Category Archives: Wickedness / Evil

Children, Consequences of Sin, Idols / False Gods, Parenting, Repenting from Sin, Traditions / Holidays, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil

Will You Lead Your Children in Righteousness or Be a Stumbling Block?

The actions of parents can have significant impact on the path which their children follow. Parents who live in sin and rebellion, apart from Yahweh, set that example for their children. Even if the parents later repent, and humble themselves before Yahweh, there is still opportunity for their children to stay on the wrong path.  Parents have potential to be a big help or a stumbling block for their children in their walk with the Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 33:21-25

Amon Becomes King in Judah

      21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22He did evil in the sight of the LORD as Manasseh his father had done, and Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 23Moreover, he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done, but Amon multiplied guilt. 24Finally his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25But the people of the land killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

I am sure Manasseh would not have wanted this path for Amon. Manasseh humbled himself and repented before the LORD. However, Manasseh had previously created idols and led the people to wrongful worship of false gods and even after he repented, the people still worshipped at the high places, against Yah’s instruction. Manasseh’s actions, even though he later repented, established potential to impact not only his people, but his own children.

Let us humbly remember the same for our own lives. We have impact on those around us. In particular, we have impact on those who are closest to us. Keep this in mind when considering your relationship with Yahweh. If there are things that you should repent of, do so early and take on the hard work of change and repentance so your children may not have to or so they have a better chance of success doing so! Do not be a stumbling block for your own children in their pursuit of Yahweh.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me see and repent from anything in my life which calls for repentance. Help parents of Your people have wisdom, discernment and courage in leading their children. Help us to worship You in the way You ask and to turn from the ways of men. Amen. 

 

Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Humility, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Merciful, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Teachable, Wickedness / Evil

Sometimes We Find Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness Through Discipline

We previously read in 2 Chronicles 33:1-9 about the wickedness of King Manasseh of Judah, who came after Hezekiah. As we continue to read in verses 10-20, we see his idolatry is rebuked and quite severely. We should pay close attention to the relationship and interaction between Manasseh and Yahweh. This is a story of grace, mercy, and forgiveness; but it is experienced through humility and repentance, and it all begins with discipline.

These principles apply to our lives today!

2 Chronicles 33:10-20

Manasseh’s Idolatry Rebuked

      10The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11Therefore the LORD brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 12When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

      14Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate; and he encircled the Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15He also removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 16He set up the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God.

      18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of Israel. 19His prayer also and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the Hozai. 20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And Amon his son became king in his place.

The LORD rebuked Manasseh and the people of Judah. He spoke to them first, but they ignored Him. These are Yah’s people, His children. He brought about a harsher punishment and rebuke to get their attention. This is out of love and not hate. He loves His children enough to try to correct them and bring them back to Him. I do the same with my children. I rebuke and bring consequences on my own, whom I love. I do not go punish and rebuke the children who are not my own.

Another mistake often made by Yah’s people is to assume that difficulty comes from Satan and may indicate they are really on the right track for Yah and Satan is trying to discourage them. This can be true, but so too is it true that Yah will discipline us for going in the wrong direction. Our perspective on this affects how we react. We must be keenly aware of both perspectives.

Hebrews 12:4-13

A Father’s Discipline

4You have not yet resisted [c]to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,

NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE PUNISHED BY HIM;

6FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,

AND HE PUNISHES EVERY SON WHOM HE ACCEPTS.” 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had [d]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of [e]spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

12Therefore, [f]strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

Manasseh hit rock bottom, because of the discipline of the LORD. That is when he turned genuinely back to Yah and sought forgiveness and repentance. Manasseh’s relationship with Yah was developed to a new level and Yah restored Manasseh as king of Judah. Manasseh was a changed man. He was focused on Yah and His ways. What a beautiful example of Yah’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy, but all brought about through repentance by discipline.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your holy word that leads and guides us! Thank You for the historical examples You have provided us like Hezekiah and Manasseh that can help us gain perspective on our own lives. Thank You for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Thank You even for discipline that You bring on us to correct and rebuke us and restore our relationship with You! Amen. 

There is one other gem hidden in this passage we should not overlook.

Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God. (2 Chronicles 33:17)

Despite Manasseh’s reforms and efforts, the people still sacrificed in a way that was originated from pagan worship practices rather than Yah’s ways. Though they no longer worshipped false gods in these practices, it is still listed as a disappointment that is not pleasing to Yah. They worshipped Yah according to the ways the pagans worship their gods and Yah does not like this. Yah wants us to worship Him the way He tells us. This is a common trap Christians fall in today with Christmas and Easter and other common cultural holidays. Most of these have pagan origins and may have had Christian stories or principles layered on top of the pagan origins. Celebrating Christ in Christmas is quite similar to the people of Judah worshipping Yah on the high places. He does not like it. This is mixing and blending truth with error in our worship, even if we worship Yahweh or honor Yeshua in this manner. To learn more, you can search Christmas on our home page or review our category of articles on holidays / traditions by scrolling down through the articles.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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, Fortune Telling, Idols / False Gods, Sorcery, Wickedness / Evil

You Don’t Inherit a Right Relationship to Yahweh

The records in 2 Chronicles 29-32 walk us through the summary of the reign of Hezekiah over Judah. He was righteous and did what was good in the sight of the LORD. The fact that his son who took the throne after him was almost a complete opposite is a dramatic reminder for all of us that no one inherits a relationship with God from their parents. Each of us must establish this personally, recognizing of course that our parents can play an important role to help us get on the right path.

2 Chronicles 33:1-9

Manasseh Succeeds Hezekiah in Judah

      1Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. 2He did evil in the sight of the LORD according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel. 3For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he also erected altars for the Baals and made Asherim, and worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4He built altars in the house of the LORD of which the LORD had said, “My name shall be in Jerusalem forever.” 5For he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. 6He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. 7Then he put the carved image of the idol which he had made in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; 8and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers, if only they will observe to do all that I have commanded them according to all the law, the statutes and the ordinances given through Moses.” 9Thus Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the sons of Israel.

Today’s scripture stands as a dramatic reminder of just how quickly a nation or family can turn from righteousness to wickedness in a single generation. It also gives a fairly specific list of some behaviors that are offensive to Yahweh, including idolatry, worship of false gods, witchcraft, divination, sorcery, dealing with mediums and spiritists. What is worse is that Manasseh led the people of Judah down this wrong path with him. I suppose that can also serve as a reminder that if we are to put Yahweh first, we cannot simply follow wherever our leaders go without questioning and challenging. We must focus on Yah and his ways first and when we can also hold our leaders accountable to do the same. A government or spiritual leader that is not submitted to Yahweh can lead many to peril.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide Your people to stand firm in pursuing Your ways. Help us not be misled by leaders in government or religion. Help us to stand strong on Your word even in the face of opposition. Please raise up leaders that will be like Hezekiah in our nation today, that would lead people back to You! On a personal level, please help us to not be complacent, relying on a relationship with You that our parents or grandparents may have. Help draw us to You personally.  Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Lying / Deceiving, Persecution / Glorifying God, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil

False Witnesses Claimed Stephen Taught Against Law and Moses

As we read Acts 6:8-15, our attention is drawn to a dramatic scene that ultimately leads up to the death of Stephen as he is martyred for his faith. It is easy to focus on the anger of those coming against him as they plot to kill him. It is a powerful scene.

There is another key aspect we should take care not to overlook. Many of us have been taught incorrectly today that Yeshua, His disciples and Paul taught against the law, as if the law were no longer meaningful, or we were no longer supposed to follow it. Here we see Stephen preaching the opposite, and willing to die for it. He preaches a gospel of the law and Yeshua as Messiah. Yeshua fulfills the law as in “fills it with meaning”. He does not make it meaningless for us to follow as so many are taught.

The context for Acts 6 is that Yeshua has already died and been resurrected and gone to be with the Father after a period of time with His followers. In this context, Stephen is not teaching against the law at all. Quite the opposite. How do we know? The people were trying to kill him and accused him of teaching against the law, but the scripture says it was by false witnesses. Had Stephen actually been teaching against the law, they would have no need of false witnesses.

Acts 6:8-15  8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. 13They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; 14for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.

It is incredibly ironic that the false witnesses testified against Stephen accusing him of teaching against the law and the temple and accuse him of teaching that Yeshua came to change the customs that Moses handed down. So many Christians accuse Yeshua, Paul, and Stephen of the same false claims even today. All three followed the law and the customs of Moses, while also teaching of the promised Messiah in Yeshua. It is not one or the other. They fit together as it was always intended.

We encourage you to review the following teaching for more perspective.

