AI Summary
5 min readThe Risk of Love and the Danger of a Good Start
Day 165 of the Bible in a Year podcast brings together military coups, a king who started well but ended poorly, and a love poem that teaches something surprising about how spouses should approach each other. Father Mike Schmitz navigates this material by drawing a sharp contrast: the kings of Israel and Judah keep failing because they stop relying on God, while the Song of Solomon reveals a pattern of love that preserves the dignity of the beloved.
The Pattern of the Kings: Starting Well Is Not Enough
The reading from 1 Kings 15–16 and 2 Chronicles 16–17 covers a dizzying sequence of rulers in the divided kingdom. The northern kingdom of Israel cycles through assassinations and coups — Nadab is killed by Baasha, Baasha's son Elah is killed by Zimri while drunk, Zimri lasts only seven days before burning the palace down around himself, and Omri eventually takes control. None of the northern kings are good. Father Mike flags this bluntly: "None of the kings of the north are going to be good. They're all going to be false and unfaithful to the Lord." The worst so far is Ahab, who marries Jezebel, builds an altar for Baal, and "did more to provoke the Lord, the God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him."
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:52) **Episode Introduction** - Fr. Mike Schmitz opens Day 165 of The Bible in a Year, reading from 1 Kings 15-16, 2 Chronicles 16-17, and Song of Solomon 4.
- 2 (02:15) **1 Kings 15: Abijam and Asa Reign Over Judah** - Abijam reigns unfaithfully, but Asa does right in the Lord's eyes, removing idols and his mother from power, though the high places remain.
- 3 (03:59) **War Between Asa and Baasha** - King Asa of Judah forms an alliance with the King of Syria using temple treasures to break a siege, a move that succeeds militarily but has spiritual consequences.
- 4 (05:33) **1 Kings 15-16: Kings of Israel (Nadab to Ahab)** - A rapid succession of evil kings (Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri) in the northern kingdom, each condemned for following Jeroboam's sins, ending with the notably wicked Ahab and his wife Jezebel.
- 5 (12:04) **2 Chronicles 16: The Seer Confronts Asa** - Hanani the seer rebukes Asa for relying on Syria instead of the Lord, reminding him of past victories won through faith; Asa responds by imprisoning the prophet.
- 6 (13:39) **Asa's Disease and Death** - In his final years, Asa suffers a severe foot disease but does not seek the Lord, only physicians, marking a tragic end to a once-faithful king.
- 7 (14:15) **2 Chronicles 17: Jehoshaphat's Faithful Reign** - Jehoshaphat, Asa's son, walks in God's commandments, removes idols, and sends princes and Levites to teach the Law throughout Judah, bringing peace and strength.
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Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Fr. Mike connects today's reading from Songs to the teachings of St. John Paul's Theology of the Body. He also points out how helpful it is to track the timelines of the kings of Israel and Judah as we read from Kings and Chronicles simultaneously. The readings are 1 Kings 15-16, 2 Chronicles 16-17, and Song of Solomon 4.
For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear.
Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
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