Category Archives: Discipline / Guidance From God

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.

All Powerful / King of All, Am I on the path?, Blessed, Courage / Fear, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, Idols / False Gods, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil

Will We Follow Man’s Ways? or God’s?

We have been reading through 2 Kings about a line of kings who did evil in the LORD’s sight and led the people in false worship. Finally, we get to one who is righteous. Hezekiah becomes king of Judah. As we read through chapter 18-19  we will see that not everything goes his way. He faces significant adversity. However, when he turns to the LORD, He is victorious. As we begin in 2 Kings 18, we can see that the righteousness of Hezekiah is something special compared to all the other kings. We can also directly contrast his success to the failure of Israel, his neighbor, and the Bible clearly specifies that the reason is their refusal to obey God’s covenant with them.

2 Kings 18:1-12

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

      1Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 4He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. 5He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah Victorious

      7And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 8He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

      9Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. 10At the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. 11Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

I would hope that God would think of me as He describes Hezekiah. I aspire to that, but I know I fall short. We should all aspire to that.  He took on great cultural and emotional change and led the people through it. I am sure it was not easy. So many before him failed to do it. I can look in my personal life and see how transitioning from certain sentimental family traditions or cultural norms to focus more and more on following the LORD have been very difficult, even within my own family. We should not make light of his accomplishments and dedication to the LORD based on the assumption it was easy because he was king. I doubt it was easy. People do not easily give up their traditions and false beliefs of generations.

As a result of his righteousness, he was very blessed as was Judah. By contrast, Israel continued to suffer defeat due to their disobedience to God’s covenant.

Do not think of this as some far off historical event that is interesting but not practical. Recognize how this applies in each of our lives today and forever. The principle is seeking to know the LORD and then leave behind whatever separates us from walking in His ways and His commands, no matter how difficult. We must be courageous and put Him first above all. We must be willing to face and overcome conflict and resistance in many different forms.  We must place our faith entirely in our Father’s hands and obey.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to seek you passionately and diligently… to know, love and serve you fully.  Help me to lay down the bad things that are not your ways and help me to have courage and wisdom in conflict. Lead me in your ways and bless me. Please help all those who are called by your name to do likewise so that we would be a body of Christ that truly shines as a light to the world to draw others to you. Let not the traditions of family or men keep us from walking completely in your ways. Raise up righteous leaders and teachers to lead the people. Bring forth workers for the harvest. 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, Discipline / Guidance From God, Fear / Reverence for God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy / Set Apart, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant, Traditions / Holidays, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Do Not Mix and Mingle the LORD’s Ways With Those of Other Gods

The LORD is to have a singular place of honor and respect and devotion above all else in our lives. The LORD is not satisfied to be one of your gods that you fear and worship. He is to be “THE” God you fear and worship. It matters to Him that we observe the statutes and ordinances of the Law for ever. As you read 2 Kings, focus on verses 36-39.

36“But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37“The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38“The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

Of course, note the context in the broader scripture below. The LORD brought defeat to the people of Israel because they worshipped and feared other gods and did not walk in the ways of His statutes and ordinances. They did evil in His sight. We pick up in verse 24 as the King of Assyria brings in people from outside Israel to populate the land after carrying off the Israelites.

2 Kings 17:24-41

Cities of Israel Filled with Strangers

      24The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25At the beginning of their living there, they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them which killed some of them. 26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have carried away into exile in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.”

      27Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you carried away into exile and let him go and live there; and let him teach them the custom of the god of the land.” 28So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

      29But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim. 32They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

      34To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the LORD commanded the sons of Jacob, whom He named Israel; 35with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. 36“But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37“The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38“The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. 41So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

We are to remain a pure and set apart, or holy, people, dedicated to the LORD and His ways. In many ways our church has over the past several thousand years and also continues to blend with the culture and beliefs of those who do not follow Christ. A simple example is those that claim Christ and use the Bible, but then support abortion and homosexuality, which the LORD speaks against very clearly in the Bible. Other examples include the mixing and mingling of Christian concepts and teachings on top of pagan celebrations like Christmas or even Halloween. Instead of being set apart, we blend in. This is not what we are called to do. How can we be a light if we blend in with those around us? How can we be the salt of the earth if we bring no flavor? (Matthew 5:13-16)

By contrast, there is widespread ignorance about the feasts and celebrations the LORD has called us to celebrate, all of which focus on our relationship with Him. (For more on this topic, see our category of page Celebrating God’s Holy Days, which includes a list of resources on this subject.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in wisdom and discernment. Help me to joyfully follow you and only you. Grant me a passion to study and learn your ways and the courage to turn from the ways of man in which I am already accustomed even when it creates conflict with those close to me. Help me to share your wonderful ways with others and help them be receptive to learn alongside me. Help all those called by your name around the world to turn from the ways of men and turn toward your ways. Send more workers to help with the harvest. 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.

