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.
Elisha died and was buried.
Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
2 Kings 13:20-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Think back to when you truly accepted Jesus into your heart, soul and mind fully as Savior. That day when your life changed forever…that day when you emerged reborn from death to life…a new creation with the hopeless past behind you and the full light of hope in front of you.
All it took was coming into contact with Jesus and receiving His saving, resurrecting power.
Well, in today’s scripture we are given some early insight into the resurrecting power that God the Father possessed, the same resurrecting power He would bestow on His Son as He sent Him to rescue all.
The passage starts with an end to the prophetic mission of Elisha, God’s faithful messenger who so ably followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, Elijah. Earlier in this chapter, God’s word told us Elisha was ill…and as we see in verse 20, the illness proved to be fatal as we’re simply told that Elisha died and was buried.
This was followed by a change in scenery…to another burial as the Israelites were burying a man during a time when Moabite raiders were known to enter the country. One such “band of raiders” came toward the Israelites as they were performing their burial. So the Israelites, needing to dispose of the body and flee, “threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb”. They had to be amazed when the man “came to life and stood up on his feet” after touching Elisha's bones. Such was the awesome, amazing life restoring power of the Lord…a power that still transforms and brings people from death to life.
My hope in writing this devotional is two fold.
First, I pray that those who have experienced the rebirth through their Savior, Jesus Christ, will revisit that moment and, if necessary, rekindle the flames of excitement that existed then. Please feel free to share your testimony by posting under this writing.
Secondly, my prayer is that anyone who has yet to accept and experience Christ’s invitation to eternal life through belief and trust in Him, will do so right this very moment…finding rebirth while emerging from death to life. If this message in some way has led you to choose Christ and change yourself forever, please feel free to post your testimony as well.
I look forward to your responses.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.
Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
A ZEST FOR THE LORD
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 thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen 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 continued in them.
As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all 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 Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. "My father! My father!" he cried. "The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so. "Take the bow in your hands," he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
"Open the east window," he said, and he opened it.
"Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
Then he said, "Take the arrows," and the king took them. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground."
He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
2 Kings 13:10-19
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
After the 17 year reign of Jehoahaz in Israel, his son Johoash assumed power “in the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah”. Unfortunately, Jehoash chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”, not turning “away from any of the sins of Jeroboam” during his 16 year reign. Instead, Jehoash “continued in them”.
In our passage today, we find where “Elisha was suffering from…illness…an illness that would prove to be fatal. As word concerning Elisha’s affliction got to Jehoash, he “went down to see (Elisha) and wept over him” saying, "My father! My father!…The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
Sensing Jehoash’s panic at his passing, Elisha told the king to “Get a bow and some arrows" and "Take the bow in your hands." When Jehoash had done as Elisha had ordered, Elisha “put his hands on the king's hands”, essentially blessing what the king was about to do.
Elisha then told the king to "Open the east window" before telling him to "Shoot!" And Jehoash did just that, shooting the arrow out the east window and leading Elisha to proclaim, “The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!…You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
What a blessed proclamation! For the Arameans were still a thorn in the side of Israel, even after God had delivered them from the hands of Hazael. Now…Jehoash knew that victory was certain over Aram and all because of the Lord’s blessing passed onto him by the ailing prophet, Elisha.
I don’t know about you but those events would have gotten me very excited and on fire for how good God is. I mean…when God blesses us…and He does so very often…shouldn’t we want to tell everyone about Him and how good He is! One should be on fire for the One who has sent His holy fire upon us through His Holy Spirit.
Question: How on fire are you for the Lord…the One who blesses you?
Well, back to the scriptures.
For after Jehoash has received a word of blessing from Elisha, he next is told by the prophet to "Take the arrows” and "Strike the ground."
Now, one with a fervor and zest for the Lord would have struck the ground over and over and over. But Jehoash didn’t do that. Instead, he struck the ground “three times and stopped”…a display that angered Elisha and led him to tell Jehoash, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
Limited zest for the Lord resulted in limited results.
Such will be the same for any of us if we choose to use what we’ve been blessed with minimally. If God has blessed you with money and you use it sparingly to His glory, then you can expect He will begin to limit how much He blesses you with in the future. If God blessed you with gifts such as leading or writing or singing or teaching…and you choose to use those gifts sparingly for His glory, then the Lord can recall His blessings and you can find your once blessed talents in decline.
Truly, the Lord givest and the Lord can taketh away.
After all, He is God.
So…where are you today? Are you using the blessings God has given you to His glory…and in accordance with His will?
If so, then you can bet that the Lord is smiling upon you and saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant. With you, I am well pleased.”
If not…well I would rather not know what God is thinking. It certainly can’t be good.
Let’s not even go there…OK? Let’s all have an unquenchable, unstoppable zest for the Lord…every second of every minute of every hour of every day.
He deserves nothing less.
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 thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen 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 continued in them.
As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all 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 Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. "My father! My father!" he cried. "The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
Elisha said, "Get a bow and some arrows," and he did so. "Take the bow in your hands," he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
"Open the east window," he said, and he opened it.
"Shoot!" Elisha said, and he shot. "The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!" Elisha declared. "You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
Then he said, "Take the arrows," and the king took them. Elisha told him, "Strike the ground."
He struck it three times and stopped. The man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
2 Kings 13:10-19
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
After the 17 year reign of Jehoahaz in Israel, his son Johoash assumed power “in the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah”. Unfortunately, Jehoash chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and “did evil in the eyes of the Lord”, not turning “away from any of the sins of Jeroboam” during his 16 year reign. Instead, Jehoash “continued in them”.
In our passage today, we find where “Elisha was suffering from…illness…an illness that would prove to be fatal. As word concerning Elisha’s affliction got to Jehoash, he “went down to see (Elisha) and wept over him” saying, "My father! My father!…The chariots and horsemen of Israel!"
