Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah began to reign. He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
The Lord afflicted the king with leprosy until the day he died, and he lived in a separate house. Jotham the king's son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.
As for the other events of Azariah's reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? Azariah rested with his fathers and was buried near them in the City of David. And Jotham his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 15:1-7
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As people perceive life…their own and others…I think there’s a misperception that the only people who end up afflicted are those who struggle…those who are down and out…those who can’t afford to stay in good health because they don’t have the means to do so. The rich get richer…even in health…while the poor get equally poorer in all parts of their life.
While this may be true in some instances, it is not an accurate answer to the question, “Who gets afflicted?” For if the truth be known, affliction is an equal opportunity attacker. It has no sense of finances or status…no sense of gender or race or age…no respect for fitness or physical prowess…no selectivity of wrongdoer over righteous.
Doubt that?
If you do, then we need only take a look at our scripture today.
For as we finished 2 Kings 14, we found Azariah ascending to the throne in place of his father, Amaziah who through his arrogance caused Jerusalem to fall. You’ll recall that Amaziah was killed by conspirators at Lachish and some people might say that he got what he deserved.
So would Azariah decide to follow the wrongs of his father or would he choose to do what was right in the ways of the Lord?
As Chapter 15 opens, we find the answer. For we read where Azariah became king at the young age of sixteen and “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” even though he failed to remove the high places where the “people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense”.
So Azariah should have been OK right? He did what was in the eyes of the Lord and didn’t make any mistakes that the other kings before him had made. Surely he warranted the Lord’s reward for his actions.
It didn’t quite work that way.
For King Azariah, after doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, became afflicted with leprosy by that same Lord…and remained that way until the day he died. During that time, he was caused to live “in a separate house” because lepers were outsiders in Old Testament times…considered unclean and not fit to be with those who are not afflicted. In his stead, his son, Jotham, was in “charge of the palace and governed the people of the land”. And this just didn’t go on for a short period of time. No…Azariah “reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years”. That’s a long time with much of it spent afflicted, isolated and alone.
Friends, affliction is part of the life experience. It happens the moment we emerge from birth into this world. For it is at that moment that we are sinners, defective with a disease that has plagued mankind since Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden of Eden, thus defying God’s command (Genesis 3). It’s an ailment for which there is no cure on earth…one that we can only place into remission through continuously remaining close to the only One who can save us from our sin…our Savior Jesus…the One who suffered for us and bore the penalty for our sins while He hung crucified and dying on the cross of Calvary…the One who is our remedy for sin and will strip us of it when we are ushered into eternal life with him at our death.
So who gets afflicted?
The answer is all of us.
Thanks be to God we have good news in His Son, Jesus Christ…the Author of our Salvation…the One who allows us to rejoice and have hope in the midst of our afflictions.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
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Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
MEASURING SUCCESS
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.
The Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them. And since the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
As for the other events of Jeroboam's reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Yaudi, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 14:23-29
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
How do you gauge success in your life?
Is it by the money you make? The job or title you have? The car you drive? The home you live in? The accomplishments you have achieved? The sports victories won?
These are just some of the ways we seem to measure success in our world but are they true indicators of success or deceptions that keep us from finding the real success that the Lord wishes for us.
As we ponder that question, we turn to the scripture today. As Chapter 14 of 2 Kings closes, we see where Jeroboam became king in Samaria during the “fifteenth year of Amaziah…king of Judah. This was the second Jeroboam to ascend to the throne of Israel and we read where he had great success over his forty-one year reign, restoring “the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher”. Despite the battles fought and lost along the way after Israel divided, the two kingdoms…the north under Jeroboam and the south under the rule of King Azariah…nearly regained all the territory present before the split occurred.
Scripture also tells us that the Lord saved Israel “by the hand of Jeroboam”, not necessarily because of his good works but rather because it was God’s will to keep the covenant purpose He made with Israel to not “blot out” their name “from under heaven”. And so the Lord used Jeroboam to carry out His will and save Israel from their suffering.
