16Thus says the Lord,

“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,

Where the good way is, and walk in it;

And you will find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

Jesus’ Public Ministry, First Converts

35Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41He *found first his own brother Simon and *said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

1) How does Jeremiah call Israel to remember the way back home?

2) What moves John’s disciples to follow Yeshua?

3) What markers keep you walking in covenant identity today?

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

1Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him. 2They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the Lord has spoken concerning the sons of David. 4This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, 5and one third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the Lord. 6But let no one enter the house of the Lord except the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of the Lord. 7The Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be killed. Thus be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

8So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions. 9Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. 10He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 11Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”

Athaliah Murdered

12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the Lord to the people. 13She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!” 14Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the Lord.” 15So they seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they put her to death there.

Reforms Carried Out

16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the Lord’s people. 17And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the Lord under the authority of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned over the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the law of Moses—with rejoicing and singing according to the order of David. 19He stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the Lord, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. 20He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the royal throne. 21So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

PSALM 135

Praise the Lord’s Wonderful Works. Vanity of Idols.

1Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord;

Praise Him, O servants of the Lord,

2You who stand in the house of the Lord,

In the courts of the house of our God!

3Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;

Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.

4For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself,

Israel for His own possession.

5For I know that the Lord is great

And that our Lord is above all gods.

6Whatever the Lord pleases, He does,

In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.

7He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth;

Who makes lightnings for the rain,

Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.

8He smote the firstborn of Egypt,

Both of man and beast.

9He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt,

Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.

10He smote many nations

And slew mighty kings,

11Sihon, king of the Amorites,

And Og, king of Bashan,

And all the kingdoms of Canaan;

12And He gave their land as a heritage,

A heritage to Israel His people.

13Your name, O Lord, is everlasting,

Your remembrance, O Lord, throughout all generations.

14For the Lord will judge His people

And will have compassion on His servants.

15The idols of the nations are but silver and gold,

The work of man’s hands.

16They have mouths, but they do not speak;

They have eyes, but they do not see;

17They have ears, but they do not hear,

Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.

18Those who make them will be like them,

Yes, everyone who trusts in them.

19O house of Israel, bless the Lord;

O house of Aaron, bless the Lord;

20O house of Levi, bless the Lord;

You who revere the Lord, bless the Lord.

21Blessed be the Lord from Zion,

Who dwells in Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

29Cut off your hair and cast it away,

And take up a lamentation on the bare heights;

For the Lord has rejected and forsaken

The generation of His wrath.’

30For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,” declares the Lord, “they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 31They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind.

32“Therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place. 33The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. 34Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a ruin.