Year Zero

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the sin of King Ahaziah and God’s punishment of him (II Chronicles 22): * How Ahaziah did that which is evil in the sight of the Lord, and associated with the sinful house of Ahab; * How Ahaziah was slain with many of his kinsmen. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the sins of King Jehoram and God’s punishment of him (II Chronicles 21): * How Jehoram slew all his brothers, and restored idolatry in the groves and the hills; * How his enemies plundered and enslaved the land; * How he was smitten with a grave illness of the bowels and died, and no one mourned for him. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other s...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the wrath of God against King Jehoshaphat (II Chronicles 18-20): * How Jehoshaphat allied himself with the apostate King Ahab, and almost perished; * How he allied himself with King Ahaziah, and again suffered a great loss; * How God does not wish the faithful to unite with unbelievers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate God’s miraculous saving of Jerusalem because of the righteousness of Jehoshaphat (II Chronicles 20): * How a multitude of Moabites and Ammonites set off against Jerusalem; * How King Jehoshaphat prayed to God, and it was revealed to him through the prophet that the battle is not yours, but God’s (II Chronicles 20:15); * How the Moabites and the Ammonites fought among them...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the righteousness of King Jehoshaphat, and God’s reward (II Chronicles 17): * How Jehoshaphat was zealous for God’s truth, and how he destroyed the idols in his land; * How God granted him riches, glory, peace and victory over his enemies. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.sub...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the sin of King Asa, and God’s punishment on him (II Chronicles 16): * How Asa, frightened of a neighboring king, took God’s gold out of the Temple in order to buy an alliance with the King of Syria; * How the Syrian king took the gold, but betrayed him; * How God allowed a grave illness to befall Asa. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other sub...

We continue reading and commentary on Ordinary Men. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com/subscribe

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the righteousness of King Asa, and God’s reward (I Kings 15): * How Asa did that which is good in the sight of God, and cleansed the land of idols; * How God granted him the victory over the Ethiopians, and blessed him and the people with every good. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommy...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the transgressions of Judah, and God’s punishment of those transgressions (I Kings 14): * How the people and King Rehoboam did that which is evil in the sight of the Lord; * How they erected idols in the temples, and how there were many sodomites in the land; * How the king of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and plundered all the gold of the Temple. This is a public episode. If...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate God’s wondrous judgment with regard to men (I Kings 14): * How Jeroboam’s son became ill and died, for the punishment of his apostate father and for his own salvation; * How the rest of Jeroboam’s men perished, and were eaten by dogs in the city and by birds in the field. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate God’s punishment on a disobedient prophet (I Kings 13): * How this prophet was commanded by God to abstain from eating or drinking anything in idolatrous Bethel; * How the prophet disobeyed God, and ate and drank; * How, upon returning, he was torn apart by a lion. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episod...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the transgression of Jeroboam and the punishment of God (I Kings 12, 13): * How Jeroboam cast two golden calves and ordered the people to worship them as gods; * How the prophet declared God’s displeasure to Jeroboam, and miraculously broke the altar before the idols; * How Jeroboam raised his hand against the prophet, but his hand withered, and only after the prayers of...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the vanity of men’s efforts in opposition to the will of God (I Kings 12): * How ten tribes broke away and took Solomon’s servant as king; * How Rehoboam prepared an army to make war against Jeroboam; * How God held him back from war, saying through the prophet: For this thing is of Me (I Kings 12:24). This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other sub...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the division of Solomon’s kingdom (I Kings 11): * How, because of Solomon’s sins, the kingdom of Israel was divided; * How Jeroboam, the king’s servant, became king over ten tribes; and Rehoboam, the king’s son, became king over two tribes; * How, even today, it happens that the sins of the father bring down misfortune on the son; and the sins of the elders of the nation,...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate Solomon’s terrible turning away from God, and God’s punishment (I Kings 11): * How, in his old age, Solomon was captivated by many women, turned away from God, and began to serve idols; * How God became enraged and gave the kingdom over to Solomon’s servant; * How Solomon turned away from God, even though God had appeared to him twice, and even though he had endowed him w...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the riches and glory of Solomon (I Kings 5:5-10): * How Solomon built a majestic Temple to God and then built cities and ships; * How the neighboring rulers were amazed at Solomon; how Hiram served him and the Queen of Sheba visited him; * How Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed as gloriously as a lily of the field. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discus...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the wisdom of Solomon (I Kings 3): * How two women disputed over a child, and each said that the child was hers; * How Solomon ordered that the child be cut in two; and one half be given to each woman; * How the real mother cried out for the child, and thus made it known that the child was hers. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscriber...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate God’s wonderful gift to Solomon (I Kings 3): * How the Lord appeared to Solomon in Gibeon, and asked him his desire; * How Solomon asked for an understanding heart, in order to judge the people and recognize good and evil; * How God gave him that which he sought, as well as that which he did not seek. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subs...

Kyle and I talk. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com/subscribe

John and I continue reading and commentary on Ordinary Men. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com/subscribe

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate Solomon’s honoring of his mother (I Kings 2): * How his mother went to her son to ask something of him; * How he stood up, met his mother and bowed before her—even though he was king; * How, when he sat down on his throne, he placed his mother at his right hand. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes,...

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate the example of David’s self-restraint (II Samuel 23): * How, during battle against the Philistines, David became thirsty, and asked who would bring him water from the well in Bethlehem, which was held by the Philistines; * How three heroes slipped through the enemy lines, and brought water back to their king; * How David did not want to drink, but rather poured the water...

Timeline, Buck’s article, and my thoughts. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com/subscribe

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate God’s punishment of David for his sins (II Samuel 17): * How Absalom warred with his father and how many people died in that war; * How Absalom perished; * How David wept bitterly. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com/subscribe

CONTEMPLATION Contemplate God’s punishment of David for his sins (II Samuel 15): * How Absalom, David’s son, raised a rebellion against his father; * How David fled from Jerusalem before his son, and went barefoot and wept. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tommysalmons.substack.com/subscribe