Sensing Jehoash’s panic at his passing, Elisha told the king to “Get a bow and some arrows" and "Take the bow in your hands." When Jehoash had done as Elisha had ordered, Elisha “put his hands on the king's hands”, essentially blessing what the king was about to do.
Elisha then told the king to "Open the east window" before telling him to "Shoot!" And Jehoash did just that, shooting the arrow out the east window and leading Elisha to proclaim, “The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!…You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek."
What a blessed proclamation! For the Arameans were still a thorn in the side of Israel, even after God had delivered them from the hands of Hazael. Now…Jehoash knew that victory was certain over Aram and all because of the Lord’s blessing passed onto him by the ailing prophet, Elisha.
I don’t know about you but those events would have gotten me very excited and on fire for how good God is. I mean…when God blesses us…and He does so very often…shouldn’t we want to tell everyone about Him and how good He is! One should be on fire for the One who has sent His holy fire upon us through His Holy Spirit.
Question: How on fire are you for the Lord…the One who blesses you?
Well, back to the scriptures.
For after Jehoash has received a word of blessing from Elisha, he next is told by the prophet to "Take the arrows” and "Strike the ground."
Now, one with a fervor and zest for the Lord would have struck the ground over and over and over. But Jehoash didn’t do that. Instead, he struck the ground “three times and stopped”…a display that angered Elisha and led him to tell Jehoash, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
Limited zest for the Lord resulted in limited results.
Such will be the same for any of us if we choose to use what we’ve been blessed with minimally. If God has blessed you with money and you use it sparingly to His glory, then you can expect He will begin to limit how much He blesses you with in the future. If God blessed you with gifts such as leading or writing or singing or teaching…and you choose to use those gifts sparingly for His glory, then the Lord can recall His blessings and you can find your once blessed talents in decline.
Truly, the Lord givest and the Lord can taketh away.
After all, He is God.
So…where are you today? Are you using the blessings God has given you to His glory…and in accordance with His will?
If so, then you can bet that the Lord is smiling upon you and saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant. With you, I am well pleased.”
If not…well I would rather not know what God is thinking. It certainly can’t be good.
Let’s not even go there…OK? Let’s all have an unquenchable, unstoppable zest for the Lord…every second of every minute of every hour of every day.
He deserves nothing less.
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
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
ARE YOU IN "THE CYCLE"?
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-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. He 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. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.
Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord's favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.
Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 13:1-9
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Study of the Old Testament shows a reoccurring phenomenon I like to call the Old Testament Cycle. Here’s how it goes:
First, the people of Israel decide to follow sin and go astray from what God commanded.
Then, God becomes angered by His people’s actions and so He sends a messenger to relay His displeasure and warn the people about what will happen if they don’t turn from their sinfulness.
The people then decide to ignore God’s warning and continue to sin, leading to God making good on His word and disciplining His people in some way.
And then the people, immersed in the hardship God has brought upon them, cry out to Him and ask for deliverance.
Finally, God forgives His people, delivers them from their hardship and restores them.
And then, the people turn around and fall right back into sin again…and “the cycle” repeats.
Today’s passage is just one of many classic examples of “the cycle” at work.
In it, we read where Jehoahaz has become king of Israel in the 23rd year of Joash, the king of Judah. Scripture wastes little time telling us that Jehoahaz “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” during his 17 year reign, choosing to follow “the sins of Jeroboam”.
What were those sins?
Well, going back to when Jeroboam was ruling, we find that anyone was consecrated as a priest. The king made the call instead of consulting who God wanted to serve as His holy representatives and spiritual leaders. Jeroboam also fully supported the worship of golden calves and we need only go back to Mount Sinai to know how God felt about that practice.
In fact, as we do return to Mount Sinai, we recall a man named Moses who God used to send His commandments to the people. Two of those commands ordered the people to have no other gods before God Himself and to not worship idols. Fast forwarding to the time of Jehoahaz, the people were still violating those commandments.
And so, not surprisingly, the “Lord's anger burned against Israel” and, in punishment for their apostasy, He “kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son” for a long time.
Well, such was the oppression of being under Aram’s rule that “nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time”. And in dire straits, we read where “Jehoahaz sought the Lord's favor…and the Lord listened to him”, delivering Israel from their oppression by providing a deliverer who helped them escape “from the power of Aram”.
And so “the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before” and they also returned to doing other things as they had before…like commit the same sins over again. Scripture tells us they “did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam” but rather “continued in them” to include the “Asherah pole” which ”remained standing in Samaria”.
In other words, the cycle had come around full circle as the people of Israel quickly returned to what they wanted to do vice what God wanted them to do.
Question…are you in “the cycle”?
Have you sinned…then received a message in some way from God that convicted you of that sin and yet still continued in it…then fell into some form of hardship brought on by your sinful ways…which then led you to cry out to God for help and forgiveness…and then found that He listened and restored you…and then…you turned around and reverted right back to sinfulness again.
Can you relate to this?
I know I can…and I think we all will go through “the cycle” at some time or another in our spiritual life here on earth.
So how can we break the cycle and escape?
The key comes in strict obedience to God’s word and will…a word and will that never allow us to fall into sinfulness if we follow it. In other words, it has to be all about God’s will…not our own.
Friends, we have so much to learn from the Old Testament scriptures. For they expose the very humanity that you and I deal with and, sometimes struggle with, each and every day. Successfully not repeating the mistakes of the past often first starts with knowing what those mistakes were to start with.
So now is the time to recognize “the cycle” and strive to not fall into it ourselves.
With God’s help, and only with His help, can we do just that.
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 twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. He 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. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.
Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord's favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.
Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 13:1-9
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Study of the Old Testament shows a reoccurring phenomenon I like to call the Old Testament Cycle. Here’s how it goes:
First, the people of Israel decide to follow sin and go astray from what God commanded.
Then, God becomes angered by His people’s actions and so He sends a messenger to relay His displeasure and warn the people about what will happen if they don’t turn from their sinfulness.
The people then decide to ignore God’s warning and continue to sin, leading to God making good on His word and disciplining His people in some way.
And then the people, immersed in the hardship God has brought upon them, cry out to Him and ask for deliverance.
Finally, God forgives His people, delivers them from their hardship and restores them.
And then, the people turn around and fall right back into sin again…and “the cycle” repeats.
Today’s passage is just one of many classic examples of “the cycle” at work.
In it, we read where Jehoahaz has become king of Israel in the 23rd year of Joash, the king of Judah. Scripture wastes little time telling us that Jehoahaz “did evil in the eyes of the Lord” during his 17 year reign, choosing to follow “the sins of Jeroboam”.
What were those sins?
Well, going back to when Jeroboam was ruling, we find that anyone was consecrated as a priest. The king made the call instead of consulting who God wanted to serve as His holy representatives and spiritual leaders. Jeroboam also fully supported the worship of golden calves and we need only go back to Mount Sinai to know how God felt about that practice.
In fact, as we do return to Mount Sinai, we recall a man named Moses who God used to send His commandments to the people. Two of those commands ordered the people to have no other gods before God Himself and to not worship idols. Fast forwarding to the time of Jehoahaz, the people were still violating those commandments.
And so, not surprisingly, the “Lord's anger burned against Israel” and, in punishment for their apostasy, He “kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son” for a long time.
Well, such was the oppression of being under Aram’s rule that “nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time”. And in dire straits, we read where “Jehoahaz sought the Lord's favor…and the Lord listened to him”, delivering Israel from their oppression by providing a deliverer who helped them escape “from the power of Aram”.
And so “the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before” and they also returned to doing other things as they had before…like commit the same sins over again. Scripture tells us they “did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam” but rather “continued in them” to include the “Asherah pole” which ”remained standing in Samaria”.
In other words, the cycle had come around full circle as the people of Israel quickly returned to what they wanted to do vice what God wanted them to do.
Question…are you in “the cycle”?
Have you sinned…then received a message in some way from God that convicted you of that sin and yet still continued in it…then fell into some form of hardship brought on by your sinful ways…which then led you to cry out to God for help and forgiveness…and then found that He listened and restored you…and then…you turned around and reverted right back to sinfulness again.
Can you relate to this?
I know I can…and I think we all will go through “the cycle” at some time or another in our spiritual life here on earth.
So how can we break the cycle and escape?
The key comes in strict obedience to God’s word and will…a word and will that never allow us to fall into sinfulness if we follow it. In other words, it has to be all about God’s will…not our own.
Friends, we have so much to learn from the Old Testament scriptures. For they expose the very humanity that you and I deal with and, sometimes struggle with, each and every day. Successfully not repeating the mistakes of the past often first starts with knowing what those mistakes were to start with.
So now is the time to recognize “the cycle” and strive to not fall into it ourselves.
With God’s help, and only with His help, can we do just that.
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
Monday, December 7, 2009
PROPER MONEY MANAGEMENT
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.
Joash said to the priests, "Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord - the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple. Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple."
But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple." The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord. Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord - the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; it was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple. They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.
2 Kings 12:4-16
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we see in this passage from 2 Kings, Chapter 12, the temple of the Lord was in need of repair. Built 124 years before the reign of Joash during the time when Solomon was Israel’s king, temple usage over time would obviously result in a need to renovate.
This is what led Joash to order his priests to "Collect all the money…brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord - the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple.” The money was to be collected from their temple treasurers and use it to “repair whatever damage is found in the temple."
The guidance was clear. Unfortunately, the execution of the guidance was lacking.
We know this because scripture tells us that no repairs had been made by the 23rd year of Joash’s reign. What were the priests doing during this time? What were they doing with all the money they were told to collect? We’re they even collecting what the king ordered? The lack of action brings to mind so many questions but we don’t get any answers from our passage.
We do know that Joash lost confidence in his priest’s ability to carry out his orders. In frustration, he “summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests”, asking them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple."
And so that’s what happened. The “priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.” Instead, “Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid” before placing it “beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple.” We read that the priests then “put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord” and when “they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags.” The money was then given “to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple” who used it to pay “those who worked on the temple of the Lord - the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters.” They also “purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.” Scripture tells us that “the money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord.” All went to pay the workman to repair the temple.
So we see that after Joash became involved and laid down the law to his priests, proper money management began to take place. The money got into the hands of the right people and this resulted in no need to receive an “accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.” And when it comes to money, this is key.
How many times do we read about cases where money is mismanaged in society today? The news is filled with stories of people who were trusted to handle finances and then allowed sin to enter in and drive them toward misconduct. Fraudulent use of money runs rampant…and the greater the amount of money, the greater the risk of temptation to do wrong.
Friends, when it comes to managing our money, we simply must consult God and God alone as to how we should handle it. For He and only He is the One who blesses us with what we have…and He blesses us with it so that we might use it to His glory. Using it for anything other than that (i.e. using it to fulfill our will and not His), only leads to disaster and destruction…just what Satan wants to happen.
God will ensure that we get our money into the hands of the right people. We need only remember to consult Him and then follow His guidance.
And you can take that to the bank.
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.
Joash said to the priests, "Collect all the money that is brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord - the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple. Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, and let it be used to repair whatever damage is found in the temple."
But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple." The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.
Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord. Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord - the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters. They purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.