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, Anger (unrighteous anger), Arrogance, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Justice / Judgment, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Real Life Game of Thrones

A more exciting work of fiction is hard to imagine than what we read in the scriptures, and that is an historical record! The books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles in particular are filled with plot twists better than any movie I have seen. I am amazed when people say the Bible is boring. It would seem they have not read much of it!

Follow along with the twists and turns in 2 Chronicles 24 and we will reflect on a few key points at the end.

2 Chronicles 24

Young Joash Influenced by Jehoiada

      1Joash was seven years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zibiah from Beersheba. 2Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 3Jehoiada took two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

Faithless Priests

      4Now it came about after this that Joash decided to restore the house of the LORD. 5He gathered the priests and Levites and said to them, “Go out to the cities of Judah and collect money from all Israel to repair the house of your God annually, and you shall do the matter quickly.” But the Levites did not act quickly. 6So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest and said to him, “Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and from Jerusalem the levy fixed by Moses the servant of the LORD on the congregation of Israel for the tent of the testimony?” 7For the sons of the wicked Athaliah had broken into the house of God and even used the holy things of the house of the LORD for the Baals.

Temple Repaired

      8So the king commanded, and they made a chest and set it outside by the gate of the house of the LORD. 9They made a proclamation in Judah and Jerusalem to bring to the LORD the levy fixed by Moses the servant of God on Israel in the wilderness. 10All the officers and all the people rejoiced and brought in their levies and dropped them into the chest until they had finished. 11It came about whenever the chest was brought in to the king’s officer by the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, then the king’s scribe and the chief priest’s officer would come, empty the chest, take it, and return it to its place. Thus they did daily and collected much money. 12The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who did the work of the service of the house of the LORD; and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the LORD. 13So the workmen labored, and the repair work progressed in their hands, and they restored the house of God according to its specifications and strengthened it. 14When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada; and it was made into utensils for the house of the LORD, utensils for the service and the burnt offering, and pans and utensils of gold and silver. And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of Jehoiada.

      15Now when Jehoiada reached a ripe old age he died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. 16They buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done well in Israel and to God and His house.

      17But after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and bowed down to the king, and the king listened to them. 18They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their guilt. 19Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the LORD; though they testified against them, they would not listen.

Joash Murders Son of Jehoiada

      20Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.’” 21So they conspired against him and at the command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the LORD. 22Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son. And as he died he said, “May the LORD see and avenge!”

Aram Invades and Defeats Judah

      23Now it happened at the turn of the year that the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, destroyed all the officials of the people from among the people, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. 24Indeed the army of the Arameans came with a small number of men; yet the LORD delivered a very great army into their hands, because they had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.

      25When they had departed from him (for they left him very sick), his own servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and murdered him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. 26Now these are those who conspired against him: Zabad the son of Shimeath the Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith the Moabitess. 27As to his sons and the many oracles against him and the rebuilding of the house of God, behold, they are written in the treatise of the Book of the Kings. Then Amaziah his son became king in his place.

The overriding theme in this chapter would have to be “honor Yahweh and prosper with blessing or dishonor Him and suffer curse”.  There are ups and downs that follow along with the righteousness or wickedness of the behavior of the people we are reading about. In particular, if we focus on Joash, we can witness things going great as he is blessed for walking with the LORD under Jehoiada  and then it gets mess and he suffers defeat and death after turning away from the LORD. Of course, it does not always happen immediately. We see the summary version and how it threads together. However, in life, there may be many years in between some of these events. Someone may not associate the consequence with the personal choices they made to turn from Yahweh, but the ties are there none the less.

Jehoiada was a righteous priest and with his guidance, Joash and the people did well. He lived a long life and impacted many in a positive way. However, once he was gone, Joash listened to bad counselors who drew him away from the LORD.

We can wonder about how deep Joash’s relationship with Yahweh may or may not have been, but it seemed fairly passionate when he was younger, like when he was rebuilding the temple. How often do you hear someone talk about once saved, always saved? Popular teaching states that people can not turn from the LORD, but we see over and over in scripture examples where that happened. Joash is one, Solomon another.

Hebrew 6:4

4For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have [e]fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, [f]since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

Note that Hebrews 6:4 indicates that some have partaken of the Holy Spirit and then fallen away. This refers to people who have truly submitted to Christ and then turned from Him.

