Category Archives: Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God

All Powerful / King of All, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Free Will, Grace / Forgiveness, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Salvation, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

God Will Not Force You to Accept Him as Lord

God is unlimited in power.  He has no boundaries. The physical laws He created do not restrain Him. There are plenty of examples when He breaks the physical laws. We call those times miracles.  He similarly has no “contractual” or “legal” boundaries which bind or limit Him , as some suggest.  He chooses what He will do and what He will not. It is His choice based on what He has determined to be right that guides what He does and does not do.

That said, He wants to gather His people together and protect them. He wants us to choose Him and live according to His ways. He has sent prophets and teachers and even Yeshua to show us the way. He has provided a way through Yeshua for our sins to be forgiven by accepting Him as our Savior and Messiah.

However, He has granted us free will to choose Him or reject Him. He does not force us to submit to Him as Lord. For those whom He has chosen, the choice remains our own. Will we choose Him as our Lord or will we do things our own way?

Matthew 23:29-39

   29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31“So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32“Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

      34“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36“Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Lament over Jerusalem

      37“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39“For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”

Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

I invite you to pray:

Father, please help those whom You have chosen to choose You in return. Help me and others to accept You as Lord. Help me to embrace Your ways and Your forgiveness of sin. Lead me in the paths of righteousness. Thank You for the gift of free will with which I can have a meaningful relationship with You. Amen.  

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Arrogance, Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, False Prophets / Teachers, Fear / Reverence for God, Pride, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Selfishness, Worldliness

When Yeshua Rebukes… We Should Pay Attention

We should pay careful attention to the rebukes Yeshua delivered to the religious leaders during His earthly ministry. Do not assume they only apply to them. Reflect carefully on how these rebukes may apply to us personally and those around us who may be in leadership positions today.

As you read the scripture below, a summary may be that the scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day, were all about outside appearances and elevating themselves and lead people away from Yahweh rather than to Him. They look good on the outside, but inside were hollow and empty in terms of a heart seeking the Father.

Matthew 23:13-36

Eight Woes

      13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14[“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.]

      15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

      16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ 17“You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? 18“And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ 19“You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? 20“Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. 21“And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. 22“And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

      23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 24“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

      25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. 26“You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

      27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28“So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

      29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31“So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32“Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

      34“Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36“Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

This is a bold rebuke of the religious leaders of the day. To be honest, much of it still applies today, and not just to religious leaders. Do not miss verse 23, where we are reminded that the law is still relevant and important to obey. It is just made clear that there are some core elements that are more important than others. We should not neglect the core elements or the lesser. They are all important.

I suppose we can also recognize a reminder that many who will be sent to share truth will be rejected and persecuted, even by those who claim to be following Yahweh. This is also true today in many cases. People want to cling to the traditions of their fathers and culture around them instead of God’s ways.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to pursue You and Your ways passionately and completely. Let me not pursue just an outside appearance of righteousness for recognition by man. Help me to recognize truth from falsehood in regards to Your ways. Raise up more workers for the harvest, to teach Your ways. Let Your people not be deceived and led astray by worldly or arrogant men who claim Your name, but teach ways that are not Yours. Reveal them for the false teachers they are and let them fail in leading others astray. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Evidence in Scripture, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Seeking God, Study the Word, Wickedness / Evil

Nuggets of Wisdom from Seemingly Unimportant Verses in Scripture

Scripture, even seemingly simple or unimportant verses, has a variety of nuggets of wisdom packed inside if we are to take time to search for them. We will explore a few in 2 Kings 23. We should all go through scripture as carefully and eagerly as we would if searching for gold.

There are certain sections of scripture that do not make sense unless we recognize and accept that this is an historical document. It is not a work of fiction. 2 Kings 23 has some verses that fit this description. As you read, ask yourself, “What would be the purpose of including these verses if not just documenting historical events?”

2 Kings 23:28:37

Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah

      28Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 29In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. And King Josiah went to meet him, and when Pharaoh Neco saw him he killed him at Megiddo. 30His servants drove his body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

      31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 33Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

Jehoiakim Made King by Pharaoh

      34Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and brought him to Egypt, and he died there. 35So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

      36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Aside from reflecting on the Bible as an historical document, there is more to explore in these verse. Josiah was righteous. He was faithful. He still fell prey to evil people in the world who came against him. It would appear that this was some sort of deception and murder rather than a battle. We should remind ourselves that we must be wise and seek discernment for our decisions. We should not consider ourselves invulnerable because somehow Yahweh will keep us from any harm. We can ask that protection, but it is not promises to us. Quite the opposite, Yeshua promises that we will have hardships and difficulties and we are better off if we build our house on the foundation of solid rock that is His teaching.

