:4

Today's Scripture Reading (February 19, 2026): 2 Chronicles 16

Although the first two World Wars were very different, Germany's plans at the outset of both wars were remarkably similar. The idea in both wars was to deal quickly with France and create a one-front war in the east. In World War I, they weren't able to achieve that goal, at least not fast enough. During World War II, they achieved their goal. Using minimal efforts, the Nazis were able to restrain the United Kingdom to existing miserably on their island, while the German war machine concentrated on Russia and the Eastern Front.

By the time of the Tehran Conference, November 28 – December 1, 1943, the United Kingdom was committed to securing a foothold on the continent and opening a Western Front in the war. The Tehran Conference was the first meeting of the Big Three allied nations: The United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union. It would also be the last time these three nations met until the Yalta Conference in February 1945. At the Tehran Conference, Joseph Stalin made it clear that the Soviet Union needed a second front. They needed some relief from the German onslaught they had been fighting against on the Eastern Front.

The primary outcome of the Tehran Conference was the Big Three's agreement to open a second front in the war by June 1, 1944. It was not going to be an easy task, but the Soviet Union needed relief and assistance from its Western partners. Part of the problem was the weather. Not only did they need a plan and human resources, but they needed a break from the winter storms that dominated the Atlantic Ocean. The hope was that by the end of May, everything would be ready for an attack on the Atlantic coast of France, and that the weather would allow them to gain a foothold and a landing place where the allies could bring both the men and materiel needed for the Western Front of the war.

If you remember your World War II history, you might know that the target date set by the Tehran Conference was not met. The Normandy invasion was five days late; the invasion of France began on June 6, 1944. But Normandy was a second front; it gave the Soviet Union the relief it needed, and was a critical factor in the Allied forces being able to defeat the Nazi's in World War II.

Ben-Hadad had a treaty with Asa in Judah. Not only was there a treaty, but Asa had paid well for Ben-Hadad's help. As a result of that treaty and payment, Ben-Hadad was willing to force Baasha of Israel to open up a second front in his conflict with Judah. It also forced Baasha to stop building his fortress city of Ramah, a key measure to prevent the faithful people of Israel from visiting Judah and Jerusalem and from worshipping at the Temple as God had commanded.  

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 17

Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa's heart was fully committed to the LORD all his life. – 2 Chronicles 15:17

Today's Scripture Reading (February 18, 2026): 2 Chronicles 15

Leaders often seem to come in two basic forms. The most common leader is the one who conforms to our expectations. They are "just like us." They share the same idea of right and wrong, and often we respect them because of their willingness to "speak plainly what is on their minds." There is no danger in doing that because, in reality, what is on their minds is also on ours. In a very real way, these are not leaders; they are social directors, sharing the journey with us and giving us permission to do and believe what we already want to do and believe.

The much rarer form of a leader is the one who challenges our preconceived perceptions. These leaders are often willing to "go against the grain." They challenge what we want to do and what we already believe. They ask whether there might not be another, maybe even a better, way. In my lifetime, one of the best of this type of leader was former President Jimmy Carter. Carter was a one-term President; he often seemed to reject expedience in favor of what was right. Yes, he was naïve and made mistakes, but they were honest ones, unlike the more calculated errors of some who followed him. But we didn't recognize the man's greatness until he became a former President. It was only then that we recognized his character as he revolutionized the transition from one presidency to the next and completely changed what it meant to be a former President. His leadership skills and his desire to do what was right made him an excellent statesman. And yet, we still found that in his presence, our preconceived notions continued to be challenged.

Asa was that kind of a leader. He refused to go along with the people's desires or expectations. The author of Kings says that his "heart was fully committed to the Lord all his life." He began the process of restoring the nation to the one of which God had dreamed. But the author of Kings also says that "he did not remove the high places." Rather than being a failure of Asa, this was a failure of the people. The practice of personal worship of other gods in nature and at the high points of the terrain had become ingrained in the people's actions. Asa tore down the organized places of worship for these other religions, but to tear down the high places would have meant changing the hearts of the people. Asa was unable to do that, at least unable to do that to the extent that worship no longer took place at these "high places." But Asa did begin the process of challenging the hearts and desires of the people regarding the object of their worship. And for that reason, he is considered to be a good king.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 16

See Also 1 Kings 15:14

 

Dogs will eat those belonging to Baasha who die in the city, and birds will feed on those who die in the country.” – 1 Kings 16:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 17, 2026): 1 Kings 16

Auschwitz. Just the name conjures up images of the horrors of World War II. It was not the only camp that housed the Jews and enemies of Nazi Germany; many others existed, but it is often Auschwitz that lives in our nightmares. Or maybe more precisely, it is Auschwitz that lives in my nightmares.