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Learning To Pray Effectively, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Slow to Anger

“Slow” to Anger Does Not Mean “No” to Anger

The kings of Israel continued to lead the people to sin and do evil in the sight of the LORD. The LORD was patient and made many attempts to call them back to Him. The stubbornly refused, continuing in the ways other pagan nations worship their gods and even worshipping other false gods directly. They were so far from the LORD that even when dominated by the Assyrians, there is no mention of turning to the LORD for help.

For those nations whose strength was founded in fear of the LORD, such as Israel or the United States, when they continue generation after generation turning away from the ways of God and continue to do evil in His sight there will be consequences. In 2 Kings 17 we see an example where He not only removed His hand of blessing, but actually brought Israel to defeat. We should not think of this as some old story, but realize a similar situation applies even now in the United States and we should be humbled and repent as a nation.

2 Kings 17:1-23

Hoshea Reigns over Israel

      1In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned nine years. 2He did evil in the sight of the LORD, only not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute. 4But the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea, who had sent messengers to So king of Egypt and had offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; so the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison.

      5Then the king of Assyria invaded the whole land and went up to Samaria and besieged it three years.

Israel Captive

     6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and settled them in Halah and Habor, on the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

Why Israel Fell

      7Now this came about because the sons of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and they had feared other gods 8and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD had driven out before the sons of Israel, and in the customs of the kings of Israel which they had introduced. 9The sons of Israel did things secretly which were not right against the LORD their God. Moreover, they built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10They set for themselves sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11and there they burned incense on all the high places as the nations did which the LORD had carried away to exile before them; and they did evil things provoking the LORD. 12They served idols, concerning which the LORD had said to them, “You shall not do this thing.” 13Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments, My statutes according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets.” 14However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the LORD their God. 15They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the LORD had commanded them not to do like them. 16They forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him. 18So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight; none was left except the tribe of Judah.

      19Also Judah did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs which Israel had introduced. 20The LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them out of His sight.

      21When He had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel away from following the LORD and made them commit a great sin. 22The sons of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them 23until the LORD removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.

The LORD can raise up an adversary to conquer or simply let our nation rot and decay from the depravity of our own minds internal to our nation. The point is that any nation that drew strength and blessing from relationship with the LORD, as I believe the USA did since its founding for many generations, should take heed if / when they turn from the Father’s ways and pursue the ways of man.

It is not much better to mix and mingle false gods with worship of Yah than to simply turn from Him completely. Both are very bad.

I hope each of us can humble ourselves and pray for our personal lives, our family, our communities, the body of Christ as a whole, and our nation. Pray for repentance and that God would lift up righteous leaders and bring down wicked godless ones, even if they acknowledge Him with their lips. We can see with their policies and actions whom they serve.

In all of this, we must remember that our true enemy is Satan, and not individual people who come against us. We fight above all else, a spiritual war and should always remember that prayer and repentance is a huge part of any strategy that will bring our nation back to the one true God. (Read more on Spiritual Warfare.)

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, you and you alone are God. There are none like you. There are none whose works are like yours. Please help me personally and help your people collectively to humble themselves, turn from our wicked ways, and pray for your forgiveness and victory. Please restore the hearts and minds of the people of our nation to you and away from the paths of wickedness. Lift up righteous leaders and protect them with your right hand. Bring forth restoration and revival and a complete purge of wickedness and false teaching from our nation and most certainly from those who claim to follow 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.

All Powerful / King of All, Anger (unrighteous anger), Bitterness / Resentment, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Fear / Reverence for God, Murder, Patient, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Seeking God, Selfishness, Submitted / Servant, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

When Things Get Really Bad, Seek the LORD More Fervently!

