.

22:3-4 Israel and Judah had been at variance with each other because Israel was Godless and Judah, under the influence of Jehoshaphat, was Godly. Therefore is was not correct for Jehoshaphat to say "I am as thou … my horses are thy horses". Whilst it is right to seek to recover a lost brother it is not right to try to gain hi by descending to his way of thinking., There is the requirement to save, whilst remaining unspotted – Jude 1:23

V.43 Jehoshaphat was considered a good king, while Ahab was a bad king (1Kin 16:30).   It seems strange, therefore, that Jehoshaphat would associate with Ahab.  The reason he did associate with Ahab was that Jehoram, Jehoshaphat's son, had married Ahab's daughter (2Kin 8:16-18).

22:8    Ahab’s comment about Micaiah indicates his true colours. He only likes people who flatter him. Do we ever see that trait in ourselves?

22:10 The way that the kings saw themselves in all their pomp and finery is contrasted, by the prophet – 1Kin 22:19 – who saw, by inspiration, things as they really were God was supreme and the two kings but were but mere men.

22:49 ‘But Jehoshaphat would not’ shows us that he had learnt his lesson about association with the kings of Israel.

1Kin 22:2 - Jehoshaphat "came down" [Heb. "yarad" (3381) means "to descend (literally to go to a lower region; or figuratively to fall)"] literally and spiritually in aligning himself with Ahab who (2Chron 18:2) "persuaded" [Heb. "suth" (5496) means "seduced, persuaded, enticed, etc."] Jehoshaphat by showing him honor and respect with numerous sacrifices, etc.

1Kin 22:30 - sin/evil is often deceptive and disguised not unlike the lying serpent who persuaded Eve she wouldn't die (Gen 3:1-6,21) - after sinning they needed to be covered by a sacrifice.

1Kin 22:11 - "Zedekiah" [(6667) means "Jehovah (Yahweh) is righteous"]; "Chenaanah" [(3668) means "trader"]; perhaps the horns of iron intended to "push" [Heb. "nagach" (5055) means "gore, push, (figuratively) to war against"] or gore the "Syrians" [NIV "Arameans" (758) means "exalted, the highlands"] which linguistically could almost be an echo of the exalted Christ when he was crucified and exchanged or traded his life of sinful nature for immortality.

Names that may in some way echo Christ or God manifestation (1Kin 22:8,41,42,50) - V.8 "Micaiah" [(4321) means "who is like God"]; V.8 "Imlah" [(3229) means "whom God will fill up"]; V.41 "Asa" [(609) means "healer, physician"]; V.42 "Azubah" [(5805) means "forsaken"] and perhaps reminds of Christ's quote, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psa 22:1;Matt 27:46); V.42 "Shilhi" [(7977) means "missive, armed"] and perhaps reminds of Christ being sent armed with the Word of God; V.50 "Jehoram" [(3088) means "Jehovah is exalted, Jehovah is raised"] and perhaps emphasizes that while God might exalt the Syrians to punish Israel and Ahab, the one truly exalted would be God with His future resurrected son to be at His right hand.

1Kin 22:48-49  Jehoshaphat King of Judah made three unwise alliances with faithless kings of Israel. 
1) His son, Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter. (2Chron 21:5-6). Jehoshaphat therefore was joined by marriage affinity with the house of Ahab (2Chron 18:1).  .
2) Jehoshaphat constructed ships at Ezion-geber in an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel to go to Tharshish, compare 1Kin 22:48 with 2Chron 20:35-37). The Lord intervened and the ships were broken up.
3) Jehoshaphat joined in a military alliance with Jehoram (son of Ahab) King of Israel to subdue the Moabites.
The faithful servant of the Lord avoids alliances with those who do not share the faith.  Unwise alliances, can take many forms, such as business, marriage to one who does not share our faith or dedicating ourselves to generating wealth and accumulating possessions can take us away from serving our God.

Jehoshaphat eventually declined to make a further alliance with Ahaziah (1Kings 22:49).  Do we learn from our mistakes.