Matthew 724-27

The Two Foundations

      24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.

We can also see, once again, that among the kings of Judah and Israel, just because you have a righteous father does not mean his children will be righteous. Not one, but two of Josiah’s sons did evil in the LORD’s sight. This is very humbling to me as a father. I must truly recognize that raising my children in the truth of God’s word must be a priority for me, no matter what other important things I feel like I need to get done. I also realize I do well to call upon the LORD for His help in this manner to lead and guide my children to fully embrace Him and His ways.  There will be cultural influences and the basic human instinct to sin, not to mention Satan, that will come against them. I want God’s help and my best effort as a father to lead them in the right ways so they would not soon depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

  6Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

I suppose we can also ask why Pharaoh favored one son over another to be king. My guess from what little is specified is that Pharaoh did not want one that was chosen by the people. He preferred one that he chose and established that there may be some more loyalty toward him. However, scripture does not say here “why” Pharaoh did this, so it is speculation.

There is a lot to unpack in scripture if we take the time to do so, even in short verses about kings that did not last long or seem to have lasting impact beyond their short reigns.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me as a parent to have wisdom and courage and dedication in leading my children in Your ways. Help parents that seek and follow You to do likewise, putting this as a priority over having both spouses working when it is not needed. Help Your people to truly value the role of parent in its full time nature. Our children have souls that will be eternal. The rest of what we manage will last only for a time, no matter how important we think it may be.

Father, please help me to truly embrace the truth of Your word as an accurate historical document. Help me to pause and reflect on all the verses that I read therein. Open my eyes to understand all that Your word has for me to learn. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fear / Reverence for God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Traditions / Holidays, Wickedness / Evil

True Repentance Is Not Subtle, It Is Transformational

True repentance is not subtle, it is transformational. At times it may seem blunt and brutal, especially if there is much wickedness to be removed from our culture or our personal lives. We must destroy some things, we must separate ourselves from some relationships, we must turn away from traditions and habits that we and our parents before us have embraced. True repentance is not an effort in tolerance. The primary goal is not to manage people’s feelings, though that is nice if you can. It is a removal of all that is unholy and displeasing to the LORD. It is a return to the LORD’s ways. It is a return to righteousness.

2 Kings 23:1-25

Josiah’s Covenant

      1Then the king sent, and they gathered to him all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem. 2The king went up to the house of the LORD and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests and the prophets and all the people, both small and great; and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which was found in the house of the LORD. 3The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to carry out the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

Reforms under Josiah

      4Then the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. 5He did away with the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah and in the surrounding area of Jerusalem, also those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and to the moon and to the constellations and to all the host of heaven. 6He brought out the Asherah from the house of the LORD outside Jerusalem to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to dust, and threw its dust on the graves of the common people. 7He also broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes which were in the house of the LORD, where the women were weaving hangings for the Asherah. 8Then he brought all the priests from the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates which were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the city gate. 9Nevertheless the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. 10He also defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire for Molech. 11He did away with the horses which the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entrance of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the official, which was in the precincts; and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. 12The altars which were on the roof, the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, the king broke down; and he smashed them there and threw their dust into the brook Kidron. 13The high places which were before Jerusalem, which were on the right of the mount of destruction which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the sons of Ammon, the king defiled. 14He broke in pieces the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with human bones.

      15Furthermore, the altar that was at Bethel and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, even that altar and the high place he broke down. Then he demolished its stones, ground them to dust, and burned the Asherah. 16Now when Josiah turned, he saw the graves that were there on the mountain, and he sent and took the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar and defiled it according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these things. 17Then he said, “What is this monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the grave of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel.” 18He said, “Let him alone; let no one disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. 19Josiah also removed all the houses of the high places which were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made provoking the LORD; and he did to them just as he had done in Bethel. 20All the priests of the high places who were there he slaughtered on the altars and burned human bones on them; then he returned to Jerusalem.