So Jeroboam was a success right? He had great accomplishments and established himself as a great military leader, rescuing Israel and restoring their land.
And yet, something was very wrong with Jeroboam…something that no military might and power could have victory over.
You see, Jeroboam was spiritually dead and he led his people down that same road. We know this because God’s word tells us that “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins” of the first King Jeroboam…sins “which he had caused Israel to commit”.
Jeroboam has rescued Israel from their Arameans only to surrender them to sin. Worldly victory was overshadowed by spiritual defeat.
So how are we doing today? Are we leading those around us to the wrong victories, trading worldly wins for spiritual losses?
My prayer is that we learn from the lesson in God’s word today. For through Jeroboam, He is speaking loudly to us. True victory only comes when we seek the power of the God to overcome sin and lead others to the glorious righteousness He wishes for all of us…a righteousness through service in Him that will lead to the ultimate victory we’ll experience in life…the victory over the grave through our salvation found in the One who won the greatest victory in history…our Savior Jesus Christ who conquered the grave to live eternal with the Father and open the door for us to follow.
Thanks be to God for His Son.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel became king in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit. He was the one who restored the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher.
The Lord had seen how bitterly everyone in Israel, whether slave or free, was suffering; there was no one to help them. And since the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
As for the other events of Jeroboam's reign, all he did, and his military achievements, including how he recovered for Israel both Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Yaudi, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. And Zechariah his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 14:23-29
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
How do you gauge success in your life?
Is it by the money you make? The job or title you have? The car you drive? The home you live in? The accomplishments you have achieved? The sports victories won?
These are just some of the ways we seem to measure success in our world but are they true indicators of success or deceptions that keep us from finding the real success that the Lord wishes for us.
As we ponder that question, we turn to the scripture today. As Chapter 14 of 2 Kings closes, we see where Jeroboam became king in Samaria during the “fifteenth year of Amaziah…king of Judah. This was the second Jeroboam to ascend to the throne of Israel and we read where he had great success over his forty-one year reign, restoring “the boundaries of Israel from Lebo Hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, in accordance with the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, spoken through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher”. Despite the battles fought and lost along the way after Israel divided, the two kingdoms…the north under Jeroboam and the south under the rule of King Azariah…nearly regained all the territory present before the split occurred.
Scripture also tells us that the Lord saved Israel “by the hand of Jeroboam”, not necessarily because of his good works but rather because it was God’s will to keep the covenant purpose He made with Israel to not “blot out” their name “from under heaven”. And so the Lord used Jeroboam to carry out His will and save Israel from their suffering.
So Jeroboam was a success right? He had great accomplishments and established himself as a great military leader, rescuing Israel and restoring their land.
And yet, something was very wrong with Jeroboam…something that no military might and power could have victory over.
You see, Jeroboam was spiritually dead and he led his people down that same road. We know this because God’s word tells us that “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins” of the first King Jeroboam…sins “which he had caused Israel to commit”.
Jeroboam has rescued Israel from their Arameans only to surrender them to sin. Worldly victory was overshadowed by spiritual defeat.
So how are we doing today? Are we leading those around us to the wrong victories, trading worldly wins for spiritual losses?
My prayer is that we learn from the lesson in God’s word today. For through Jeroboam, He is speaking loudly to us. True victory only comes when we seek the power of the God to overcome sin and lead others to the glorious righteousness He wishes for all of us…a righteousness through service in Him that will lead to the ultimate victory we’ll experience in life…the victory over the grave through our salvation found in the One who won the greatest victory in history…our Savior Jesus Christ who conquered the grave to live eternal with the Father and open the door for us to follow.
Thanks be to God for His Son.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Monday, January 11, 2010
THE DANGERS OF ARROGANCE
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the second year of Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins."
He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: "Come, meet me face to face."
But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"
Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about six hundred feet long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.
Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. As for the other events of Amaziah's reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers, in the City of David.
Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his fathers.
2 Kings 14:1-22
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As Chapter 14 opens in 2 Kings, we introduced to yet another king. King Amaziah.