Sometimes we face situations so dire, it seems hopeless. We call upon the LORD but His help does not come in the way or timing in which we expect or hope. We may grow desperate. Remain faithful. Do not turn from the way of the LORD.  In these situations it is Him and Him alone who can deliver us.  When things get really bad, seek the LORD more fervently and do not turn away from His ways!

2 Kings 6:24-33

The Siege of Samaria—Cannibalism

      24Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. 26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27He said, “If the LORD does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?” 28And the king said to her, “What is the matter with you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29“So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.” 30When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body. 31Then he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”

      32Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man from his presence; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” 33While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him and he said, “Behold, this evil is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

2 Kings 7

Elisha Promises Food

      1Then Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, ‘Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’” 2The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said, “Behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” Then he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.”

Four Lepers Relate Arameans’ Flight

      3Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die? 4“If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die.” 5They arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was no one there. 6For the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.” 7Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life. 8When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid them.

      9Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” 10So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and they told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor the voice of man, only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.” 11The gatekeepers called and told it within the king’s household. 12Then the king arose in the night and said to his servants, “I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore they have gone from the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.’” 13One of his servants said, “Please, let some men take five of the horses which remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send and see.” 14They took therefore two chariots with horses, and the king sent after the army of the Arameans, saying, “Go and see.”

The Promise Fulfilled

      15They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.

      16So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. 17Now the king appointed the royal officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate; but the people trampled on him at the gate, and he died just as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. 18It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, “Two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria.” 19Then the royal officer answered the man of God and said, “Now behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he said, “Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it.” 20And so it happened to him, for the people trampled on him at the gate and he died.

This is miraculous even if Elisha had not predicted it. How much more so that he prophesied that it would happed and then it did, just as he said!

We can certainly debate why the LORD did not act sooner or why it was only when Elisha’s life was in danger that he acted. That will lead us to speculation and more questions. It is fine to explore there. However, my focus for today is that, recognizing the LORD’s ways are different than ours and we may not always understand them, we should always put our faith and trust in Him. There is no situation for which He is not prepared or by which He is surprised. He knows all. He is all powerful.

I would point out that there was no message accompanying this miracle. Perhaps it was simply intended to bring about glory to the name and reputation of YHWH. Perhaps it was discipline for His people or their king. Elisha did not exactly compliment the king to call him a son of a murderer. Also, the king would not seek to kill or punish the prophet of God if he was close to God himself.

To recap where we began, when things get really bad we should seek the LORD more fervently and not turn from Him or His ways!

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, Discipline / Correction, Discipline / Guidance From God, Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil

Why Would Yahweh Comes to Ahab’s Defense?

Ahab was a wicked king over Israel. We read about it throughout several chapters in 1 Kings preceding 1 Kings 20. It is interesting that when war was upon Israel, the LORD granted them victory anyway. Why did He do that?

1 Kings 20

War with Aram

      1Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it. 2Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad, 3‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’” 4The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” 5Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,” 6but about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will take in their hand and carry away.’”

      7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and see how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” 8All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. 10Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” 11Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’” 12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Ahab Victorious

      13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 14Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.” 15Then he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, even all the sons of Israel, 7,000.

      16They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the temporary shelters with the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17The young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.” 18Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

      19So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20They killed each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

      22Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

      23Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they. 24“Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

Another Aramean War

      26At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country. 28Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 29So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber.

      31His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life.” 32So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33Now the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot. 34Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

      35Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 36Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and killed him. 37Then he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, wounding him. 38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40“While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” 41Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. 42He said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.

The LORD gave victory to the people of Israel for His own glory and honor. He wanted Ahab to know that He was the LORD. Consider the following verses:

    13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”

28Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’

I believe this is truly by the grace and patience of our Father that He continued to give such opportunity to Ahab. But even after these chances, Ahab chooses again the wrong path before the LORD. He compromises and makes a treaty with the Beh-hadad, when the LORD already gave him victory. I believe this reflects what is still a lack of faith in Ahab for the LORD. He keeps wanting to do things his own way instead of fully submitting to and relying on Yahweh.

God had set aside Ben-hadad for destruction. Ahab missed that and did things his own way.  Further, when the prophet who is sent to rebuke him confronts him with a parallel situation, Ahab basically has no mercy. He says the man has decided his own judgment, to be killed for letting a prisoner go. Then we see another example of the forgiveness we have for others being the same standard by which we are judged. The prophet declares that because Ahab took this position, it shall stand likewise as his own punishment. Ahab just can’t seem to get things right and that is because he does not have a submitted relationship with the LORD. He is always doing things his own way.  Never do we see Ahab come before the LORD asking forgiveness, even when he is confronted by the prophet directly. It seems obvious that Ahab must have believed in God, witnessing the victory, and not striking down prophets who come against him. However he does not appear to have submitted to the LORD.