Passover Reinstituted

      21Then the king commanded all the people saying, “Celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God as it is written in this book of the covenant.” 22Surely such a Passover had not been celebrated from the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah. 23But in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, this Passover was observed to the LORD in Jerusalem.

      24Moreover, Josiah removed the mediums and the spiritists and the teraphim and the idols and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might confirm the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD. 25Before him there was no king like him who turned to the LORD with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

I invite you to pray:

Father, please help me to put You and Your ways above all else in my life. Help me to know my sins and turn from them. Give me wisdom and courage to turn from the things that are bad. Help me totally separate from them and not mix and mingle. Help me turn to Your ways joyfully, even when others do not agree. Do not let emotional ties with traditions or people hold me back from fully embracing Your ways and purging everything that is offensive or even potentially offensive to You from my life. In these efforts, I do ask for Your help to provide unity with other believers and within my family while making these changes. Amen.  

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fear / Reverence for God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Through Prophets, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Repent and Turn Your Ways to the LORD

Yahweh is timeless. As such, He views world events from a different perspective than we do. In 2 Kings 22, we see how a loving Father at the same time holds out punishment for His people for their sin and rebellion, and yet may delay it because of the tender heart of the king. What seems difficult to get my mind around at first, from my limited perspective, is why let those who were rebelling escape punishment for decades and then punish the people in the next generation?

2 Kings 22:14-20

Huldah Predicts

      14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her. 15She said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16thus says the LORD, “Behold, I bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17“Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched.”’ 18“But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD thus shall you say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you have heard, 19because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD. 20“Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king.

To the extent we focus on the fact that Father views things differently than we do, let us not take to the folly of dwelling on why we think He is wrong. Rather, with humility and appreciation for the greatness of our Father, let us consider how we should adapt our way of thinking to line up with His.

Besides, it is not hard to glean from this scripture that we should all seek to genuinely walk in the Father’s ways and remain set apart and holy, not mixing and mingling with other pagan beliefs. Stick to the ways of God and not of man. Repent and admit with sorrow when we as a nation are lost and far from the LORD.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to focus on Your ways. Let me walk in Your ways. Let me hunger to know Your ways. Let me not be content for the ways of man because they are commonly accepted or have been in place for generations within family and culture. Help us see and know Your word clearly as individuals and as a people. Please have mercy on us and hold back Your wrath. Restore righteousness to our nation through the people and through the leaders. Defeat and displace the wicked who deny You with their actions, regardless of what they claim with their lips. Amen.

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Obeying God, Parables, Submitted / Servant, Thankfulness, Unteachable / Foolish

The Kingdom of God Compared to a Marriage Feast

We can learn a lot about the kingdom of our God by studying the parables Yeshua used in His teaching. Matthew 22 outlines a parable of a marriage feast. I have included the full Barnes notes at the bottom of this article and I encourage all to read through it to get a broader view of the parable and context.

At a high level, Yahweh invited the Jewish people to share in the grace and forgiveness of salvation through Yeshua. He invited them well in advance so they could prepare. In large part, they rejected or ignored the invitation. Thus there were consequences and Yahweh extended the offer to the Gentiles. The Gentiles accepted the offer, but some who are invited to participate in salvation, still insist that they do so by their own works and accomplishments rather than accepting the gift of the garment of salvation through Christ. These will be excluded as none are righteous in their own right. We all need Christ.

Matthew 22:1-14

Parable of the Marriage Feast

      1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3“And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4“Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 5“But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7“But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8“Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ 10“Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

      11“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to the gift of salvation through Christ. Let me not reject your offer or accept it with a casual attitude. Let me not rely on my own ways and my own works, but on the grace and mercy You have already extended through the death and resurrection of Christ for my sins and the sins of others. Help me to be thankful and joyful in embracing Your gift and Your kingdom. Let me not try to cling to my own ways, but embrace Yours. Amen. 

I am including the full notes for this section of scripture below, taken from Barnes Commentary on  BibleHub.com. Barnes does a nice job of laying out context and understanding of many details in the scripture.

Barnes’ Notes on BibleHub.com
Matthew 22:1
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again in parables – See the notes at Matthew 13:3. That is, he answered or made reply to the Pharisees, who had been enraged at him for what he had already spoken to them, Matthew 21:45-46. He made a still further statement, to show how the gospel would be received and treated by them. The real answer here, as is frequently the case in the New Testament, refers to what was passing in the mind, or to the conduct of those who were addressed, not to what they said.