Now by now, I know what you’re saying. Please Mark…not another king. But we have to stay the course because we aren’t anywhere finished talking about kings yet. After all, there’s a reason these books are titled 1st and 2nd Kings.
But consider this for a moment as you feel like you’re getting tired of all these kings.
Although they are kings, they are no more different than you and I…sinners who are hopeless without a God who is mighty to save…a gracious, merciful, compassionate God…the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
And as we have seen and should continue to bear witness to…no elected power in the scriptures was ever greater nor ever will be greater than the power God had and has over them. Just consistently being reminded of this throughout these books is reason enough to continue studying the kings.
Now to the scripture where we find King Amaziah come into power over Judah “in the second year of Jehoash…king of Israel. We read where Amaziah was the son of Joash and “was twenty-five years old when he became king. His reign in Jerusalem would last for twenty-nine years and he started out well enough, doing “what was right in the eyes of the Lord”. We learn he wasn’t as good as David because the “high places…were not removed” and the “people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there”. But David certainly wasn’t perfect either, was he?
Amaziah “followed the example of his father Joash” who you’ll recall had ensured the temple was restored before he was assassinated by his own officials (2 Kings 12:21). And Amaziah wasted no time avenging his father’s death as he “executed the officials who had murdered his father” while sparing their sons so that he didn’t violate the requirements of the “Book of the Law of Moses. It was there where the Lord commanded, "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins." (Deuteronomy 24:16)
Amaziah went on to have other successes during his reign. Scripture tells us he “defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle” before renaming it Joktheel.
Yes…all was going well for Amaziah. That is until he let his power get to his head and became cocky, overconfident, pride-stricken and egotistical. We know this happened because Amaziah decided to go after Israel, the northern kingdom, sending messengers to their king Jehoash with the challenge to "Come, meet me face to face."
At first, Jehoash wasn’t interested in a fight one that he knew he could win. No, instead Jehoash tried to send a message to Amaziah in the way of a parable saying:
“A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.”
Jehoash then explained the meaning of the parable, telling Amaziah, “You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"
Indeed, Jehoash was trying to save Amaziah from himself by trying to get him to see his own arrogance. But Amaziah was so blind to it, he couldn’t act with proper reason. And so he didn’t listen nor back down from his threat, leading to Johoash attacking Judah at Beth Shemesh where he routed them and sent every man fleeing to their homes. He also captured King Amaziah and held him in custody as he took Jerusalem. We read where Jehoash “broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about six hundred feet long” before he “took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace”. He also “took hostages and returned to Samaria”.
And that’s where the once mighty king Amaziah remained until he faced a similar fate to his father, dying at the hands of men sent by those who conspired against him. Amaziah was followed in rule by his son Azariah.
The story of Amaziah is a sad one but an all too common one I’m afraid. Sometimes people allow success to go to their head in such a way that they start to feel they are more superior to others. And this nearly always ends up bad for the one who displays the excessive pride. Indeed, pride does go before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
Amaziah stopped relying on the Lord’s guidance and instead followed his own will…a will which told him it was a good idea to attack Israel. I have to believe God would have given him much different advice if he had just asked.
How many times are we like that? Too proud…too overconfident…too arrogant to ask God for help when we know we should. Instead, we think we know what way is best and too often it is just that way that gets us into trouble…and even leads us to fall just as easy as the mighty Jerusalem fell to Jehoash and Israel’s army.
Friends, God is definitely speaking to us again…speaking to us from the life of another king.
His message?
Recognize the dangers of arrogance.
If only Amaziah had done it, this story and his life would have had a better ending.
Hopefully, ours will be better from the lessons we learn from him and the God who reigns over us all.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
In the second year of Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother's name was Jehoaddin; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed the officials who had murdered his father the king. Yet he did not put the sons of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses where the Lord commanded: "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins."
He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.
Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: "Come, meet me face to face."
But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: "A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"
Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh in Judah. Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home. Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about six hundred feet long. He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.