Let us not overlook the righteous and bold action of Zachariah, son of Jehoiada, to confront the king and the people with the Spirit of God upon him. Sadly, he is killed, despite his faithfulness, but the wicked face consequences. Ultimately, the LORD gives victory to an inferior army to bring judgment on the people of Judah. We are left to simply trust the LORD and perhaps not fully understand why someone like Jehoiada in his efforts to be righteous found great success, but his son Zachariah, filled with the Spirit, did not. Both did as asked by the LORD. Both pleased the LORD. In our eyes, we see different results to be sure, but we do not see all things as Yahweh does. Trust Him! Do what He instructs. Follow where He leads.

Take time to prayerfully reflect on this historical account. Which aspects really speak to you? What can you apply in your life?

Have you lost a trusted counselor and find yourself drifting from God? Turn back!

Do you see others around you turning from the LORD, speak up! Be bold! Trust in the LORD.

Do you hear someone rebuking you? Before you seek revenge, listen test if they are speaking of the LORD and you need to make a change. Be humble! Do not strike at them.

Take time to reflect in prayer on this very busy chapter of history and how the key concepts apply in your life.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Purposeful / Intentional, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Put Your Faith in Yahweh and His Ways Rather than in Men

It is easy to read 2 Chronicles about Ahaziah and his father Jehoram (king of Judah) who allied themselves with the wicked kings of Israel (Jehoram of Israel and Ahab before him) and think they were foolish for doing so. It seems obvious when reading the text where it is all laid out for us plainly.

We see over a few generations, the king of Judah turn away from Yahweh’s ways and turn toward the ways of wickedness of man. However, when we are living our own lives it may not seem quite so obvious. When summarizing decades of our life in a few paragraphs, it gets condensed and often very clear. However, when living it out, one decision at a time, it may be much more difficult to discern, especially when it is our own lives and the changes are usually gradual, not huge strides.

We can see in 2 Chronicles 22 that moving away from God’s ways and towards the wicked ways of men is really bad. Surely, we know that already, but this is a concise reminder. Keep your guard up for the more gradual slide in your own life that may take place if you start to compromise and align yourself with the wordly and the wicked rather than taking a stand to be different and holy, set apart for God’s purpose.

2 Chronicles 22

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

      1Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with the Arabs to the camp had slain all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 2Ahaziah 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. 3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. 4He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

Ahaziah Allies with Jehoram of Israel

      5He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram. 6So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

      7Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

Jehu Murders Princes of Judah

      8It came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them. 9He also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

      10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she would not put him to death. 12He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

When we start moving away from the LORD’s ways, things get ugly. Once we remove a consistent standard of right and wrong, one that is objective and does not change over time, anything becomes permissible. It is not even just about God cursing us instead of blessing us. Consider in our scripture and what you see around you in life, how do people act and treat one another without God’s framework for right and wrong? It can quickly degrade. Some perceive anything as permissible in pursuit of power and glory and riches. How we live our own lives gets messy without the constant “north star” of God’s word leading us.

Most of us will not be king and will not be allying ourselves with other kings. However, whom to we partner with at work? at school? in our church? in our community? How do we handle family relationships with others who are far from God? Do we compromise how we live? or do we stand strong with the LORD in His ways even when others come against us or we feel like we stand alone?

Remember, when we stand with God, we are never alone! He is with us! I would rather stand by myself with God than stand apart from him with the company of men. (Again, this is easier to say than to live out, so do not be arrogant about it, but rather keep your eyes open and use discernment.)

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help lead and guide me. Let the Spirit dwell within me and give me wise council and discernment. Give me courage to stand for you even when if feels like I stand alone. Help me not to compromise what You teach even if it feels like I should do so to accomplish whatever goals I am working towards. Open the eyes of Your people around this nation and the world to see a clear distinction between worldliness or wickedness and godliness. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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, Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Obey My Voice, and I Will Be Your God, and You Will Be My People

For those of us whom Yahweh calls to serve Him, we should be honored for we are truly blessed to know and serve Him. However, we should also take it very seriously. For those whom He calls, He expects us to pursue Him and live for Him. There are consequences when we reject Him and go the way of man! Often these consequences are not just “heaven” or “hell” after we die, but what our experience will be in this lifetime as well. Yahweh can, at His discretion, bless those who obey or curse those who reject Him. It is part of our covenant with Him as His people…

Jeremiah 7:23

 23“But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’

There are many examples for us to consider in the biblical record, but one that not everyone probably thinks about much is Jehoram, who was son and grandson to righteous (though not perfect) kings of Judah.