49:7-14 In speaking of judgement on Edom Jeremiah quotes the words of the earlier prophet Obadiah

Obadiah prophesied against Edom. Jeremiah is reinforcing his words and, it seems, saying that Obadiah's words would be fulfilled through the Babylonians.

So we see the linking of these countries / tribes is not arbitrary. They are all sons of Shem. From the same line as Israel.

V.17 Jeremiah does not name the nation that would bring this judgement upon Edom, but when we look at Jer 49:19 &V22 and compare it with Deut 28:26,49  We see there can be no doubt that he intends us to understand, that just as Nebichadnezzer invaded Israel, so would also the king of Babylon be the instrument of God's judgement upon Edom.

49:30  Whereas God had provided encouragement to the inhabitants of Jerusalem when He told them they were to be taken captive by the Babylonians the inhabitants of Kedar – and the other places for that matter – were given no comfort at all. Thus we see that Yahweh has a concern for His people despite the awful things that He brought upon them.

49:6,39 Notice that Edom and Elam were to be restored to their territory indicating that the events spoken of these regions would be short lived, relatively. Just like Judah was to return after 70 years.

V.1 There was none of God's chosen people in Gad because the Assyrians had taken them away. The people would, subsequently, return and occupy the land.

Vs.2,6 Ammon was to be destroyed.  However, Yahweh would restore the nation.  This merciful act was in respect to righteous Lot who was Ammon's patriarch (Gen 19:36-38).

Vs.10,11Yahweh vowed punishment on Edom.  Nevertheless, in His mercy, He promised to protect the widows and orphans (Psa 68:5). 

49:34 So we are now given details of a prophecy that Jeremiah had spoken long before the taking of Zedekiah captive. We have made this point before but it bears making again. We should not presume that Jeremiah’s prophecy is in chronological order.

V.1 The king (KJV) refers to the Ammonite god Milcom; sometimes known as Malcham; but best known as Molech (1Kin 11:5,7; Zeph 1:5).  Molech was the fire-god, and chief god among the Ammonites.

V.4 The term backsliding daughter (KJV); faithless daughter (ESV), is a reference to Ammon and its heritage.  The father of the Ammonites was Ben-ammi, the son of Lot (Gen 19:38). 

Lot was a righteous man who feared Yahweh (2Pet 2:7,8).  However, Lot's sons, born through incestuous relations with his daughters, became idolaters.

Vs.7,8 Edom is another example of a member of a righteous family who went the way of idolatry.  Edom is a reference to Esau (Gen 32:3).  Esau was a rebel in the family of Jacob, whose hand would always be against his brother. 

David had subdued Edom.  But, Edom rebelled under the rule of Jehoram (2Chron 21:8-10). And, since that time, Edom had done everything it could to attack Yahweh’s people (Eze 25:12).  Edom has become an epithet for all the enemies of God’s people.  Edom will be destroyed in the end times (Amos 9:11,12).

V.13 There are two Bozrahs in the Bible: one in Edom, as mentioned here; and the other in Moab (Jer 48:24).

In the time of the end, there will be a great slaughter of Yahweh’s enemies.  Jesus and the redeemed saints will wage war on the foe.  There is a description of this divine band coming from Bozrah in Edom, having engaged the enemy and beaten it, in that area (Isa 63:1).

V.20 Teman was a son of Esau (Gen 36:11).  Teman was also situated in Idumea (from whence came the Herods). 

Teman also figures in during the end times when Jesus and His divine band of saints destroy the enemy which has invaded the region (Deut 33:2; Hab 3:3).

V.36 Elam was an independent region situated opposite Babylon, on the banks of the Tigris.  It became a province of Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 8:2).  Later, Elam helped Cyrus in his overthrow of the Babylonians (Isa 21:2).  When Jesus returns, Elam will have its fortunes restored (v.39).

49:1 Jeremiah is now saying that the prophecy of Amos – Amos 1:13 – was going to be fulfilled. It might have seemed that what Amos had said so long ago was not going to be fulfilled but now Judah are in captivity God turns His attention to the nations who had caused Israel problems.