As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoash rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.
Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. As for the other events of Amaziah's reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
They conspired against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. He was brought back by horse and was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers, in the City of David.
Then all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. He was the one who rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah after Amaziah rested with his fathers.
2 Kings 14:1-22
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As Chapter 14 opens in 2 Kings, we introduced to yet another king. King Amaziah.
Now by now, I know what you’re saying. Please Mark…not another king. But we have to stay the course because we aren’t anywhere finished talking about kings yet. After all, there’s a reason these books are titled 1st and 2nd Kings.
But consider this for a moment as you feel like you’re getting tired of all these kings.
Although they are kings, they are no more different than you and I…sinners who are hopeless without a God who is mighty to save…a gracious, merciful, compassionate God…the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
And as we have seen and should continue to bear witness to…no elected power in the scriptures was ever greater nor ever will be greater than the power God had and has over them. Just consistently being reminded of this throughout these books is reason enough to continue studying the kings.
Now to the scripture where we find King Amaziah come into power over Judah “in the second year of Jehoash…king of Israel. We read where Amaziah was the son of Joash and “was twenty-five years old when he became king. His reign in Jerusalem would last for twenty-nine years and he started out well enough, doing “what was right in the eyes of the Lord”. We learn he wasn’t as good as David because the “high places…were not removed” and the “people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there”. But David certainly wasn’t perfect either, was he?
Amaziah “followed the example of his father Joash” who you’ll recall had ensured the temple was restored before he was assassinated by his own officials (2 Kings 12:21). And Amaziah wasted no time avenging his father’s death as he “executed the officials who had murdered his father” while sparing their sons so that he didn’t violate the requirements of the “Book of the Law of Moses. It was there where the Lord commanded, "Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sins." (Deuteronomy 24:16)
Amaziah went on to have other successes during his reign. Scripture tells us he “defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and captured Sela in battle” before renaming it Joktheel.
Yes…all was going well for Amaziah. That is until he let his power get to his head and became cocky, overconfident, pride-stricken and egotistical. We know this happened because Amaziah decided to go after Israel, the northern kingdom, sending messengers to their king Jehoash with the challenge to "Come, meet me face to face."
At first, Jehoash wasn’t interested in a fight one that he knew he could win. No, instead Jehoash tried to send a message to Amaziah in the way of a parable saying:
“A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, 'Give your daughter to my son in marriage.' Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot.”
Jehoash then explained the meaning of the parable, telling Amaziah, “You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant. Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?"
Indeed, Jehoash was trying to save Amaziah from himself by trying to get him to see his own arrogance. But Amaziah was so blind to it, he couldn’t act with proper reason. And so he didn’t listen nor back down from his threat, leading to Johoash attacking Judah at Beth Shemesh where he routed them and sent every man fleeing to their homes. He also captured King Amaziah and held him in custody as he took Jerusalem. We read where Jehoash “broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate—a section about six hundred feet long” before he “took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace”. He also “took hostages and returned to Samaria”.
And that’s where the once mighty king Amaziah remained until he faced a similar fate to his father, dying at the hands of men sent by those who conspired against him. Amaziah was followed in rule by his son Azariah.
The story of Amaziah is a sad one but an all too common one I’m afraid. Sometimes people allow success to go to their head in such a way that they start to feel they are more superior to others. And this nearly always ends up bad for the one who displays the excessive pride. Indeed, pride does go before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
Amaziah stopped relying on the Lord’s guidance and instead followed his own will…a will which told him it was a good idea to attack Israel. I have to believe God would have given him much different advice if he had just asked.
How many times are we like that? Too proud…too overconfident…too arrogant to ask God for help when we know we should. Instead, we think we know what way is best and too often it is just that way that gets us into trouble…and even leads us to fall just as easy as the mighty Jerusalem fell to Jehoash and Israel’s army.
Friends, God is definitely speaking to us again…speaking to us from the life of another king.
His message?
Recognize the dangers of arrogance.
