Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 07 June 2018

We woke to a "toasty" 49 degrees of "catastrophic global warming" this morning, just two weeks from the official start of Summer. "Up" to 62° now.  Briefly. It is 92° now in our one-time home in Arkansas, where one daughter still lives.  It is 84° in our one-time home outside of Knoxville, Tennessee.  And 90° in our former home in central  Alabama.  ALL of which sound much better than 62.    I like to point out the numerous errors and out-and-out lies of the whole Gorebot "glow-BULL warming" stuff.  It's almost too easy, but some people get downright offended.  Sorry, I really don't care.  It's nonsense and a lie and always was.

Wife is next door with great-nephew, the  newest one anyway.  His 1st birthday party is next weekend.  He's already --shakily -- standing  up on his own and I just watched him take two steps on his own.  Growing fast.
I had to sub for Wife's nephew's wife this morning, and run the other great-nephew over to the school for some sort of summer program (not "summer school") that he's involved in.  Probably beats sitting at home:  mom at work and dad, who worked the night shift, fast asleep.  11-year-olds are not real good at being quiet and orderly, so having something semi organized through the school is probably a good deal.

Trying to get some reading in.  Made a run to the library yesterday, got three new (to me) ones out.
Haven't been able to even crack one open yet, planning to do so Real  Soon Now.

• Fearless by Max Lucado. 
• The Book Of Lost Tales by Tolkien.  Described as The History Of Middle Earth.  J.R.R. Tolkien's name is on the spine, but I understand it was really put together by Christopher  Tolkien, his son.  We shall see.
• 1917 by Arthur Herman.  Subtitled  "Lenin, Wilson, And the birth of the New World Order".  Victor Davis Hanson, whose analyses of things I respect greatly, speaks highly of this.  We, the whole world, are paying more than a century later for the actions and decisions of those two vile and evil men.  Lenin, of course, begat the Soviet Union and the death of countless millions.  Woodrow Wilson, my nominee for the very worst President (and one of the worst to BE President) that this nation suffered (or, at least, up to Obama), was a self-styled "progressive".  Also a raging racist and champion liar.  So, of course, the liberals love him and there is even a high school near here that is named for the creep.

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Today, chapters 19 and 20 of 1st Kings. The downward spiral is picking up speed.  Going to get worse as well, and soon.
By the way, here we see one of those "Bible names" that people VERY rarely give to their daughters.  Jezebel.  Do you know any?  (by name, I mean:  there are a few who probably should have been so named, it would have been a warning to those that would encounter them).
Pay attention to the mentions of Samaria.  Later, in the New Testament, we see the disdain that the Jews had for the Samaritans.  It harkens back to this period.  Which is why the account of the "good Samaritan" had such an effect.  We generally miss that background now.

1st Kings 19

1  And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

2  Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.

3  And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer–sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

4  But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

5  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

6  And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

7  And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.

8  And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

9  And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?

10  And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

11  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

12  And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

13  And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

14  And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

15  And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

16  And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel–meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

17  And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

18  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

19  So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20  And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?

21  And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.

1st Kings 20

1  And Ben–hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

2And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben–hadad,

3  Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.

4  And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

5  And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben–hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

6  Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

7  Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.

8  And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

9  Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben–hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

10  And Ben–hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.

11  And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

12  And it came to pass, when Ben–hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

13  And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

14  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

15  Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

16  And they went out at noon. But Ben–hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17  And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben–hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18  And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

19  So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

20  And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Ben–hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.

21  And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22  And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

23  And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24  And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

25  And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

26  And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben–hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

27  And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.

28  And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

29  And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

30  But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Ben–hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

31  And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

32  So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben–hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

33  Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben–hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben–hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

34  And Ben–hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.streets: or, market places

35  And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

36  Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37  Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

38  So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

39  And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

40  And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.

41  And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

42  And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

43  And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

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This passage brings to mind more than a few worthy nominees for the "song of the day"

Psalm 113

1  Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.

2  Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore.

3  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised.

4  The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

5  Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high,dwelleth…: Heb. exalteth himself to dwell

6  Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

7  He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

8  That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

9  He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord

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Today, chapter 24 in the Acts of the Apostles.
This is more of what it took to get the church, or, better, the Church, spread all over the known world of the time.  Lots and lots of opposition and persecution, including unto death.
Would I do as well?  I fear not.

Acts 24

1  And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul.

2  And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence,

3  We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.

4  Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.

5  For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

6  Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

7  But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,

8  Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

9  And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

10  Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:

11  Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

12  And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:

13  Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me.

14  But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

15  And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

16  And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.

17  Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.

18  Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

19  Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had ought against me.

20  Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil doing in me, while I stood before the council,

21  Except it be for this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

22  And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

23  And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister or come unto him.

24  And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

25  And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

26  He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and communed with him.

27  But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

Today's Readings and Stuff --- Tuesday, 05 June 2018

Happy Tuesday.