8:1 - 7 The individual who is troubled by the idea of eating meat offered to an idol is the weak one. This is because he does not appreciate that the earth is the Lords, or that there is one God who has made the new creation by Jesus Christ.
However it is interesting to note that the one with the weak conscience who misunderstands certain fundamental issues is still in fellowship and by inference, as will be developed later by Paul, has special needs which other brethren and sisters must be aware of and respond to.
8:9 - 10 Strength is not shown in having the ability to eat meat that had been offered to an idol. Strength is shown in refraining from doing something which is quite lawful but not edifying to the one with a weak conscience.

9:3 Another indication that there were those at Corinth who were questioning Paul's status as an apostle - see also 1 Corinthians 4:3
9:4 - 12 Apostles have the God given right to be supported by the ecclesias that they minister to. This is taught by reflecting on the way that the law of Moses made provision for labouring animals.

9:15 In saying that whilst he has the right to live of the gospel he has 'used none of thee things' Paul is implementing the principles he has outlined in the previous chapter.

ch 8 - Notice the repeated use of 'knowledge' (:1, 7, 10, 11) Paul contrasts the 'knowledge' which produces arrogance with the 'knowledge' which produces love.

9:9-10 In drawing the conclusion from the quotation from Deuteronomy 25:4 that it was 'for our sakes' Paul highlights a fundamental principle. Scripture was written for others than just those who received the message. We must realise and implement this whenever we read Scripture.

In v1 he says that we all have knowledge, and in v4 and 10 he explains that the knowledge he is talking about is the fact that God is the only God, and that idols and other so called "gods" are nothing, because they don't exist.

This knowledge, however, is useless unless you apply it correctly. In v7-13 he explains how that knowledge (however wonderful) can, in fact, be a stumbling block to others. The important thing, then, is not that we have the knowledge, but that we exercise it with care in the love of our brothers and sisters. In v1 Paul says that knowledge without love merely makes one proud, and in v2 he says that this person in effect "knows nothing yet as he ought to know". What he is telling us is that the important thing is how we know, not what we know.

8:6 In speaking of God as ‘the Father’ Paul is introducing a concept that would be foreign to Jews in that before baptism they would not have viewed Yahweh as ‘Father’. The gentiles who were involved in idol worship did not have a relationship with their god either.

9:9  Have we considered the possibility that God speaks of the ‘ox’ not being muzzled rather than comment about any other animal because the ox was the worker! As the ox was the animal that worked for man we are the servant that is to work for God.

8:13 If we could always reduce our discussions on non fundamental maters to the impact that our behaviour will have on others we would certainly reduce tensions and conflict amongst ourselves. Of course we are not inclined to think this way because such thinking is contrary to the way in which the ‘flesh’ thinks. Such thinking is God centred whereas our normal thinking is self centred.

8:9 Exercising one's freedom in Christ should not be done at the expense of offending another.  Stumblingblock here means an obstacle which allows the possibility of apostasy to occur. 

It is incumbent upon the spiritually strong to be patient with the spiritually weak.  It is also the duty of the spiritually weak to work on becoming spiritually strong. That is done only by reading and considering the Word (2Tim 3:15-17).

9:15 It would appear that the brethren and sisters at Corinth – or at least some of them – questions Paul’s actions and motives. Probably saying, or implying, that he only did what he did to benefit himself financially.

9:24-27 Paul is using the analogy of the Greek games to show Christian discipline.  If we ever watch any events in the summer Olympic Games, we can reflect on Paul's lesson.

8:9 There is always the danger that the way we behave in the Katter of things that bother others could cause spiritual damage to them. So if we know certain things we do trouble others we must be careful to avoid situations whereby this might happen, even if what we might do is perfectly acceptable to God.

9:15 Although, there was reason for Paul’s support by the ecclesia, he declined that possibility, and was determined to pay his own way.

9:5 There is no indication in the gospel records that Peter, for example, who was married –Matt 8:14- took his wife with him when he was with Jesus but now after his resurrection we see Peter taking his wife with him.