The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord; it was paid to the workmen, who used it to repair the temple. They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty. The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.
2 Kings 12:4-16
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As we see in this passage from 2 Kings, Chapter 12, the temple of the Lord was in need of repair. Built 124 years before the reign of Joash during the time when Solomon was Israel’s king, temple usage over time would obviously result in a need to renovate.
This is what led Joash to order his priests to "Collect all the money…brought as sacred offerings to the temple of the Lord - the money collected in the census, the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily to the temple.” The money was to be collected from their temple treasurers and use it to “repair whatever damage is found in the temple."
The guidance was clear. Unfortunately, the execution of the guidance was lacking.
We know this because scripture tells us that no repairs had been made by the 23rd year of Joash’s reign. What were the priests doing during this time? What were they doing with all the money they were told to collect? We’re they even collecting what the king ordered? The lack of action brings to mind so many questions but we don’t get any answers from our passage.
We do know that Joash lost confidence in his priest’s ability to carry out his orders. In frustration, he “summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests”, asking them, "Why aren't you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple."
And so that’s what happened. The “priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.” Instead, “Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid” before placing it “beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple.” We read that the priests then “put into the chest all the money that was brought to the temple of the Lord” and when “they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags.” The money was then given “to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple” who used it to pay “those who worked on the temple of the Lord - the carpenters and builders, the masons and stonecutters.” They also “purchased timber and dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.” Scripture tells us that “the money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold or silver for the temple of the Lord.” All went to pay the workman to repair the temple.
So we see that after Joash became involved and laid down the law to his priests, proper money management began to take place. The money got into the hands of the right people and this resulted in no need to receive an “accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.” And when it comes to money, this is key.
How many times do we read about cases where money is mismanaged in society today? The news is filled with stories of people who were trusted to handle finances and then allowed sin to enter in and drive them toward misconduct. Fraudulent use of money runs rampant…and the greater the amount of money, the greater the risk of temptation to do wrong.
Friends, when it comes to managing our money, we simply must consult God and God alone as to how we should handle it. For He and only He is the One who blesses us with what we have…and He blesses us with it so that we might use it to His glory. Using it for anything other than that (i.e. using it to fulfill our will and not His), only leads to disaster and destruction…just what Satan wants to happen.
God will ensure that we get our money into the hands of the right people. We need only remember to consult Him and then follow His guidance.
And you can take that to the bank.
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
Monday, October 26, 2009
THE IMPORTANCE OF SPIRITUAL MENTORSHIP
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 seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers — Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.
As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 12:1-3, 17-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Do you have a spiritual mentor?
You know…someone you respect that you can go to for spiritual advice?
I have several and use them often. It’s always good to have a person you can talk to and discuss matters of faith and life…someone who can lend an ear and solid wisdom to help you in a time of need.
Well, we have seen in scripture where spiritual mentors abound. In our studies, the last one we studied in earnest was Elijah and Elisha. You’ll recall that Elisha was selected to succeed Elijah but that change didn’t happen immediately. No, Elisha followed Elijah and learned from him until that day when he was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind…and then carried on in his footsteps.
Well, in today’s scripture we see how very important spiritual mentorship is.
For as Joash, assumed the throne of Judah in Jerusalem, we read where he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him”. Jehoiada you’ll recall was the priest who ensured Joash was protected from the murderous Athaliah as he assumed the throne at the age of seven. And as Joash grew, Jehoiada remained his counsel and spiritual advisor, helping the king stay faithful to the covenant he had made with God.
Then something inevitable happened.
Jehoiada died...and when he did, so too did Joash’s adherence to the Lord’s ways.
For as we look at the companion passage to this, 2 Chronicles, Chapter 24, we find that Joash began to listen to people who weren’t attached to God but rather false gods. And when these new advisors spoke, Joash listened to them.
The end result?
The temple of the Lord was abandoned in favor of the worshipping of Asherah poles and idols.
And so the Lord sent prophets to try and convince Joash he was erring but he refused to listen to them.
So the Lord sent the son of the deceased Jehoiada to ask why Joash had forsaken Him. And when Zechariah delivered the Lord’s message, Joash issued the order for him to be stoned to death in the temple courtyard.
Yes…Joash had his spiritual mentor’s son executed. Such was the depth of his falling.
Obviously, the Lord wasn’t going to stand for this.
Enter Hazael and the Aramean army.
It attacked Jerusalem and in the assault, Joash was severely wounded. But it wasn’t the battle injury that killed him. No…it was his own officials who did him in while he was in bed, angered by the judgment placed on Zechariah.
Of course, the sad part about all this was that it was completely avoidable.
All Joash had to do was have another spiritual mentor identified that he could trust and turn to if something would ever happen to Jehoiada. As it was, he didn’t and so he was vulnerable to anyone who might be able to step in and influence him…and those that did led him down the path of destruction.
This is what can happen when we don’t stay connected to leaders who are strong in the Lord. We can be led astray…sometimes to the point of destruction.
If you have a spiritual mentor, then thank the Lord for it. He…and He alone…arranged for that to be as He chose who He would speak through to impart wisdom and guidance.
If you don’t have a spiritual mentor, I would highly encourage you to find one and not delay in doing so.
For so much is at stake here…to include your very spiritual life…a life that Satan would like nothing better than to have for himself.
Just look at Joash and you’ll see how true that is. Don’t repeat his mistake.
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 seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother's name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. The high places, however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
About this time Hazael king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his fathers — Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew from Jerusalem.
As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? His officials conspired against him and assassinated him at Beth Millo, on the road down to Silla. The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.
2 Kings 12:1-3, 17-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Do you have a spiritual mentor?
You know…someone you respect that you can go to for spiritual advice?
I have several and use them often. It’s always good to have a person you can talk to and discuss matters of faith and life…someone who can lend an ear and solid wisdom to help you in a time of need.