Matthew 22:2
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

The kingdom of heaven – See the notes at Matthew 3:2. The idea here is, “God deals with man in his kingdom, or in regard to the dispensation of the gospel, as a certain king did,” etc. This parable refers, undoubtedly, to the rejection of the Jews and to the calling of the Gentiles. The gospel, with all its privileges, was offered to the Jewish people; but through their wickedness and pride they rejected it, and all its blessings were offered to the Gentiles and accepted. This is the general truth. Many circumstances are thrown in to fill out the narrative which cannot be particularly explained.A marriage for his son – Rather a “marriage-feast,” or a feast on the occasion of the marriage of his son. The king here doubtless represents God providing for the salvation of the world.

Matthew 22:3
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

And sent forth his servants – These represent the messengers that God has sent to invite people to his kingdom.To call them that were bidden – That is, to give notice to those who had before been invited that the feast was ready. It appears that there were two invitations – one considerably previous to the time of the feast, that they might have opportunity to prepare for it, and the other to give notice of the precise time when they were expected.

The wedding – The marriage-feast. The same word in the original as in Matthew 22:2.

They would not come – They might have come if they had chosen, but they would not. So all the difficulty that sinners ever labour under in regard to salvation is in the will. It is a fixed determination not to come and be saved. See the notes at John 5:45.

Matthew 22:4
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Other servants – Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners when they reject it.My dinner – This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among Eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.

Fatlings – This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here, probably, to lambs or calves, 2 Samuel 6:13; 1 Chronicles 15:26.

Matthew 22:5
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

But they made light of it – Treated it with contempt, as a thing of no consequence – an exact representation of the conduct of sinners in regard to the gospel.One to his farm – So people are engaged so much in their worldly employment that they pretend they have no time to attend to religion. The world is, in their view, of more value than God.

Merchandise – Traffic; trading.

Matthew 22:6
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

And the remnant … – That is, a part made light of it; treated it with silent contempt, and coolly went about their business. The others were not satisfied with that, but showed positive malignity. Some sinners seem to be well satisfied by merely neglecting religion; others proceed against it with open violence and bitter malice.Entreated them spitefully – Used harsh and opprobrious words. Reviled and abused them. This was done because they hated and despised the king. So sinners often abuse and calumniate ministers of religion because they themselves hate God, and can in no way else show their hatred so well.

Matthew 22:7
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

But when the king heard … – This doubtless refers to the Jews and to Jerusalem. They were murderers, having slain the prophets; and God was about to send forth the armies of the Romans under his providential direction, and to burn up their city. See the notes at Matthew 24.Wroth – Angry; displeased.

Matthew 22:8

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Matthew 22:9
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

The highways – Literally, the “exit” or “going out” of the “paths or roads.” It means the square or principal street, into which a number of smaller streets enter; a place, therefore, of confluence, where many persons would be seen, and persons of all descriptions. By this is represented the offering of the gospel to the Gentiles. They were commonly regarded among the Jews as living in highways and hedges cast out and despised.

Matthew 22:10
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Bad and good – All descriptions of people. None are good by nature; if they were they would not need the gospel; but some are worse than others, and they have special need of it. None can be saved without it.

Matthew 22:11
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

A man which had not on a wedding garment – In ancient times, kings and princes were accustomed to make presents of changes of raiment to their friends and favourites, to refuse to receive which was an expression of highest contempt, Genesis 45:22; 2 Kings 10:22; Esther 6:8; Esther 8:15. It was, of course, expected that such garments would be worn when they came into the presence of the benefactor. The garments worn on festival occasions were chiefly long white robes, and it was the custom of the person who made the feast to prepare such robes to be worn by the guests. This renders the conduct of this man more inexcusable. He came in his common and ordinary dress, as he was taken from the highway: and though he had not a garment of his own suitable for the occasion, yet one had been provided for him, if he had applied for it. His not doing it was expressive of the highest disrespect for the king. This beautifully represents the conduct of the hypocrite in the church. A garment of salvation might be his, performed by the hands of the Saviour, and dyed in his blood; but the hypocrite chooses the filthy rags of his own righteousness, and thus offers the highest contempt for that provided in the gospel. He is to blame, not for being invited – not for coming, if he would come, for he is freely invited but for offering the highest contempt to the King of Zion in presenting himself with all his filth and rags, and in refusing to be saved in the way provided in the gospel.