The extermination program of Nazi Germany was a growth industry for Adolf Hitler. At first, it seems that the prisoners were likely just shot and placed into mass graves. Then the Nazis graduated to killing enemies of the state with carbon monoxide. But the gas was inefficient. And so more experiments were conducted, and finally the Nazi’s adopted the use of Zyklon B, a cyanide-based insecticide, to kill the Jews and political enemies of the Nazi Regime.

In the aftermath of these executions, there was a change in how the bodies were dealt with. At first, they were simply buried in mass graves, but the smell was bad. Lye was then added to the process, and then the bodies were burned just outside the concentration camp. However, at each stage, the terrible smell remained a significant obstacle. And so, the Nazi’s began to build crematoriums to burn the bodies and control the smell.  

However, the reality was that the Nazi’s didn’t see their enemies as people. They could do whatever they wanted to the bodies because they were subhuman. This wasn’t the first time the bodies of enemies have been treated this way, and it won’t be the last. One way we deal with people who oppose us is to make them seem less than human in our minds. They are criminals, evil, and violent; they are not like us, and so they don’t deserve the things that we have or the protections of the law that are given to proper members of society. And their bodies can be disposed of in any way that we see fit. They deserve less honor in their deaths than we would give to a beloved pet.

A prophecy is proclaimed over the house of Baasha. The house of Baasha was going to come to an end because of their sin. Because they had followed in the steps of Jeroboam, they would receive the same fate.  The prophecy over the house of Jeroboam had been that ^“Dogs will eat those belonging to Jeroboam who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country. The Lord has spoken” (1 Kings 14:11)! And now, those same words have been spoken over the House of Baasha. We shouldn’t see this as a right or wrong moment, but rather as a description of how the people would react to the demise of the House of Baasha.

The House of Baasha would be destroyed so that no one would be around to take over the rule of the nation. And their bodies would not be given any honor in death. If they died in the city, their bodies would be left to the dogs; if they died in the country, then the birds would pick at them until there was nothing left, and maybe then the House of Baasha could be forgotten. But in all likelihood, they would continue to live in the nightmares of the people.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 15

 

Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with an army of thousands upon thousands and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. – 2 Chronicles 14:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 16, 2026): 2 Chronicles 14

The movie “Red Dawn” was released on August 10, 1984. The film was set in the near future, when the United States was becoming increasingly isolated. NATO had been dissolved, and the United States decided to stand alone. At the same time, the Soviet Union was expanding its influence not only in Asia but also in the Americas. As a result, there is an active war between the Soviets and the Americans, and a Soviet led coalition has brought a European war to the United States for the first time in history. The fight is not contained to the coastlines of the United States; Soviet soldiers have infiltrated into the central states. In the movie, that infiltration occurs in a town called Calumet, Colorado.

The real Calumet, Colorado, is a ghost town. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Calumet was a small mining town, and it never grew large enough to have its own post office. Despite the small size of the village, the Calumet mine was Huerfano County’s leading producer of coal. However, the hamlet was permanently abandoned in the 1970s.

For the 1984 movie, Calumet is a thriving town, larger than the real town had ever been. And it is here that the Soviet coalition forces attack. In “Red Dawn,” it is a group of teens living in Calumet who decide to stand up against the invaders. The movie closes with a shot of a plaque taken after the end of a fictional World War III. The plaque read;

In the early days of World War III, guerrillas, mostly children, placed the names of their lost upon this rock. They fought here alone and gave up their lives, so that this nation shall not perish from the earth (Red Dawn, 1984).

In 1984, the movie didn’t seem all that far-fetched. President Ronald Reagan had branded the Soviet Union as “The Evil Empire.” We didn’t understand them, and they didn’t understand us. Many of us who grew up in the 60s and 70s remember the fear that was ever-present in our core because of this perceived enemy living on the other side of the world.

The Soviet Union is gone, but Russia and China remain the bogeymen of our day. And the real demise of NATO and the isolation of the United States seem even closer than they did in 1984.