Well, we have seen in scripture where spiritual mentors abound. In our studies, the last one we studied in earnest was Elijah and Elisha. You’ll recall that Elisha was selected to succeed Elijah but that change didn’t happen immediately. No, Elisha followed Elijah and learned from him until that day when he was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind…and then carried on in his footsteps.
Well, in today’s scripture we see how very important spiritual mentorship is.
For as Joash, assumed the throne of Judah in Jerusalem, we read where he “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him”. Jehoiada you’ll recall was the priest who ensured Joash was protected from the murderous Athaliah as he assumed the throne at the age of seven. And as Joash grew, Jehoiada remained his counsel and spiritual advisor, helping the king stay faithful to the covenant he had made with God.
Then something inevitable happened.
Jehoiada died...and when he did, so too did Joash’s adherence to the Lord’s ways.
For as we look at the companion passage to this, 2 Chronicles, Chapter 24, we find that Joash began to listen to people who weren’t attached to God but rather false gods. And when these new advisors spoke, Joash listened to them.
The end result?
The temple of the Lord was abandoned in favor of the worshipping of Asherah poles and idols.
And so the Lord sent prophets to try and convince Joash he was erring but he refused to listen to them.
So the Lord sent the son of the deceased Jehoiada to ask why Joash had forsaken Him. And when Zechariah delivered the Lord’s message, Joash issued the order for him to be stoned to death in the temple courtyard.
Yes…Joash had his spiritual mentor’s son executed. Such was the depth of his falling.
Obviously, the Lord wasn’t going to stand for this.
Enter Hazael and the Aramean army.
It attacked Jerusalem and in the assault, Joash was severely wounded. But it wasn’t the battle injury that killed him. No…it was his own officials who did him in while he was in bed, angered by the judgment placed on Zechariah.
Of course, the sad part about all this was that it was completely avoidable.
All Joash had to do was have another spiritual mentor identified that he could trust and turn to if something would ever happen to Jehoiada. As it was, he didn’t and so he was vulnerable to anyone who might be able to step in and influence him…and those that did led him down the path of destruction.
This is what can happen when we don’t stay connected to leaders who are strong in the Lord. We can be led astray…sometimes to the point of destruction.
If you have a spiritual mentor, then thank the Lord for it. He…and He alone…arranged for that to be as He chose who He would speak through to impart wisdom and guidance.
If you don’t have a spiritual mentor, I would highly encourage you to find one and not delay in doing so.
For so much is at stake here…to include your very spiritual life…a life that Satan would like nothing better than to have for himself.
Just look at Joash and you’ll see how true that is. Don’t repeat his mistake.
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, October 25, 2009
RESTORING ORDER
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.
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king's son. He commanded them, saying, "This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath — a third of you guarding the royal palace, a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple - and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. Station yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men — those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty — and came to Jehoiada the priest. Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. The guards, each with his weapon in his hand, stationed themselves around the king — near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"
When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, "Treason! Treason!"
Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord." So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.
Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.
2 Kings 11:1-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Most of the scripture over the last several chapter in 2 Kings has centered on Jehu, a former commander in Israel’s army, who was chosen by the Lord to be king and carry out judgment on the house of Ahab…a task that included killing the current king of Israel, Ahab’s son Joram, and the king of Judah, Ahaziah, who had married Ahab’s daughter.
From that point on, Jehu assumed command in Israel and continued to carry out the Lord’s penalty against any one connected with Ahab, to include those who led the worship of the false god Baal.
So what was going on in the southern kingdom of Judah during this time?
Chapter 11 lets us know.
For as the chapter opens, we find “Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah” seeking to seize the throne after her son’s death by destroying the “whole royal family”. All Athaliah had to do was kill all of her son's successors and she could sit on the throne and this is what she set out to do…so power hungry that she would kill all her grandchildren in order to rule.
Well, “Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah” wasn’t about to let this happen to her newborn son. And so she “took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered”, hiding him and his nurse in a bedroom within the “temple of the Lord”. They would remain there “for six years while Athaliah ruled the land”.
So would evil win out? Would Athaliah get away with her heinous scheme?
Back to the scriptures…where in the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, “the priest Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord”. There he “made a covenant with them and put them under oath” before showing them the king's son and giving the following command:
"This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath — a third of you guarding the royal palace, a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple - and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. Station yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
And so the “commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered” with each one taking their men — “those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty” — to Jehoiada who armed them with “the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord”. The armed guards then “stationed themselves around the king near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side”.
Then Jehoiada brought out Ahaziah’s only surviving son, Joash, who was now seven years of age, and “put the crown on him” before presenting him “with a copy of the covenant” and proclaiming him king. Joash was then anointed and the people “clapped their hands” and shouted, "Long live the king!"
Well, the “noise made by the guards and the people” was heard by Athaliah and so she went to the temple. Once there, she saw what everyone was cheering. For “standing by the pillar” was the crowned Joash with “the officers and the trumpeters” beside him and “all the people of the land…rejoicing and blowing trumpets”.
In anger at what she witnessed, Athaliah “tore her robes” and called out, "Treason! Treason!" as if her actions to assume power had been noble.
Athaliah would have been better suited to be quiet. Because after she brought such attention on herself, we read where Jehoiada “ordered the commanders of units of a hundred”…those “in charge of the troops”…to "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." It was clear that the priest did not want Athaliah to be “put to death in the temple of the Lord." And so she was seized as “she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds” and there “she was put to death”.
Athaliah’s evil reign was over.
So everything was good now…right?
Wrong.
Because there was unfinished business in Judah.
You see, not only was Athaliah evil in the way she assumed power but she also promoted Baal worship in her kingdom. And before things could be right again with God, the false idols and altars had to be removed and destroyed.