2 Chronicles 21

Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat in Judah

      1Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place. 2He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

      4Now when Jehoram had taken over the kingdom of his father and made himself secure, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also. 5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 7Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

Revolt against Judah

      8In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves. 9Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck down the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots. 10So Edom revolted against Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. 11Moreover, he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot and led Judah astray.

      12Then a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet saying, “Thus says the LORD God of your father David, ‘Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father and the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot as the house of Ahab played the harlot, and you have also killed your brothers, your own family, who were better than you, 14behold, the LORD is going to strike your people, your sons, your wives and all your possessions with a great calamity; 15and you will suffer severe sickness, a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out because of the sickness, day by day.’”

      16Then the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs who bordered the Ethiopians; 17and they came against Judah and invaded it, and carried away all the possessions found in the king’s house together with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons.

      18So after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable sickness. 19Now it came about in the course of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels came out because of his sickness and he died in great pain. And his people made no fire for him like the fire for his fathers. 20He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years; and he departed with no one’s regret, and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Do not despise the ways of the LORD, but cherish them and take them to heart! Obey His voice and walk in the way He commanded us that all may be well with you. Prayerfully reflect on this truth and ask the Spirit to open your eyes to where in your life you may be choosing the way of man or self over the ways of God. If you are not confident in the ways of Yahweh, then it is your responsibility to study and learn more or find a teacher you can trust and test everything against the holy word in the Bible. Do not simply take the word of a pastor or minister. They will not be standing with you on the day of judgment. Pray for discernment. Seek out the LORD. Walk in His ways.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me and Your people to walk in Your ways! Help us to hear Your voice! Let us not rely on man’s ways or our own ways. We want to be Your people and receive Your blessing. We want to be good and faithful servants to You. Help us to have discernment and wisdom. Open our eyes to any ways we need to change! Give us courage to change as we should. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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.

Greed, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Kindness / Gentleness, Money / Finances / Wealth, Self Control, Selfishness, Wickedness / Evil

At What Price Will You Pursue Your Personal Wealth and Power?

Jehoram followed Jehoshaphat and Asa as king of Judah, both of whom were generally righteous kings, walking in the ways of David for much of their reign. Jehoram, however, turned away from righteousness and Yah’s way and toward the way of the wicked kings of Israel at that time, like Ahab.

He had every opportunity to continue ruling in a righteous manner according to his family heritage. However, he chose another path… a wicked path which is far from the LORD.

Truly, though we are not all going to be king or ruler with broad authority in our lives, we all must answer this fundamental question:

“At what price will we pursue our own personal wealth and power?”

Another fundamental question would be to really consider, “In whom will we put our trust? Yahweh or ourselves?”

2 Chronicles 21:1-7

Jehoram Succeeds Jehoshaphat in Judah

      1Then Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, and Jehoram his son became king in his place. 2He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azaryahu, Michael and Shephatiah. All these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3Their father gave them many gifts of silver, gold and precious things, with fortified cities in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn.

      4Now when Jehoram had taken over the kingdom of his father and made himself secure, he killed all his brothers with the sword, and some of the rulers of Israel also. 5Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did (for Ahab’s daughter was his wife), and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. 7Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

Most of us would say something like, “Of course I would never do what he did!” Let us take caution, however and prayerfully reflect, asking the Spirit to guide us and reveal to us any wrong motives or approach in our own lives. It will not always be killing others, but may still be harming others in some way to secure what we want in our own way. It may not be as obvious as a kingdom to rule, but may people act similarly even just for something worth a few hundred or a few thousand dollars. Many go astray and fight over inheritances. Others may fight over positions or promotions at work or even in ministry!

Let us each commit to seek the LORD and follow His ways and trust in Him!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to see anywhere in my life where I am not putting my full trust in You, but may instead be trying to do things my own way, or the way of man. Please help me remain humble and loving and considerate of others even if I have position of power or leadership. Help me to be a light in these circumstances rather than just another sinner looking after himself at any cost. 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, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Miracles, Mockers, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Promises, Share the Good News, Thankfulness, Wickedness / Evil

Let Those Who Have Eyes See… But Many Dismiss Even Miracles

Preparing for His departure, Jesus had instructed His disciples to wait for the Helper whom God was going to send to them… the Holy Spirit. His disciples obeyed. They were right to trust and obey Jesus Christ, as we should also in our daily lives. When the day of Pentecost had come… God made the event clear to those who believe so they would have no doubt and be encouraged. It was an incredible and dramatic event. Once again, however, we see that those who refuse to believe… who refuse to see truth… can always come up with an excuse to let them turn aside from God even as He demonstrates the miraculous!

