June 4 (1 Kings 1; Psalm 123; 2 Timothy 1–2)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

Episode: June 4
Scripture Readings: 1 Kings 1; Psalm 123; 2 Timothy 1–2
Release Date: June 4, 2025
Host/Author: Crossway
Podcast Title: Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry

---

Introduction

In this episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry," listeners embark on a spiritual journey through a trio of profound scriptures: 1 Kings 1, Psalm 123, and 2 Timothy 1–2. The episode seamlessly weaves together narratives from the Old Testament, poetic reflections from the Psalms, and apostolic guidance from the New Testament, offering a comprehensive exploration of faith, leadership, and perseverance.

---

Old Testament Focus: 1 Kings 1

Narrator: The episode opens with an evocative reading from 1 Kings 1, which delves into the final days of King David’s reign. As David grows old and frail, his court grapples with succession issues, setting the stage for a dramatic transition of power.

Key Points:

• David’s Declining Health: King David, despite being lavishly clothed, cannot keep warm, highlighting his vulnerability in old age (00:01).
• Abishag the Shunammite: A beautiful young woman, Abishag, is brought to attend to David, yet she remains unaware of her king's inner turmoil (00:01).
• Adonijah’s Attempted Coup: David’s son, Adonijah, assumes he can seize the throne, preparing chariots and gathering supporters, excluding key figures like Nathan the prophet and Solomon (00:01).
• Bathsheba’s Intervention: Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, along with Nathan the prophet, intervenes to remind David of his promise that Solomon would succeed him, leading to David’s reaffirmation of Solomon’s kingship (00:01).
• Solomon’s Anointment: Under David’s directive, Solomon is anointed king at Gihon, solidifying his rightful place and quelling Adonijah’s rebellion (00:01).

Notable Quotes:

• Nathan the Prophet: “Solomon, your son shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne.” (00:01)
• King David: “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity... Even so will I do this day.” (00:01)
• Benaiah the Son of Jehoiada: “May the Lord the God of my Lord the king, say so.” (00:01)

Insights: This passage underscores the complexities of leadership succession and the importance of divine promise and prophetic intervention in ensuring rightful leadership. It also highlights the themes of loyalty, faithfulness, and the fulfillment of God’s plans despite human schemes.

---

Psalms Reflection: Psalm 123

Reader: The serene and contemplative Psalm 123 offers a prayerful reflection, appealing to God for mercy and relief from scorn and contempt.

Key Points:

• A Call to Divine Mercy: The psalmist lifts his eyes to God, seeking compassion and favor in times of distress (07:21).
• Expression of Weariness: A heartfelt plea against enduring continuous contempt and scorn from those in positions of ease and pride (07:35).
• Longing for Restoration: The psalm reflects a deep yearning for God’s intervention to restore dignity and peace (07:35).

Notable Quotes:

• “To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens.” (07:21)
• “Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us. For we have had more than enough of contempt.” (07:35)

Insights: Psalm 123 serves as a poignant reminder of the human struggle against societal scorn and the perpetual hope placed in God’s mercy. It encourages believers to maintain their focus on the divine, especially in the face of adversity and unjust treatment.

---

New Testament Guidance: 2 Timothy 1–2

Reader: The powerful apostolic counsel in 2 Timothy 1–2 offers Timothy, and by extension all believers, guidance on faith, sufferings, and steadfastness in their spiritual walk.

Key Points:

• Encouragement to Embrace God’s Gift: Paul urges Timothy to "fan into flame the gift of God" within him, emphasizing that God’s spirit is one of power, love, and self-control (07:54).
• Endurance Through Suffering: The letters stress the importance of enduring hardships for the sake of the Gospel, portraying suffering as a pathway to growth and the ultimate salvation of others (07:54).
• Call to Righteous Living: Believers are encouraged to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, avoiding quarrelsome behaviors and unproductive controversies (10:57).
• Steadfast Faith Amidst Opposition: Paul highlights the need to remain faithful and strong in the face of opposition, using metaphors like soldiers and athletes to illustrate the disciplined pursuit of spiritual goals (10:57).
• Guarding the Good Deposit: Timothy is reminded to protect the teachings and truths entrusted to him, ensuring the integrity of the faith is maintained (10:57).

Notable Quotes:

• “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” (07:54)
• “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (10:57)
• “If we have died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him.” (10:57)

Insights: Paul’s exhortations to Timothy are timeless, addressing the need for bold faith, resilience in suffering, and unwavering commitment to God’s mission. The analogies of soldiers and athletes illustrate the disciplined and purposeful nature of the Christian life, encouraging believers to remain focused and undistracted by worldly matters.