And so Jehoiada the priest “made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people”. Then “all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down”, smashing “the altars and idols to pieces” and killing “Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars”.
Jehoiada followed this by posting “guards at the temple of the Lord” and escorting Joash from the temple and into the palace where he took his place on the royal throne…an action that caused the people of the land to rejoice.
And then “the city went quiet”…at peace…because Athaliah was no longer in power.
Order had been restored.
Do you have a crisis in your life that you are trying to work through? Maybe you’re mired in financial problems. Possibly your having issues in a relationship…whether marital or family or work related. Maybe someone is being evil toward you. Or maybe you’re trapped in a downward spiral of sin and unsure how to escape.
If you’re going through any of these or any other difficulty, today’s scripture shows us the way to deal with it and it all starts with the Lord.
For when things reach a crisis stage in life, we can always count on the Lord to restore order when he is put in His rightful place…in charge.
In Judah, this meant removing the evil Athaliah from power and installing a rightful successor in Joash. But even this wasn’t done without first presenting the young boy king with a copy of the covenant so he would have the word of the Lord with him. If true order were going to be restored then God’s word would have to be restored as well.
Note as well that Jehoiada the priest “made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people”. For it wasn’t enough to just have God’s word in the hands of the king. Everyone had to be committed to being God’s people…to allow Him to rule supreme…to allow His will and way to be theirs.
So this was enough right?
God’s word was restored as was the people’s commitment to be God’s people.
Not quite enough.
Because there was still a matter of the Baal worship that had permeated Judah. If the people were now recommitted to God, then Baal had to go. And so the people did just that, entering the temple of Baal and tearing it down…smashing the altars and idols to pieces before killing the Baal priest in front of the altars.
At that point, God was restored as the God of Israel…the only One worthy of worship.
So again, what crisis are you going through? Are you, like the people of Judah, longing for a restoration of order?
Then why not follow the three steps found in our passage today?
1. Engage yourself with God’s word. Pray over it and ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you through His words.
2. As you reconnect with God’s word and allow His truth to be revealed to you, renew your covenant with Him…to allow Him to rule supreme in your life.
3. And then as you renew your commitment to be one of His people, fully embracing Him in every part of your life, rid yourself of anything else that might draw you away from Him. For Satan is good at getting us to worship all kinds of things in life, all the while pulling us away from the only One worthy of our worship.
Friends, we often cry out in the midst of our troubles for help…for resolution…for peace and quiet.
Judah finally found their quiet in the order restored through the Lord.
You can too.
Trust and believe it.
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.
When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king's son. He commanded them, saying, "This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath — a third of you guarding the royal palace, a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple - and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. Station yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men — those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty — and came to Jehoiada the priest. Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. The guards, each with his weapon in his hand, stationed themselves around the king — near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"
When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, "Treason! Treason!"
Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the Lord." So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
Jehoiada then made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne, and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.
Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.
2 Kings 11:1-21
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Most of the scripture over the last several chapter in 2 Kings has centered on Jehu, a former commander in Israel’s army, who was chosen by the Lord to be king and carry out judgment on the house of Ahab…a task that included killing the current king of Israel, Ahab’s son Joram, and the king of Judah, Ahaziah, who had married Ahab’s daughter.
From that point on, Jehu assumed command in Israel and continued to carry out the Lord’s penalty against any one connected with Ahab, to include those who led the worship of the false god Baal.
So what was going on in the southern kingdom of Judah during this time?
Chapter 11 lets us know.
For as the chapter opens, we find “Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah” seeking to seize the throne after her son’s death by destroying the “whole royal family”. All Athaliah had to do was kill all of her son's successors and she could sit on the throne and this is what she set out to do…so power hungry that she would kill all her grandchildren in order to rule.
Well, “Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah” wasn’t about to let this happen to her newborn son. And so she “took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered”, hiding him and his nurse in a bedroom within the “temple of the Lord”. They would remain there “for six years while Athaliah ruled the land”.
So would evil win out? Would Athaliah get away with her heinous scheme?
Back to the scriptures…where in the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, “the priest Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord”. There he “made a covenant with them and put them under oath” before showing them the king's son and giving the following command:
"This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath — a third of you guarding the royal palace, a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple - and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. Station yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
And so the “commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered” with each one taking their men — “those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty” — to Jehoiada who armed them with “the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord”. The armed guards then “stationed themselves around the king near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side”.
Then Jehoiada brought out Ahaziah’s only surviving son, Joash, who was now seven years of age, and “put the crown on him” before presenting him “with a copy of the covenant” and proclaiming him king. Joash was then anointed and the people “clapped their hands” and shouted, "Long live the king!"
Well, the “noise made by the guards and the people” was heard by Athaliah and so she went to the temple. Once there, she saw what everyone was cheering. For “standing by the pillar” was the crowned Joash with “the officers and the trumpeters” beside him and “all the people of the land…rejoicing and blowing trumpets”.
In anger at what she witnessed, Athaliah “tore her robes” and called out, "Treason! Treason!" as if her actions to assume power had been noble.
Athaliah would have been better suited to be quiet. Because after she brought such attention on herself, we read where Jehoiada “ordered the commanders of units of a hundred”…those “in charge of the troops”…to "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." It was clear that the priest did not want Athaliah to be “put to death in the temple of the Lord." And so she was seized as “she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds” and there “she was put to death”.
Athaliah’s evil reign was over.
So everything was good now…right?
Wrong.
Because there was unfinished business in Judah.
You see, not only was Athaliah evil in the way she assumed power but she also promoted Baal worship in her kingdom. And before things could be right again with God, the false idols and altars had to be removed and destroyed.