There is a lot to learn from this scripture. God will defend His name and reveal Himself to His people. He wants to be in relationship with us, even after we mess up and disobey. We should seek His help and do things His way. There is nothing which God can not make happen, no matter what the odds may seem to be that stack against us. When we mess up, be humble, repent, and ask forgiveness. Ahab never did.

One more observation I have not called out yet, but will not develop fully here. Verses 35-36 may be troubling to some of us. A man refused to strike a prophet and was killed by a lion as a result. Ouch. It sounds harsh for sure. We can make a lot of rationalizations about why the man may not have wanted to strike the prophet, but ultimately the LORD arranged for the lion to kill the man and thus reinforced that his action was wrong to not obey the prophet. I take this one to be one of obedience to the LORD and His servants, especially if the prophet was well known and recognized. We do see a clue that this may have been the case as Ahab recognizes him. That is the whole point of getting struck and going in disguise in the first place.

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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, Discipline / Guidance From God, Government, Idols / False Gods, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil

Pursue the Father Wholeheartedly

After the death of Solomon, the kingdom was split into Judah and Israel. Both Jeroboam, king of Israel, and Rehoboam, king of Judah, were wicked and did not follow YHWH wholeheartedly as David did. We see in 1 Kings 15 a chain of kings summarized in quick succession.  There is a lot to unpack and reflect on.

To sum it up, we see things get really messy when our leaders, or individuals, do not pursue the Father wholeheartedly, but instead mix and mingle what He tells us with the beliefs of false gods. Leadership matters because it influences the minds of the people in their walk with the LORD!

1 Kings 15

Abijam Reigns over Judah

      1Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, Abijam became king over Judah. 2He reigned three years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 3He walked in all the sins of his father which he had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David. 4But for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, to raise up his son after him and to establish Jerusalem; 5because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the case of Uriah the Hittite. 6There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life.

      7Now the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

Asa Succeeds Abijam

      8And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place.

      9So in the twentieth year of Jeroboam the king of Israel, Asa began to reign as king of Judah. 10He reigned forty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Maacah the daughter of Abishalom. 11Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, like David his father. 12He also put away the male cult prostitutes from the land and removed all the idols which his fathers had made. 13He also removed Maacah his mother from being queen mother, because she had made a horrid image as an Asherah; and Asa cut down her horrid image and burned it at the brook Kidron. 14But the high places were not taken away; nevertheless the heart of Asa was wholly devoted to the LORD all his days. 15He brought into the house of the LORD the dedicated things of his father and his own dedicated things: silver and gold and utensils.

      16Now there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. 17Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah. 18Then Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying, 19“Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” 20So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali. 21When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah. 22Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah—none was exempt—and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

      23Now the rest of all the acts of Asa and all his might and all that he did and the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. 24And Asa slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place.

Nadab, then Baasha, Rules over Israel

      25Now Nadab the son of Jeroboam became king over Israel in the second year of Asa king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years. 26He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and in his sin which he made Israel sin. 27Then Baasha the son of Ahijah of the house of Issachar conspired against him, and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, while Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon.

      28So Baasha killed him in the third year of Asa king of Judah and reigned in his place. 29It came about as soon as he was king, he struck down all the household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam any persons alive, until he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite, 30and because of the sins of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

      31Now the rest of the acts of Nadab and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

War with Judah

      32There was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

      33In the third year of Asa king of Judah, Baasha the son of Ahijah became king over all Israel at Tirzah, and reigned twenty-four years. 34He did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam and in his sin which he made Israel sin.

A key theme we can see is that our Father cares deeply about the leadership of His people and whether or not they follow Him wholeheartedly. He is not pleased to simply be one of several “gods” they worship. This is idolatry and wickedness.

We see that to come out of wickedness, as Asa did, is hard. He had to stand against his own mother, who had embraced false gods. He had a heart for Yahweh and did much good to pull down the idols. Despite the fact that he did not get them all, he is praised for pursuing Yahweh wholeheartedly. He did not have to be perfect to be pleasing. We don’t either, though we should not let that serve as an excuse to leave some sin in our lives.