Matthew 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Friend – Rather, “companions.” The word does not imply friendship.He was speechless – He had no excuse. So it will be with all hypocrites.

Matthew 22:13
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Cast him into outer darkness – See the notes at Matthew 8:12. This, without doubt, refers to the future punishment of the hypocrite, Matthew 23:23-33; Matthew 24:51. 

Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

Many are called, but few are chosen – Our Saviour often uses this expression. It was probably proverbial. The Jews had been called, but few of them had been chosen to life. The great mass of the nation was wicked, and they showed by their lives that they were not chosen to salvation. The Gentiles also were invited to be saved, Isaiah 45:22. Nation after nation has been called; but few, few have yet showed that they were real Christians, the elect of God. It is also true that many who are in the church may prove to be without the wedding garment, and show at last that they were not the chosen of God. This remark in the 14th verse is the inference from the “whole parable,” and not of the part about the man without the wedding garment. It does not mean, therefore, that the great mass in the church are simply called and not chosen, or are hypocrites; but the great mass in “the human family,” in the time of Christ, who had been “called,” had rejected the mercy of God.

Shalom
Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Arrogance, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Murder, Obeying God, Parables, Persecution / Glorifying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Selfishness, Slow to Anger, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

How Will You Treat God’s Messengers? His Son?

The Parable of the Landowner lays out in Yeshua’s words a summary of the relationship of Yahweh with His people, Israel. He chose them. For a time they followed Him. There were times when they rejected and mistreated His prophets (servants in the parable). So, He sends Yeshua (the landowner’s son in the parable) to the people of Israel. They reject Him and kill Him. Ultimately the LORD scatters the Jewish people and reaches out to gentiles to be grafted in to His people and His ways. This may sometimes be called “spiritual Israel” to differentiate from physical Israel which is a nation of Jewish people, who do not accept Yeshua as Messiah, but have the lineage back to Jacob who was renamed Israel.

As you read the parable, keep these things in mind. Consider what it can mean for us as His people today if we refuse to listen to His instructions and His messengers or even as we reject His son as a nation.

Matthew 21:22-45

Parable of the Landowner

      33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34“When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 35“The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. 36“Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. 37“But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38“But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39“They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40“Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

      42Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone;
THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,
AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?

43“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44“And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

      45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. 46When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard the parable from Yeshua, they were not open to listening and learning and then changing their lives in repentance. They got defensive and rejected the message and the messenger. Ironically they moved right toward the worst part of the warning in the parable… to kill the landowner’s son. I pray those of us reading this today will be more open to receive Yahweh’s message and apply it in our lives. The wise listen to correction and learn from it. They receive a rebuke and change. Fools and arrogant people assume they are right and anyone who speaks to the contrary is wrong and must be silenced or ignored.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to receive your rebukes and the truth of your word from scripture. Help me not to be arrogant and defensive like the Pharisees and chief priests in the scripture reading. Rather than striking down a messenger who brings a message of truth and warning, help us to listen and turn towards you and your ways. Let us receive the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Help us have the courage and wisdom to change where we should. As a nation, and as a global body of Christ, help us to experience revival and restoration. Lift up the righteous and strike down the wicked from power and influence. Help your people to draw near to you and be loyal servants with a right relationship with you. Amen. 

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Interceding for Others, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Repenting from Sin, Righteous, Seeking God, Slow to Anger, Traditions / Holidays, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Do Not Continue in the Sins of Prior Generations

When we continue walking in the ways that pagans worship their gods, the LORD is angered. It does not matter that it is the same way our fathers or grandfathers have followed. That is not an excuse. He can remove His hand of  blessing or more strongly bring us to continued defeat. That affects us personally, but in the most basis sense it is a loss that we are not turning away from the ways that pagans worship their gods to walk in the way Yahweh has instructed us because we want to show love to Him.

2 Kings 13:1-13

Kings of Israel: Jehoahaz and Jehoash

      1In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel at Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin; he did not turn from them. 3So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. 4Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. 5The LORD gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Arameans; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as formerly. 6Nevertheless they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained standing in Samaria. 7For he left to Jehoahaz of the army not more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and 10,000 footmen, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. 8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 9And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash his son became king in his place.