Acts 2:1-13

      1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

      5Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8“And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? 9“Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” 12And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others were mocking and saying, “They are full of sweet wine.”

What an exciting event. I can only imagine being there to experience it. What rejoicing must have been going on among the believers. Such a dramatic event that God Himself brought the crowds. There was no need for advertising or grandstanding. The believers just obeyed Jesus and let God bring the crowds. Then they seized the opportunity, with God’s power, and engaged the people who came for the sake of sharing the good news of the gospel!

All of our best efforts to bring the people to our podium amount to little if the Holy Spirit is not in it. And if God is in it… no one can stop Him. We are to obey God and pray for His Holy Spirit to move us and those to whom He would have us share the gospel.

Romans 8:26-31

      26In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

      28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

      31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Scripture consistently shows us that there are many who will just reject God and mock His people. In this case they dismissed the entire miraculous event claiming that the believers must be drunk… which is silly even given that people could clearly understand them speaking in multiple languages. Do not be discouraged when you encounter these mockers. It is not a personal reflection on you as God’s faithful follower, but rather a condition of their heart that they are responsible for changing with the help of the Spirit.

The Lord has instructed us in regards to the wicked and the mockers (also scorners). We do not prosper by listening to their counsel or letting them discourage us but rather by delighting in the law of the Lord and focusing on that day and night!

Psalm 1:1-3 1How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. 3He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.

Be encouraged. Live for God, applying His word to how you live your life. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Thank God that He has given you eyes to see and ears to hear.

Proverbs 20:12 12The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made both of them.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for the Holy Spirit that you sent to be our guide and helper. Help me to recognize the Spirit and not reject Him. Please guide my words and actions when I am confronted by those who would mock you. Please open the eyes of the spiritually blind so that they may see and know you. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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, Discipline / Correction, Discipline / Guidance From God, Grace / Forgiveness, Repenting from Sin, Teachable, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Learn From Your Mistakes and Trust in God Rather than Man

We should all strive to learn from our mistakes, especially when it is the LORD who rebukes you.

We have been discussing Jehoshaphat and you can read about him in 2 Chronicles 17-20. I encourage you to read through it if you have not done so recently. The summary context is that Jehoshaphat was a righteous king of Judah who made some mistakes, but then repented. In 2 Chronicles 18, he allies himself with an unrighteous King Ahab of Israel.  He goes to war despite warning from a prophet of the LORD in order to fulfill his alliance with wicked King Ahab. It goes poorly. Ahab dies. Jehoshaphat cries out to the LORD and is spared. Then in 2 Chronicles 19, he is rebuked for his alliance with the wicked king. He repents. It seems he has learned his lesson.

Even as a large army gathers against him in 2 Chronicles 20, he and his people turn to God, not man, for help. They fast and pray and obey what God tells them to do. In fact their faith is so strong that they lead with the praise and worship section leading in front of the army.

Then as we close in 2 Chronicles 20 we see Jehoshaphat again turn to make an alliance with a worldly king and God is displeased and there are consequences.

2 Chronicles 20:35-37

Alliance Displeases God

      35After this Jehoshaphat king of Judah allied himself with Ahaziah king of Israel. He acted wickedly in so doing. 36So he allied himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish, and they made the ships in Ezion-geber. 37Then Eliezer the son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying, “Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has destroyed your works.” So the ships were broken and could not go to Tarshish.

Jehoshaphat had previously experienced the lesson that Yahweh did not want him to make alliances with the wicked kings of Israel. Apparently as time passed, he fell into the same mistake and Yah again reminded him that this was a mistake.

We may not be kings leading nations or wars, but clearly we experience the same tendencies and risks as we can learn about from the scriptures regarding Jehoshaphat. Let us not make alliance with the wicked and worldly but depend on and look to the LORD Himself or our godly brothers and sisters in Christ.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for leading and guiding me! Thank You for forgiving me when I do wrong, even if I need to accept consequences for my wrong actions. Help me to keep a right attitude toward You when You rebuke me. Lead me to join up with fellow believers rather than the worldly. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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.