We can also see a theme that when God’s people fight among themselves, neither one wins. Both are divided and made weaker. It is sad to see that Asa had to go pay to have another nation come against the attacks from Israel. We can apply the same thoughts to how we act as brothers and sisters in Christ. Do we unite around the truth of Messiah and debate the full understanding of scripture? or do we come against one another, one denomination against another, undermining the unity of His people? Keep in mind, there is some doctrine which must be thrown out and we can not stand in unity with those who hold fast to it. One extreme example would be those who claim Yeshua was not Messiah or not God, but only a teacher. We can not stand in unity with this. Similarly, there are many other controversial topics today in which people who claim the name of Yeshua also stand against what His word and teaching proclaim. Abortion and homosexuality come to mind as examples. We can engage and debate with these individuals, but we can not accept what they teach in unity.

To make a point on this matter… reflect back on what caused the division. It started with Solomon turning away from wholeheartedly pursuing Yahweh. Sin and idolatry divided God’s people. As they pursue other gods and other beliefs, while still claiming to follow Yahweh! This is what largely divides our body of believers still today. Much bad teaching had been mixed and mingled with the good. People are now confused and lost as the people were under the kings like Jeroboam. Pray for our Father to remove the spiritual darkness and let the scales fall from the eyes of believers that they would see truth clearly and pursue it, even if they have to stand firm for God and against their own family, as Asa did.

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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, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Government, Idols / False Gods, Intgegrity / Honesty, Purposeful / Intentional, Wickedness / Evil

Godly Leadership Matters for All of Us

Israel had gone quickly from glorifying Yahweh to idolatry during the reign of Solomon. He started out strong and then turned away from the LORD and embraced other gods alongside Yahweh. When he left the throne. Fast forward into 1 Kings 14 and we see that Yahweh split the kingdom and both kings were bad, and Israel and Judah suffered because of it, because they lost the blessing of Yahweh that comes with obedience and worship in following Him.

1 Kings 14:9 speaks about Jeroboam, who was king of Israel except Judah. You can read more of 1 Kings 14 to find out more on him and the impact it had on Israel, which was very bad.

 9you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back

1 Kings 14:21-31 tells us about Rehoboam, who was king of Judah.

Rehoboam Misleads Judah

      21Now Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had chosen from all the tribes of Israel to put His name there. And his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. 22Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. 23For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. 24There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD dispossessed before the sons of Israel.

      25Now it happened in the fifth year of King Rehoboam, that Shishak the king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem. 26He took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and he took everything, even taking all the shields of gold which Solomon had made. 27So King Rehoboam made shields of bronze in their place, and committed them to the care of the commanders of the guard who guarded the doorway of the king’s house. 28Then it happened as often as the king entered the house of the LORD, that the guards would carry them and would bring them back into the guards’ room.

      29Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 30There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. 31And Rehoboam slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and his mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonitess. And Abijam his son became king in his place.

What we see about us today in our culture is much the same as the wickedness of Jeroboam and Rehobam. Many who try to rule over us, are wicked and reject God entirely or worse, claim His name and then live in opposition to all He stands for. This is very much like Rehoboam and Jeroboam indeed. We have a chance at least to influence our government, where the people of Israel and Judah did not. But we must be active and get engaged in the process and unify.

Sadly, the wicked and those who support them often try to distort who is wicked and who is not, who really follows God, and who just says they do. They end up confusing many who claim to follow Yeshua and we get godlessness in many big cities and states around the nation

A pretty good place to start is to understand the party platform that they identify with. If someone stands for abortion and homosexuality and taking away personal freedom to replace it with bigger government to control us…if someone supports opening casinos, but not churches… these are “tells” or “tips” that disclose their godlessness. If they are trying to emphasize Islam or other false religions instead of Christianity or Judaism, then that is a big tell. Clearly there may be candidates from many perspectives that may not be godly, but the ones who identify with such platform as listed above are clearly lost and many are smearing God’s name, or reputation.

Stand firm. Pray for one another and for righteousness to prevail in our leaders from all sides. Do not look for and expect perfection in candidates that are trying to follow Yeshua. None of us can meet that standard. If we expect perfection and defeat those who would stand for us, then we open the door for those who stand against us to rule. Said another way, if you can’t find what you perceive as a righteous candidate, at least pick one that is less wicked and will by policy support our freedom to worship and live out God’s ways.