Zerah the Cushite marches against Judah with a considerable army, probably twice the size of the 580,000 men that Asa had at his disposal. But more than just the size of Zerah’s army, the Cushites, likely originating from the area of modern-day Sudan, were seen as dangerous warriors. If “Red Dawn 900 B.C.E.” was filmed and Judah played the role of Calumet, Colorado, Zerah, and the Cushites would be appropriate stand-ins for the invading Soviet Army. Just the mention of the Cushites would have been enough to strike fear into the hearts of people everywhere. And fear was the hoped-for result of Zerah’s appearance in Asa’s Judah.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 16

As for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the LORD are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. – 2 Chronicles 13:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 15, 2026): 2 Chronicles 13

On January 24, 2026, Alex Pretti became yet another person killed by a gun in the United States. He became the second person during the month of January 2026 to be killed by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The situation was a little different from the killing of Renee Good earlier in the month, but it was still a tragedy. My plea hasn’t changed from police instigated deaths in the past. I know it is your right to carry a gun, but please, don’t give law enforcement a reason to kill you. Leave your gun somewhere else. You might have the right to carry a gun, and as the story of Renee Good proved, you might get shot anyway, but while you have the right to carry, or the right to be snarky with law enforcement, in the end, you might still be dead. You will be in the right, but you won’t be alive to celebrate the correctness of your position. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is our shared reality. The world needs you! Please, stay safe.

The day after Alex Pretti’s death, many important or semi-important people came out on X with comments and condolences. One of those semi-important people was former President Bill Clinton. Clinton wrote;

Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make and the actions we take will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them. If we give our freedoms away after 250 years, we might never get them back (President Bill Clinton, January 25, 2026).

I have friends on both sides of this issue. And I have been blunt in the past; I do not agree with many of the President's actions. Prior to his first term, I was one of those “idiots” who believed that if Mr. Trump became President, after his second term, there was a good chance that meaningful elections would end in the United States. The big American experiment, democracy, would come to an end. I am not as sure about that prediction now, partially because of Donald Trump’s health. However, freedoms are being eroded, and I do worry about the liberties future Presidents might take. The example has been set, and it might be impossible for future leaders, Republican and Democratic alike, to resist the temptation to remove more of those freedoms.

Not everyone agrees with me, and I get that; I am not offended. One of my core beliefs is that we need to get along with each other. My hope is that we will seriously evaluate the freedoms we are losing and have the courage to stand up at some point and say, "Enough is enough."

Abijah speaks to his northern neighbors, the Israelites, about one of their decisions. He was concerned that the role of the Levites had been wiped away. According to the Law given to Moses, the Levites were supposed to oversee the nation's religious life. In Judah, Abijah’s nation, that was still the law of the land. The Levites still cared for the Temple, and the descendants of Aaron still served as the nation’s priests, as God had intended for both Judah and Israel. However, Jeroboam had changed that in Israel. Abijah wanted to remind Israel of the way they had drifted away from the Law of Moses.  They could make the change back, but they would need to demand that change. Israel had become used to the new way of doing things, and they would never return to the way it should have been. Because sometimes, the journey back is just too hard. What we give away may never be returned.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 14

 

In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah. – 1 Kings 15:1

Today's Scripture Reading (February 14, 2026): 1 Kings 15

Do you know what happened on October 12, 1582? My mother's birthday is October 12, which is just a random fact, but she wasn't alive in 1582 (maybe an unnecessary statement of the obvious). The answer to what happened on October 12, 1582, throughout our entire planet is nothing. No one was born, no one died, no wars were fought, no scientific advancements were made, and nobody even woke up in the morning or went to bed at night on that day in 1582. In fact, October 12, 1582, was near the end of the most boring ten days in history. Why? Because the days from October 5 to 14, 1582, don't actually exist. People went to bed on Thursday, October 4, 1582, and woke up on Friday, October 15, 1582. In an effort to correct the shift that had happened in our calendar, those days simply disappeared as we moved from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar. The problem was that when measured against solar events, there had been some significant drift. The shortest day of the year was no longer December 21; now, it was December 11. And unless something were done, that date would continue to drift until our seasons were all messed up. So, they did two things. First, they changed the way that we counted leap years. Instead of celebrating a leap year every four years, they eliminated three leap years every four hundred years. So, according to the new rule, any year divisible by 100 is not a leap year unless it is also divisible by 400. According to that rule, the year 2000 was a leap year, but the years 2100, 2200, and 2300 won't be. The second thing they did was make the jump from Thursday, October 4, 1582, to Friday, October 15, 1582. The days in between don't exist; they never happened.

