the ruminations of aaron eberline

It is exciting to read through 2 Chronicles after reading through 1 and 2 Kings because details are drawn out that I didn’t notice. There was preparations for a civil war among the kingdom of Judah and Israel after they split. It amazes me that they so easily lost their focus on God and sought to keep what they deemed their own after the death of Solomon. The idea of civil war in Israel is nothing new because you have the fighting that occurred between the descendants of Saul and David in 2 Samuel and you have the sons of Israel rising up against the tribe of Benjamin in Judges 19 and 20. Why does God prevent the battle among Judah and Israel from occurring? We know that both kingdoms of Judah and Israel are taken away in exile from their homes by reading 2 Kings 25. Are some lessons learned more readily why when we are taken away from everything we know? It will never cease to amaze me how God chooses to sometimes use war while other times he uses exile to remind people they need Him. Read more

In the moments when your world is crashing down upon you and the outlook for life is bleak how do your reactions and actions portray you? What moments have you faced in life that made your whole world come to a halt? Where did you turn? How did you act? The way we act in the midst of trouble, trial, and tribulation will show who we truly are and what we believe. Do your actions point towards an almighty God who is the wellspring of hope or do your actions lash out against fate and destiny in remorse over your lot in life?

At the end of 2 Kings 18 the Assyrians besiege Judah and Hezekiah the king of Judah found himself in the midst of a moment where he was unsure of the future and hope was dwindling. In the midst of this troubled time Hezekiah seeks out God and He proves himself faithful to Judah by turning away the army of Assyria. Read more

How is true restoration after conflict and disagreement achieved? When the bonds of friendship, family, and love have been strained or torn asunder how do you move on towards reconciliation? In 2 Samuel 19 and 20 this question of restoring trust and fellowship is faced by the people of Israel. Joab and David exhibit strong leadership during the conflict between Absalom but one follows his own way to achieve what he deems best while the other shows a consistent dependance upon God in all ways. Read more