And so Jehoiada the priest “made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people”. Then “all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down”, smashing “the altars and idols to pieces” and killing “Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars”.
Jehoiada followed this by posting “guards at the temple of the Lord” and escorting Joash from the temple and into the palace where he took his place on the royal throne…an action that caused the people of the land to rejoice.
And then “the city went quiet”…at peace…because Athaliah was no longer in power.
Order had been restored.
Do you have a crisis in your life that you are trying to work through? Maybe you’re mired in financial problems. Possibly your having issues in a relationship…whether marital or family or work related. Maybe someone is being evil toward you. Or maybe you’re trapped in a downward spiral of sin and unsure how to escape.
If you’re going through any of these or any other difficulty, today’s scripture shows us the way to deal with it and it all starts with the Lord.
For when things reach a crisis stage in life, we can always count on the Lord to restore order when he is put in His rightful place…in charge.
In Judah, this meant removing the evil Athaliah from power and installing a rightful successor in Joash. But even this wasn’t done without first presenting the young boy king with a copy of the covenant so he would have the word of the Lord with him. If true order were going to be restored then God’s word would have to be restored as well.
Note as well that Jehoiada the priest “made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord's people”. For it wasn’t enough to just have God’s word in the hands of the king. Everyone had to be committed to being God’s people…to allow Him to rule supreme…to allow His will and way to be theirs.
So this was enough right?
God’s word was restored as was the people’s commitment to be God’s people.
Not quite enough.
Because there was still a matter of the Baal worship that had permeated Judah. If the people were now recommitted to God, then Baal had to go. And so the people did just that, entering the temple of Baal and tearing it down…smashing the altars and idols to pieces before killing the Baal priest in front of the altars.
At that point, God was restored as the God of Israel…the only One worthy of worship.
So again, what crisis are you going through? Are you, like the people of Judah, longing for a restoration of order?
Then why not follow the three steps found in our passage today?
1. Engage yourself with God’s word. Pray over it and ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you through His words.
2. As you reconnect with God’s word and allow His truth to be revealed to you, renew your covenant with Him…to allow Him to rule supreme in your life.
3. And then as you renew your commitment to be one of His people, fully embracing Him in every part of your life, rid yourself of anything else that might draw you away from Him. For Satan is good at getting us to worship all kinds of things in life, all the while pulling us away from the only One worthy of our worship.
Friends, we often cry out in the midst of our troubles for help…for resolution…for peace and quiet.
Judah finally found their quiet in the order restored through the Lord.
You can too.
Trust and believe it.
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
Saturday, October 24, 2009
NO OTHER GODS BEFORE GOD HIMSELF
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.
Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live." But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the ministers of Baal.
Jehu said, "Call an assembly in honor of Baal." So they proclaimed it. Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the ministers of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, "Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal." So he brought out robes for them.
Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the ministers of Baal, "Look around and see that no servants of the Lord are here with you—only ministers of Baal." So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: "If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life."
As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: "Go in and kill them; let no one escape." So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it. They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
The Lord said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.
In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.
As for the other events of Jehu's reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
2 Kings 10:18-36
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As Chapter 10 of 2 Kings concludes, we find Jehu with one piece of unfinished business before concluding the Lord’s order against Ahab’s house.
For there was still the matter of the Baal worship that Ahab had introduced to Israel…an introduction that so blatantly defied God’s commandment to have no other gods before Him. You’ll recall that God warned that He was a jealous God and would not stand for anyone that decided to worship anything else. It’s little wonder why God burned with anger against Ahab and brought such terrible judgment on his house.
So as we look at our scripture we find Jehu again using a little deception to set up his actions. And just as the people of Israel were so easily manipulated because they didn’t place God first in their lives, so too were all the prophets, ministers and priests of Baal.
You’ll see that Jehu makes it appear as if he is willing to serve Baal as well but his words were meant to trick the Baal leadership into believing he was with them, not against them. Jehu even invoked the name of Ahab in his plot claiming that he was willing to serve Baal even more that the former king.
So Jehu summoned all the “prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests” and ordered that no one should miss his invitation lest lose his life. The occasion for the gathering was the offering of a “great sacrifice for Baal”.
And so an assembly was formed “in honor of Baal” consisting of “all the ministers of Baal” who “crowded into the temple…until it was full from one end to the other”. Once inside, Jehu ordered the “keeper of the wardrobe” to "Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal" and he carried out the order.
With the ministers of Baal now gathered, Jehu needed to ensure that they hadn’t mistakenly included anyone of the Lord. So “Jehu and Jehonadab…went into the temple”…and Jehu said to the ministers of Baal, "Look around and see that no servants of the Lord are here with you — only ministers of Baal." And after ensuring all were there to worship Baal, “they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings.” Little did the ministers know that they soon would perish.
For we read where Jehu had posted eighty men outside and warned them that they would lose their life if they let any of the Baal ministers escape. And “as soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering”, he “ordered the guards and officers” to kill all the ministers of Baal and to let no one escape.
So the guards and officers carried out Jehu’s order, cutting down the ministers by sword and throwing their bodies outside. They then “entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal” and brought out the sacred stone, burning and demolishing it before tearing down the temple.
Never would it be used for worship again. Instead, “people have used it for a latrine to this day”.
So Jehu “destroyed Baal worship in Israel” and accomplished what was right in the eyes of the Lord thus gaining God’s favor and His reward as Jehu’s descendants would “sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation”. Jehu wasn’t perfect mind you. He, like all of us, was a sinner and at times failed to keep the law of the Lord. But overall, Jehu was obedient and won over God’s favor.
So what is God trying to say to us in this scripture passage?
I think it’s pretty clear.
His commands are the same as they were to the Israelites as He spoke through Moses at Mount Sinai:
“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them: For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:2-5a)
And yet…we continue to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Doubt this?
