Friday in Epiphany

1Verse 1. At that time Abijah son of Jeroboam became ill, 2Verse 2. and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who spoke about my kingship over this people. 3Verse 3. Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the boy.” 4Verse 4. Jeroboam’s wife did as instructed; she arose and went to Shiloh and arrived at Ahijah’s house. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. 5Verse 5. But the LORD had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to ask you about her son, for he is ill. You are to say such and such to her, because when she arrives, she will be disguised.” 6Verse 6. So when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet entering the door, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam! Why are you disguised? For I have been sent to you with bad news. 7Verse 7. Go, tell Jeroboam that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I raised you up from among the people and appointed you ruler over My people Israel. 8Verse 8. I tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you. But you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and followed Me with all his heart, doing only what was right in My eyes. 9Verse 9. You have done more evil than all who came before you. You have proceeded to make for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me, and you have flung Me behind your back. 10Verse 10. Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone! 11Verse 11. Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.’ 12Verse 12. As for you, get up and go home. When your feet enter the city, the child will die. 13Verse 13. All Israel will mourn for him and bury him. For this is the only one belonging to Jeroboam who will receive a proper burial, because only in him has the LORD, the God of Israel, found any good in the house of Jeroboam. 14Verse 14. Moreover , the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam. This is the day — yes, even today! 15Verse 15. For the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that He gave their fathers, and He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking the LORD to anger. 16Verse 16. So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.” 17Verse 17. Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and departed for Tirzah, and as soon as she stepped over the threshold of the house, the boy died. 18Verse 18. And they buried him, and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the prophet.

12Verse 12. I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service. 13Verse 13. I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy. 14Verse 14. And the grace of our Lord overflowed to me, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15Verse 15. This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. 16Verse 16. But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17Verse 17. Now to the King eternal, immortal, and invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 18Verse 18. Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight, 19Verse 19. holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith. 20Verse 20. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.