If only Amaziah had done it, this story and his life would have had a better ending.
Hopefully, ours will be better from the lessons we learn from him and the God who reigns over us all.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Sunday, January 10, 2010
OUR GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL AND COMPASSIONATE GOD
Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
2 Kings 13:22-25
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we have entered a new year, have you looked back on the year past and stopped to consider how gracious, merciful and compassionate God is to you?
I know I have.
For the past year again saw me make my share of mistakes…mistakes that consistently reminded me that I am a sinner who is not worthy of the Lord’s favor. And yet…here I sit and write in 2010…granted another year by our God of grace, mercy and compassion. Another opportunity to be better this year than I was last…just as He granted me in 2009 as I departed 2008.
How grateful I am that the Lord still accepts me as I am and never gives up on me….instead always seeking to mold and shape me more and more into His image.
Yes…indeed we serve a God who is gracious, merciful and compassionate…a God worthy of all our honor and glory and praise.
The same God we love and cherish today is the God of the Ages…the God who the Israelites served in the Old Testament days…the God of our scripture today.
At the end of Chapter 13 of 2nd Kings, we find Israel suffering “through the reign of Jehoahaz” under the oppression of “Hazael king of Aram”. You’ll recall from earlier in this chapter that Jehoahaz was described as a leader who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them”. (verse 2)
In response, the “Lord's anger burned against Israel” and so He placed them under the oppression of King Hazael (verse 3).
How long did the oppression last?
Well, as many times as Israel had disobeyed God and chose to sin instead, you would think that God would just leave Israel into oppression, never delivering them and allowing them to disappear as a people. But remember that the God of Israel…the God we serve today…is a God of promises…and He always keeps His promises.
Our scripture today reminds us that the Lord had made a covenant with “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”…a covenant that kept Him “unwilling to destroy them or banish (the Israelites) from his presence”. And so we read where “the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them”…and He continues to keep His covenant with us today.
Friends, have you paused yet to consider how gracious, merciful and compassionate God is to you?
My hope is that you do today…and then continue to remember each and every day He grants you.
May He richly bless you in every way in 2010.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
2 Kings 13:22-25
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we have entered a new year, have you looked back on the year past and stopped to consider how gracious, merciful and compassionate God is to you?
I know I have.
For the past year again saw me make my share of mistakes…mistakes that consistently reminded me that I am a sinner who is not worthy of the Lord’s favor. And yet…here I sit and write in 2010…granted another year by our God of grace, mercy and compassion. Another opportunity to be better this year than I was last…just as He granted me in 2009 as I departed 2008.
How grateful I am that the Lord still accepts me as I am and never gives up on me….instead always seeking to mold and shape me more and more into His image.
Yes…indeed we serve a God who is gracious, merciful and compassionate…a God worthy of all our honor and glory and praise.
The same God we love and cherish today is the God of the Ages…the God who the Israelites served in the Old Testament days…the God of our scripture today.
At the end of Chapter 13 of 2nd Kings, we find Israel suffering “through the reign of Jehoahaz” under the oppression of “Hazael king of Aram”. You’ll recall from earlier in this chapter that Jehoahaz was described as a leader who “did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them”. (verse 2)
In response, the “Lord's anger burned against Israel” and so He placed them under the oppression of King Hazael (verse 3).
How long did the oppression last?
Well, as many times as Israel had disobeyed God and chose to sin instead, you would think that God would just leave Israel into oppression, never delivering them and allowing them to disappear as a people. But remember that the God of Israel…the God we serve today…is a God of promises…and He always keeps His promises.
Our scripture today reminds us that the Lord had made a covenant with “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”…a covenant that kept Him “unwilling to destroy them or banish (the Israelites) from his presence”. And so we read where “the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them”…and He continues to keep His covenant with us today.
Friends, have you paused yet to consider how gracious, merciful and compassionate God is to you?
My hope is that you do today…and then continue to remember each and every day He grants you.
May He richly bless you in every way in 2010.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
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