We made another, maybe less significant, change more recently when we moved from the notation AD (Anno Domini) to CE (Common Era or what we in the church sometimes call the Christian Era). Nothing has changed regarding the dates on our calendars, although I still have friends who request AD whenever I give a date in CE notation because they say the new notation confuses them. But nothing more than a change in notation occurred; the dates remained the same.

Chronicles focuses on the reigns of the Judean Kings. The only mention of the Kings of Israel in the north is to give us some idea of the era in which they ruled. So, the author of Chronicles tells us that the reign of Abijah began eighteen years into Jeroboam's reign in the north. Dates were not coordinated in any way. Usually, they were just counted from some national event. The Bible often dates the reigns of the Kings in the South according to those in the north. And for the Kings in the north, the reverse is usually true; they are dated by the reigns of the Kings of the South. So even though they were often adversaries, the two Kingdoms remained intimately tied together.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 13

See Also 2 Chronicles 13:1

In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, Shishak king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. – 1 Kings 14:25

Today's Scripture Reading (February 13, 2026): 1 Kings 14

During the early days of World War II, several governments existed in exile, often setting up their administrations in far-flung places such as Australia, London, or even Washington, D.C. Their homelands might have been occupied, but these governments never gave up hope of regaining control of their native countries. Free France, headquartered in London, might be one of the best-known of these nations, but Free France was only the tip of the Iceberg.

One of the least remembered governments in exile was that of Belgium. King Leopold III tried to keep Belgium neutral during the war, but it proved futile. Germany invaded Belgium in May of 1940, and King Leopold, believing that his country did not have the strength to resist, opened up the gates of the nation to the Germans, surrendering the nation to their control. It was a move that earned him hostility from the Belgian people, while the government was forced to flee Belgium and set up a government-in-exile in Bordeaux, in the Southwestern part of France. And when France fell, the Belgian government moved to London. As for King Leopold III, the monarch stayed in Belgium as a guest of the Germans. After the war, Leopold was an unwelcome presence in the nation he once ruled and was seen as a Nazi sympathizer. Leopold fled Belgium, and when he finally returned in 1950, his presence almost sparked a civil war.

Jeroboam was an official in King Solomon's government responsible for managing the Northern workforce in many of Solomon's building projects. And in this position, he was a first-hand witness to the discontent of the Northern tribes that marked Solomon's time on the throne. Jeroboam began exploring how he could become King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. It didn't take long for Solomon to become aware of a possible rebellion brewing within his ranks and Jeroboam's connection with the rebels. And so, Jeroboam ran to Egypt and enjoyed the hospitality of Shishak, the King of Egypt, usually identified as the Pharaoh Shoshenq.

Jeroboam would remain in Egypt for the rest of Solomon's life, only daring to return to Israel after Solomon's death. He had no appetite to take on Solomon in a civil war. But his son, Rehoboam, was a different matter. Now the nation was ripe for a civil war. While in Egypt, Jeroboam essentially set up a government in exile. He made friends and allies who would support him when the time came to fight back home.

At first, a civil war between Israel and Judah was avoided. However, in the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam, Shishak attacked from the south, bringing with him other friends whom Jeroboam had made during his period of exile. We really don't know whether they were attacking because of the relationship that Jeroboam had built with them during his time of exile, or just picking on a nation at a moment of weakness. What we do know is that Rehoboam had been successfully isolated, and this was a war that Judah's King wasn't going to win. Rehoboam seemed to understand what was happening, and he reinforced the cities on the nation's southern and western borders in anticipation of an attack from Egypt. Still, the Book of Chronicles argues that because of Rehoboam's unfaithfulness, that action was not enough to save the nation.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 15

See Also 2 Chronicles 12:2

Because Rehoboam humbled himself, the LORD’s anger turned from him, and he was not totally destroyed. Indeed, there was some good in Judah. – 2 Chronicles 12:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 12, 2026): 2 Chronicles 12

If all of your friends did something stupid, would you do it too? It is a classic question of a parent whose child wants to do something dangerous or uncalled for. It is actually not a very good question. If all of my friends are going to jump off the local bridge, no, I am not jumping. What that event will do is make you go and find new friends. And the thing that I am planning to do is obviously not that objectively stupid. Jumping off a bridge or a cliff, especially onto land, is objectively stupid. I know that jumping won’t hurt me, but the sudden stop will. Jumping off a cliff into water, depending on how high the cliff is, might seem like fun. I am still not sure I would do it, but I know others who probably wouldn’t give that jump a second thought.