Keep in mind, the righteousness of our leaders and their policies influences culture and people and leads us into or away from righteousness. The impact affects us as a nation and a people, not just individuals.

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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, Discipline / Guidance From God, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Follow the LORD Wholeheartedly

I find it intriguing that Jeroboam, when tough time come, looks to YHWH through His prophet to seek help and clarity. However, when things are going ok for him prior to that he goes his own way, which was very bad and we can read more about by reading 1Kings 12 and 1 Kings 13.  Notice, the conflict within Jeroboam. He clearly must not think much of the prophet if he thinks he can fool him on who is asking the question, but at the same time he is drawn to him as he had properly prophesied about Jeroboam becoming king. Jeroboam seems to be trying to walk the fence… using YHWH when convenient but doing things his own way as seems beneficial to him.

As we quickly think about how foolish this may seem, let us take time to challenge ourselves that we do not also do likewise in our own lives. Do we go to church and claim the name of Yeshua when things suit us? Do we still do so when we face losing our job or getting harassed by people for our faith? Do we order our steps according to how the Bible instructs, even when it is not what we would like to do? If the Spirit guides us to do something that does not make sense to us, will we obey or rationalize that our way is better?

We also see in 1 Kings 14 how Jeroboam now faces consequences for his idolatry and rebellion against the LORD. We are all accountable before YHWH. It is just a question of when and how. To truly follow the LORD is to do so wholeheartedly, not sometimes “yes” and sometimes “no”. We should not take what YHWH tells us to do and then make our own version of it as Jeroboam did. That is idolatry. It does not go over well with the LORD. It is worth noting that we see no signs of repentance within Jeroboam after his mistakes… thus he remains in defiance against the LORD.

1 Kings 14: 1-20

Ahijah Prophesies against the King

      1At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam became sick. 2Jeroboam said to his wife, “Arise now, and disguise yourself so that they will not know that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; behold, Ahijah the prophet is there, who spoke concerning me that I would be king over this people. 3“Take ten loaves with you, some cakes and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will happen to the boy.”

      4Jeroboam’s wife did so, and arose and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. 5Now the LORD had said to Ahijah, “Behold, the wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son, for he is sick. You shall say thus and thus to her, for it will be when she arrives that she will pretend to be another woman.”

      6When Ahijah heard the sound of her feet coming in the doorway, he said, “Come in, wife of Jeroboam, why do you pretend to be another woman? For I am sent to you with a harsh message. 7“Go, say to Jeroboam, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, 8and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you—yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight; 9you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back— 10therefore behold, I am bringing calamity on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male person, both bond and free in Israel, and I will make a clean sweep of the house of Jeroboam, as one sweeps away dung until it is all gone. 11“Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city the dogs will eat. And he who dies in the field the birds of the heavens will eat; for the LORD has spoken it.”’ 12“Now you, arise, go to your house. When your feet enter the city the child will die. 13“All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he alone of Jeroboam’s family will come to the grave, because in him something good was found toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam. 14“Moreover, the LORD will raise up for Himself a king over Israel who will cut off the house of Jeroboam this day and from now on.

      15“For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking the LORD to anger. 16“He will give up Israel on account of the sins of Jeroboam, which he committed and with which he made Israel to sin.”

      17Then Jeroboam’s wife arose and departed and came to Tirzah. As she was entering the threshold of the house, the child died. 18All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through His servant Ahijah the prophet.

      19Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he made war and how he reigned, behold, they are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. 20The time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his place.

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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, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Lying / Deceiving, Obeying God, Spiritual Warfare, Through Prophets, Unteachable / Foolish, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

A King’s Idolatry in God’s Name and a Disobedient Prophet

1 Kings 13 has several important threads to pull on. The kingdom has just been divided between Rehoboam and Jeroboam due to Solomon’s rebellion against God, and Rehoboam’s arrogance and pride, mixed with some foolishness for listening to bad counsel instead of good counsel. Jeroboam set up his own altars and priests for the LORD, but this is truly idolatry as we do not get to change and adapt for our desires what the LORD has said… even if we still claim we do it for Him. Meanwhile, we also get an opportunity to explore the path of two prophets who are knitted together in this historical account.