      10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. 11He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel sin, but he walked in them. 12Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 13So Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Just because “everyone else is doing it” or “that is how my family has done it for generations” is not a good excuse for continuing to live apart from the ways of the LORD. Focus on the words of scripture more than my comments… there is no comment about what these traditions of man meant to the people. It is irrelevant. What matters is what it means to Yahweh.

For those of you with children, consider that you can help them immensely by making a change when they are still young so that they will grow up walking in the ways of the LORD instead of burdened with traditions that are displeasing to the LORD. Parents can take on the hard change and help their children have an easier time of it. Do not focus on who’s to blame. Just focus on changing and walking in the ways of the LORD and then sharing that transformation with others.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help us to walk in your ways and be pleasing to you. Let us not continue in the sins of our fathers or the sins of the culture around us. Give us clarity and wisdom to identify where we need to change and courage to do so. Help us draw strength in you and your Holy Spirit. Let your righteousness sweep across our nation and the world. Let your people who are called by your name repent from the ways of men and embrace you fully. Raise up workers to help in this harvest and prepare people to receive the message and change their lives. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Courage / Fear, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Righteous, Through Prophets, Wickedness / Evil

Obey the LORD, Remove Unrighteousness Even When It Is Hard

The LORD does not approve of unrighteousness. He tolerates it for a time. Ahab was wicked, and Jezebel seemingly more so. The LORD had previously declared judgment would fall on them from His hand. In 2 Kings 10, we see that He chooses Jehu to take the action to bring judgment on the house of Ahab. It is brutal. It is hard for us to contemplate today, killing the whole family and any who were aligned and close to Ahab. It was done at the instruction of the LORD. We should not use that as an excuse to try to redefine Yahweh to a more comfortable image that we can deal with given all the modern day church teaching about Him, which often portrays Him as one who accepts almost anything, desperate to have people come follow Him as they are and never repent or change.

Instead, let this challenge us to validate or inform our understanding of our heavenly Father. He hates injustice and unrighteousness. He hates idolatry. He is not ok with being one of many gods in our lives. Keep in mind, as a loving Father, He knows that the unrighteousness of Ahab impacted a lot of His people to be drawn away from right relationship with Him. It needed to be addressed for the good of His people.

2 Kings 10

Judgment upon Ahab’s House

      1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, 2“Now, when this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons, 3select the best and fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4But they feared greatly and said, “Behold, the two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?” 5And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight.” 6Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. 7When the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and slaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8When the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons,” he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” 9Now in the morning he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are innocent; behold, I conspired against my master and killed him, but who killed all these? 10“Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab, for the LORD has done what He spoke through His servant Elijah.” 11So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until he left him without a survivor.

      12Then he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way while he was at Beth-eked of the shepherds, 13Jehu met the relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are the relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14He said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and killed them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

      15Now when he had departed from there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16He said, “Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.” So he made him ride in his chariot. 17When he came to Samaria, he killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Destroys Baal Worshipers

      18Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19“Now, summon all the prophets of Baal, all his worshipers and all his priests; let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it in cunning, so that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20And Jehu said, “Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And they proclaimed it. 21Then Jehu sent throughout Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. And when they went into the house of Baal, the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22He said to the one who was in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them. 23Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that there is here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but only the worshipers of Baal.” 24Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Now Jehu had stationed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “The one who permits any of the men whom I bring into your hands to escape shall give up his life in exchange.”

      25Then it came about, as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the royal officers, “Go in, kill them; let none come out.” And they killed them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the royal officers threw them out, and went to the inner room of the house of Baal. 26They brought out the sacred pillars of the house of Baal and burned them. 27They also broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day.

      28Thus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel. 29However, as for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the golden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan. 30The LORD said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in executing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.

      32In those days the LORD began to cut off portions from Israel; and Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: 33from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.

Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu

      34Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 35And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son became king in his place. 36Now the time which Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Jehu was zealous for Yahweh. He did none of this for his own gain or by his own desire or plans. When called upon by the LORD to do a difficult thing, He went “all in” for Yahweh. Without getting focused on the specific example of killing Ahab’s family, we should ask ourselves if we are prepared to put our whole heart in to zealously do as the LORD calls us to do, even if it puts us at personal risk?

