Today's first reading tells how God defeated the Arameans who were threatening Israel. Under the word of the prophet Elisha, God induced a panic among the Arameans who merely heard the sounds of an approaching army and fled without seeing a single soldier. It is a practical example of God's might and of the prophet's influence being greater than even the unfaithful king.
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety
The second selection describes the attempt of King Jehu to eradicate the worship of Baal from Israel. The successor to King Ahab oversaw the slaughter of all the sons of Ahab -- raised to worship Baal by their parents -- and then all of the worshipers of Baal in the kingdom. This violent effort stemmed the tide of worshiping a foreign God, but it did not stop unfaithful practices in the northern kingdom of Israel.
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If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read 2 Kings 6-10 today.