1 Kings 13

Jeroboam Warned, Stricken

      1Now behold, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, while Jeroboam was standing by the altar to burn incense. 2He cried against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, “O altar, altar, thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.’” 3Then he gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which the LORD has spoken, ‘Behold, the altar shall be split apart and the ashes which are on it shall be poured out.’” 4Now when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar in Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” But his hand which he stretched out against him dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. 5The altar also was split apart and the ashes were poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. 6The king said to the man of God, “Please entreat the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” So the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him, and it became as it was before. 7Then the king said to the man of God, “Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.” 8But the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give me half your house I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place. 9“For so it was commanded me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water, nor return by the way which you came.’” 10So he went another way and did not return by the way which he came to Bethel.

The Disobedient Prophet

      11Now an old prophet was living in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the deeds which the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king, these also they related to their father. 12Their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” Now his sons had seen the way which the man of God who came from Judah had gone. 13Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him and he rode away on it. 14So he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak; and he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” And he said, “I am.” 15Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.” 16He said, “I cannot return with you, nor go with you, nor will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17“For a command came to me by the word of the LORD, ‘You shall eat no bread, nor drink water there; do not return by going the way which you came.’” 18He said to him, “I also am a prophet like you, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” But he lied to him. 19So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house and drank water.

      20Now it came about, as they were sitting down at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; 21and he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have disobeyed the command of the LORD, and have not observed the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, 22but have returned and eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which He said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water”; your body shall not come to the grave of your fathers.’” 23It came about after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, for the prophet whom he had brought back. 24Now when he had gone, a lion met him on the way and killed him, and his body was thrown on the road, with the donkey standing beside it; the lion also was standing beside the body. 25And behold, men passed by and saw the body thrown on the road, and the lion standing beside the body; so they came and told it in the city where the old prophet lived.

      26Now when the prophet who brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God, who disobeyed the command of the LORD; therefore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to him.” 27Then he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And they saddled it. 28He went and found his body thrown on the road with the donkey and the lion standing beside the body; the lion had not eaten the body nor torn the donkey. 29So the prophet took up the body of the man of God and laid it on the donkey and brought it back, and he came to the city of the old prophet to mourn and to bury him. 30He laid his body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” 31After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. 32“For the thing shall surely come to pass which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria.”

      33After this event Jeroboam did not return from his evil way, but again he made priests of the high places from among all the people; any who would, he ordained, to be priests of the high places. 34This event became sin to the house of Jeroboam, even to blot it out and destroy it from off the face of the earth.

Clearly we see Jeroboam is warned in dramatic fashion about his sin and idolatry… and he refuses to repent. This is not a man who is truly pursuing the LORD, despite the actions of setting up a priesthood and altars in His name. He is going through religious activity but missing on the main point of being in relationship and obedience to God. He is doing things his own way and damaging the name or reputation of God in the process. There are people doing this very commonly throughout our culture today! We should prayerfully reflect and ask God to show us if and how we are doing this in our lives today, by rationalizing how we mix and mingle obeying God with other cultural influences or personal desires. We should submit to and serve God and God alone.

In regards to the prophet, we can explore many different aspects. We could get focused on why the old prophet who lied was not punished. Maybe he was. That is not the focus God wanted us to have from this historical account. He wants us to focus on the young prophet. He knew clearly and firmly that he was not to eat or drink in that place. He said so firmly to both king and the older prophet. He allowed himself to be deceived. He chose to go against what God had clearly told him. God held him accountable for that. When we are in a mature relationship with the LORD where He does miracles through us and brings His word clearly through us, He also has high expectations that we obey. In that case, He knows we clearly understood Him and then disobeyed.

It is not written, but one can easily imagine the role of Satan playing out behind the scenes here. I imagine him influencing the king to tempt the prophet. As we learn from Satan’s temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, he always comes more than once and he gets trickier. You only defend by clearly understanding the word of God and obeying it. I can see Satan coming back with a trickier approach through the older prophet and he manages to get the younger prophet to disobey God and face the consequences. God sent the lion to cause death to the prophet. This was not simply the LORD removing his hedge of protection. The lion killed the man and then ate neither man nor donkey and just stayed there by the site where it happened. The LORD punished the prophet by bringing about his death.

If that seems harsh or makes us uncomfortable, then we should prayerfully reflect on it, but it is still true. Let us recognize that the LORD is to be respected and at times feared. That should encourage us in our obedience, in particular when He has clearly spoken to us what we are to do.

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