Given his zealous nature to Yahweh, and yet his failure to walk in the ways of Yahweh and failure to turn from the sins of Jeroboam, I think it is reasonable to conclude that Jehu did not recognize the wickedness and sin in this area or was not strong enough to purge it since he did not get a direct order from the LORD. We can see the impact even on those whom the LORD calls when they are raised in a mixed and mingled environment of godly and profane. It becomes very hard to separate the right path from the wrong one as they are so tangled together in the culture which surrounds you, in which you were raised.

This is very much like Christmas and Easter and other traditions and lifestyle choices that Christians make such as disregarding the law of God as if it is out of date. Now we see many Christians taught that homosexuality is acceptable. There is much corruption. It is very hard to separate it. Each of us should take it as a personal mission from our Father to test everything in our lives against the biblical record and reject what is bad and hold on to what is good. Really study the Hebrew roots of our faith. Understand what we have turned from and go back to the LORD’s ways. Study and understand the true ungodly origins of many Christmas and Easter traditions or other holidays. We can also find joyful celebration in learning about how we can still celebrate the LORD’s appointed times! (To learn more, scroll through our “Traditions / Holidays” category of articles.)

Prayerfully ask yourself if you are really walking in the ways of the LORD according to the Bible, and not based on what your parents did or your church does or your family does. Ask Yahweh to show you and put real time into it to pursue truth.

Are you really too busy to learn and test if you are walking in the ways of the LORD? What is more important?

Before we wrap up, I do want to point out an aspect that gives me personal hope and should encourage you also. The LORD was pleased with Jehu even though Jehu did not overcome all the evil and wicked ways that had been entangled in his culture and life. The LORD knows we will not be perfect. Some things we may just not recognize. But, let not the LORD’s grace be an excuse to be passive and accept what is unrighteous around us. Be zealous like Jehu in pursuing the ways of the LORD even when making changes will be very hard personally.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Government, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Just Because the LORD Tolerates the Wicked Does Not Mean He Approves of Them

There are times when the LORD tolerates the wicked to have power and influence, success in the eyes of men. Just because he allows the wicked to rule over His people does not mean He approves of them. In fact, He has already determined their punishment and downfall in advance.

Similarly, the LORD is capable of arranging for placing in power whom He wants, when He wants. Pray for Him to bring forth righteous rulers and remove or change the wicked.

2 Kings 8:16-29

Another Jehoram Reigns in Judah

      16Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then the king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king. 17He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 19However, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David His servant, since He had promised him to give a lamp to him through his sons always.

      20In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; but his army fled to their tents. 22So Edom revolted against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 23The rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

      24So Joram slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

      25In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 26Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. 27He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

      28Then he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. 29So King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick.

2 Kings 9

Jehu Reigns over Israel

      1Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins, and take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2“When you arrive there, search out Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in and bid him arise from among his brothers, and bring him to an inner room. 3“Then take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”

      4So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5When he came, behold, the captains of the army were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O captain.” And Jehu said, “For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O captain.” 6He arose and went into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel. 7‘You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel. 8‘For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person both bond and free in Israel. 9‘I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

      11Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this mad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know very well the man and his talk.” 12They said, “It is a lie, tell us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’” 13Then they hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and blew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Jehoram (Joram) Is Assassinated

      14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Now Joram with all Israel was defending Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or leave the city to go tell it in Jezreel.” 16Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

      17Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman reported, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20The watchman reported, “He came even to them, and he did not return; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously.”

      21Then Joram said, “Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the property of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace, so long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?” 23So Joram reined about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “There is treachery, O Ahaziah!” 24And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his arms; and the arrow went through his heart and he sank in his chariot. 25Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Take him up and cast him into the property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that the LORD laid this oracle against him: 26‘Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will repay you in this property,’ says the LORD. Now then, take and cast him into the property, according to the word of the LORD.”

Jehu Assassinates Ahaziah

      27When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Shoot him too, in the chariot.” So they shot him at the ascent of Gur, which is at Ibleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28Then his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

      29Now in the eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

      30When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it, and she painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “Is it well, Zimri, your master’s murderer?” 32Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.

Jezebel Is Slain

      33He said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot. 34When he came in, he ate and drank; and he said, “See now to this cursed woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” 35They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36Therefore they returned and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘In the property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37and the corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”