Day 164: Tearing Down Idols

1 Kings 14:1-20 Jeroboam received word of his condemnation by God for his unfaithfulness. His family would be cursed and cut off from the royal succession. All of the Northern Kingdom would suffer ruin and exile. Upon Jeroboam’s death, his son Nadab ascended to the throne.


Ch 14:21-31 Rehoboam was perhaps even worse than Jeroboam in that he permitted a cult involving male prostitutes in Judah. Both Judah and Israel were disloyal to the Lord, turning to paganism despite the covenant and everything God had done for them.


High places, pillars, and Asherim: All three terms relate to pagan practices. The Canaanites built pillars and poles consecrated to their deities; Asherim were poles dedicated to the fertility goddess Asherah, which likely were connected to cult prostitution involving male prostitutes. 


Abijam assumed the throne upon the death of Rehoboam. (CCC 2355, 2357, 2396)


Song of Solomon 3:1-5 The first four verses of this chapter may be proclaimed as the First Reading at Mass on the Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene. Here we see the successful completion of the search first mentioned in Ch 1:7: “Scarcely had I passed them, when I found him who my soul loves.” This pursuit was not without pain and difficulty; it took some time and persistence to find the lover finally. This allegory serves as a wonderful lesson about the value of perseverance in prayer and exercise of virtue, which invariably leads to everlasting life. (CCC 2592, 2573, 2709)


Ch 3:6-11 The Church Fathers viewed these verses as an indication of the betrothal of Christ to his Bride, the Church. Through this union, the Church gives birth to new believers in faith who are “born again” in the waters of Baptism. (CCC 789, 808, 923, 1426, 1620)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006)


Worship According to the Torah

(Walking With God: A Journey Through The Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins)



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we praise you. Once again, we give you glory for the love you have for us and the desire that you have for our hearts. Lord God, on our own we offer so little to you. We offer nothing, almost nothing to you. And yet, even that little, even that nothing you receive with joy. You receive us in a way that we don’t deserve. You pursue us and love us even to the point of giving up your own life so that we could have life, giving your spirit into us so that we could be called truly your sons and daughters. And so this day, help us to live in your love. Help us to receive that life. And help us to walk this day as your beloved sons, and as your beloved daughters, because you are God, our Father. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”

Dustin's Insights

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My Study Color Code

Suffering, Martyrdom Places The Church, Sacraments, Divinity Horticultural Imagery People Messianic Kingship Sin, Death, Decay