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Ray Vanderlaan did a good commentary on this section some years ago.  The issue before them was "who is really God"?  Is the king "God"?  Is Ba'al God?  Asherah?  Dagon?  Pharaoh?  Moloch?  Who is really God??  The question has never really left us.  The Aztecs, Incas, Toltecs, Olmecs, and such in the Americas.  Odin and Wotan and Zeus, and many others all across the world.  Who is really God?  And, now, we have the Moslems who loudly proclaim that "Allah" is God and that there is no other.
Our answer will have much to do with our conduct, and with the type of culture and civilization created.  As well as our own, personal, eternal destiny.  It's an important question.
The Israelites, located in the midst of hostile cultures, each with their own "gods", had been strictly warned about intermixing with those heathen (dare I use that term?) nations, and adopting their ways and their "gods".  Warnings and commands that were quickly cast aside, with the foreseen results.  And, as is so often the case, the rot began right at the top, with the leaders of the nation being prominent in their disobedience. 
That also has not changed:  I receive, weekly or more often, missives from people I know (or used to know, anyway) who have become "tolerant" and "sophisticated" and who call upon us "deplorables" to accept the Official Party Line that the Lord and Allah are pretty much the same, just different nicknames and titles. 
I reject that.  If that makes me unfit for being around, so be it.  But I draw attention to the part about the Lord being a jealous God.  That is, somehow, deemed un-trendy these days.  But it's still true.
In this passage, the Lord used Elijah to address the issue in a pretty unmistakable way, with bad consequences for the priests of Ba'al.  It can happen again.

1st Kings 17

1  And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2  And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3  Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4  And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5  So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6  And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7  And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8  And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9  Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11  And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12  And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13  And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14  For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

15  And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

17  And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18  And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19  And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20  And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21  And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22  And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23  And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

24  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.

1st Kings 18

1  And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

2  And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

3  And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

4  For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

5  And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

6  So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7  And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

8  And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

9  And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

10  As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

11  And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

12  And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.

13  Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

14  And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

15  And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

16  So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17  And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

18  And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

19  Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

20  So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21  And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

22  Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

23  Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

24  And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25  And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

26  And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

27  And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28  And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

29  And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

30  And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

31  And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

32  And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

33  And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34  And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35  And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

36  And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37  Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

38  Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39  And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.

40  And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41  And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

42  So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

43  And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44  And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

45  And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

46  And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

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Psalm 112

1  Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2  His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3  Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

4  Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5  A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.discretion: Heb. judgment

6  Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7  He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.

8  His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

9  He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

10  The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

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This passage is a bit tough for me in several ways (and go back and look at the passage from 1st Kings above).
For much of my life, I've been pretty hard on the Jewish leadership in examples like this.  With some reason, surely.  But .....
Look at their situation and history.  The observant Jews, then and today as well, could look back on their history and see too many places where the clear and unambiguous commands of the Lord, some quite minute and detailed, had been ignored or honored in name only, and the awful results of that.  Look back, for example, at Aaron's sons, who offered unauthorized fire.  And were struck down and died.  Look at the poor fellow who tried to catch the Ark of the Covenant lest it fall of the cart.  And died.  Many other examples.  Look at their situation at the time of this account.  The nation had become apostate, and judgment had fallen.  They were captives in their own land, several times, most lately by the Roman Empire.  The Romans had complete control and could do as they wished:  look at the "slaughter of the Innocents" in Matthew 2:13-23.  Herod the Great, appointed as quasi-king by the Romans, had ALL the little boys of a certain age in that area put to death.  (Happens when you don't have limited government and that unlimited government has arms control, but that's a subject for another day).  The Lord wasn't executing judgement on those babies, but He allowed it.    All a result of national and cultural disobedience going back centuries.  Think it can't happen again, by the way?  I fear that it can, and might.
So I'm tending to be a bit less harsh on these religious leaders who, seeing all around them the results of treating the Lord's commands lightly, as being rigorous in upholding their interpretations of those commands and of the implications of that determination.  Were they right in all respects?  Of course not, or Jesus would not have been opposed by them.  Or Paul or James or, well, the Church. 
I've seen, personally and up close, efforts, many of them well-intentioned I am certain, to uphold church teachings and traditions and beliefs.  Many with good foundations but long-term results that aren't, yet which occupy more attention than Scripture.  Examples are really not hard to find.  Yet, like the Jews, I've heard too often the phrase "it's not that bad" as the effort is made to relax a particular standard.  Sometimes that relaxation is sensible and wise.  Sometimes it's not.  The Jews here were trying to hold the line, but that "line" was, often, less what was in the Law of Moses, and more often from the teachings and commentaries of the rabbis ever since (and even today:  I occasionally read through some).  That cultural baggage sometimes helps.  Sometimes it interferes, and becomes a "god" in itself.
So Paul's outreach to the Gentiles must have been a dreadful affront to those who fervently believed that the father-to-son and beyond heritage was the most important thing.

Acts 23

1  And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.

2  And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.

3  Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?

4  And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?

5  Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

6  But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

7  And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

9  And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.

10  And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.

11  And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.

12  And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

13  And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

14  And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.

15  Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.

16  And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

17  Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.

18  So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

19  Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?

20  And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

21  But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

22  So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

23  And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;

24  And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.

25  And he wrote a letter after this manner:

26  Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.

27  This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.

28  And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

29  Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.

30  And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

31  Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.

32  On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:

33  Who, when they came to Caesarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

34  And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;

35  I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.