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
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
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
Saturday, December 12, 2009
REBORN…FROM DEATH TO LIFE
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
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
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.
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