Often, these sorts of things are comparative in nature. If a friend has done it and survived, I might be more likely to do it. Maybe. I tend to have a fairly strong independent streak, but even I have heard the phrase about jumping off a bridge from my mom during my teenage years. However, it was usually pointed at me because I wanted to go out in the middle of a snowstorm in just a jean jacket or some other foolish, but relatively small, action. What going out in a snowstorm has to do with jumping off a bridge, I am still more than a little unclear.

Rehoboam was not a good King. His father, King Solomon, had laid the foundation for a divided empire, but with a bit of wisdom, Rehoboam could have saved the nation; he didn’t. He tried to set Israel up to defend itself against Egypt and lost anyway. He ignored his own spiritual health, as well as that of his family and his nation. He followed in the path of his father, marrying many wives, although only a fraction of the number Solomon had married, against the instructions of God. He carried on a civil war with Israel, even though he was given the chance to avoid it early in his career. The list could go on. All of this happened because Rehoboam chose the wisdom of his friends over that of his God-appointed advisors.

However, as bad as Rehoboam might have been, he wasn’t as bad as Jeroboam. And so, while Egypt would defeat them and rob the Temple of its treasure, including, according to Steven Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” carrying away the Ark of the Covenant, Egypt did not occupy Judah. Egypt had fought to support Israel, but Jeroboam was unable to defeat Judah as well. This passage reminds us that there was some good in Judah, and probably more than in Israel. And that good saved Rehoboam from possibly having to jump off a bridge.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 4

He put shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So Judah and Benjamin were his. – 2 Chronicles 11:12

Today's Scripture Reading (February 11, 2026): 2 Chronicles 11

The Korean War was fought from June 25, 1950, until July 27, 1953. In contrast, M*A*S*H, the dramady about the Korean War, ran from September 1972 until February 28, 1983, almost four times as long as the actual fight lasted on the Korean Peninsula. But one thing that the dramady appears to stress is that the Korean War, in many ways, was a civil war. Foreign nations had become entwined in what was a local conflict. Korea had been a Japanese colony for thirty-five years before World War II. At the end of the war, the nation was divided into two occupation zones: the north, under Soviet Control, and the south, under U.S. control. In 1948, two governments took control of the nation, each claiming to be the legitimate government of the Korean Nation. In the north, Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the current North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, ruled in Pyongyang. In the South, Syngman Rhee ruled over the portion of the Korean Peninsula south of the Military Demarcation Line, which approximately follows the 38^th Parallel, from Seoul. And in 1950, the two factions clashed in an effort to take control of the Peninsula.

But there is no real difference among the Korean people other than where they live on either side of the 38th Parallel. And what that meant is that one of the stories of the war was that parents placed sons in both armies, hoping that one might be on the winning side. It is a story the writers of M*A*S*H attempted to tell in one episode.

Today, more than seventy years later, the Korean Peninsula remains divided. And a military buildup continues on the Peninsula. But the buildup is not really about foreign nations; the weapons are still aimed at the other side of the Peninsula. I am not sure if we will ever see a renewal of hostilities between the North and South, but if the war resumes, it will likely once again be an international fight staged on the Korean Peninsula.

When Israel divided into the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, there was no civil war. That conflict was avoided, at least in the early days of the divided Kingdom. But that didn't mean that the new Kingdoms did not need to build up their capacity for war, not necessarily to fight each other in an attempt to unify the Kingdom, but to defend themselves from other nations.

Rehoboam secures his Kingdom, placing his strongest troops in the South and West of his Kingdom. He didn't seem to be worried about Israel, but rather about an attack from Egypt. And Rehoboam wanted everyone to think that he was ready for any external threat. And he would fight to defend the tribes of Judah and Benjamin.

If there is a failure here, it is this. While Rehoboam stressed the nation's need for an army and city defenses, he failed to reinforce the people spiritually. And that was the real strength that his country needed.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Chronicles 12