Christian Devotional – July 22, 2024

Times of Transition, Day 16

Promises. Read 1 Kings chapter 16.

A s we read through this chapter and see all of the tremendously evil kings of Israel, this verse is thrown at the very end of the chapter. It’s interesting to me to see this verse here and while it does happen chronologically in time during Ahab’s reign, it’s also a very stark reminder that God absolutely keeps his promises. There were oaths made about what would happen to someone who tried to rebuild Jericho because God had brought destruction upon that city for its evil. Someone did rebuild it and those promises came true.

Meanwhile we have a whole list of evil kings, and God has promised what would happen to the people if they did not follow him. Why would we think that God would keep one promise and not keep the other. This reminder in this chapter that God keeps his promises was also a warning to the people that God would keep his promises with regard to the judgment that they have been deserving of. Do we recognize God as a promise keeper? Do we see him as a person who will fulfill everything he has said he will do in his time?