Study Desk

"But can you, O God, really live on earth among men and women? Not even all of heaven is large enough to hold you, so how can this Temple that I have built be large enough?

But if you and your people ever disobey the laws and commands I have given you and worship other gods,

"The Temple is now greatly honored, but then everyone who passes by it will be amazed and will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do this to this land and this Temple?'

Israelites were not used at forced labor, but served as soldiers, officers, chariot commanders, and cavalry troops.

But he ignored the advice of the older men and went instead to the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers.

Then King Rehoboam sent Adoniram, who was in charge of the forced labor, to go to the Israelites, but they stoned him to death. At this, Rehoboam hurriedly got in his chariot and escaped to Jerusalem.

But the Lord told the prophet Shemaiah

When the Lord saw this, he spoke again to Shemaiah and said to him, "Because they admit their sin, I will not destroy them. But when Shishak attacks, they will barely survive. Jerusalem will not feel the full force of my anger,

but Shishak will conquer them, and they will learn the difference between serving me and serving earthly rulers."

"But we still serve the Lord our God and have not abandoned him. Priests descended from Aaron perform their duties, and Levites assist them.

Every morning and every evening they offer him incense and animal sacrifices burned whole. They present the offerings of bread on a table that is ritually clean, and every evening they light the lamps on the gold lampstand. We do what the Lord has commanded, but you have abandoned him.

and he went to meet King Asa. He called out, "Listen to me, King Asa, and all you people of Judah and Benjamin! The Lord is with you as long as you are with him. If you look for him, he will let you find him, but if you turn away, he will abandon you.

But when trouble came, they turned to the Lord , the God of Israel. They searched for him and found him.

But you must be strong and not be discouraged. The work that you do will be rewarded."

Didn't the Ethiopians and the Libyans have large armies with many chariots and cavalry troops? But because you relied on the Lord , he gave you victory over them.

In the thirty-ninth year that Asa was king, he was crippled by a severe foot disease; but even then he did not turn to the Lord for help, but to doctors.

Then he added, "But first let's consult the Lord ."

But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there another prophet through whom we can consult the Lord ?"

Ahab answered, "There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad." "You shouldn't say that!" Jehoshaphat replied.

But Micaiah answered, "By the living Lord I will say what my God tells me to!"