---

Conclusion and Reflections

This June 4th episode of "Through the ESV Bible in a Year with Jackie Hill Perry" masterfully intertwines stories of leadership transition, heartfelt prayers for mercy, and robust guidance for enduring faith. By navigating through 1 Kings 1, listeners witness the intricate dynamics of biblical leadership and divine providence. Psalm 123 offers a meditative pause, bridging the Old and New Testaments with its plea for grace amidst hardship. Finally, 2 Timothy 1–2 provides actionable insights for living a life committed to Christ, emphasizing the virtues of courage, perseverance, and sanctified living.

The selected passages collectively encourage believers to rely on God’s promises, seek His mercy in times of distress, and steadfastly pursue a life of faith and righteousness. This episode serves as a beacon of inspiration, reminding listeners of the enduring relevance of Scripture in guiding personal conduct and spiritual growth.

---

Overall Takeaway:
June 4’s episode encapsulates the essence of biblical teachings on leadership, humility, and perseverance. Through the narratives and exhortations, Jackie Hill Perry, via Crossway, invites listeners to deepen their understanding of God’s word, apply its lessons to their lives, and remain steadfast in their spiritual journey.

Transcript

[Narrator]

A reading from the book of 1 Kings. Now King David was old and advanced in years, and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. Therefore his servants said to him, let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm. So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful and she was of service to the king and attended to him. But the king knew her not. Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king. And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen and 50 men to run before him. His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, why have you done thus? And so he was also a very handsome man. And he was born next, after Absalom. He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him. But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Reai and David's mighty men were not with Adonijah. Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen and fattened calf by the serpent's stone which is beside Enrogel. And he invited all his brothers, the king's sons and and all the royal officials of Judah. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother. Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king? And David our Lord, does not know it. Now therefore, come, let me give you advice that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go in at once to King David and say to him, did you not my lord the king swear to your servant, saying, solomon, your son shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne. Why then is Adonijah king? And while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words. So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite, was attending to the king. Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king. And the king said, what do you desire? She said to him, my lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, solomon, your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne. And now, behold, Adonijah is king. Although you, my lord the king, do not know it. He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army. But Solomon, your servant, he is not invited. And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise, it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders. While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king with his face to the ground. And Nathan said, my lord the king, have you said, adonijah shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne. For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him and saying, long live King Adonijah. But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and. And your servant Solomon, he is not invited. Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king? And you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? Then King David answered, call Bathsheba to me. So she came into the king's presence and stood before the king. And the king swore, saying, as the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, solomon, your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place. Even so will I do this day. Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, may my lord King David live forever. King David said, call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. So they came before the king. And the king said to them, take with you the servants of your Lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gihon and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then Blow the trumpet and say, long live King Solomon. You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, answered the king, amen. May the Lord the God of my Lord the king, say so. As the Lord has been with my Lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David. So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule and brought him to Gihon. There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, long live King Solomon. And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, what does this uproar in the city mean? While he was still speaking, behold Jonathan the son of Abiathar. The priest came, and Adonijah said, come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news. Jonathan answered Adonijah, no, for our Lord King David has made Solomon king. And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they had him ride on the king's mule. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. And they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. Solomon sits on the royal throne. Moreover, the king's servants came to congratulate our Lord King David, saying, may your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours and make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself on the bed. And the king also said, blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it. Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way. And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. Then it was told, solomon, behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon. For behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword. And Solomon said, if he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hair shall fall to the earth. But if wickedness is found in him, he shall die. So King Solomon sent and they brought him down from the altar, and he came and paid homage to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, go to your house. A reading from the Book of Psalms, A Song of Ascents.

[Reader]

To you I lift up my eyes.

[Narrator]

O you who are enthroned in the heavens.

[Reader]

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as.

[Narrator]

The eyes of a maidservant to the.

[Reader]

Hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God.

[Narrator]

Till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us. For we have had more than enough of contempt. Our soul has had more than enough of the scorn of those who are at ease of the contempt of the proud. A reading from the book of 2 Timothy.

[Reader]

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus. To Timothy, my beloved child. Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience. As I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day, as I remember your tears, I long to see you that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to.

[Narrator]

A holy calling, not because of our.

[Reader]

Works, but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed And I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Guard the good deposit entrusted to you. You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. But when he arrived in Rome, he searched for me earnestly and found me. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day. And you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus. You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus and what you have heard from me, in the presence of many witnesses and and trust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my Gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for if we have died with him, we will also live with him. If we endure, we will also reign with him.

[Narrator]

If.

[Reader]

If we deny him, he also will deny us. If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. Remind them of these things and charge them before God. Not to quarrel about words which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed. Rightly handling the word of truth, but avoid a reverent babble, for for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. But God's firm foundation stands bearing this. The Lord knows those who are his, and let everyone who names, the name of the Lord depart from iniquity. Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish ignorant controversies. You know that they breed quarrels, and the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome, but kind to everyone, able to teach patiently, enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance, leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil after being captured by him to do his will.