Then consider how many things are worshipped in our world today besides God.
Money and wealth. Fame and stardom. Work and job titles. People who have achieved success.
Indeed, we seem to deify so many things at the expense of God Himself.
Friends, it’s time we woke up. For don’t believe for a minute that the Lord couldn’t and won’t destroy anyone who decides to worship anything or anyone other than Him just as He did the Baal worship leaders in our scripture today.
Our God remains a jealous God…and we are expected to honor Him with our loyal service and honor.
My prayer right now is that every man and woman renew their commitment to Him and rid themselves of anything that they might worship above God.
Will it involve sacrifice?
Absolutely.
But no sacrifice we will make can ever compare to the sacrifice that God made when He gave His only Son on Calvary’s cross to pay the price for our sins.
He gave it all up for us.
We need to give it all up for Him…and have no other gods in our life. Period.
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.
Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live." But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the ministers of Baal.
Jehu said, "Call an assembly in honor of Baal." So they proclaimed it. Then he sent word throughout Israel, and all the ministers of Baal came; not one stayed away. They crowded into the temple of Baal until it was full from one end to the other. And Jehu said to the keeper of the wardrobe, "Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal." So he brought out robes for them.
Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the ministers of Baal, "Look around and see that no servants of the Lord are here with you—only ministers of Baal." So they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had posted eighty men outside with this warning: "If one of you lets any of the men I am placing in your hands escape, it will be your life for his life."
As soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and officers: "Go in and kill them; let no one escape." So they cut them down with the sword. The guards and officers threw the bodies out and then entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal. They brought the sacred stone out of the temple of Baal and burned it. They demolished the sacred stone of Baal and tore down the temple of Baal, and people have used it for a latrine to this day.
So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel. However, he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
The Lord said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation." Yet Jehu was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.
In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory east of the Jordan in all the land of Gilead (the region of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh), from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan.
As for the other events of Jehu's reign, all he did, and all his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
Jehu rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son succeeded him as king. The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
2 Kings 10:18-36
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
As Chapter 10 of 2 Kings concludes, we find Jehu with one piece of unfinished business before concluding the Lord’s order against Ahab’s house.
For there was still the matter of the Baal worship that Ahab had introduced to Israel…an introduction that so blatantly defied God’s commandment to have no other gods before Him. You’ll recall that God warned that He was a jealous God and would not stand for anyone that decided to worship anything else. It’s little wonder why God burned with anger against Ahab and brought such terrible judgment on his house.
So as we look at our scripture we find Jehu again using a little deception to set up his actions. And just as the people of Israel were so easily manipulated because they didn’t place God first in their lives, so too were all the prophets, ministers and priests of Baal.
You’ll see that Jehu makes it appear as if he is willing to serve Baal as well but his words were meant to trick the Baal leadership into believing he was with them, not against them. Jehu even invoked the name of Ahab in his plot claiming that he was willing to serve Baal even more that the former king.
So Jehu summoned all the “prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests” and ordered that no one should miss his invitation lest lose his life. The occasion for the gathering was the offering of a “great sacrifice for Baal”.
And so an assembly was formed “in honor of Baal” consisting of “all the ministers of Baal” who “crowded into the temple…until it was full from one end to the other”. Once inside, Jehu ordered the “keeper of the wardrobe” to "Bring robes for all the ministers of Baal" and he carried out the order.
With the ministers of Baal now gathered, Jehu needed to ensure that they hadn’t mistakenly included anyone of the Lord. So “Jehu and Jehonadab…went into the temple”…and Jehu said to the ministers of Baal, "Look around and see that no servants of the Lord are here with you — only ministers of Baal." And after ensuring all were there to worship Baal, “they went in to make sacrifices and burnt offerings.” Little did the ministers know that they soon would perish.
For we read where Jehu had posted eighty men outside and warned them that they would lose their life if they let any of the Baal ministers escape. And “as soon as Jehu had finished making the burnt offering”, he “ordered the guards and officers” to kill all the ministers of Baal and to let no one escape.
So the guards and officers carried out Jehu’s order, cutting down the ministers by sword and throwing their bodies outside. They then “entered the inner shrine of the temple of Baal” and brought out the sacred stone, burning and demolishing it before tearing down the temple.
Never would it be used for worship again. Instead, “people have used it for a latrine to this day”.
So Jehu “destroyed Baal worship in Israel” and accomplished what was right in the eyes of the Lord thus gaining God’s favor and His reward as Jehu’s descendants would “sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation”. Jehu wasn’t perfect mind you. He, like all of us, was a sinner and at times failed to keep the law of the Lord. But overall, Jehu was obedient and won over God’s favor.
So what is God trying to say to us in this scripture passage?
I think it’s pretty clear.
His commands are the same as they were to the Israelites as He spoke through Moses at Mount Sinai:
“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them: For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.” (Exodus 20:2-5a)
And yet…we continue to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Doubt this?
Then consider how many things are worshipped in our world today besides God.
Money and wealth. Fame and stardom. Work and job titles. People who have achieved success.
Indeed, we seem to deify so many things at the expense of God Himself.
Friends, it’s time we woke up. For don’t believe for a minute that the Lord couldn’t and won’t destroy anyone who decides to worship anything or anyone other than Him just as He did the Baal worship leaders in our scripture today.
Our God remains a jealous God…and we are expected to honor Him with our loyal service and honor.
My prayer right now is that every man and woman renew their commitment to Him and rid themselves of anything that they might worship above God.
Will it involve sacrifice?
Absolutely.
But no sacrifice we will make can ever compare to the sacrifice that God made when He gave His only Son on Calvary’s cross to pay the price for our sins.
He gave it all up for us.
We need to give it all up for Him…and have no other gods in our life. Period.
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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